Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, March 03, 2015

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!

                                                              Bewick’s Wren: Ralph Hocken Photo.

                                                          Orange-crowned Warbler: Ralph Hocken Photo.

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

Northern Shrike: Ralph Hocken Photo.

The Tuesday bird walk on March 10 , 2015 will be going to Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville. Good birding Neil Robins Parksville