Nanaimo bird report, March 01, 2015

 

 

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

To report your sightings phone the Store at 250-390-3669 or e-mail us atthebackyard@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.*****************************************************************************
Sunday, March 01 2015:

The Sunday bird walk went the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo. The morning was cloudy with calm winds.  We spotted a Northern Shrike near the start of the walk. The highlight of the morning was the sighting of four migrating Western Meadowlarks perched and singing low on bushes not far from us. They entertained us for a long while as we watched them dive into the grasses and then fly up onto a perch to sing.  We spotted two Red-tailed Hawks courting and landing on a bush giving us great views. A Northern Harrier flew low over the field searching for prey. We spotted him later perched on the big Garry Oak looking down on us.

                                                               

Western Meadowlark: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

 

Twenty-nine birders saw and heard the following thirty-nine species: 

Canada Geese

                                                  American Widgeon

 Mallard

Green-winged Teal

 Bufflehead

 Common Goldeneye

 Common Merganser

 Red-breasted Merganser

 Gadwall

 Great Blue Heron

Belted Kingfisher

Bald Eagle

Peregrine Falcon

 Northern Harrier

 Red-tailed Hawk

Rough-legged Hawk

Killdeer

Northern Shrike

Mew Gull

Thayer’s Gull

California Gull

 Glaucous-winged Gull

Steller’s Jay

Northern Flicker

 Northwestern Crow

 Common Raven

 American Robin

Western Meadowlark

 European Starling

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Bewick’s Wren

Violet-green Swallow

Tree Swallow

 Spotted Towhee

 Song Sparrow

 Dark-eyed Junco

Golden-crowned Sparrow

House Finch

 Red-winged Blackbird 

Saturday, February 28: 

Two Rufous Hummingbirds were seen visiting feeders in upper Lantzville

 

Tuesday, February 24: 

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.

 

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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

****************************************************************************The Tuesday bird walk on March 03, 2015 will be going to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville.  Meet at the Parksville Community Park playground parking lot at 9 a.m. or the end of Shelly Road at about  9:10 a.m.

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The Sunday bird walk on March 07, 2015 will be going to the Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo. Meet at the Bird Store at 9:00 a.m. or at parking area at Buttertubs Marsh off Bowen Road Nanaimo at about 9:15 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