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.

Sunday 29 November 2015

Nanaimo bird report, November 29, 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.
*****************************************************************************
Sunday, November 29, 2015
The Sunday bird walk went to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville. The morning was cloudy and cool. The tide was high we saw many
Mew Gulls, Ring-bill Gulls, Thayer's Gulls, California Gulls and Glaucous-winged Gulls on the estuary and gravel bars. White-crowned Sparrows, Golden-crowned Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos, House Finch and Pine Siskins were plentiful along the side of the estuary giving us great views.

 


Dark-eyed Junco: Ralph Hocken photo.

Eleven birders including a visiting birder from Red Deer saw and heard the following forty-one species:

Mallard

American Widgeon

Surf Scoter

White-wing Scoter

Bufflehead

Common Goldeneye

Northern Pintail

Green-wing Teal

Common Merganser

Pacific Loon

Common Loon

Horned Grebe

Double-crested Cormorant

Brandt’s Cormorant

Pelagic Cormorant

Bald Eagle

Red-tailed Hawk

Killdeer

Mew Gull

Ring-bill Gull

Thayer's Gull

California Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Eurasian-collared Dove

Steller’s Jay

Northern Flicker

Downy woodpecker

Northwestern Crow

Common Raven

California Quail

American Robin

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Anna’s Hummingbird

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

House Finch

Pine Siskin                                                 

 

An American Kestrel was seen along highway 19 near the equestrian facility in Nanoose Bay.

Saturday, November 28:
A Townsend’s Warbler was seen near the Casabas shopping centre in Nanaimo.


Tuesday, November 24: 
The Tuesday bird walk went to the Little Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum Beach. The morning was sunny with a strong winds blasting off the Strait of Georgia.  Black-bellied Plovers, Black Oystercatcher, Killdeer and Black Turnstones were seen on the gravel bars from the viewing platform. A Marbled Murrelet and several Common Murre were seen flying down the Strait. A Red Crossbill flew in to the top of a conifer next to the road giving us great views. Six Trumpeter Swan flew just overhead and landed in the estuary. Many Bald Eagles were seen overhead throughout the morning. 

Trumpeter Swans: Ralph Hocken Photo.

Twenty-one birders including visiting birders from Winnipeg and Prince Albert was and heard the following forty-four species:

Trumpeter Swan

Mallard

Harlequin Duck

American Widgeon

Northern Pintail

Green-wing Teal

Surf Scoter

White-winged Scoter

Black Scoter

Long-tailed Duck

Bufflehead

Common Goldeneye

Barrows Goldeneye

Common Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

Pacific Loon

Common Loon

Red-necked Grebe

Western Grebe

Marbled Murrelet

Common Murre

Great Blue Heron

Bald Eagle

Cooper’s Hawk

Black-bellied Plover

Black Oystercatcher

Killdeer

Black Turnstone

Mew Gull

Ring-bill Gull

Thayer's Gull

California Gull

Herring Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Northwestern Crow

Common Raven

Steller’s Jay

Red-winged Blackbird

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

Red Crossbill

Dark-eyed Junco

Pine Siskin

House Sparrow 

                                                                                                  

Red Crossbill: Ralph Hocken Photo.

Twenty Brant and over two thousand Dunlin were seen near the tide line at Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park in Parksville.  

A Yellow-billed Loon and fifty Brant were seen offshore on the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville. 

A Northern Saw-whet Owl was seen in a garden 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 December 01 will be going to Columbia Beach. Meet at the Parksville Community Park at the parking lot next to the Lions Club kids playground at 9:00 a.m. or at the parking area off Admiral Tryon Bld. off Columbia Drive at about 9:15 a.m.

*****************************************************************************************
The Sunday bird walk on December 06, 2015 will be going to Nanoose Bay. Meet at the birdstore at 9:00 a.m. or at the beach side of the church camp (off Arlington Road on the ocean side of highway 19a ) in
Nanoose Bay at about 9:25 a.m.

*************************************************************************
 
Nanoose Bay Christmas Bird Count --Friday, 18th December 2015.
Please contact Rhys Harrison at 248-5305 or rhysharrison@shaw.ca
*************************************************************************************


Parksville Qualicum Beach Christmas Bird Count, Sunday, December 20, 2015.
Please contact Sandra Gray, 250 248-5565 or saninerr@shaw.ca
*************************************************************************************
Nanaimo Christmas Bird Count, Sunday, December 27th, 2015.

Please contact Rhys Harrison at 248-5305 or rhysharrison@shaw.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.co

Tuesday 24 November 2015

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, November 24, 2015

 

The Tuesday bird walk went to the Little Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum Beach. The morning was sunny with strong winds blasting off the Strait of Georgia.  Black-bellied Plovers, Black Oystercatcher, Killdeer and Black Turnstones were seen on the gravel bars from the viewing platform. A Marbled Murrelet and several Common Murre were seen flying down the Strait. A Red Crossbill flew in to the top of a conifer next to the road giving us great views. Six Trumpeter Swan flew just overhead and landed in the estuary. Many Bald Eagles were seen overhead throughout the morning. 

Trumpeter Swans: Ralph Hocken Photo.

