The Backyard's Weekly Bird Walk locations are found in the Backyard Bird Report at the very end of the most recent report. Any cancellations will be posted here by 8am the day of the walk. Our first bird walks of the year are going out on Sunday February 4th and Tuesday February 6th. Locations will be posted to our next Bird Report.

Tuesday 30 June 2015

Parksville/Qualicum beach Tuesday bird walk, June 30, 2015

The Tuesday bird walk went to Lot Ten in Qualicum Beach. The morning was sunny and hot but lovely and cool in the forest.  A  Pacific-slope Flycatcher flew in low near the trail and then disappeared in the bushes.   A  Black-headed Grosbeak was singing from high up in a tall conifer.  A pair of Red-breasted Sapsuckers flew in and landed close to the trail.   A large flock of Bushtits were seen flying across the river. We had great views as we watched a very colorful Western Tanager feeding on a tall cedar tree just across the river for about ten minutes.  A flock of Red Crossbills flew overhead.  Swainson's Thrush's filled the morning with their songs and we did seen one on the trail.  Several Turkey Vultures and Violet-green Swallows flew overhead.

 Swainson's Thrush: Ralph Hocken Photo 

Seven birders saw and heard the following thirty-one species:
Turkey Vulture
Spotted Sandpiper
Belted Kingfisher
Anna’s Hummingbird
Rufous Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Downy Woodpecker
 Red-breasted Sapsucker
Red-eyed Vireo
 Pacific-slope Flycatcher
 Warbling Vireo
 Violet-green Swallow
 Chestnut-backed Chickadee
 Brown Creeper
 Bewick's Wren
Bushtit
 Pacific Wren
 Swainson's Thrush
American Robin
Western Tanager
 Wilson’s Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
 Spotted Towhee
 Song Sparrow
 Black-headed Grosbeak
 American Goldfinch
 Brown-headed Cowbird
European Starling
Red Crossbill
Purple Finch
Pine Siskin
 
Bushtit: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

This was the last Tuesday bird walk of the season—we will resume the Tuesday bird walks on September 08, 2015 

Western Tanager: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

Good birding
Neil Robins
Parksville

Sunday 28 June 2015

Nanaimo bird report, June 28, 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.

*****************************************************************************
Sunday, June 28, 2015:
 The Sunday bird walk went to Beck Creek in south Nanaimo. The morning was sunny and hot--a little cooler in the forest. A fledging Barn Swallow was being feed by its parent along the power line near the road. A singing Western Tanager caught our attention as he sang from a perch high up in a conifer. A large number of singing and flying Purple Martins entertained us throughout the morning. Two Cedar Waxwings were perched on the top of a tall conifer tree.

Purple Martin: Ralph Hocken Photo.

Eighteen birders  saw and heard the following thirty-six species:
Canada Geese
 Mallard
Common Merganser
 Great Blue Heron
 Turkey Vulture
 Bald Eagle
 Glaucous-winged Gull
  Band-tailed Pigeon
  Eurasian Collared Dove
Anna’s Hummingbird
Pacific-sloped Flycatcher
 Willow Flycatcher
  Orange-crowned Warbler
  Northern Flicker
  Northwestern Crow
 Common Raven
 Purple Martin
   Violet-green Swallow
Barn Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
   Red-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
 Pacific Wren
Bewick’s Wren
Bushtit
  European Starling
 Swainson's Thrush
American Robin
Western Tanager
 Cedar Waxwing
 Spotted Towhee
 Song Sparrow
 White-crowned Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Purple Finch
 
Tuesday, June 23:
The Tuesday bird walk went to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. The morning was sunny and warm.  A Yellow Warbler was perched above the trail giving us great views.  A Willow Flycatcher was heard singing and then seen perched on the top of a short snag.  We watched as ten Killdeer with three fledglings, six Least Sandpipers, two Western Sandpipers and two Semipalmated Plovers were feeding on the mudflats.  Violet-green Swallows were seen hawking insects over the mudflats.  Turkey Vultures and Bald Eagles were higher in the sky, riding thermos.  We spotted two Marbled Murrelets riding the waves on the Strait.                                                                                                  

