The Backyard's Weekly Bird Walk locations are found in the Backyard Bird Report at the very end of the most recent report. Any cancellations will be posted here by 8am the day of the walk. Our first bird walks of the year are going out on Sunday February 4th and Tuesday February 6th. Locations will be posted to our next Bird Report.

Saturday 31 December 2016

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 :

Friday 23 December 2016

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.
********************************************************************
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)



********************************************************************
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!
***************************************************************************************


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….









Saturday 10 December 2016

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!


Tuesday 6 December 2016

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

********************************************************************
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 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.

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








Friday 2 December 2016

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.
***************************************************************************

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.
***********************************************************************
     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….














Tuesday 22 November 2016

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