RBA : Red-flanked Bluetail in Comox

A red-flanked bluetail has been seen in Comox from December 22 - 31.

 

Photo: google.ca

 

 

For more information on the location :

http://bcbirdalert.blogspot.ca/

Nanaimo Bird Report - December 23 2016

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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Holiday Announcements:

The store will be closed on December 25 and 26

Sunday bird walks will resume January 8 2017

Tuesday bird walks will resume January 3 2017

The Nanaimo Christmas Bird Count is on December 30, and we have the bird feeder count data sheets available in store.

 

Photo: Townsends Warbler on Hummingbird Feeder

Tuesday December 20 2016

 The Parksville/Qualicum Beach bird walk went to the Shelley Road side of the Englishman Estuary. Road conditions limited participation, trails were slippery, tide was very high and wild rose and blackberry bushes had collapsed over portions of the trail, resulting in more bushwhacking than expected. A quiet day, but sunny and warm. We had great views of Golden-crowned Kinglets and Pacific Wren feeding on the trail in front of us. Conspicuous in their absence were Canada Goose, Great Blue Heron and Steller’s Jay.

Photo: White-winged Scoter (R. Hocken)

4 determined intrepid birders saw and heard the following 27 species:

American Wigeon

Mallard

Green-winged Teal

Surf Scoter

White-winged Scoter

Bufflehead

Barrow’s Goldeneye

Common Merganser

Bald Eagle

Mew Gull

California Gull

Thayer’s Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Downy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Pacific Wren

Bewick’s Wren

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Anna’s Hummingbird

American Robin

Varied Thrush

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Purple Finch

Pine Siskin

Good Birding,

Graham Gillespie

Nanaimo

Photo: Golden-crowned Kinglet (R. Hocken)

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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 January 3, 2017 will be going to Columbia Beach near French Creek. Meet at the Parksville Community Park at the parking lot near the Lions Club Kids Playground at 9:00am or at the parking lot on Admiral Tyron Blvd at about 9:10am.

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The Sunday bird walk is taking a vacation and will resume on January 8 2017. Happy holidays everyone!

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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

TO UN-SUBSCRIBE FROM THESE EMAILS, PLEASE REPLY TO THIS E-MAIL WITH “REMOVE” IN THE SUBJECT LINE.  Thanks….

Sunday Bird Walks Are Taking a Little Holiday

Our Sunday bird walks are taking a holiday break from December 11 2016 until January 8 2017.

The Tuesday bird walks are continuing over the holidays and Sunday December 13 they will be going to the Plummer Rd. side of the Englishman River Estuary.

Happy holidays from us at The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store!

Bird Report December 4 2016

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 4, 2016

The Sunday bird walk went to the Shelley Rd. side of the Englishman River estuary in Parksville. The weather was a nice, cool, winter morning with lots of wind resulting in some crazy waves. We were able to see some great views of some Brant as they flew out of the estuary. 

Brant: Ralph Hocken Photo.

Eighteen birders saw and heard the following thirty-eight species

Double-breasted Cormorant

Mallard

American Widgeon

 Northern Pintail

White-winged Scoter

Bufflehead

Common Goldeneye

Barrow’s Goldeneye

Common Merganser

Common Loon

Great Blue Heron

Belted Kingfisher

Bald Eagle

Glaucous-winged Gull

Thayer’s Gull

Surf Scoter

Mew Gull

California Gull

Anna’s Hummingbird

Northern Flicker

Downy Woodpecker

Hairy Woodpecker

Northwestern Crown

Common Raven

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Bewick’s Wren

American Robin

Spotted Towhee

Fox Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Pacific Wren

Pine Siskin

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Eurasian Widgeon

Hooded Merganser

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Brant

November 28 2016

A Swainson’s thrush was spotted north of Nile’s Creek.

November 25 2016

A yellow-rumped warbler was spotted between Rym rd. and Highway 19

November 24 2016

Two western grebes were spotted in Departure Bay

December 4 2016

Due to the cold weather a birder reported seeing seven Anna’s Hummingbirds at their hummingbird feeder in the morning at Fairbanks Rd.

