The Backyard's Weekly Bird Walks are starting up again. Our first Tuesday walk of the fall is going to the Englishman River Estuary, Plummer Road side on Sept. 3rd. Our Sunday walk is going to Neck Point Park on Sept. 8th.

Tuesday 29 December 2015

Parksville/Qualicum Beach tuesday bird walk., December 29, 2015

The Tuesday bird walk went to the North Entrance to the Englishman River Estuary off of Mills Road in Parksville. The morning was cloudy with sunny periods and the winds were calm. The highlight of the morning was the sighting of a Common Redpoll perched on top of a tall Cedar Tree not far from the viewing platform. The Redpoll stayed on it’s perch for a long period of time, looking in all directions, and giving us great views!  We saw a female Pine Grosbeak feeding along the Corfield Trail. Ten Western Meadowlarks were perched in a tall deciduous tree near the edge of the estuary on the Community Park side.  A Northern Shrike was also perched in the same area.  We saw a large number of Northern Flickers throughout the morning.    Flocks of Brant and Long-tail Ducks flew up the Strait of Georgia.
                        
                    Common Redpoll at the top of a Cedar Tree: Len Bettam Photo. 

Thirteen birders including a visiting birder from New Brunswick saw and heard the following fifty-three species:
Canada Geese
Brant
 American Widgeon
 Mallard
Northern Pintail
Green-wing Teal
Gadwall
 Surf Scoter
White-wing Scoter
 Bufflehead
Long-tail Duck
Barrow’s Goldeneye
 Common Goldeneye
Red-breasted Merganser
 Common Merganser
 Common Loon
 Pacific Loon
Pelagic Cormorant
  Double-crested Cormorant
Brandt’s Cormorant
Common Murre
 Great Blue Heron
 Bald Eagle
Coopers Hawk
Northern Shrike
 Mew Gull
California Gull
 Thayer's Gull
Herring Gull
 Glaucous-winged Gull
California Quail
 Anna's Hummingbird
 Northern Flicker
  Northwestern Crow
 Common Raven
Steller’s Jay
Varied Thrush
 Chestnut-backed Chickadee
 Ruby-crowned Kinglet
 European Starling
Western Meadowlark
 Spotted Towhee
Red-wing Blackbird
 Song Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
 Golden-crowned Sparrow
Pine Grosbeak
Dark-eyed Junco
Purple Finch
Red Crossbill
Common Redpoll
 House Finch
Pine Siskin  

The Tuesday bird walk on January 05, 2016 will be going to Deep Bay. Meet at the Parksville Community Park at the parking lot near the Lions Club Kids playground at 9:00 a.m. or at the parking lot at the Deep Bay Marina at about 9:35 a.m.

Happy New Year 

Good birding
Neil Robins
Parksville 

www.thebirdstore.blogspot.co

Sunday 27 December 2015

Nanaimo bird report, December 27, 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.
********************************************************************



HAPPY NEW YEAR

                 From all of us at the birdstore

    Colin, Denise, Nichole, Carol, Ralph,

Marilynne and Neil

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For Rare bird reports of Indigo Bunting, Red Wing (old world thrush) and Summer Tanager
please check this site

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Tuesday, December 22.
 The Tuesday bird walk went to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville. The morning sun was shining when we started the walk, but it got cloudy and cool near the end. We spotted a young Northern Shrike whose “mask” was not complete, perched on the top of a bush just across the river. Several flocks of Pine Siskin and Red Crossbills flew in and landed at the top of the tall trees during the morning giving us great views through the scopes. A Yellow-billed Loon, a Rhinoceros Auklet and a Common Murre were seen on the Strait of Georgia, along with two Long-tailed Ducks, a small flock of Surf Scoters and one Black Scoter.

Northern Shrike: Ralph Hocken Photo.

