Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, January 31, 2017

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday Bird Walk.

The Tuesday bird walk on January 31, 2017 went to Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park in Parksville. The morning was mostly sunny with calm winds, although the Strait of Georgia was a little rough and the tide was high. We saw sixty Brant Geese, hundreds of Dunlin, six Black Turnstones, twelve Black-bellied Plovers and one Black Oystercatcher all feeding along the tide line not far from us. We saw Wing-winged Scoters, Bufflehead, Barrow’s Goldeneye, Common Goldeneye, Long-tailed Duck, Common Mergansers, Red-breasted Mergansers, Pacific Loons and Common Loons further off shore. A Red-breasted Sapsucker flew across the road and landed in a tall conifer. A Hermit Thrush was spotted in the grass and then flew into a bushy area.  We spotted the Thrush again at the edge of a bush where it stayed for a long time giving us all excellent views.

 

Hermit Thrush: John Purves Photo.

 


 Twenty-two birders including a visiting birder from Finland saw and heard the following forty-eight species:

Canada Geese 

Brant

Harlequin Duck

Greater Scaup

Surf Scoter

Wing-winged Scoter

Bufflehead

Barrow’s Goldeneye

Common Goldeneye

Long-tailed Duck

Common Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

Pacific Loon

Common Loon

Western Grebe

Horned Grebe

Red-necked Grebe

Pelagic Cormorant

Double-crested Cormorant

Marbled Murrelet

Common Murre

Mew Gull

Thayer's Gull

California Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Dunlin

Black Turnstone

Black-bellied Plover

Black Oystercatcher

Bald Eagle

Red-breasted Sapsucker

Northern Flicker

Northwestern Crow

Common Raven

American Robin

Hermit Thrush

Anna’s Hummingbird

Brown Creeper

Bewick’s Wren

Pacific Wren

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Spotted Towhee

White-crowned Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Song Sparrow 

Dunlin: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

The Tuesday bird walk on February 07, 2017 will be going to Deep Bay. Meet at the Parksville Community Park at the parking lot near the Lions Club Playground at 9:00 a.m. or at the Deep Bay Marine parking lot at about 9:30 a.m. 

Good birding

Neil Robins

Parksville

 

 http://thebirdstore.blogspot.ca/

       thebackyard@shaw.ca

Nanaimo bird report, January 29, 2017

“Nanaimo bird report”

“Explore Nature--Go Birding”

To report your sightings call the birdstore at 250-390-3669 or e-mail thebirdstore@shaw.ca
Please remember when reporting a sighting please leave your name and phone number with the date and location of the sightings.

The Sunday bird walk on January 29, 2017 went to Buttertubs Marsh Nanaimo. The morning was cloudy with rain showers but calm winds.

We spotted two Varied Thrush perched in a tree next to the trail, an Anna’s Humming was also flitting around in the same tree.  Over twenty Cedar Waxwings

were feeding on a berry tree just off the trail giving us great views. Many Bufflehead, one Hooded Merganser, several Ring-necked Ducks one Pied-billed Grebe and

twelve Wood Ducks were seen on the marsh.

Varied Thrush: Ralph Hocken Photo.

Fourteen birders was and heard the following thirty-two species:

Canada Geese

Mallard

Bufflehead

Hooded Merganser

Ring-necked Duck

Pied-billed Grebe

Wood Duck

Belted Kingfisher

Double-crested Cormorant

Glaucous-winged Gull

Downy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Northwestern Crow

Common Raven

California Quail

European Starling

Brewer’s Blackbird

Red-winged Blackbird

Anna’s Hummingbird

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Pacific Wren

Marsh Wren

Bewick's Wren

American Robin

Varied Thrush

Cedar Waxwing

Spotted Towhee

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Dark-eyed  Junco                                                                                                                                    Purple Finch

House Finch

House Sparrow

Cedar Waxwings: Ralph Hocken Photo.

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, January 24, 2017

The Tuesday bird walk on January 24, 2017 went to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. The morning was sunny and the winds were calm. The the tide was high so mud flats had lots of water.  Large flocks of American Wigeon, Mallards, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, two Killdeer, one Hooded Merganser and two Gadwall were feeding on the mud flats. We saw Surf Scoters, White-winged Scoters, three Long-tailed Ducks, Pacific Loons, Common Loons, Horned Grebes and Red-necked Grebes on the Strait of Georgia during the morning.  A Coopers Hawk flew past us and landed on a tall tree next to the road giving us great views as it looked down on us.

