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.

Sunday 28 August 2016

Nanaimo bird report, August 28, 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, August 28, 2016:

The Sunday bird walk went to Bowen Park in Nanaimo. The morning was cloudy with calm winds. A family of Golden Crowned Kinglets was feeding in a bush just above us giving us great views. We watched as a Pileated Woodpecker was drinking in the stream.  A Barred Owl was calling as we walked on the trail. We spotted a family of four Brown Creepers creeping up a conifer tree. Large numbers of American Robins were with us all morning.  Many Northwestern Crows and Common Ravens flew overhead during the walk.

 

                                     Golden-crowned Kinglet: Ralph Hocken Photo.



Eleven birders saw and heard the following twenty-two species: 

Mallard

Barred Owl

Eurasian Collared Dove

Belted Kingfisher

 Anna’s Hummingbird

 Northern Flicker

Pileated Woodpecker

Downy Woodpecker

Northwestern Crow

 Common Raven

Golden Crowned Kinglet

 Chestnut-backed Chickadee

 Red-breasted Nuthatch

 Brown Creeper

Bewick's Wren

 Dark-eyed Junco

European Starling

 American Robin

Spotted Towhee 

 Red Crossbill

House Finch

Pine Siskin



Saturday, August 27: 

A Great Horned Owl was calling near Corefield Street in Parksville at 5:00 a.m. (the Orion Constellation was above the horizon giving a great big view as the owl called). 





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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.  The Tuesday bird walks have ended for the summer. They will resume on September 06, 2016.
    *******************************************************************************

The Sunday bird walk on September 04, 2016 will be going to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo. Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 a.m. or at the parking lot off Hammond Bay Road at Neck Point Park at about 9:20 a.m.

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

     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

Sunday 21 August 2016

Nanaimo bird report, August 21, 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, August 21, 2016:

The Sunday bird walk went to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. The morning was cloudy and warm. We had great views of a Savannah Sparrow perched on a snag not far from us. We also saw a White-crowned Sparrow, a Chipping Sparrow and

a Lincoln’s Sparrow just off the trail. A Common Loon, a Pigeon Guillemot and a Double-crested Cormorant were seen on the Strait of Georgia. Two Cooper's Hawks flew overhead just above the treetops.





Savannah Sparrow: Ralph Hocken Photo.



Seventeen birders including a visiting birder from Ontario saw and heard the following thirty-one species: 

Canada Geese

 Mallard,

 Horned Grebe

 Common Merganser

 Great Blue Heron

Black Oystercatcher

 Common Loon

 Pigeon Guillemot

  Double-crested Cormorant

Turkey Vulture

Cooper's Hawk

Killdeer

  Barn Swallow

California Gull

 Glaucous-winged Gull

 Northern Flicker

Northwestern Crow

 Common Raven

 Eurasian Collared Dove

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Bewick’s Wren

 Red-breasted Nuthatch

 Anna’s Hummingbird

Spotted Towhee

 White-crowned Sparrow

Lincoln’s Sparrow

Chipping Sparrow

Savannah Sparrow 

 Purple Finch

 American Goldfinch 

 Pine Siskin   
                                        Lincoln’s Sparrow: Ralph Hocken Photo. 



Saturday, August 20:

A Spotted Sandpiper was seen at Beck Lake in south Nanaimo.



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

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.  The Tuesday bird walks have ended for the summer. They will resume on September 06, 2016.
    *******************************************************************************

The Sunday bird walk on August 28, 2016 will be going to Bowen Park in Nanaimo. Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 a.m. or at the parking lot near the Bowling Green at Bowen Park off Bowen Road at about 9:20 a.m.

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

     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

Sunday 14 August 2016

Nanaimo bird report, August 14, 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, August 14, 2016:

The Sunday bird walk went to the Beaver Ponds in Nanoose Bay. The morning was sunny and hot but cooler in the forest. Turkey Vultures were seen overhead. We saw a Black-throated Gray Warbler just off the trail. A tree frog was spotted next to the beaver ponds. Cassin’s Vireos and Orange-crowned Warblers were singing close to the trail. A Belted Kingfisher flew in and perched on a snag giving us great views. 

