Tuesday Birdwalk May 30, 2017

The Tuesday Birdwalk went to Springwood Park in Parksville.  The morning was cloudy with a light rain shower.  Highlights included the sighting of a McGillivray's Warbler, a Yellow Warbler, a Black-Throated Warbler and a colourful Western Tanager.
Sixteen birders saw and heard the following forty species:
Killdeer
Bald Eagle
Barred Owl
California Quail
European Starling
Band-Tail Pigeon
Eurasian-Collared Dove
Anna's Hummingbird
Rufous Hummimgbird
Northern Flicker
Willow Flycatcher
Pacific-Slope Flycatcher
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Barn Swallow
Violet-Green Swallow
Chestnut-Backed Chickadee
Red-Breasted Nuthatcher
Brown Creeper
Bewick's Wren
Pacific Wren
Bushtit
Swainson's Thrush
Pileated Woodpecker
American Robin
Orange-Crowned Warbler
McGillivray's Warbler
Townsend Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Black-Throated Gray Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Warbling Vireo
Western Tanager
Spotted Towhee
Brown-Headed Cowbird
Song Sparrow
White-Crowned Sparrow
Dark-Eyed Junco
Black-Headed Grosbeak
Purple Finch
American Goldfinch

The Tuesday Birdwalk on June 6/17 will be going to The Englisman River Estuary, Shelly Road Side.  Meet at The Parksville Community Park at the parking lot in front of the Lion's Playground at 9 a.m. or at the end of Shelly Road on the Oceanside of Highway 19a at 9:10 a.m.

Good Birding
Neil Robins

Nanaimo bird report, May 28, 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, May 28, 2017:

The Sunday bird walk went to Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo. The morning sunny and the winds were calm.

A Bald Eagle, a Red-tailed Hawk, a Cooper’s Hawk and several Turkey Vultures were seen soaring high overhead.  Common Yellowthroats were heard singing through the morning.  We had great views of a Yellow Warbler as it entered it’s nest  just off the trail.  We watched as a Bushtit flew out of it’s nest and perched on a limb to watch us. Many Purple Martins were resting on the Osprey nest in the middle of the marsh.

                                                            

 Purple Martin: Ralph Hocken Photo:

Eighteen birders saw and heard the following forty species:

Canada Geese

Wood Duck

Hooded Merganser

Great blue Heron

Virginia Rail

Bald Eagle

Red-tailed Hawk

Cooper’s Hawk

Turkey Vulture

European Starling

Eurasian-collared Dove

Band-tailed Pigeon

Northern Flicker

Orange-crowned Warbler

Yellow Warbler

Common Yellowthroat

Common Raven

Northwestern Crow

Purple Martin

Violet-green Swallow

Tree Swallow

Barn Swallow

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Marsh Wren

Bewick’s Wren

Bushtit

Rufous Hummingbird

Anna’s Hummingbird

American Robin

Cedar Waxwing

Black-headed Grosbeak

Spotted Towhee

Red-wing Blackbird

Brewer’s Blackbird

Brown-headed Cowbird

Dark-eyed Junco

Purple Finch

House Finch

House Sparrow

Song Sparrow

A Western Kingbird and a Caspian Tern were seen from the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville.

A family of four Great Horned owls was seen at Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park in Parksville.

 Saturday May 27:  

A Yellow-headed Blackbird was seen flying at the Rutherford down towards the Marsh.

 A yellow-rumped Warbler was seen visiting suet feeders along Honey Suckle Terrace near the Hospital in Nanaimo.

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, May 23:

The Tuesday bird walk went to Moorecroft Regional Park in Nanoose Bay. The morning was sunny and warm. Turkey Vultures, Bald Eagles and a Cooper’s Hawk flew high overhead.  We saw and heard several Orange-crowned Warblers, a Yellow-rumped Warbler, a Townsend’s  Warbler and a Wilson’s Warbler during the walk. A Warbling Vireo was feeding high up in the tall trees over the trail giving us great looks.  We heard and then saw a Great Horned Owl fly from its perch not far from the trail.  A Willow Flycatcher, hunting insects, flew from its perch over the marsh, giving us great views. We heard several Pacific-slope Flycatchers and Hammond’s Flycatchers on the walk through the forest. A Western Tanager flew in over the marsh and landed in a tall snag giving us excellent views. A Yellow-rumped Warbler and a Townsend’s  Warbler  were seen just above us at the end of the walk. 