Seventeen birders saw and heard the following forty-four species:

Canada Geese

Brant

American Wigeon

Mallard

Northern Pintail

Green-winged Teal

Gadwall

Harlequin Duck

Surf Scoter

White-winged Scoter

Long-tailed Duck

Bufflehead

Barrow’s Goldeneye

Common Goldeneye

Red-breasted Merganser

Common Merganser

Hooded Merganser

Pacific Loon

Common Loon

Horned Grebe

Red-necked Grebe

Double-crested Cormorant

Brandt's Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Bald Eagle

Cooper’s Hawk

Mew Gull

Thayer's Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Common Murre

Killdeer

Downy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Eurasian-collared Dove

Northwestern Crow

Common Raven

Anna’s Hummingbird

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Bewick's Wren

Golden-crowned Kinglet

American Robin

Spotted Towhee

Dark-eyed Junco

                                                                                                                                                                                          Purple Finch

House Finch

                                               Friday, January 27:

The Birdstore received a report of a possible Three-toed Woodpecker feeding in a backyard in Parksville.

Sunday, January 22:

 Ten Northern Flickers were seen perched in a tree in the 3200 block of Singleton Road in Nanaimo.

The Tuesday bird walk on January 31, 2017 will be going to Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville. Meet at the Parksville Community Park at the parking lot near the Lions Club Kids Playground at 9:00 a.m. or at the main parking lot at Rathtrevor Park at about 9:10 a.m.

The Sunday bird walk on February 05,  2017 will be going to the Bowen Park in Nanaimo. Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 a.m. or at the main parking lot off  Bowen Road in Bowen park near the Lawn Bowling Green’s  at about 9:15 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.com

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, January 24, 2017

The Tuesday bird walk went to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. The morning was sunny and the winds were calm. The the tide was high so mud flats had lots of water.  Large flocks of American Wigeon, Mallards, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, two Killdeer, one Hooded Merganser and two Gadwall were feeding on the mud flats. We saw Surf Scoters, White-winged Scoters, three Long-tailed Ducks, Pacific Loons, Common Loons, Horned Grebes and Red-necked Grebes on the Strait of Georgia during the morning.  A Coopers Hawk flew past us and landed on a tall tree next to the road giving us great views as it looked down on us.

                                            Long-tailed Duck: Ralph Hocken Photo.

Seventeen birders saw and heard the following forty-four species:

Canada Geese

Brant

American Wigeon

Mallard

Northern Pintail

Green-winged Teal

Gadwall

Harlequin Duck

Surf Scoter

White-winged Scoter

Long-tailed Duck

Bufflehead

Barrow’s Goldeneye

Common Goldeneye

Red-breasted Merganser

Common Merganser

Hooded Merganser

Pacific Loon

Common Loon

Horned Grebe

Red-necked Grebe

Double-crested Cormorant

Brandt's Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Bald Eagle

Cooper’s Hawk

Mew Gull

Thayer's Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Common Murre

Killdeer

Downy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Eurasian-collared Dove

Northwestern Crow

Common Raven

Anna’s Hummingbird

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Bewick's Wren

Golden-crowned Kinglet

American Robin

Spotted Towhee

Dark-eyed Junco

                                                     Purple Finch

House Finch

                                             Green-winged Teal: Ralph Hocken Photo.

The Tuesday bird walk on January 31, 2017 will be going to Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville. Meet at the Parksville Community Park at the parking lot near the Lions Club Kids Playground at 9:00 a.m. or at the main parking lot at Rathtrevor Park at about 9:10 a.m.

 

Good birding

Neil Robins

Parksville

 

 http://thebirdstore.blogspot.ca/

       thebackyard@shaw.ca

Nanaimo bird report, January 22, 2017

“Nanaimo bird report”

“Explore Nature--Go Birding”

To report your sightings call the birdstore at 250-390-3669 or e-mail thebirdstore@shaw.ca
Please remember when reporting a sighting please leave your name and phone number with the date and location of the sightings.

The Sunday bird walk on January 22, 2017 went to the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo. The morning was cloudy with rain showers but calm winds.

Western Meadowlarks were spotted along the fence post line.  Four Trumpeter Swans were resting in the estuary and then twenty more flew in and landed near the tide line.  We spotted a Northern Shrike perched in a tall bush on the estuary and then watched him throughout the morning.

