Nanaimo bird report, November 15, 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, November 15, 2015

The Sunday bird walk went to Nanoose Bay. The morning was mostly sunny and the winds were calm.  One Trumpeter Swan flew in and landed just off shore giving us great views. Flocks of Greater Scaup and Common Goldeneye were seen near the oyster barrows of shore. A Northern Shrike perched on a bush near us. We spotted a Merlin at the top of a tall conifer tree.

Northern Shrike: Ralph Hocken Photo.

Seven birders saw and heard the following forty species:

Trumpeter Swan

Canada Geese

Mallard

American Wigeon

Green-wing Teal

Greater Scaup

Surf Scoter

White-wing Scoter

Black Scoter

Bufflehead

Common Goldeneye

Hooded Merganser

Common Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

Pied-billed Grebe

Horned Grebe

Red-necked Grebe

Common Loon

Great Blue Heron

Belted Kingfisher

Glaucous-winged Gull

Bald Eagle

Red-tailed Hawk

Northern Shrike

Merlin

Mew Gull

California Gull

Thayer’s Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Steller’s Jay

Northern Flicker

Common Raven

Northwestern Crow

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Red-winged Blackbirds 
Red Crossbills
Pine Siskin

Wednesday, November 11:

There was a Lapland longspur at the Nanaimo river estuary in south Nanaimo.

Tuesday, November 10:

The Tuesday bird walk went to Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park in Parksville. The morning was mostly sunny but the winds were strong off the Strait of Georgia. Thousands of Dunlin and a large number of Black-bellied Plovers and Black Turnstone were seen feeding along the tide line along the length of the beach. Large numbers of Canada Geese, American Widgeon, Northern Pintail and Greater Scaup were seen at Craig Bay.  A pair of Purple Finch was feeding on a berry tree next to the trail as a large cloud of Pine Siskin flew in and landed.

Black Turnstone: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

Twelve birders including two visiting birders from Prince Albert saw and heard the following thirty-eight species:

Canada Goose

Mallard

American Widgeon

Northern Pintail

Bufflehead

Common Goldeneye

Greater Scaup

Surf Scoter

Red-breasted Merganser
Common Merganser

Horned Grebe

Red-neck Grebe

Pacific Loon

Common Loon

Brandt Cormorant

Double-crested Cormorant

Pelagic Cormorant

Common Murre

Dunlin

Black-bellied Plover

Black Turnstone

Ring-billed Gull
Mew Gull
California Gull
Thayer's Gull

Bald Eagle
Glaucous-winged Gull

Common Raven

Northwestern Crow

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Pacific Wren

American Robin
Song Sparrow

Spotted Towhee

Purple Finch

House Finch

Pine Siskin 

                                                                                     

Dunlin Landing: Ralph Hocken Photo.

 

Monday, November 09:

 An American Tree Sparrow was seen at the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo. 

Sunday, November 08:

A light phase Rough-legged Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk and a Northern Shrike were seen at Nanoose Bay. 

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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 November 17 will be going to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville. Meet at the Parksville Community Park near the Lions Club playground parking lot at 9:00 a.m. or at the corner of Plummer Road and Shorewood Drive at about 9:10 a.m.

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The Sunday bird walk on November 22, 2015 will be going to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo. Meet at the birdstore at 9:00 a.m. or at the parking lot at Neck Point off Hammond Bay Road at about 9:15 a.m.

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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