Yellow Warbler: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

Nineteen birders including visiting birders from Seattle and Victoria saw and heard the following forty-three species:
Marbled Murrelet
Canada Goose
Great Blue Heron
Common Merganser
Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle
Cooper’s Hawk
Killdeer
Least Sandpiper
Western Sandpiper
Semipalmated Plover
Glaucous-winged Gull
Band-tailed Pigeon
Eurasian-collared Dove
California Quail
Rufous Hummingbird
Anna’s Hummingbird
Northern Flicker
Willow Flycatcher
Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Violet-green Swallow
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Swainson's Thrush
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
European Starling
Wilson’s Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Brown-headed Cowbird
Purple Finch
Red Crossbill
House Finch
American Goldfinch
Pine Siskin
Semi-palmated Plover: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

 Monday, June 22.
Two Common Nighthawks were spotted flying over Ladysmith.  

Good birding
Neil Robins
Parksville

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 30, 2015 will be going to Lot Ten in Qualicum Beach. We meet at the Parksville Community Park by the Lions Club playground parking lot at 9 a.m. or on the mountain side of Kinkade Road off Highway 19a in north Qualicum Beach at about 9:20 a.m.

****************************************************************************

The Sunday bird walk on July 05, 2015 will be going to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo.  Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 a.m. or at the Neck Point parking lot at off Hammond Bay Road about 9:15 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  

Tuesday 23 June 2015

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, June 23, 2015

The Tuesday bird walk went to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. The morning was sunny and warm.  A Yellow Warbler was perched above the trail giving us great views.  A Willow Flycatcher was heard singing and then seen perched on the top of a short snag.  We watched as ten Killdeer with three fledglings, six Least Sandpipers, two Western Sandpipers and two Semipalmated Plovers were feeding on the mudflats.  Violet-green Swallows were seen hawking insects over the mudflats.  Turkey Vultures and Bald Eagles were higher in the sky, riding thermos.  We spotted two Marbled Murrelets riding the waves on the trait.                                                                                           

Nineteen birders including visiting birders from Seattle and Victoria saw and heard the following forty-three species:
Marbled Murrelet
Canada Goose
Great Blue Heron
Common Merganser
Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle
Cooper’s Hawk
Killdeer
Least Sandpiper
Western Sandpiper
Semi-palmated Plover
Glaucous-winged Gull
Band-tailed Pigeon
Eurasian-collared Dove
California Quail
Rufous Hummingbird
Anna’s Hummingbird
Northern Flicker
Willow Flycatcher
Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Violet-green Swallow
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Swainson's Thrush
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
European Starling
Wilson’s Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Brown-headed Cowbird
Purple Finch
Red Crossbill
House Finch
American Goldfinch
Pine Siskin 

 
The Tuesday bird walk on June 30, 2015 will be going to Lot Ten (on the mountain side of Kinkade road off highway 19a) in north Qualicum Beach. 

Good birding
Neil Robins
Parksville

Sunday 21 June 2015

Nanaimo bird report, June 21, 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.

*****************************************************************************

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  

Tuesday 16 June 2015

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, June 16, 2015

 

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                                                                                                     

 

                                                                          Willow Flycatcher: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

The Tuesday bird walk on June 23, 2015 will be going to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville. 

Good birding
Neil Robins
Parksville

Sunday 14 June 2015

Nanaimo bird report, June, 14, 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.

*****************************************************************************

Sunday, June 14, 2015:
The Sunday bird walk went to Springwood Park in Parksville.  The morning was sunny and warm—in the forest was cooler.  The highlights included hearing a Red-eyed Vireo singing and then spotted him high up in a tall tree--a great sighting!   A Swainson's Thrush perched on a snag near the trail. Black-throated Gray Warblers, Orange-crowned Warblers, Yellow Warblers,
 McGillivray's Warblers and Wilson's Warblers were heard and then seen throughout the morning. Two California Quail were on the middle of train tracks. Northwestern Crow was mobbing a Red-tailed Hawk high overhead.

 

Red-eyed Vireo: John Purves Photo. 

