Nanaimo bird report, October 11, 2015

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, October 11, 2015  

The Sunday bird walk went to Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville. The morning was sunny and warm. A large number of Pacific Loons, a Marbled Murrelet, Horned Grebes, Red-necked Grebes and Western Grebes were seen close to shore.  Flocks of Black Turnstones, Dunlin, Black-bellied Plovers and Killdeer were feeding on the tide line. Two Varied Thrush, Golden-crowned Sparrows,

White-crowned Sparrow and Savannah Sparrow were feeding on the sea weeds not far from us along the shoreline.

 

Varied Thrush: Ralph Hocken Photo.

 

Eight birders saw and heard the following Forty-five species:

Canada Geese

Mallard

 Pacific Loon
Common Loon

American Wigeon

Harlequin Duck Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Common Merganser
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe

Western Grebe

Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant

Marbled Murrelet
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Sharp-shinned Hawk

Black Turnstone

Dunlin

Black-bellied Plovers

Killdeer
Thayer’s Gull

California Gull

Ring-billed Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull

Steller’s Jay
Northern Flicker

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

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Bushtit

Anna’s Hummingbird
American Robin

Varied Thrush
Spotted Towhee

Golden-crowned Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow

Fox Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco

Red Crossbill

 

Friday, October 09:

 A Eurasian Widgeon was seen at Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo.

 

 

Thursday, October 08:

A Townsend’s Solitaire was seen at Biggs Park in Nanaimo 

A Rouffed Grouse was spotted at the Morrell Wildlife Sanctuary in Nanaimo.

 

Tuesday, October 06: 

The Tuesday bird walk went to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville. The morning was cloudy with sunny periods with only a light shower.   A Townsend ’s solitaire perched on a tall tree at the start of the walk.  A Hutton’s Vireo was spotted near the top of the bushes near the trail.  We saw a  Northern Shrike  flying out from a short snag near the estuary in search of prey and returning to the perch.  A Black-bellied Plover, an American Golden-Plover, several Killdeer, three Greater Yellowlegs and one Lesser Yellowlegs were seen feeding on the mudflats as the tide was coming in. We had another sighting of the Townsend’s Solitaire off the trail at the end of the mudflats, giving us great views.  A Peregrine Falcon and a Merlin gave chase to the birds on the mudflats. We had a terrific morning of birding.     

  Red-breasted Nuthatch: Ralph Hocken  Photo                                                                                 

Fifteen birders saw and heard the following sixty-three species:

Canada Geese

American Widgeon

Mallard

Northern Pintail

Green-winged Teal

Harlequin Duck

Surf Scoter

White-winged Scoter

Black Scoter

Red-breasted Merganser

Hooded Merganser

Western Grebe

Red-necked Grebe

Horned Grebe

Pacific Loon

Common Loon

Common Murre

Black-bellied Plover

American Golden-plover

Killdeer

Greater Yellowlegs

Lesser Yellowlegs

Great Blue Heron

Belted Kingfisher

Northern Rough-wing Swallow

Bald Eagle

Cooper’s Hawk

Peregrine Falcon

Merlin

Red-tailed Hawk

Northern Harrier

Northern Shrike

Ring-necked Pheasant

Bonaparte's Gull

Thayer’s Gull

Mew Gull

California Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Northern Flicker

Steller’s Jay

Common Raven

Northwestern Crow

American Robin

Varied Thrush

Townsend’s Solitaire

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Anna’s Hummingbirds

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Hutton’s Vireo

Yellow-rumped Warbler

European Starling

Savannah’s Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Fox Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Spotted Towhee

Dark-eyed Junco

Brewer’s Blackbird

Purple Finch

House Finch

              American Goldfinch

 

Monday, October 05:   

A possible Stellar Sea Eagle was reported to the birdstore, it was seen flying towards the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo.          

 

                                 

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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 October 13 will be going to the Little Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum Beach. We meet at the Parksville Community Park at the parking lot close to the Lions Club Playground at 9:00 a.m., or at the Brant Viewing Platform in north Qualicum Beach at about 9:20 a.m. 

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The Sunday bird walk on October 18, 2015 will be going to Nanoose Bay.  Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 a.m. or at Nanoose Bay on the beach at the Church Camp off Highway 19 and Arlington Road at about 9:15 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.co