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.
*****************************************************************************
Sunday, June 21, 2015:
The Sunday bird walk went to Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo. The
morning was sunny and hot. The highlights included seeing a female Wood
Duck swimming on the marsh with three fledglings following close by. A Pied-billed
Grebe was resting on its nest and the mate was swimming around in search of
food. We heard Marsh Wrens singing all
morning. We did see them a few times during the walk. Turkey Vultures, Purple Martins, Tree Swallows
and Violet-green Swallows flew overhead all morning.
Marsh Wren: Ralph Hocken
Photo.
Eighteen
birders including a visiting birder from Texas saw and heard the following
forty-four species:
Mallard
Ring-necked Duck
Pied-billed Grebe
Wood Duck
Hooded
Merganser
Turkey Vulture
Great Blue
Heron
Belted
Kingfisher
California
Quail
Anna’s
Hummingbird
Rufous Hummingbird
Northern Flicker
Downy
Woodpecker
Northwestern Crow
Common
Raven
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
Violet-green
Swallow
Pacific-sloped
Flycatcher
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Red-breasted
Nuthatch
Bushtit
Brown
Creeper
Pacific
Wren
Marsh
Wren
Bewick's Wren
Black-headed Grosbeak
Eurasian Collared Dove
American Robin
European
Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Warbling
Vireo
Yellow Warbler
Wilson’s Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Spotted
Towhee
Savannah
Sparrow
Song
Sparrow
White-crowned
Sparrow
Brown-headed
Cowbird
Red-winged Blackbird
House Finch
House Sparrow
Purple
Finch
Saturday
June 20:
A Lazuli Bunting was seen along
Dawson Road off Highway 19 in Nanoose Bay.
Wednesday
June 17:
A pair of Western Tanagers were seen visiting
a backyard on Virgina Road in Coombs.
Tuesday,
June 16:
The Tuesday bird walk went to the Top Bridge Trail in Parksville.
The morning was sunny and warm and nice and cool in the forest. We were greeted
at the start of the walk with the sounds and sights of the many Willow
Flycatchers that were everywhere singing from the top of the short bushes.
Several Chipping Sparrows were seen and heard during the morning.
Warbling Vireos were singing throughout walk. A Hutton’s Vireo sat feeding on
the bushes not far from the trail. We heard and saw Yellow-rumped Warblers,
Orange-crowned Warblers, a Yellow Warbler, a Townsend’s Warbler, a
MacGillivray’s Warbler and a Black-throated Gray Warbler throughout the
morning. A flock of American Robins were mobbing a Barred Owl just off the
trail giving us great views. Turkey Vultures and Bald Eagles circled high
overhead.
Chipping Sparrow: Ralph Hocken Photo.
Seventeen
birders including a visiting birder from Seattle saw and heard the following
forty-four species
Turkey
Vulture
Bald
Eagle
Coopers Hawk
Barred Owl
Belted
Kingfisher
Rufous
Hummingbird
Anna’s
Hummingbird
Hairy
Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Willow
Flycatcher
Pacific-slope
Flycatcher
Hammond’s Flycatcher
Warbling Vireo
Cassin's
Vireo
Hutton’s
Vireo
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Pacific
Wren
Bewick’s
Wren
Violet-green
Swallow
Bushtit
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Red-breasted
Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Swainson's Thrush
American Robin
Yellow-rumped
Warbler
Orange-crowned
Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Townsend’s
Warbler
MacGillivray’s Warbler
Black-throated
Gray Warbler
Spotted Towhee
Song
Sparrow
White-crowned
Sparrow
Golden-crowned
Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Black-headed
Grosbeak
Brown-headed Cowbird
Purple Finch
American
Goldfinch
House
Finch
Red
Crossbill
One
female Red Crossbill was visiting feeders along Drew Road in French Creek.
Willow Flycatcher: Ralph
Hocken Photo.
Monday,
June 15:
A pair of Lazuli Buntings was seen at the
turn around area on Dawson Road of highway 19 in Nanoose Bay.
A Lazuli
Bunting was seen on Island View Road on Gabriola Island.
A
Mourning Dove was seen along Coats Drive on Gabriola Island.
“RARE
BIRD ALERT”
A CRESTED CARACARA has been present since at least June
11th in the vicinity of Skykomish, WASHINGTON (on US Highway 2
between Everett and Stevens Pass). From June 15 to 17, it has been seen and
photographed by many birders along Old Cascade Highway, about 1 km west of
Skykomish near a small community called Mill Town.
Sunday,
June 14:
A Olive-sided Flycatcher was heard and five Vaux
swifts and two Black Swifts were seen from the top of Little Mountain in
Parksville.
A pair of Red Crossbills
were seen at backyard feeders on Lewis Road 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.
****************************************************************************
The
Tuesday bird walk on June 23, 2015 will be going to the Plummer 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 corner of Plummer Road and Shorewood Drive in Parksville at about
9:10 a.m.
****************************************************************************
The Sunday bird walk on June 28, 2015 will be going to Beck Creek
in south Nanaimo. Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 a.m. or at the parking area
near the Living Forrest R.V. Campground along Maki Road at about 9:25 a.m.
**********************************************************************************
British Columbia Rare Bird Alert link--- http://www.bcbirdalert.blogspot.ca/
*******************************************************************************
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