At the start of the Tuesday bird walk we scouted out a rare bird for this area—an Indigo Bunting.  We saw the Bunting where it had previously been reported, in the 4900 block of Nicholas Street in Port Alberni.  It was a rare treat to see this bird here.  The Indigo Bunting is usually seen in eastern and southern United States at this time of the year.

                                                                      Indigo Bunting: John Purves Photo.

The Tuesday bird walk went to the Somass Estuary in Port Alberni. The morning was cloudy with light showers and calm winds.

Hundreds of Violet-green Swallows and several Tree Swallows were flying overhead for most of the morning. We counted forty-two

Yellow-rumped Warblers feeding in the reeds and trees along side the estuary. Twelve Gadwall, a large flock of Ring-necked Ducks,

many Greater Scaup and several Lesser Scaup were seen resting on the side of the trail and flew into the estuary as we walked by.

Twelve birders including visiting birders from St Albert and Red Deer saw and heard the following forty-nine species:

Canada Geese

Gadwall

American Widgeon

Mallard

Bufflehead

Green-wing Teal

Ring-necked Duck

Greater Scaup

Lesser Scaup

Bufflehead

Common Goldeneye

Common Merganser

Pied-billed Grebe

Double-crested Cormorant

American Coot

Great Blue Heron

Belted Kingfisher

Bald Eagle

Red-tailed Hawk

Northern Shrike

Turkey Vulture

California Gull

Mew Gull

Thayer’s Gull

Western Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Northwestern Crow

Common Raven

American Robin

Indigo Bunting

Yellow-rumped Warbler

European Starling

Spotted Towhee

Northern Flicker

Downy Woodpecker

Violet-green Swallow

Tree Swallow

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Marsh Wren

Bushtit

Song Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Golden-crowned Sparrow

House Finch

Purple Finch

Red-winged Blackbird

Red Crossbill

Pine Siskin

 

 

 

 

Yellow-rumped Warbler: Ralph Hocken Photo.

On the drive home from Port Alberni we saw a Turkey Vulture and four Trumpeter Swans along the highway. 

The Tuesday bird walk on April 04, 2017 will be going to Rathtrevor Beach 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 

THE BACKYARD WILDBIRD & NATURE STORE

314 Metral Drive

 Nanaimo B.C.
V9T-2L8

Phone: 250-390-3669

Fax: 250-390-1633

Email: thebackyard@shaw.ca

Blog: www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com

Nanaimo bird report, March 26, 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.

Sunday Bird Walk, March 26, 2017

The Sunday bird walk went to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo. The morning was cloudy with heavy rain and very strong winds off the Strait of Georgia. We heard a Yellow-rumped Warbler singing at the start of the walk. Harlequin Ducks, Bufflehead and Common Mergansers were on the Strait. A Downy Woodpecker was seen feeding on a bush just off the trail. American Robins were plentiful throughout the morning.   

American Robins: Ralph Hocken Photo:

Eight birders saw and heard the following fifteen species: 

Harlequin Duck

Bufflehead
Common Merganser

  Glaucous-winged Gull 

Northern Flicker

Downy Woodpecker

    Northwestern Crow

Yellow-rumped Warbler

  Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Brown Creeper

Bushtit

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

   American Robin

  Spotted Towhee

  Song Sparrow

Saturday, March 25:  

Turkey Vultures have been seen over Colbourne Road in Nanaimo and Meridian Way in Parksville.

A Common Snipe was seen at Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo.

Thursday, March 23:

Rufous Hummingbirds have been seen at feeders along Dolphin Drive in Nanoose Bay, along Morell Circle in Nanaimo, in the 800 block of Harewood Mines Road in Nanaimo, on Meridian Way in Parksville, the top of Colbourne Road in Nanaimo, in Ladysmith and two were seen at the Little Qualicum Village.  They are back!  Spring MUST be here!

Wednesday, March 22:

”Rare Bird Alert”

An Indigo Bunting was seen visiting suet feeders in the 4900 block of Nicholas Street in Port Alberni.

A Yellow-rumped Warbler was seen visiting a suet feeder near Christopher and McGirr in Nanaimo.

Parksville/Qualicum Beach, Tuesday Bird Walk, March 21, 2017

The Tuesday bird walk went to the Columbia Beach. The morning was cloudy with light rain and a light wind off the Strait Of Georgia. We saw hundreds of  Brant Geese offshore from Columbia Beach. Thousands of Mew Gulls, California Gulls, Thayer's Gulls, Glaucous-winged Gulls and newly arrived Bonaparte's Gulls were in the area all morning.  Numerous Pacific Loons and Common Loons were seen on the Strait of Georgia.  A Brandt's Cormorant, a Common Murre and a Pigeon Guillemot were observed further offshore. Over twenty Long-tailed Ducks were heading up the Strait.  Black Turnstones, Black-bellied Plovers were resting along the many big rocks along the shoreline. Song Sparrows, a White-crowned Sparrow, a Golden-crowned Sparrow and an Anna’s Hummingbird were seen just off the road. 

