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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 

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