Eight birders saw and heard the following fifty-five species:
Canada Geese
Brant
 American Widgeon
 Mallard
Greater Scaup
 Northern Pintail
 Green-winged Teal
 Harlequin Duck
Long-tailed Duck
 Surf Scoter
Black Scoter
 Bufflehead
 Common Goldeneye
 Common Merganser
 Red-breasted Merganser
 Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Yellow-billed Loon
Horned Grebe
 Double-crested Cormorant
 Brandt’s Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
 Bald Eagle
 Northern Shrike
Cooper’s Hawk
 California Quail
 Black Turnstone
Dunlin
Mew Gull
California Gull
 Thayer’s Gull
 Glaucous-winged Gull
 Common Murre
Rhinoceros Auklet
 Downy Woodpecker
 Northern Flicker
Steller’s Jay
 Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Anna’s Hummingbird
 Golden-crowned Kinglet
 American Robin
 European Starling
Brewer’s Blackbird
Red-wing Blackbird
 Spotted Towhee
 Golden-crowned Sparrow
 Song Sparrow
 Dark-eyed Junco
Purple Finch
Pine Siskin
House Finch

A Common Loon and a Yellow-billed Loon: Ralph Hocken Photo.
 

A Northern Shrike has been seen for the last four weeks on a field along Gomerich Road in South Wellington in south Nanaimo. 

Monday, December 14.
A Clarks Grebe and Western Grebes were seen from the viewing platform at north Qualicum Beach. 

A Red-throated Loon, hundreds of Pacific Loons, ninety-eight Brant and a Yellow-billed Loon were seen on the Strait of Georgia from the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville.               

********************************************************************
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 29 will be going to the Mills Street north side of the Englishman River in Parksville. Meet at the parking lot near the Lions Club Kids Playground at Parksville Community Park at 9:00 a.m. Or at the end of Mills Street north on the ocean side of highway 19A in Parksville.

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The Sunday bird walk on January 03, 2016 will be going to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo. Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 a.m. or at Neck Point parking lot off Hammond Bay Road at about 9:15 a.m.

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

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 22 December 2015

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, December 22, 2015

The Tuesday bird walk went to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville. The morning sun was shining when we started the walk, but it got cloudy and cool near the end. We spotted a young  Northern Shrike whose “mask” was not complete, perched on the top of a bush just across the river. Several flocks of Pine Siskin and Red Crossbills flew in and landed at the top of the tall trees during the morning giving us great views through the scopes. A Yellow-billed Loon, a Rhinoceros Auklet and a Common Murre were seen on the Strait of Georgia, along with two Long-tailed Ducks, a small flock of  Surf Scoters and one Black Scoter.
 
                                                              Northern Shrike: Ralph Hocken Photo.

Eight birders saw and heard the following fifty-five species:
Canada Geese
Brant
 American Widgeon
 Mallard
Greater Scaup
 Northern Pintail
 Green-winged Teal
 Harlequin Duck
Long-tailed Duck
 Surf Scoter
Black Scoter
 Bufflehead
 Common Goldeneye
 Common Merganser
 Red-breasted Merganser
 Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Yellow-billed Loon
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
 Double-crested Cormorant
 Brandt’s Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
 Bald Eagle
 Northern Shrike
Cooper’s Hawk
 California Quail
 Black Turnstone
Dunlin
Mew Gull
California Gull
 Thayer’s Gull
 Glaucous-winged Gull
 Common Murre
Rhinoceros Auklet
 Downy Woodpecker
 Northern Flicker
Steller’s Jay
 Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Anna’s Hummingbird
 Golden-crowned Kinglet
 American Robin
 European Starling
Brewer’s Blackbird
Red-wing Blackbird
 Spotted Towhee
 Golden-crowned Sparrow
 Song Sparrow
 Dark-eyed Junco
Purple Finch
Pine Siskin
House Finch  

                                              A Common Loon and a Yellow-billed Loon: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

The Tuesday bird walk on December 29 will be going to the Mills Street north side of the Englishman River in Parksville. Meet at the parking lot near the Lions Club Kids Playground at Parksville Community Park at 9:00 a.m. Or at the end of Mills Street north on the ocean side of highway 19A in Parksville. 

     Merry Christmas

 From all of us at the birdstore.....

Colin, Denise, Nichole, Carol, Ralph, Marilynne and Neil
 

Good birding
Neil Robins
Parksville 
 
thebirdstore.blogspot.com

Sunday 20 December 2015

Nanaimo bird report, December 20, 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, December 20, 2015
The Sunday bird walk went to Buttertubs Marsh. The morning was mostly sunny with a few clouds and the wind was calm. A large flock of Ring-necked Ducks were seen on the marsh. We spotted a Barred Owl perched next to the trail giving us great views. A Ruby-crowned Kinglet kept us entertained feeding just off the trail. At the top of a tall tree we saw a young Northern Shrike, the Shrike did not have his mask yet but was very light coloured and looked us over before flying off.
Barred Owl: Ralph Hocken Photo.

