Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, April 10, 2017

The Tuesday Bird Walk went to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville. The morning was mostly sunny with calm winds. We saw numerous Rufous Hummingbirds perched at the top of the bushes at the start of the walk. A Lincoln’s Sparrow and a first of the season Chipping Sparrow were seen close to the trail just across the river. Several flocks of Surf Scoters, White-winged Scoters and Long-tailed Ducks were seen heading down the strait. A flock of thousands of Surf Scoters, White-winged Scoters, Bufflehead, Brant and Greater Scaup were roosting on the Strait just past the Art Gallery. A Common Murre, a Pigeon Guillemot, Pacific Loons and Common Loons were seen further off shore. A Eurasian Widgeon was spotted in with a flock of American Wigeon on the ocean side of the estuary. An Orange-crowned Warbler was seen low in the bushes next to the trail.

Chipping Sparrow: Ralph Hocken Photo:

Fourteen birders saw and heard the following sixty-four species:

Canada Geese

Brant

American Wigeon

Eurasian Widgeon

Mallard

Gadwall

Northern Pintail

Green-winged Teal

Harlequin Duck

Surf Scoter

White-winged Scoter

Black Scoter

Bufflehead

Greater Scaup

Long-tailed Duck

Barrow’s Goldeneye

Common Goldeneye

Common Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

Pacific Loon

Common Loon

Red-necked Grebe

Horned Grebe

Common Murre

Pigeon Guillemot

Brandt’s Cormorant

Pelagic Cormorant

Black Oystercatcher

Killdeer

Great Blue Heron

Bald Eagle

Mew Gull

California Gull

Thayer's Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Northern Flicker

Pileated Woodpecker

Northwestern Crow

Common Raven

American Robin

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Orange-crowned Warbler

                                                      Yellow-rumped Warbler

Cassin’s Vireo

Marsh Wren

Bushtit

Brown Creeper
Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Rufous Hummingbird

Anna’s Hummingbird

European Starling

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Brown-headed Cowbird

Lincoln’s Sparrow

Chipping Sparrow

Savannah Sparrow

Red-wing Blackbird

Dark-eyed Junco

Purple Finch

American Goldfinch

Pine Siskin 

                                

Cassin’s Vireo: John Purves Photo:

The Tuesday bird walk on April 18 will be going to Springwood 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 west end of Despard Avenue at about 9:10 a.m.

 

  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