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.
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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. 

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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 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.

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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.
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Nanoose Bay Christmas Bird Count --Friday, 18th December 2015.
Please contact Rhys Harrison at 248-5305 or rhysharrison@shaw.ca
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Parksville Qualicum Beach Christmas Bird Count, Sunday, December 20, 2015.
Please contact Sandra Gray, 250 248-5565 or saninerr@shaw.ca
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Nanaimo Christmas Bird Count, Sunday, December 27th, 2015.
Please contact Rhys Harrison at 248-5305 or rhysharrison@shaw.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