Western Tanager: Ralph Hocken Photo:

Seventeen birders including visiting birders from New Jersey-USA, Whitecourt and St. Albert saw and heard the following

forty-four species:

Mallard

Surf Scoter

Pelagic Cormorant

Pacific Loon

Black Oystercatcher

Mew Gull

Herring Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Turkey Vulture

                                                       Bald Eagle

Cooper’s Hawk

Great Horned Owl

Common Raven

Northwestern Crow

Anna’s Hummingbird

Rufous Hummingbird

Red-breasted Sapsucker

Downy Woodpecker

Hairy Woodpecker

Pileated Woodpecker

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Brown Creeper

Red-breasted Nuthatch

American Robin

Swainson’s Thrush

Western Tanager

Black-headed Grosbeak

Willow Flycatcher

Pacific-slope Flycatcher

Hammond’s Flycatcher

Warbling Vireo

Orange-crowned Warbler

Yellow-rumped Warbler

                                     Townsend’s  Warbler                                       

Wilson’s Warbler

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Chipping Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Purple Finch

American Goldfinch

Great Horned Owl: Hans Laue Photo:

The Tuesday bird walk on May 30, 2017 will be going to Springwood Park in Parksville. Meet at the Parksville Community Park at the parking lot next to the Lion’s Club Kids playground at 9:00 a.m. or at the west end of Despard Avenue in Parksville at about 9:10 a.m.

The Sunday Birdwalk on June 04, 2017 will be going to the Morden Colliery Historic Provincial Park in south Nanaimo. Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00a.m. or at Morden Colliery Park at about 9:25 a.m. (take Highway One south to Morden Road turn left and follow the park signs to Morden Colliery.)

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

Change In Location for May 28 Bird Walk

Due to the Run for Life 2017 taking place in Bowen Park during our bird-walk time, we are changing the location of the walk to Buttertubs Marsh instead. Please meet at the birdstore at 9:00am, or at Buttertubs Marsh at 9:15am (Jinglepot parking lot).

Sorry for any confusion for the change in location. 

Parksville/Qualicum beach Tuesday bird walk, May 23, 2017

The Tuesday bird walk went to Moorecroft Regional Park in Nanoose Bay. The morning was sunny and warm. Turkey Vultures, Bald Eagles and a Cooper’s Hawk flew high overhead.   We saw and heard several Orange-crowned Warblers, a Yellow-rumped Warbler, a Townsend’s  Warbler and a Wilson’s Warbler during the walk. A Warbling Vireo was feeding high up in the tall trees over the trail giving us great looks.   We heard and then saw a Great Horned Owl fly from its perch not far from the trail.  A Willow Flycatcher, hunting insects, flew from its perch over the marsh, giving us great views. We heard several Pacific-slope Flycatchers and Hammond’s Flycatchers on the walk through the forest. A Western Tanager flew in over the marsh and landed in a tall snag giving us excellent views. A Yellow-rumped Warbler and a Townsend’s  Warbler  were seen just above us at the end of the walk. 

Western Tanager: Ralph Hocken Photo: 

Seventeen birders including visiting birders from New Jersey-USA, Whitecourt and St. Albert saw and heard the following forty-four species:

Mallard

Surf Scoter

Pelagic Cormorant

Pacific Loon

Black Oystercatcher

Mew Gull

Herring Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Turkey Vulture

Bald Eagle

Cooper’s Hawk

Great Horned Owl

Common Raven

Northwestern Crow

Anna’s Hummingbird

Rufous Hummingbird

Red-breasted Sapsucker

Downy Woodpecker

Hairy Woodpecker

Pileated Woodpecker

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Brown Creeper

Red-breasted Nuthatch

American Robin

Swainson’s Thrush

Western Tanager

Black-headed Grosbeak

Willow Flycatcher

Pacific-slope Flycatcher

Hammond’s Flycatcher

Warbling Vireo

Orange-crowned Warbler

Yellow-rumped Warbler

                                Townsend’s  Warbler                                

 Wilson’s Warbler

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Chipping Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Purple Finch

American Goldfinch 

                                                            Great Horned Owl: Hans Laue Photo:

The Tuesday bird walk on May 30, 2017 will be going to Springwood Park in Parksville. Meet at the Parksville Community Park at the parking lot next to the Lion’s Club Kids playground at 9:00 a.m.or at the west end of Despard Avenue in Parksville 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, May 21, 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, May 21, 2017:

The Sunday bird walk went to Linley Valley in Nanaimo. The morning was sunny and the winds were calm. We spotted a pair of Orange-crowned Warblers feeding high in the trees. A MacGillivray’s Warbler flew near the trail and then perched in a apple tree giving us great views. A pair of Western Tanagers flew in right above us and entertained us royally. Warbling Vireos and Pacific-slope Flycatchers were singing all morning.  A Black-headed Grosbeak was seen in a snag at the end of the walk, finishing off a good morning of birding.

