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 by 8am the day of the walk.

Tuesday 8 March 2016

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, March 08, 2016

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.


Brant: Ralph Hocken Photo.

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.

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 9:00 a.m. or at the Brant viewing platform in north Qualicum Beach at about 9:15 a.m.

Good birding
Neil Robins
Parksville

3 comments:

DianeSchuller.com said...

Are house wrens or Berwick wrens nesting in this area? We're from northern Alberta and used to have House wrens there during breeding. Just thought I heard one this morning.

The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store said...

It is possible that you heard a House Wren as there are a few around but the Bewick's Wren are the most common of the two species around here. As for nesting both species do nest here and they are beginning to sing and establish territories.

DianeSchuller.com said...

Thanks -- I'm going to have to find both calls online to hear the difference. If I could actually see it, then I'd know. I'll watch and listen again in the morning. I've put up appropriate size nest boxes too. Thank you kindly for your response.