Parksville/Qualicum beach Tuesday bird walk, february 28, 2017

The Tuesday bird walk on February 28, 2017 went to the Brant viewing platform in Qualicum Beach and the Little Qualicum River Fish Hatchery. The morning was mostly sunny with cloudy periods and calm winds. The surprise sightings of the morning was a Sanderling and a Eurasian Widgeon, feeding along the shoreline at the viewing platform, with Black Turnstones, Killdeer, a Black-bellied Plover and four Black Oystercatchers.  Many Surf Scoters, four Long-tailed Ducks, two Pacific Loons and six Common Loons were seen further off shore.  Four Trumpeter Swans flew high overhead the hatchery, heading down the Island.  We spotted two singing American Dippers on the river at the Fish Hatchery.  A large number of Golden-crowned Kinglets and Ruby-crowned Kinglets were seen feeding on a tree just off the snow covered trails.  A Cooper’s Hawk was seen flying high overhead. A large number of American Robins scurrying about throughout the morning.  A  Varied Thrush was spotted in a tree near the trail.  Three Snow Geese, feeling quite at home in the snowy conditions, flew overhead just above the trees.

American Dipper: Ralph Hocken Photo.

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

Trumpeter Swan

Snow Geese

Canada Geese

Harlequin Duck

Green-winged Teal

American Widgeon

Eurasian Widgeon

Mallard

Bufflehead

Common Goldeneye

Hooded Merganser

Common Merganser

Surf Scoter

White-winged Scoter

Black Scoter

Long-tailed Duck

Double-crested Cormorant

Pacific Loon

Common Loon

Mew Gull

Thayer’s Gull

California Gull

Bonaparte Gull

Sanderling

Black Turnstone

Killdeer

Black-bellied Plover

Black Oystercatcher

Belted Kingfisher

Great Blue Heron

Bald Eagle

Cooper’s Hawk

 American Dipper

 Chestnut-backed Chickadee

  Downy Woodpecker

 Northern Flicker

Pileated Woodpecker

 Northwestern Crow

 Common Raven

Golden-crowned Kinglet

 Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Anna’s Hummingbird

American Robin

 Varied Thrush

 Spotted Towhee

 Song Sparrow 

           

Hooded Merganser:  Ralph Hocken Photo. 

The Tuesday bird walk on March 07,2017 will be going to the Shelly 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 end of Shelly Road on the ocean side of highway 19a at about 9:10 a.m. 

Good birding

Neil Robins 

THE BACKYARD WILDBIRD & NATURE STORE

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