Tuesday, December 6 2016

The Parksville/Qualicum Beach bird walk was to go to Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park.  Unfortunately, due to the snowfall causing tree damage and possible danger to visitors the park was closed.  We therefore headed over to Plummer Road.  It was a brisk, snow covered morning with several sunny breaks.  We saw two flocks of Snow Geese fly over and spotted 4 Trumpeter Swans in the estuary.   We had great views of a Cooper’s Hawk perched high on a branch at the start of our walk, and we also got our first of the season view of several Varied Thrush.  Once we were on the ocean side we viewed hundreds of Ancient Murrelet’s flying low over the water.

12 adventurous birders saw and heard the following 51 species:

Canada Geese

Snow Geese

Brant

Trumpeter Swan

American Widgeon

Mallard

Greater Scaup

Northern Pintail

Green-winged Teal

Harlequin Duck

Long-tailed Duck

Surf Scoter

White-winged Scoter

Bufflehead

Common Goldeneye

Barrow’s Goldeneye

Common Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

Pacific Loon

Common Loon

Horned Grebe

Red-necked Grebe

Double-crested Cormorant

Brandt’s Cormorant

Pelagic Cormorant

Ancient Murrelet

Marbled Murrelet

Common Murre

Great Blue Heron

Belted Kingfisher

Bald Eagle

Cooper’s Hawk

Mew Gull

California Gull

Thayer’s Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Herring Gull

Northern Flicker

Northwestern Crow

Common Raven

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Anna’s Hummingbird

American Robin

Varied Thrush

Spotted Towhee

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Purple Finch

Pine Siskin

House Finch

Good Birding,

Rhonda Fleming

Parksville

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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 13, 2016 will be returning to Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park in Parksville. Meet at the Parksville Community Park at the parking lot near the Lions Club Kids Playground at 9:00 a.m. or at the main parking lot at Rathtrevor Park at about 9:10 a.m.

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The Sunday bird walk will resume in January. Happy holidays everyone!

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Good birding
Colin Bartlett

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

TO UN-SUBSCRIBE FROM THESE EMAILS, PLEASE REPLY TO THIS E-MAIL WITH “REMOVE” IN THE SUBJECT LINE.  Thanks….

Bird Report - November 27 2016

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, November 27, 2016: 

This Sunday’s Bird Walk went to Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo. The morning’s weather was cool, overcast and a couple of small showers. It was very quiet at the start, very few ducks on the marsh.

A couple of the highlights were seeing the Virgina Rail seen by the tall viewing stand and the 6 Trumpeter Swans that flew over. The parking lot bird seen at the end of the walk were a few Golden-crowned Kinglets passing through.

 

Trumpeter Swans in flight. Photo by Ralph Hocken

Twenty birders saw and heard the following thirty one species:

Trumpeter Swan 

Canada Geese

American Wigeon

Mallard

Gadwall

Hooded Merganser

Ring-necked Duck

Bufflehead

Pied-billed Grebe

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Great Blue Heron

Virginia Rail

Glaucous-winged Gull

Eurasian Collared-doves

California Quail

Anna’s Hummingbird

Northwestern Crow

Marsh Wren

Bewick's Wren

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Golden-crowned Kinglet

American Robin

Northern Shrike

Spotted Towhee

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Fox Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Red-winged Blackbird

House Sparrow 

Sunday November 27:

NORTHERN SHRIKE was seen in a backyard near the 2500 block of Glenayr drive, Nanaimo.

Thursday November 24:

2 – STELLER’S JAYS were seen on Summit drive, near Long Lake in Nanaimo.

4 - STELLER’S JAYS were also reported at end of Douglas Avenue, near the Chase River.

Thursday November 24:

MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD was seen again at Pipers Lagoon. It was seen between the parking lot and the fort on the lagoon side.

ROCK WREN was also seen at Pipers Lagoon further up the trail from the Mountain Bluebird.

Monday November 21:

Immature NORTHERN SHRIKE was seen at Buttertubs Marsh.

Sunday November 20:

ROCK WREN was seen again at Neck Point Park,

Saturday November 19:

4 – GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were seen at Buttertubs Marsh

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk

November 22, 2016:

The Tuesday bird walk went to Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park in Parksville. The morning was cloudy with rain showers and a very strong wind blasting off the Strait of Georgia.  We had several good views of Pacific Wrens in the underbrush near the trails throughout the morning.  A Brown Creeper caught our attention as it crept up a conifer tree. We watched Golden-crowned Kinglets and Ruby-crowned Kinglets were feeding close to the ground during the morning. A flock of Surf Scoters, a White-winged Scoter, Black Scoter and a Long-tailed Duck were seen heading down the Strait.  A flock of Black Turnstones flew low over the stormy water heading towards the shore.