There are thousands of Surf Scoters, Gulls, Dunlin and Plovers at Parksville Bay today.

                                                                        

   Bonaparte's Gulls in flight; Ralph Hocken Photo: 

Twenty-one birders saw and heard the following forty-four species:

Canada Geese

 Brant

 Mallard

 Harlequin Duck

 Surf Scoter

White-winged Scoter

 Long-tailed Duck

 Common Goldeneye

 Barrow's Goldeneye

 Common Merganser

 Red-breasted Merganser

 Pacific Loon

 Common Loon

Red-necked Grebe

 Horned Grebe

Brandt's Cormorant

Double-crested Cormorant

 Pelagic Cormorant

 Bald Eagle

Black Turnstone

Black-bellied Plover

 Killdeer

Black Oystercatcher

Bonaparte's Gull

Mew Gull,

California Gull

 Thayer's Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Common Murre

Pigeon Guillemot

Eurasian-collared Dove

Northern Flicker

Northwestern Crow

 Common Raven

                                                    American Robin

Anna’s Hummingbird

Spotted Towhee

Red-wing Blackbird

Song Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

 Dark-eyed Junco

 House Finch

House Sparrow

                           

Brandt’s Cormorant: Ralph Hocken Photo:

Bird walks this week

The Tuesday bird walk on March 28, 2017 will be going to the Somass Estuary in Port Alberni. Meet at The Parksville Community Park at the parking lot near the Lions Kids Playground at 8:30 a.m. or meet at the parking lot along Alberni Inlet & third Avenue in Port Alberni at about 9:15 a.m.(Follow Highway 4 into Port Alberni, go right to the tee intersection, turn left along third Avenue and park at the parking lot next to the Alberni Inlet

The Sunday bird walk on April 02, 2017, will be going to Shelly Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville. Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 a.m. or at the end of Shelly Road off highway 19a in Parksville at about 9:25 a.m.

Revive the Nanaimo Naturalists’ Club

Monday April 3rd 2017 at 7 PM Vancouver Island University,

Building 180- Room 134.

 All welcome

Enjoy a great presentation by John Neville and help to get a naturalists’ club going again in Nanaimo

Good birding

Neil Robins

THE BACKYARD WILDBIRD & NATURE STORE

314 Metral Drive

Nanaimo

  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, March 21, 2017 

The Tuesday Bird Walk went to Columbia Beach. The morning was cloudy with light rain and a light wind off the Strait Of Georgia.  We saw hundreds of  Brant Geese offshore from Columbia Beach. Thousands of Mew Gulls, California Gulls, Thayer's Gulls, Glaucous-winged Gulls and newly arrived Bonaparte's Gulls were in the area all morning.  Numerous Pacific Loons and Common Loons were seen on the Strait Of Georgia.  A Brandt's Cormorant, a Common Murre and a Pigeon Guillemot were observed further offshore. Over twenty Long-tailed Ducks were heading up the Strait.  Black Turnstones, Black-bellied Plovers were resting along the many big rocks along the shoreline. Song Sparrows, a White-crowned Sparrow, a Golden-crowned Sparrow and an Anna’s Hummingbird were seen just off the road. 

There are thousands of Surf Scoters, Gulls, Dunlin and Plovers at Parksville Bay today.

Bonaparte's Gulls in flight: Ralph Hocken Photo:

 

Twenty-one birders saw and heard the following forty-four species:

Canada Geese

 Brant

 Mallard

 Harlequin Duck,

 Surf Scoter

White-winged Scoter

 Long-tailed Duck

 Common Goldeneye

 Barrow's Goldeneye

 Common Merganser

 Red-breasted Merganser

 Pacific Loon

 Common Loon

Red-necked Grebe

 Horned Grebe

 Brandt's Cormorant

Double-crested Cormorant

 Pelagic Cormorant

 Bald Eagle

Black Turnstone

Black-bellied Plover

 Killdeer

Black Oystercatcher

 Bonaparte's Gull

Mew Gull,

California Gull

 Thayer's Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

 Common Murre

Pigeon Guillemot

Eurasian-collared Dove

Northern Flicker

Northwestern Crow

 Common Raven

 American Robin

Anna’s Hummingbird

Spotted Towhee

 Red-wing Blackbird

Song Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

 Dark-eyed Junco

 House Finch

House Sparrow

Brandt’s Cormorant: Ralph Hocken Photo:

 

The Tuesday bird walk on March 28, 2017 will be going to the Somass Estuary in Port Alberni. Meet at The Parksville Community Park at the parking lot near the Lions Kids Playground at 8:30 a.m. or meet at the parking lot along Alberni Inlet & third Avenue in Port Alberni at about 9:15 a.m.(Follow Highway 4 into Port Alberni, go right to the tee intersection, turn left along third Avenue and park at the parking lot next to the Alberni Inlet)           

 

 Good birding

Neil Robins

 

 

THE BACKYARD WILDBIRD & NATURE STORE

314 Metral Drive

 Nanaimo B.C.
V9T-2L8

Phone: 250-390-3669

Fax: 250-390-1633

Email: thebackyard@shaw.ca

Blog: www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com

 

Revive the Nanaimo Naturalists’ Club

Monday April 3rd 2017 at 7 PM  Vancouver Island University, Building 180 Room 134.