Thirteen birders saw and heard the following thirty-seven species:
Canada Geese
Cackling Goose
 Mallard
Bufflehead
Ring-necked Duck
Wood Duck
American Widgeon
Pied-billed Grebe
Belted Kingfisher
Bald Eagle
 Barred Owl
Northern Shrike
 Glaucous-winged Gull
 Great Blue Heron
 Anna's Hummingbird
 Downy Woodpecker
 Northern Flicker
 Eurasian collared-Dove
  Common Raven
 Northwestern Crow
Steller’s Jay
 Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Bewick's Wren
Red-breasted Nuthatch
  Ruby-crowned Kinglet
 American Robin
  Spotted Towhee
 Song Sparrow
 Fox Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
 Red-winged Blackbird
 Brewer’s Blackbird
 Dark-eyed Junco
 American Goldfinch
 House Finch
Pine Siskin
House Sparrow

Saturday, December 19:
“RBA-REDWING”
A Redwing as in Eurasian thrush was seen in trees near 3940 S. Valley drive in Victoria.

Evening Grosbeaks were seen near Townsite Road and Graham Road in Nanaimo.
Tuesday, December 15: 
The Tuesday bird walk went to Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park in Parksville. The morning started with light rain and calm winds but the rain stopped after a short while and we had a pleasant morning for the walk. Several flocks of Brant Geese flew past during the morning. We discovered a mixed flock of Black Turnstones and six Surfbird feeding along the shoreline at the point. Several Common Murre, two Marbled Murrelets, two Long-tailed Ducks and a Pigeon Guillemot were seen further off shore giving us good views.



 
                                                                                                        Surfbirds: Ralph Hocken Photo.

 

Nineteen birders saw and heard the following forty-two species:
 Mallard
 Bufflehead
 Common Goldeneye
 Surf Scoter
 White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Brant
 American Widgeon
Long-tailed Duck
 Common Merganser
 Red-breasted Merganser
 Pacific Loon
 Common Loon
 Horned Grebe
 Red-necked Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
 Pelagic Cormorant
Belted Kingfisher
Bald Eagle
 Mew Gull
California Gull
 Glaucous-winged Gull
Great Blue Heron
Common Murre
Marbled Murrelet
Pigeon Guillemot
Surfbird
 Black Turnstone
  Northwestern Crow
 Common Raven
 Varied Thrush
 Red-breasted Nuthatch
 Chestnut-backed Chickadee
 Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
 Pacific Wren
 Brown Creeper
 Spotted Towhee
Golden-crowned Sparrow
 Song Sparrow
Red Crossbill
                                   Dark-eyed Junco                                                                                                           

********************************************************************
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 22 will be going to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. Meet at the Parksville Community Park, near the Lions Club Kids Playground at 9:00 a.m. or at the corner of Plummer Road and Shorewood Drive at about 9:10 a.m.

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

There will be no Sunday bird walk on December 27, 2015

“MERRY CHRISTMAS “

                 From all of us at the birdstore, Colin,                        Denise, Nichole, Carol, Ralph, Marilynne and Neil
********************************************************************
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 15 December 2015

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, December 15, 2015

The Tuesday bird walk went to Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park in Parksville. The morning started with light rain and calm winds but the rain stopped after a short while and we had a pleasant morning for the walk. Several flocks of Brant Geese flew past during the morning. We discovered  a mixed flock of Black Turnstones and six Surfbird feeding along the shoreline at the point. Several Common Murre, two Marbled Murrelets, two Long-tailed Ducks and a Pigeon Guillemot were seen further off shore giving us good views.    
                                                                Surfbird: Ralph Hocken Photo.

Nineteen birders saw and heard the following forty-two species:
Brant
American Widgeon
Mallard
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Belted Kingfisher
Bald Eagle
Mew Gull
California Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Great Blue Heron
Common Murre
Marbled Murrelet
Pigeon Guillemot
Surfbird
Black Turnstone
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Varied Thrush
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Pacific Wren
Brown Creeper
Spotted Towhee
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Red Crossbill
Dark-eyed Junco 
 
                                                                                 Brant: Ralph Hocken Photo.
  
The Tuesday bird walk on December 22 will be going to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville.

Meet at the Parksville Community Park, near the Lions Club Kids Playground at 9:00 a.m. or at the corner of Plummer Road and Shorewood Drive at about 9:10 a.m. 

