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Tuesday, 24 February 2015

Parksville/Qualicum beach Tuesday bird walk, February 24, 2015


The Tuesday bird walk went to the Little Qualicum River Fish Hatchery in Qualicum Beach. The morning was sunny and the winds were calm, making for a great morning of birding. We spotted two American Dippers feeding along the river bank not far from us. We saw several Red-breasted Sapsuckers feeding and tapping the trees throughout the morning.  A Varied Thrush was singing atop a tall conifer and two other Varied Thrush were answering him as he sang.  American Robins were busy feeding and resting on the grassy area. We spotted a leucistic American Robin--a very colorful bird—scurrying on the ground giving us great views. A flock of Violet-green Swallows flew overhead hawking insects.  A Pileated Woodpecker was busy drumming on a snag near the end of the walk.
 
 
                                             
          Leucistic American Robin: John Purves Photo.                                        
 
Twenty birders saw and heard the following twenty-seven species; 
Canada Geese
Mallard
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
Belted Kingfisher
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Turkey Vulture
 American Dipper
 Chestnut-backed Chickadee
  Downy Woodpecker
 Northern Flicker
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Pileated Woodpecker
European Starling
 Northwestern Crow
 Common Raven
 Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Violet-green Swallow 
American Robin
 Varied Thrush
 Spotted Towhee
 Song Sparrow
American Goldfinch
Pine Siskin
 
                                                                             

Red-breasted Sapsucker: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

The Tuesday bird walk on March 03,2015 will be going to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville. 

Good birding
Neil Robins
Parksville

 

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