Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, November 17, 2015

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.

 

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.

 

We just received a report of a Snow Bunting seen at Rathtrevor Beach Park near the kids playground on the ocean side. 

Good birding

Neil Robins

Parksville