Nineteen birders saw and heard the following thirty-six species:

Trumpeter Swan

Canada Geese

Mallard
Greater Scaup

Northern Pintail

Green-winged Teal

Bufflehead

 Common Goldeneye

Surf Scoter

Red-breasted Merganser

Hooded Merganser

Common Merganser

Belted Kingfisher

Bald Eagle

Northern Shrike

Northern Harrier

Common Raven

Northwestern Crow

American Robin

Western Meadowlark

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Bushtit

Bewick’s Wren

 Killdeer

 Mew Gull

Thayer’s Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Great Blue Heron

Northern Flicker

 European Starling

 Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

 Golden-crowned Sparrow

Red-winged Blackbird

Western Meadowlark: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday Bird Walk January 17, 2017 

This week’s Tuesday Bird Walk went to the Little Qualicum River Estuary in north Qualicum Beach. The morning was cloudy with a very strong wind off the Strait Of Georgia.  Black-bellied Plovers, Black Turnstones, Black Oystercatchers and Killdeer were seen walking not far from us along the tide line.  Large flocks of Greater Scaup, Surf Scoters, White-winged Scoters and Black Scoters were seen bouncing in the waves not far from shore.  Thirty-two seals were lounging on the gravel bar near the estuary. We spotted twenty Trumpeter Swans along the river and the estuary during the morning. A large number of great Blue Heron were resting in the tall grass on the estuary.

Twelve birders saw and heard the following thirty-four species.

Canada Geese

Brant

Trumpeter Swan

Mallard

American Widgeon

Green-winged Teal

Northern Pintail

Lesser Scaup

Greater Scaup

Surf Scoter

White-winged Scoter

Black Scoter

Bufflehead

Common Goldeneye

Common Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

Red-necked Grebe

Great Blue Heron

Black-bellied Plover

Black Turnstone

Dunlin

Black Oystercatcher

Killdeer

Mew Gull

California Gull

Thayer's Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Common Murre

Marbled Murrelet

Northwestern Crow

Common Raven

Anna’s Hummingbird

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Dark-eyed Junco

The Tuesday bird walk on January 24, 2017 will be going to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville. Meet at the Parksville Community Park at the parking lot next to the Lions Club Kids Playground at 9:00 a.m. or at the corner of Plummer Road and Shorewood Drive, on the Oceanside of Highway 19a at about 9:10 a.m.

The Sunday bird walk on January 29, 2017 will be going to the Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo. Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 a.m. or at the Jingle Pot Road side of Buttertubs at about 9:15 a.m

Good birding,

Neil Robins

   http://thebirdstore.blogspot.ca/

       thebackyard@shaw.ca

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, January 17, 2017

The Tuesday bird walk went to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville. The wind was blasting off the Strait of Georgia and through the forest all morning.  We saw Golden-crowned Kinglets feeding on the trail just ahead of us at the start of the walk.  We spotted a pair of Varied Thrush not far from the trail and they gave us a great show playing around with each other.  There was a young Peregrine Falcon perched in a tall tree swaying in the wind not far from us.  Surf Scoters and White-wing Scoters were playing hide and seek with us in the choppy waters on the Strait.  Common Loons and Pacific Loons were seen flying just above the water heading down the Strait.

                                                 Peregrine Falcon: Ralph Hocken Photo.

Nine dedicated birders, including a visiting birder from Whitehorse, saw and heard the following forty species:

Canada Geese

Cackling Goose

Brant

 American Widgeon

 Mallard

Northern Pintail

Green-wing Teal

Gadwall

 Surf Scoter

White-wing Scoter

 Bufflehead

 Common Goldeneye

Red-necked Grebe

 Common Merganser

 Common Loon

 Pacific Loon

 Great Blue Heron

 Bald Eagle

Peregrine Falcon

 Mew Gull

 Thayer's Gull

 Glaucous-winged Gull

 Anna's Hummingbird

 Northern Flicker

Hairy Woodpecker

  Northwestern Crow

 Common Raven

American Robin

Varied Thrush

 Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Brown Creeper

Pacific Wren

Bewick’s Wren

 Spotted Towhee

 Song Sparrow

 Golden-crowned Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

 House Finch

American Goldfinch 

Varied Thrush: Ralph Hocken Photo.

The Tuesday bird walk on January 24, 2017 will be going to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville. Meet at the parking lot next to the Lions kid playground in the Parksville Community Park at 9:00 a.m. Or at the corner of Plummer Road and Shorewood Drive at about 9:10 a.m.

Good birding

Neil Robins

Parksville 

 http://thebirdstore.blogspot.ca/

       thebackyard@shaw.ca