Nineteen birders saw and heard the following nineteen species: 

Turkey Vulture

Belted Kingfisher

Anna’s Hummingbird

 Northern Flicker

Downy Woodpecker

Common Raven

 Purple Martin

Red-breasted Nuthatch

 Bushtit

 Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Bewick’s Wren

 Golden-crowned Kinglet,
Swainson's Thrush

European Starling

Cassin’s Vireo

Warbling Vireo

 Orange-crowned Warbler

 Black-throated Gray Warbler

House Finch


Barred Owl with prey seen at Nanoose Bay: J Kovacs Photo. 



Thursday, August 11:

A flock of Bushtits are regulars at a suet feeder along Boundary Crescent in Nanaimo. 



Fifty Red-necked Grebes, one Western Grebe, fifteen Common Loons and one Yellow-billed Loon were seen from the Brant viewing platform at the north end of Qualicum Beach.



Monday, August 08:

 A Sanderling and a Semi-palmated Plover were seen on the mud flats off Plummer Road in Parksville.



A flock of juvenile Black headed Grosbeaks were seen in the 800 block of Douglas Road in Nanaimo.



Saturday, August 06:

One Solitary Sandpiper was seen along the beach at Morrell Lake in Nanaimo.



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

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.  The Tuesday bird walks have ended for the summer. They will resume on September 06, 2016.
    *******************************************************************************

The Sunday bird walk on August 21, 2016 will be going to the Englishman River Estuary, Shelly Road side in Parksville. Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 a.m. or at the parking lot at the end of Shelly Road off of Highway 19a in Parksville at about 9:30 a.m.

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

     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

Friday 12 August 2016

Yellow-billed Loon spotted at Qualicum Beach

Fifty Red-necked Grebes,  One Western Grebe,  Fifteen Common Loons and  One Yellow-billed Loon were seen from the Brant viewing platform at the north end of Qualicum Beach on August 11, 2016.
 
Good birding
Neil Robins
Parksville

Tuesday 9 August 2016

Summer 2016 Newsletter

At the store we have been busy with the June-uary weather that occurred earlier this summer, and have included in this newsletter a species that spurred a series of "what bird is this at my feeder?" questions.

If you are looking to download our newsletter please use the link provided below:

Sunday 7 August 2016

Nanaimo bird report, August 07, 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, August 07, 2016:

The Sunday bird walk went to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo. The morning was partly clouds with calm winds. Double-crested Cormorants and Pelagic Cormorants were flying up the Strait of Georgia for most of the morning.  We spotted a Pigeon Guillemot flying up the strait. Two Marbled Murrelets were seen offshore swimming and diving for food. We saw four Spotted Sandpipers and a Western Sandpiper along the shore of Sunset Beach. 




Spotted Sandpiper: Ralph Hocken Photo.



Fourteen birders saw and heard the following twenty-six species: 

Canada Geese

Harlequin Duck

Turkey Vulture

Double-crested Cormorant

 Pelagic Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

  Bald Eagle

 Marbled Murrelet

Pigeon Guillemot

  Glaucous-winged Gull

 Western Sandpiper

Spotted Sandpiper

Black Oystercatcher

 Northern Flicker

 Orange-crowned Warbler

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Northwestern Crow

  Common Raven

 Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Brown Creeper

 Bewick’s Wren

    Anna’s Hummingbird

  American Robin

  European Starling

 Spotted Towhee

House Finch 



Saturday, August 06:

 Four Black Swifts and one Vaux Swift were seen high above Meridian Way in Parksville.



A Green Heron was seen at the Nanaimo River near the Living Forest Campground in south Nanaimo.



A Greater Yellowlegs, a large mixed flock of Least and Western Sandpipers and one Semipalmated Sandpiper were seen on the Plummer Road Side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville.



Friday, August 05:

Two Purple Martins were seen at 6:30 pm in the 25 block of Glenayr Drive in Nanaimo.   







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

Everyone is welcome to join us for a 2-3 hour bird walk on the Sunday & Tuesday. We leave from the Store at 9 a.m. on Sunday Mornings and go to a different location in and around Nanaimo.  The Tuesday bird walks have ended for the summer. They will resume on September 06, 2016.
    *******************************************************************************

The Sunday bird walk on August 14, 2016 will be going to the beaver Ponds in Nanoose Bay. Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 a.m. or at the parking area about one hundred yards past the four way stop sign on Power Point Road.( take Northwest Bay Road off highway 19 and turn right on to Power Point Road follow to the four way stop)

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


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