Nanaimo bird report, march 13, 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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Sunday, March 13, 2016: 

The Sunday bird walk went to Rathtrevor Beach Park in Parksville. We were greeted with very strong winds and rain showers that continued for the morning. We spotted ten Brant Geese fly low over the high whitecaps and circle back to calmer waters. We had a close encounter with a large flock of Ruby-crowned Kinglets and Golden-crowned Kinglets feeding on the short bushes near the trail. They entertained us royalty and close up.

 

Ruby-crowned Kinglet: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

Four enthusiastic (but wet!) birders saw and heard   the following twenty-two species:

Canada Geese

Brant

 Mallard

Surf Scoter

White-winged Scoter

Bald Eagle

Mew Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Northern Flicker

Pileated Woodpecker

Northwestern Crow

 Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

 Anna’s Hummingbird

 Brown Creeper

Pacific Wren

Bewick’s Wren

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Golden-crowned Kinglet

American Robin

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

 Golden-crowned Kinglet: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

Friday, March 11:

Two Yellow-rumped Warblers were seen near the Brookwood Pond in north Nanaimo.

Several reports of Rufous Hummingbird have been seen in Parksville. 

Thursday, March 10: 

Yellow-rumped Warblers were seen in a backyard in Ladysmith. 

Tuesday, March 08:  

The Tuesday bird walk went to the Little Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum Beach. The morning was cloudy with strong (surf up) winds off the Strait of Georgia. Large numbers of Brant Geese, Long-tailed Ducks, Black-bellied Plovers, Black Turnstones and Black Oystercatchers were seen from the viewing platform in Qualicum Beach. Gadwall, Barrow’s Goldeneye, Eurasian Wigeon, large numbers of   Surf Scoters, White-winged Scoters, and Black Scoters were seen from the estuary. A Cooper’s Hawk was perched on a short snag. One Turkey Vulture and five Trumpeter Swans were seen on the way to the bird walk.

Twenty-four birders including visiting birders from Stratford, Winnipeg, Lac La Biche, Calgary and Seattle saw and heard the following fifty-five Species:

Brant

Canada Geese

Mallard

Gadwall

Bufflehead

Green-winged Teal

Harlequin Duck

Greater Scaup

Northern Pintail

American Wigeon

Eurasian Wigeon

  Surf Scoter

White-winged Scoter

Black Scoter

Long-tailed Duck

Common Goldeneye

Barrow’s Goldeneye

Horned Grebe

Common Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

Pacific Loon

Common Loon

Great Blue Heron

Black-bellied Plover

Black Turnstone

Black Oystercatcher

Greater Yellowlegs

Bald Eagle

Cooper’s Hawk

Mew Gull

California Gull

Western Gull

Thayer’s Gull

Herring Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Belted Kingfisher

Eurasian-collared Dove

California Quail

Anna’s Hummingbird

Common Raven

Northwestern Crow

American Robin

Northern Flicker

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

American Robin

European Starling

Red-winged Blackbird

Spotted Towhee

House Finch

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Fox Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

House Sparrow 

Black-bellied Plover and Black Turnstone: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

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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. *******************************************************************************The Tuesday bird walk on March 15, 2016 will be going to the Little Qualicum Fish Hatchery north of Qualicum Beach. Meet at the Lions Club Kids playground parking lot at Parksville Bay at 9:00 a.m. or at the Brant viewing platform in north Qualicum Beach at about 9:15 a.m.

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The Sunday bird walk on March 20, 2016 will be going to the Nanaimo river estuary in south Nanaimo. Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 a.m. or at the end of Raines Road at about 9:30 a.m.

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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