NANAIMO BIRD REPORT, MAY 31, 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, May 31, 2015:

The Sunday bird walk went to Linley Valley in Nanaimo. The morning was sunny and the winds were calm. The highlights included seeing a Western Tanager preening on a branch just above us just off the trail. We heard and then saw a Hammond’s Flycatcher singing high on the top of a tall cedar tree.   Orange-crowned Warblers, Black-throated Gray Warblers and Townsend’s Warblers were heard singing for most of the walk.

 

Western Tanager: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

Fifteen birders saw and heard the following thirty species:

Bald Eagle

Turkey Vulture

Mallard

Great Blue Heron

Belted Kingfisher

  Rufous Hummingbird

 Anna’s Hummingbird

Red-breasted Sapsucker

  Northern Flicker

Pileated Woodpecker

Northwestern Crow

  Pacific-slope Flycatcher

Hammond’s Flycatcher

Warbling Vireo

Violet-green Swallow

   Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Swainson's Thrush

  American Robin

  Orange-crowned Warbler

  Black-throated Gray Warbler

  Common Yellow-throat

 Townsend’s Warbler

  Western Tanager

 Spotted Towhee

  Black-headed Grosbeak

  Song Sparrow

  Dark-eyed Junco

 Purple Finch

  American Goldfinch 

Pine Siskin 

A Willow Flycatcher was seen and heard near the marsh along Maki Road in south Nanaimo.  

Five Whimbrels were seen at the Nanaimo Estuary from the Living Forest Campground side of the estuary in south Nanaimo 

Friday, May 29:

A Pectoral Sandpiper was seen at the mud flats on the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville.  

Thursday, May 28:

Two Bullock’s Orioles were spotted along Lowry's Road near Hodges Road in French Creek.

Three Whimbrel were seen on the mud flats along Plummer Road sid of the Englishman River in Parksville. 

Tuesday, May 26:

 The Tuesday bird walk went to the Little Qualicum River Fish Hatchery north

of Qualicum Beach. The morning was cloudy and the winds were calm. As the

morning went on, the clouds moved out and it was sunny and warm.   Fourteen Turkey Vultures were catching a thermo high above us at the start of the walk.  We watched Red-breasted Sapsuckers just off the trail.  We  spotted a Rufous Hummingbird's nest with a young hummingbird being fed by female Rufous Hummingbird.  Pacific-slope Flycatchers, Hammond’s Flycatchers, Warbling Vireos and Swainson's Thrush were heard and seen throughout the morning.  We watched Black-throated Gray Warblers and a MacGillivray's Warbler feeding and singing not far from the trail.  An American Dipper and it’s fledgling caught our attention on the river. The young one was constantly calling, keeping the adult busy searching for food for it under the water.

American Dippers: Nadine Amelotte Photo. 

Nineteen birders including visiting birders from Ottawa and Sault Ste. Marie

saw and heard the following thirty-five species:

Turkey Vulture

Bald Eagle

Red-tailed Hawk

Belted Kingfisher

Red-breasted Sapsucker

Northern Flicker

Pacific-slope Flycatcher

Hammond’s Flycatcher

Willow Flycatcher

Warbling Vireo

American Dipper

Northwestern Crow

Common Raven

Violet-green Swallow

Tree Swallow

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Pacific Wren

Bewick’s Wren

Rufous Hummingbird

Swainson's Thrush

American Robin

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Orange-crowned Warbler

Black-throated Gray Warbler

MacGillivray's Warbler

Wilson's Warbler

Yellow Warbler

Spotted Towhee

Fox Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Chipping Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Black-headed Grosbeak

Brown-headed Cowbird

American Goldfinch

 

A young Rufous Hummingbird at home in the nest: Nadine Amelotte Photo.

 

Two Whimbrel were seen on the rocky shore of the Strait of Georgia off the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River.

Monday, May 25:

 One Whimbrel was seen at Piper’s Lagoon in Nanaimo.

******************************************************************************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 June 02, 2015 will be going to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville.  We meet at the Parksville Community Park by the Lions Club playground parking lot at 9 a.m. or the end of Shelly Road off on the oceans side of highway 19 at about 9:10 a.m.

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The Sunday bird walk on June 07, 2015 will be going to Morden Colliery Provincial Park in Nanaimo.  Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 a.m. or at the end of Morden Road off highway 19 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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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