Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, March 15, 2016

The Tuesday bird walk went to the Brant viewing platform in Qualicum Beach and the Little Qualicum River Fish Hatchery. The morning was mostly sunny with a few clouds and the winds were calm.  Black Turnstones, Black-bellied Plovers, Black Oystercatchers, Brant Geese, Bonaparte's Gulls, California Gulls, Thayer's Gulls and a Western Gull were plentiful on the gravel bars offshore from the viewing platform. Two American Dipper’s were seen just off the road, near the parking lot at the fish hatchery, singing and catching fish.  Further along the trail we saw and heard Red-breasted Sapsuckers tapping on the top of the hydro poles. There were large flocks of Violet-green Swallows and Tree Swallows flying high overhead, hawking insects.

American Dipper: Len Bettam Photo. 

Twenty-two birders saw and heard the following fifty-three species:

Trumpeter Swan

Canada Goose

 Brant

 American Widgeon

 Mallard

Northern Pintail

Greater Scaup

Harlequin Duck

 Surf Scoter

 White-winged Scoter

 Bufflehead

 Common Goldeneye

Hooded Merganser

 Common Merganser

 Red-breasted Merganser

 Pacific Loon

Common Loon

 Horned Grebe

 Red-necked Grebe

 Common Murre

 Pigeon Guillemot

Belted Kingfisher

 Bald Eagle

Red-tailed Hawk

 Mew Gull

Bonaparte's Gull

 California Gull

 Thayer's Gull

Western Gull

 Glaucous-winged Gull

Black Turnstones

Black-bellied Plover

  Black Oystercatcher

American Dipper

 Northern Flicker

Downy Woodpecker

Red-breasted Sapsucker

 Northwestern Crow

 Common Raven

Violet-green Swallow

Tree Swallow

 Chestnut-backed Chickadee

 Red-breasted Nuthatch

 Brown Creeper

 Pacific Wren

 Bewick’s Wren

 Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Golden-crowned Kinglet

 American Robin

European Starling

 Spotted Towhee

 Song Sparrow

 Dark-eyed Junco

                                                    Violet-green Swallow: Ralph Hocken Photo.

The Tuesday bird walk on March 22, will be going to Port Alberni, Meet at the Parksville Community Park at the parking lot near the Lion’s Kids Playground at 9:00 a.m. or at the parking area in Port Alberni near the river ( follow highway 4 into Port Alberni until you come to the tee intersection, turn left and then right onto the parking area along the water) we will meet about 10:00 a.m.

Good birding

Neil Robins

Parksville 

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