 

Ruby-crowned Kinglet: Ralph Hocken Photo.

Seven enthusiastic birders saw and heard the following thirty-two species:

Mallard

Surf Scoter

White-winged Scoter

Black Scoter

American Widgeon

Long-tailed Duck

Common Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

Pacific Loon

Common Loon

Horned Grebe

Red-necked Grebe

Double-crested Cormorant

Brandt's Cormorant

Bald Eagle

Mew Gull

California Gull

Thayer's Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Black Turnstone

Northern Flicker

Northwestern Crow

Common Raven

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Bushtit

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Pacific Wren

Brown Creeper

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

 

Golden-crowned Kinglet: Ralph Hocken Photo.

The Tuesday bird walk on November 29, 2016 will be going to Columbia Beach. Meet at the Parksville Community Park at the parking lot near the Lions Club Kids Playground at 9:00 a.m. Or meet at Columbia Beach at about 9:15, a.m. (Turn off highway 19a at Columbia Drive turn right on Admiral Tryon Blvd. go about 100 meters turn left onto the parking area.) 

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

Everyone is welcome to join us for a 2-3 hour bird walk on Sunday & Tuesday. We leave from the Store at 9 a.m. on Sunday Mornings and go to a different location in and around Nanaimo.  We leave from the Parksville Community Park at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday mornings and go to a different location in the Oceanside area.

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

 The Tuesday bird walk on December 6, 2016 will be going to Rathtrevor  Beach Provincial Park in Parksville. Meet at the Parksville Community Park at the parking lot near the Lions Club Kids Playground at 9:00 a.m. or at the main parking lot at Rathtrevor Park at about 9:10 a.m.

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The Sunday bird walk on December 4, 2016 will be going to the Shelly road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 a.m. or at the end of Shelly road at about 9:20 a.m.

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     Good birding

Colin Bartlett.

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: http://thebirdstore.blogspot.ca/

TO UN-SUBSCRIBE FROM THESE EMAILS, PLEASE REPLY TO THIS E-MAIL WITH “REMOVE” IN THE SUBJECT LINE.  Thanks….

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk

The Tuesday bird walk went to Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park in Parksville. The morning was cloudy with rain showers and a very strong wind blasting off the Strait of Georgia.  We had several good views of Pacific Wrens in the underbrush near the trails throughout the morning.  A Brown Creeper caught our attention as it creped up a conifer tree. We watched Golden-crowned Kinglets and Ruby-crowned Kinglets were feeding close to the ground during the morning.A flock of Surf Scoters, a White-winged Scoter, Black Scoter and a Long-tailed Duck were seen heading down the Strait.  A flock of  Black Turnstones flew low over the stormy water heading towards the shore.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet: Ralph Hocken Photo.

Seven enthusiastic birders saw and heard the following thirty-two species:

Mallard

                                                         Surf Scoter

 White-winged Scoter

Black Scoter

 American Widgeon

Long-tailed Duck

 Common Merganser

 Red-breasted Merganser

 Pacific Loon

 Common Loon

 Horned Grebe

 Red-necked Grebe

Double-crested Cormorant

 Brandt's Cormorant

Bald Eagle

 Mew Gull

California Gull

Thayer's Gull

 Glaucous-winged Gull

 Black Turnstone

 Northern Flicker

 Northwestern Crow

 Common Raven

 Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Bushtit

 Golden-crowned Kinglet

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

 Pacific Wren

 Brown Creeper

 Spotted Towhee

 Song Sparrow

  Dark-eyed Junco

 

Golden-crowned Kinglet: Ralph Hocken Photo.

The Tuesday bird walk on November 29, 2016 will be going to Columbia Beach. Meet at the Parksville Community Park at the parking lot near the Lions Club Kids Playground at 9:00 a.m. Or meet at Columbia Beach at about 9:15, a.m. (Turn off highway 19a at Columbia Drive turn right on Admiral Tryon Blvd. go about 100 meters turn left onto the parking area.)  

Good birding

Neil Robins

Parksville

       http://thebirdstore.blogspot.ca/

       thebackyard@shaw.ca