MacGillivray’s Warbler: Ralph Hocken Photo:

Seventeen birders saw and heard the following thirty-seven species:

Wood Duck

Mallard

                                                     Bald Eagle

Red-tailed Hawk

Turkey Vulture

Belted Kingfisher

Great Blue Heron

Band-tailed Pigeon`

Rufous Hummingbird

Red-breasted Sapsucker

Northern Flicker

Common Raven

Northwestern Crow

Eurasian Starling

Pacific-slope Flycatcher

Warbling Vireo

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Pacific Wren

Brown Creeper

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Swainson's Thrush

American Robin

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Orange-crowned Warbler

Black-throated Gray Warbler

Common Yellow-throat

MacGillivray’s Warbler

Townsend’s Warbler

Western Tanager

Spotted Towhee

Black-headed Grosbeak

Red-winged Blackbird

Song Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Purple Finch  

Saturday, May 20:

Caspian Terns, Vaux Swifts, Pacific Loons, Pigeon Guillemots and Bonaparte Gulls were seen off Tyee Spit in Campbell River.

Friday, May 19:  

A Western Kingbird was seen by the Arbutus Tree at Neck Point Park in Nanaimo.

Thursday, May 18:

A Swainson’s Thrush was seen at the Cottonwood Golf Course in south Nanaimo.

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, May 16:

The Tuesday bird walk went to the Top Bridge Trail in Parksville. The morning started out cloudy with misty rain but finished off with sunny skies and calm winds.  We saw fourteen Whimbrel flying low over the shoreline before the walk at the Parksville Community Park. A Chipping Sparrow was singing from the top of a tall tree near the trail. We could hear a Black-headed Grosbeak singing in the distance and we tracked him until we found him down further along a trail.  A Swainson’s Thrush was spotted perched on a stump in the forest. After hearing Pacific-slope Flycatchers singing for most of the morning we watched as one was feeding not far from us. Band-tailed Pigeons, Turkey Vultures and two Bald Eagles flew high over head.

Black-headed Grosbeak: Ralph Hocken Photo:

Thirteen birders, including visiting birders from Alberta and Australia saw and heard the following thirty species:
Whimbrel
Bald Eagle

Turkey Vulture

Rufous Hummingbird

Pileated Woodpecker

California Quail

Northern Flicker

Northwestern Crow

Common Raven

Violet-green Swallow

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Bewick's Wren

                    Pacific Wren                     

                                                   American Robin

Black-headed Grosbeak

Swainson’s Thrush

Band-tailed Pigeon

Orange-crowned Warbler

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Pacific-slope Flycatcher

Warbling Vireo

Spotted Towhee

Chipping Sparrow

Song Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Purple Finch

House Finch

American Goldfinch

Pacific-slope Flycatcher: Ralph Hocken Photo.

The Tuesday bird walk on May 23, 2017 will be going to Moorecroft Regional Park in Nanoose Bay. Meet at the Parksville Community Park at the parking lot near the Lions Club Kids Park at 9:00 a.m. or at the parking lot at Moorecroft Park (off Northwest Road and Stewart Road--follow the signs) at about 9:15 a.m.

The Sunday bird walk on May 28, 2017 will be going to Bowen Park in Nanaimo.  Meet at the Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store at 9:00 a.m. or at the parking lot near the lawn bowling green off Bowen Road about 9:15 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

The Tuesday bird walk went to the Top Bridge Trail in Parksville. The morning started out cloudy with misty rain but finished off with sunny skies and calm winds.  We saw fourteen Whimbrel flying low over the shoreline before the walk at the Parksville Community Park. A Chipping Sparrow was singing from the top of a tall tree near the trail. We could hear a Black-headed Grosbeak singing in the distance and we tracked him until we found him down further along a trail.  A Swainson’s Thrush was spotted perched on a stump in the forest. After hearing Pacific-slope Flycatchers singing for most of the morning we watched as one was feeding not far from us. Band-tailed Pigeons, Turkey Vultures and two Bald Eagles flew high over head.

 

Black-headed Grosbeak: Ralph Hocken Photo:

Thirteen birders, including visiting birders from Alberta and Australia saw and heard the following thirty species:

Whimbrel

Bald Eagle

Turkey Vulture

Rufous Hummingbird

Pileated Woodpecker

California Quail

Northern Flicker

Northwestern Crow

Common Raven

Violet-green Swallow

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Bewick's Wren

Pacific Wren

American Robin

Black-headed Grosbeak

Swainson’s Thrush

Band-tailed Pigeon

Orange-crowned Warbler

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Pacific-slope Flycatcher

Warbling Vireo

Spotted Towhee

Chipping Sparrow

Song Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Purple Finch

House Finch

American Goldfinch

Pacific-slope Flycatcher: Ralph Hocken Photo.

