Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, September 22, 2015

The Tuesday bird walk went to Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park in Parksville. The morning was sunny with a strong wind off the Strait of Georgia. There were large numbers of Common Loons, Horned Grebes and Red-necked Grebes on the Strait.  A Long-tailed Duck was spotted heading down the Strait.  A Merlin was perched on top of a snag giving us good views.  Six Northern Flickers were perched in the same area.

Horned Grebe: Ralph Hocken Photo.

 

Twenty-two birders saw and heard the following forty-one species:

Pacific Loon
Common Loon

American Wigeon
Northern Pintail

Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter

Black Scoter
Common Merganser
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe

Western Grebe

Long-tailed Duck
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Merlin

Black Turnstone

Killdeer
Thayer’s Gull
California Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull

Steller’s Jay
Northern Flicker

Pileated Woodpecker
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Anna’s Hummingbird
American Robin

Varied Thrush
European Starling
Spotted Towhee

Golden-crowned Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Purple Finch

 

                                                                      Northern Flicker: Ralph Hocken Photo.

 

The Tuesday bird walk on September 27, 2015 will be going to Columbia Beach.  Meet at the Parksville Community Park near the Lions Club Playground parking lot at 9:00 am. Or at Columbia Beach, at the parking area along Admiral Tyron Blvd.(off highway 19a at Columbia Drive-- at the end of Columbia Drive turn right on Admiral Tyron Blvd.)

Good birding

Neil Robins

 

Parksville