Twenty-one birders including visiting birders from Winnipeg and Prince Albert saw and heard the following forty-four species:

Trumpeter Swan
Mallard
Harlequin Duck
American Widgeon
Northern Pintail
Green-wing Teal
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Barrows Goldeneye
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Red-necked Grebe
Western Grebe
Marbled Murrelet
Common Murre
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Cooper’s Hawk
Black-bellied Plover
Black Oystercatcher
Killdeer
Black Turnstone
Mew Gull
Ring-bill Gull
Thayer's Gull
California Gull
Herring Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Steller’s Jay
Red-winged Blackbird
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Red Crossbill
Dark-eyed Junco
Pine Siskin
House Sparrow 
                                                                                                  
Red Crossbill: Ralph Hocken Photo.
 

We received a report of twenty Brant Geese and over two thousand Dunlin were seen at Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park in Parksville. 

 

The Tuesday bird walk on December 01 will be going to Columbia Beach. Meet at the Parksville Community Park at the parking lot next to the Lions Club kids playground at 9:00 a.m. or at the parking area off Admiral Tryon Bld. off Columbia Drive at about 9:15 a.m. 

Good birding
Neil Robins
Parksville 

Sunday 22 November 2015

Nanaimop bird report, November 22, 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.
*****************************************************************************

Sunday, November 22, 2015
The Sunday bird walk went to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo. The morning was mostly cloudy, with some sunshine and calm winds. We saw and heard two Hairy Woodpeckers, four Downy Woodpeckers two Pileated Woodpeckers, several Northern Flickers and a Red-breasted Sapsucker throughout the morning. Many Varied Thrushes were seen during the morning. We had great close-up views of two Horned Grebe near the shore.

Hairy Woodpecker: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

Fourteen birders saw and heard the following thirty-seven species: 
Mallard
Harlequin Duck
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Bufflehead
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Common Loon
Pacific Loon
Brandt Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Belted Kingfisher
Spotted Sandpiper
Bald Eagle
California Gull
Thayer’s Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Hairy Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
                                                   Northern Flicker
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
European Starling
Anna’s Hummingbird
Bewick's Wren
Brown Creeper
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Golden-crowned Kinglet
American Robin
Varied Thrush
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow 

Saturday, November 21:
A Wilson’s Snipe was seen at Shelley Road side of the Englishman River (at the wet patch just after crossing the footbridge at the end of Mills Street) in Parksville. 

A Dusky Canada Goose and Two Snow Geese were seen in

with a flock of Canada Geese at the Community Park in Parksville.

Tuesday, November 17: 
The Tuesday bird walk went to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville. The morning saw light rain with calm wind.  The tide was high with water over flowing the river. We saw Golden-crowned Sparrows, Song Sparrows, Spotted Towhees Fox Sparrows and Dark-eyed Juncos feeding along the trail as we started the walk. A Red-breasted Nuthatch caught our attention as it was feeding next to the trail.  A Crackling Goose was in with the flock of Canada         Geese.                                                                                     
Fox Sparrow: Ralph Hocken Photo.

Seven birders saw and heard the following forty-six species:
Canada Goose
Crackling Goose
American Widgeon
Mallard
Harlequin Duck
Bufflehead
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Common Goldeneye
Surf Scoter
White-wing Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Red-breasted Merganser
Common Merganser
Horned Grebe
Red-neck Grebe
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Brandt’s Cormorant
Common Murre
Belted Kingfisher
Bald Eagle
Merlin
Mew Gull
California Gull
Thayer's Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Northern Flicker
Steller’s Jay
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Anna’s Hummingbird
Bewick’s Wren
American Robin
Varied Thrush
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Spotted Towhee
Fox Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Red-winged Blackbird
Brewers Blackbird
Purple Finch
Pine Siskin 

Red-neck Grebe: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

A Snow Bunting was spotted on the logs on the water side of the new kids playground near the shore at Rathtrevor Beach Park in Parksville. 

Monday, November 16:
A Snow Bunting was spotted on the logs on the water side of the new kids playground near the shore at Rathtrevor Beach Park in Parksville.

 

 Snow Bunting: John Purves Photo. 

********************************************************************************
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 November 24, 2015 will be going to the Little Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum Beach. Meet at the Parksville Community Park near the Lions Club playground Parking lot at 9:00 a.m. or at the Brant viewing platform in north Qualicum Beach at about 9:20 a.m.

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

The Sunday bird walk on November 29, 2015 will be going to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville. Meet at the birdstore at 9:00 a.m. or at the end of Shelly Road (on the ocean side of highway 19a ) in Parksville at about 9:25 a.m.

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

 Nanoose Bay Christmas Bird Count,  Friday, 18th December 2015.

To sign up or ask questions, please contact Rhys Harrison at 248-5305 or rhysharrison@shaw.ca 

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

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Christmas Bird Count, Sunday, December 20, 2015.  

Please contact Sandra Gray, 250 248-5565 or saninerr@shaw.ca

 ************************************************************************************* Nanaimo Christmas Bird Count, Sunday, December 27th, 2015

Please contact Rhys Harrison at 248-5305 or rhysharrison@shaw.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.co