 

The Tuesday bird walk on may 23, 2017 will be going to Moorecroft Regional Park in Nanoose Bay. Meet at the Parksville Community Park at the parking lot near the Lions Club Kids Park at 9:00 a.m. or at the parking lot at Moorecroft Park (off Northwest Road and Stewart Road--follow the signs) at about 9:15 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, May 14, 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, May 14, 2017, 2017:

The Sunday bird walk went to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo. The morning was cloudy with rain showers and a few periods of sunshine. We heard a Western Tanager at the start of the walk. Two Marbled Murrelets were seen just off shore.   A  Common Murre was seen resting on the rocks at the point. We had great views of four Killer Whales offshore heading up the Strait of Georgia. We watched a Pacific Wren gathering nesting materials and then heading into the nesting hole just off the trail.  An Orange-crowned Warbler was spotted feeding on a tree near the trail

Eighteen birders including a visiting birder from the United Kingdom saw and heard the following thirty-five species:

Canada Geese

Harlequin Duck

Surf Scoter

Pacific loon

Common Loon

Pelagic Cormorant

Double-crested Cormorant

Marbled Murrelet

Common Murre

Glaucous-wing Gull

Bald Eagle

Turkey Vulture

Belted Kingfisher

Black Oystercatcher

Northern Flicker

Pacific-slope Flycatcher

Orange-crowned Warbler

Pacific Wren

Warbling Vireo

Cassin’s Vireo

Northwestern Crow

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Pacific Wren

Bewick’s Wren

Bushtit

Anna’s Hummingbird

American Robin

Western Tanager

European Starling

Spotted Towhee

Dark-eyed Junco

White-crowned Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Chipping Sparrow

American Goldfinch

Orange-crowned Warbler: Ralph Hocken Photo:

There have been many reports of Black-headed Grosbeaks visiting backyard feeders on central Vancouver Island.

Friday, May 12:

Two Western Kingbirds were seen and photographed at Neck Point Park.

Thursday, May 11:

. A Western Tanager visited a Backyard along Louise Road in Ladysmith. 

Wednesday, May 10:

A Virgina Rail was seen in the Brookwood Marsh in Nanaimo

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, May 09:  

The Tuesday bird walk on May 09, 2017 went to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville. The morning was cloudy with calm winds. A singing Warbling Vireo greeted us at the start of the walk. We heard Pacific-slope Flycatchers singing in the forest for most of the morning. A Pacific Loon was heading up the Strait of Georgia.  An adult Killdeer with a fledgling was spotted along the shore at low tide. We spotted a Wilson's Warbler feeding just off the trail.  A Sharp-shinned Hawk and a Turkey Vulture were circling high overhead.  We saw a pair of Yellow Warblers feeding in a short tree near the trail.  Barred Owls were seen perched in a tree at the end of the walk.

Yellow Warbler: Ralph Hocken Photo:

Fifteen birders including a visiting birder from Australia saw and heard the following fifty-nine species:

Canada Geese

 Mallard

 Surf Scoter

Harlequin Duck

Common Merganser

Pelagic Cormorant

Pacific Loon

 Great Blue Heron

 Turkey Vulture

 Bald Eagle

 Sharp-shinned Hawk

Barred Owl

Killdeer

 Black Oystercatcher

Mew Gull

 Glaucous-winged Gull

 Belted Kingfisher

 Eurasian-collared Dove

Band-tailed Pigeon

California Quail

Rufous Hummingbird

 Anna’s Hummingbird

 Hairy Woodpecker

 Northern Flicker

 Pileated Woodpecker

 Pacific-slope Flycatcher

Willow Flycatcher

Northwestern Crow

Common Raven

 Violet-green Swallow

Barn Swallow

                                                     Brown Creeper

 Chestnut-backed Chickadee

 Red-breasted Nuthatch

 Bushtit

Bewick’s Wren

 Pacific Wren

                                                    American Robin,

Swainson’s Thrush

European Starling

Warbling Vireo

Yellow-rumped Warbler

 Black-throated Grey Warbler

Yellow Warbler

Wilson's Warbler

 Orange-crowned Warbler

 Red-winged Blackbird

Spotted Towhee

Chipping Sparrow

Savannah Sparrow

 Song Sparrow

 White-crowned Sparrow

 Brown-headed Cowbird  

Dark-eyed Junco

House Finch

         Purple Finch              

                                                American Goldfinch

Red Crossbill

Pine Siskin

Killdeer: Ralph Hocken Photo: 

Twenty Whimbrels were seen in Victoria over Hillside and Shelburne.

Two Whimbrels were seen at Piper’s Lagoon in Nanaimo. 

The Tuesday bird walk on May 16, 2017 will be going to the Top Bridge Trail 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 Top Bridge Trail parking area along Industrial Way near Tuan Road in Parksville at about 9:10 a.m. 

The Sunday bird walk on May 21, 2017 will be going to Linley Valley in Nanaimo.  Meet at the Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store at 9:00 a.m. or the end of Burma Road off Lost Lake Road at about 9:15 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