Parksville/Qualicum beach Tuesday bird walk, October 11, 2016

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday birdwalk, October 11, 2016

The Tuesday bird walk went to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. The morning was sunny and warm.  We saw and heard a large number of Golden-crowned Kinglets at the start of the walk.  A Barred Owl was perched on a snag not far from the trail, giving us great long views.  We had six sightings of Northern Shrike perched at the top of shrubs on the meadows.  A large flock of Black Turnstones landed on a log next to the shoreline near American Wigeons, Mallards, a Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintails and Harlequin Ducks. We watched in fascination as a  Bald Eagle swooped in and chased a Mallard for a about 10 minutes before catching him. The Eagle held the Mallard under the water until the Mallard broke free, with the Eagle in hot pursuit.  The Mallard escaped to the cheering birders!  A  Sharp-shinned Hawk and a Red-tailed Hawk were seen high overhead.

Barred Owl: John Purves Photo:

 

Sixteen birders saw and heard the following fifty-eight species:

Canada Geese

 American Wigeon

 Mallard

Northern Shoveler

 Northern Pintail

 Harlequin Duck

 Green-wing Teal

 Surf Scoter

 White-winged Scoter

 Common Merganser

 Red-breasted Merganser

 Pacific Loon

 Common Loon

 Horned Grebe

 Red-necked Grebe

 Double-crested Cormorant

 Great Blue Heron

Barred Owl

 Bald Eagle

                                                    Red-tailed Hawk

 Sharp-shinned Hawk

Merlin

 Killdeer

Black Turnstone

Northern Shrike

 Mew Gull

 Bonaparte’s Gull

 California Gull

 Thayer's Gull

 Glaucous-winged Gull

 Anna's Hummingbird

 Belted Kingfisher

 Northern Flicker

Pileated Woodpecker

 Northwestern Crow

 Common Raven

American Pipit

 Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

 Pacific Wren

Bewick's Wren

 Golden-crowned Kinglet

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Yellow-rumped Warbler

 American Robin

Townsend’s Solitaire

 European Starling

 Spotted Towhee

 Savannah Sparrow

 Song Sparrow

 Golden-crowned Sparrow

 Dark-eyed Junco

 Red-winged Blackbird

 Brewer's Blackbird

 House Finch

Purple Finch

Red Crossbill

American Goldfinch

 

 

Northern Shrike: Ralph Hocken Photo.

The Tuesday bird walk on October 18, 2016 will be going to Lot Ten north of Qualicum Beach. Meet at the Parksville Community Park at the parking lot near the Lions Club Kids playground at 9:00 a.m. Or at the Brant Viewing platform in north Qualicum Beach at about 9:20 a.m.

Good birding

Neil Robins

Parksville 

      http://thebirdstore.blogspot.ca/

       thebackyard@shaw.ca