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, March 08, 2015:
The Sunday bird walk went the Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo. The morning was
cloudy with sunny periods and calm winds. Over ten Steller’s Jays flew in
overhead nosily mobbing some black squirrels. Just off the trail a Bewick’s
Wren was singing . The Marsh Wrens were singing for most of the morning and we
got great looks as two of them perched and sang on top cattails. We watched a
Ruby-crowned Kinglet singing and feeding high up in the trees next to the
trail. Violet-green Swallows were flying over the western side of Buttertubs.
Two Tree Swallows were perched preening themselves on a tall snag not far up
the trail, giving us great views. The bird of the morning was a Harris’s Sparrow
perched on a bare branch just off the trail, not far from Jinglepot Road
entrance. The Sparrow turned to face us as we looked at him, giving us time to
study him. It was an awesome sight, so close to us. The Harris’s Sparrow
usually winters in the Central Southern USA and is rarely seen in this
area.
Nineteen birders saw and heard the following thirty-eight species:
Canada Geese
Mallard
American Wigeon
Wood Duck
Ring-necked Duck
Bufflehead
Hooded Merganser
Doubled-crested Cormorant
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
California Quail
Anna's Hummingbird
Northern Flicker
Common Raven
Northwestern Crow
Steller’s Jay
Violet-green Swallow
Tree Swallow
Bushtit
Brown Creeper
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Bewick’s Wren
Marsh Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Great Blue Heron
American Robin
Varied Thrush
European Starling
Spotted Towhee
Harris’s Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
House Finch
Dark-eyed Junco
Pine Siskin
House Sparrow
Tuesday, March 03:
The Tuesday bird walk went to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River
in Parksville. The morning was sunny with calm winds. We first heard and then
saw Bewick's Wrens and Pacific Wrens throughout the morning. A Red-breasted
Sapsucker was feeding just over our heads in a tree near the parking lot. We
watched as a Northern Shrike perched in a short bushes on the meadows. Pigeon
Guillemot, Gadwall and Greater Scaup were seen near shore on the Strait. A
Red-tailed Hawk was catching a thermo not really bothered by the ten
Northwestern Crows mobbing him. A Peregrine Falcon flew very fast over head
heading for the forest. Several Orange-crowned Warblers, a Ruby-crowned Kinglet
and a Yellow-rumped Warbler were feeding high above us in the tall trees along
the trail.
Spring has arrived!
Sixteen birders saw and heard the following fifty-five species:
Snow Geese
Canada Geese
Brant
American Widgeon
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Gadwall
Surf Scoter
Greater Scaup
Bufflehead
Barrows Goldeneye
Common Goldeneye
Red-breasted Merganser
Common Merganser
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Common Loon
Pacific Loon
Pelagic Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant
Pigeon Guillemot
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
Peregrine Falcon
Northern Shrike
Turkey Vulture
Mew Gull
Thayer's Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Eurasian-collared Dove
Anna’s Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Northern Flicker
Downy Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Steller’s Jay
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Bewick's Wren
Pacific Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
American Robin
Varied Thrush
European Starling
Orange-crowned Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
House Finch
Pine Siskin
Orange-crowned Warbler: 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
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The Tuesday bird walk on March 10, 2015 will be going to Rathtrevor
Provincial Park in Parksville. Meet at the Parksville Community Park playground
parking lot at 9 a.m. or the main parking lot at Rathtrevor at about 9:10
a.m.
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The Sunday bird walk on March 15, 2015 will be going to the Nanoose Bay.
Meet at the Bird Store at 9:00 a.m. or at parking area at the beach near the
church camp off Highway 19 and Arlington Road 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
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