Nanaimoo bird report, February 22, 2015

NANAIMO BIRD REPORT “EXPLORE NATURE---GO BIRDING”

To report your sightings phone the Store at 250-390-3669 or e-mail us at
thebackyard@shaw.ca
Please remember, when reporting a sighting, to leave your name and phone
number along with the date, the species and location of your sighting.
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Sunday, February 22, 2015:

The Sunday bird walk went the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville. The morning was partly cloudy with sunny periods. The highlights included seeing three Gadwall near the mudflats. Several Steller’s Jays were singing throughout the morning. We saw several Pacific Loons were showing their breeding plumage on the ocean. Many flocks of Brant were moving up and down the Strait of Georgia.

 

 

Steller’s Jay:: Ralph Hocken Photo.  

Twenty-nine birders saw and heard the following foty-eight species: 

Brant

Canada Geese

 Mallard

Gadwall

Bufflehead

Green-winged Teal

Northern Pintail

American Widgeon

  Surf Scoter

White-winged Scoter

Common Goldeneye

Red-necked Grebe

Horned Grebe

Hooded Merganser

Common Merganser

 Red-breasted Merganser

Long-tailed Duck

 Pacific Loon

 Common Loon

 Double-crested Cormorant

 Pelagic Cormorant

Black Turnstone

Killdeer

Bald Eagle

Merlin

 Mew Gull

Thayer’s Gull

 Glaucous-winged Gull

Steller’s Jay

 Common Raven

 Northwestern Crow

Northern Flicker

Downy Woodpecker

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Pacific Wren

 Bewick's Wren

 Golden-crowned Kinglet

 Ruby-crowned Kinglet

American Robin

 Spotted Towhee

Purple Finch

White-crowned Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Fox Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Pine Siskin   

Saturday, February 21:

Two Rufous Hummingbirds we revisiting feeders in the Collage Heights area of Nanaimo. 

A Violet-green Swallow was seen at Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo. 

Tuesday, February 17:

The Tuesday bird walk went to Little Qualicum River Estuary.  The morning was calm, but unfortunately the fog remained over the water throughout the morning limiting our view. We saw a flock of Brant fly by at the viewing station and several Oystercatchers landed among the rocks.  There was also a Western Gull spotted just off shore.  A Yellow-rumped Warbler was spotted along the houses leading to the Estuary.  Surf Scoters were heard off in the fog at the end of our walk. 

Yellow-rumped Warbler: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

17 birders saw or heard the following 35 species.

Brant

Canada Geese

Mallard

American Widgeon

Harlequin Duck

Surf Scoter

Bufflehead

Northern Pintail

Common Goldeneye

Common Merganser

Great Blue Heron

Bald Eagle

Killdeer

Black-bellied Plover

Black Turnstone

Black Oystercatcher

Mew Gull

Western Gull

Thayer’s Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Belted Kingfisher

Northern Flicker

Northwestern Crow

Common Raven

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

European Starling

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Red-winged Blackbird

House Finch

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Eurasian-collared Dove

California Quail

Anna’s Hummingbird  

Good birding,

Rhonda Fleming

Parksville 

Sunday, February 15: 

A Yellow-billed Loon was seen off Piper’s Lagoon in Nanaimo. 

Friday, February 13:

A Cooper’s Hawk landed on top of a bird feeder in the San Pareil area of Parksville. 

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Monday, February, 23^rd:

The Arrowsmith Naturalists meet at 7 pm at Knox United Church, Parksville.

Guest Speaker--- Christopher Stephens will speak about Swainson’s Thrush.

 

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Tofino-Shorebird –Festival

 

18th Annual May 1-3, 2015 

For  information please contact---- http://raincoasteducation.org/events/tofino-shorebird-festival

 

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Everyone is welcome to join us for a 2-3 hour bird walk on the Sunday and
Tuesday mornings.  We leave from the Store at 9 a.m. on Sunday Mornings and
go to a different location in and around Nanaimo and from the Parksville
Beach Community Park at 9 a.m. on Tuesdays and go to different areas in and around the Oceanside area

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The Tuesday bird walk on February 24, 2015 will be going to the Little Qualicum River Fish Hatchery.  Meet at the Parksville Community Park playground parking lot at 9 a.m. or the Hatchery parking lot off Claymore Rd (off Laburnum Rd) in Qualicum Beach at 9:15 a.m.

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The Sunday bird walk on March 01, 2015 will be going to the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo. Meet at the Bird Store at 9:00 a.m. or at the end of Rains Road in south Nanaimo.at about 9:25 a.m.

 

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British Columbia Rare Bird Alert link--- http://www.bcbirdalert.blogspot.ca/

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A must read for those of us who live along the Strait of Georgia.

THE SEA AMONG US
THE AMAZING STRAIT OF GEORGIA
RICHARD BEAMISH AND GORDON McFARLANE
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Good birding
Neil Robins

THE BACKYARD WILDBIRD & NATURE STORE
6314 Metral Drive
Nanaimo  B.C.
V9T-2L8
Phone: 250-390-3669
Fax: 250-390-1633
Email:  thebackyard@shaw.ca
Blog:  www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com