Thirty-three birders including a visiting birder from Seattle and twelve visiting birders from the United Kingdom saw and heard the following forty-three species:

Canada Geese
Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle
 Red-tailed Hawk
 Cooper’s Hawk
  Band-tailed Pigeon
 Anna's Hummingbird
 Rufous Hummingbird
Northern Flicker
 Pileated Woodpecker
 Willow Flycatcher
 Pacific-slope Flycatcher
 Northwestern Crow
  Common Raven
California Quail
Violet-green Swallow
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
 Red-breasted Nuthatch
 Brown Creeper
 Bewick's Wren
 Pacific Wren
 Bushtits
 Swainson's Thrush
 American Robin
Black-throated Gray Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
 Yellow Warbler
 McGillivray's Warbler
 Common Yellowthroat
 Wilson's Warbler
Red-eyed Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Cassin’s Vireo
 Western Tanager
 Spotted Towhee
 Brown-headed Cowbird
 Song Sparrow
 White-crowned Sparrow
 Dark-eyed Junco
 Black-headed Grosbeak
 Purple Finch
American Goldfinch
House Finch
 Pine Siskin
 Red Crossbill  

Tuesday, June 09:
The Tuesday bird walk went to the Beaver Ponds at Nanoose Bay. The morning was sunny and warm but cool in the forest. We heard and then saw a Black-throated Gray Warbler feeding high up in the tall trees. A Cassin’s Vireo swooped down giving great views. Warbling Vireos, Willow Flycatcher, Pacific-slope Flycatchers and Western Tanagers were singing throughout the morning.  A female Western Tanager landed in a short bush near us. We spotted a Northern Shrike high up in a tree--a very unusual sighting for this time of the year.  A female Hooded Merganser with four little chicks was swimming and diving on the Beaver Pond—an awesome sighting!  A Wilson’s Warbler was heard high up in the conifer trees. We had close views of a Western Wood-Pewee perched on a snag over the trail.  A Hammond’s Flycatcher flew into the same location giving us more close looks.  Bald Eagles and Turkey Vultures circled high over head for a good part of the morning. Three Turkey Vultures came into our view as they dropped down from the sky just above us.

Female Hooded Merganser: Ralph Hocken Photo.

 

Twenty birders saw and heard the following forty species:
Hooded Merganser
Bald Eagle
Turkey Vulture
Northern Shrike
 Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
 California Quail
 Band-tailed Pigeon
 Rufous Hummingbird
Anna’s Hummingbird
 Willow Flycatcher
 Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Hammond’s Flycatcher
Western Wood-Pewee
 Northwestern Crow
 Common Raven
Black Swift
 Violet-green Swallow
 Red-breasted Nuthatch
 Chestnut-backed Chickadee
 Ruby-crowned Kinglet,
Swainson's Thrush
 American Robin
European Starling
 Orange-crowned Warbler
 Black-throated Gray Warbler
Wilson’s Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Warbling Vireo
Cassin’s Vireo 
 Western Tanager
Spotted Towhee
 Chipping Sparrow
 Song Sparrow
 Dark-eyed Junco
Red-winged Blackbird
 Black-headed Grosbeak
 Purple Finch
 House Finch
  American Goldfinch  

Sunday, June 07:

 An Osprey was seen flying overhead from a deck along Camrest Drive in Nanaimo.

 
                                          Western  Tanager: Ralph Hocken Photo.

Monday, June 22:

 Arrowsmith Naturalists meet at Knox United Church in Parksville at 7 pm.  Tim Goater from VIU Biology Department will speak on Amphibians at 7.30.  More infomation at 752-7588.

******************************************************************************

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.
****************************************************************************


 Tuesday bird walk on June 16, 2015 will be going to the Top Bridge Trail in Parksville. We meet at the Parksville Community Park by the Lions Club playground parking lot at 9 a.m. or the parking area on Industrial Way off Highway 19a across from Resort drive at Tuan Road in Parksville at about 9:10 a.m.

****************************************************************************

The Sunday bird walk on June 21, 2015 will be going to Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo.  Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 a.m. or at the parking lot at Buttertubs off Bowen Road at about 9:15 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