Good birding
Neil Robins
Parksville

www.thebirdstore.blogspot.co

Sunday 13 December 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, December 13, 2015
The Sunday bird walk went to Nanoose Bay. The morning started out steady rain, but soon stopped raining and the wind was calm. A large flock of Trumpeter Swans flew high over head heading south. We spotted a Red-tailed Hawk perched high on a tall tree and it was soon joined with another Red-tailed Hawk on the same branch.  A Bewick’s Wren, a Spotted Towhee, a Fox Sparrow, a Song Sparrow several  Golden-crowned Sparrows and a Dark-eyed Junco were feeding on the ground next to the cars, giving us great close up views.

           Red-tailed Hawk: Ralph Hocken Photo.

Three birders saw and heard the following thirty-four species:
Trumpeter Swan
Canada Geese
  American Wigeon
 Eurasian Wigeon
 Green-winged Teal
 Surf Scoter
Bufflehead
 Common Goldeneye
  Mallard
 Greater Scaup
 Northern Pintail
 Horned Grebe
 Red-necked Grebe
 Red-breasted Merganser
 Pelagic Cormorant
 Double-crested Cormorant
 Great Blue Heron
Belted Kingfisher
 Bald Eagle
 Red-tailed Hawk
Glaucous-winged Gull
 Northern Flicker
 American Robin
Northwestern Crow
  Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Bewick’s Wren
Redwing Blackbird
 Spotted Towhee
 Fox Sparrow
 Song Sparrow
 Golden-crowned Sparrow
 Dark-eyed Junco 
 Purple Finch
Pine Siskin
Saturday, December 12:
Several Evening Grosbeaks were seen along Lowery Road near the Cheese Factory in French Creek. 
Tuesday, December 08: 
The Tuesday bird walk went to the Shelly Road side of the English River Estuary in Parksville. The morning started out with light rain and calm winds, but the rain showers stopped shortly after we began and it was quite warm, making for a great morning of birding. We heard and then saw a Ringed-neck Pheasant at the base of a short bush at the edge of the meadow. A Merlin, a Red-tailed Hawk, a Sharp-shinned Hawk and a Cooper’s Hawk were seen in the same area along the meadow.  Six Western Meadowlarks were perched on a bush in the meadow. Four Gadwall were swimming in the flooded estuary. Twenty Trumpeter Swans were heading down the island high above us. Over forty Bald Eagle were circling overhead and  perched on the tall conifers all morning.

                         Western Meadowlark: Ralph Hocken Photo.

Four enthusiastic birders saw and heard the following sixty-one species:
Canada Geese
Trumpeter Swan
 American Widgeon
 Mallard
 Harlequin Duck
Gadwall
 Surf Scoter
White-wing Scoter
 Bufflehead
Barrow’s Goldeneye
 Common Goldeneye
Red-breasted Merganser
 Common Merganser
 Common Loon
 Pacific Loon
Pelagic Cormorant
  Double-crested Cormorant
Brandt’s Cormorant
Common Murre
Marbled Murrelet
 Great Blue Heron
 Bald Eagle
Merlin
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Coopers Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
 Mew Gull
 Thayer's Gull
 Glaucous-winged Gull
 Anna's Hummingbird
 Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
  Northwestern Crow
 Common Raven
Steller’s Jay
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Ringed-neck Pheasant
 American Robin
Varied Thrush
 Chestnut-backed Chickadee
 Bewick's Wren
 Pacific Wren
 Bushtit
 Golden-crowned Kinglet
 Ruby-crowned Kinglet
 European Starling
Western Meadowlark
 Spotted Towhee
Red-wing Blackbird
Brewers Blackbird
 Song Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
 Golden-crowned Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Purple Finch
Red Crossbill
American Goldfinch
 House Finch
Pine Siskin

                  Ring-necked Pheasant: Ralph Hocken 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 December 15, 2015 will be going to  Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park in Parksville. Meet at Parksville Community Park at the parking lot near the Lions Kids Playground at 9:00 a.m. or at the main parking lot at Rathtrevor Park at about  9:10 a.m.

*****************************************************************************************
The Sunday bird walk on December 20, 2015 will be going to Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo. Meet at the birdstore at 9:00 a.m. or at the Bowen Road entrance to Buttertubs Marsh at about 9:15 a.m.

********************************************************************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
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
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