All welcome

Enjoy a great presentation by John Neville

 and help to get a naturalists’ club going again in Nanaimo.

Nanaimo bird report, March 19, 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.

Sunday Bird Walk, March 19, 2017   

The Sunday bird walk went to Bowen Park in Nanaimo. The morning was sunny with calm winds.  A Yellow-rumped Warbler was heard and then seen at the start of the walk.  An Orange-crowned Warbler was heard singing.  We saw a Pileated Woodpecker working on his nest hole and two other Pileated Woodpeckers hammering a snag.  Seven Brown Creepers were seen throughout the morning climbing up the trunks of trees.  Bewick's Wrens and Pacific Wrens were seen several times and they entertained us all morning.  Two Downy Woodpeckers were pecking at a tree very close to the trail,  giving us a great show.

Yellow-rumped Warbler: Ralph Hocken Photo:

Sixteen birders saw and heard the following Twenty-seven species:

Mallard

Hooded Merganser

Glaucous-winged Gull

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

 Red-breasted Nuthatch

 Anna's Hummingbird

Pileated Woodpecker

Downy Woodpecker

 Northern Flicker

 Red-breasted Sapsucker

California Quail

Rock Dove

Northwestern Crow

 Common Raven

 Yellow-rumped Warbler

Orange-crowned Warbler

Bewick's Wren

 Pacific Wren

Bushtits         

                                           Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Golden-crowned Kinglet

 Brown Creeper

 American Robin

Varied Thrush

Spotted Towhee

 Song Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Saturday, March 18, 2017

Four Band-tailed Pigeons were seen along Meridian Way in Parksville.

Parksville/Qualicum Beach, Tuesday Bird Walk, March 14, 2017

The Tuesday bird walk went to the Brant Viewing Platform and the Little Qualicum River Estuary in north Qualicum Beach. The morning started out cloudy with light rain, but the sun came out, making for one of the first sunny walks in a long while!  Thousands of Surf Scoters, twenty Long-tail Ducks, several Lesser Scaup and hundreds of Greater Scaup were seen from the viewing platform.  Several Bald Eagles were seen resting on a log along the shore.  A Western Gull and thousand's of Mew Gulls, California Gulls, Thayer’s Gulls and Glaucous-winged Gulls were flying and resting on the shoreline and gravel bars all morning.  Hundreds of Common Goldeneye and Barrows Goldeneye were seen on the Strait just beyond the gravel bar at the estuary.  A large number of Common Mergansers’ were roosting on the River.  We spotted a Cooper’s Hawk perched on a tall Conifer Tree on the estuary giving us great views. There were an estimated three thousand singing Brant Geese not fifty feet from the shore----a great sight!

Brant Geese: Ralph Hocken Photo.

 Fourteen birders including two visiting birders from Ottawa saw and heard the following forty-three species;

Brant

Canada Geese

Mallard

Green-winged Teal

American Widgeon

Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter

Long-tail Duck

Lesser Scaup

Greater Scaup

Bufflehead

Northern Pintail

Barrows Goldeneye

Common Goldeneye

Horned Grebe

Common Merganser

Common Loon

Pacific loon

Double-crested Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Bald Eagle

Red-tailed Hawk

Cooper’s Hawk

                                             Sanderling                                                           Killdeer

Black Oystercatcher

Western Gull

Mew Gull

California Gull

Thayer’s Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Belted Kingfisher

Northern Flicker

Northwestern Crow

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

American Robin

European Starling

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Red-winged Blackbird

Purple Finch

 House Sparrow

California Gull: Ralph Hocken Photo

Tuesday, March 14:

A first of the year a Turkey Vulture was seen above the Waterline trail off Nanaimo Lakes Road in Nanaimo. 

Two Violet-green Swallows were seen above Arrowsmith Road in French Creek.

Monday, March 13:

A Ring-necked Pheasant was seen in the Sherwood Forest area of Nanaimo.

Bird walks this week.

The Tuesday bird walk on March 21, 2015 will be going to Columbia 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 parking area off Admiral Tryon Blvd. (Turn off highway 19a at Columbia Drive, turn right at Admiral Tryon Blvd. go about one hundred yards to the parking area)

The Sunday bird walk on March 26, 2017 will be going to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo. Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 a.m. or at the main parking lot at Neck Point (off Hammond Bay Road) at at about 9:15 a.m.

Revive the Nanaimo Naturalists’ Club

Monday April 3rd 2017 at 7 PM  Vancouver Island University,

Building 180 Room 134.

 All welcome

Enjoy a great presentation by John Neville and help to get a naturalists’ club going again in Nanaimo

Good birding

Neil Robins

THE BACKYARD WILDBIRD & NATURE STORE

314 Metral Drive

Nanaimo

  V9T-2L8
Phone: 250-390-3669

Fax: 250-390-1633

Email: thebackyard@shaw.ca

Blog: www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com