Nanaimo bird report, September 24,2017

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, to leave your name and phone number with the date and location of the sighting.

                  Sunday Bird Walk, September 24, 2017:

The Sunday bird walk went to Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville.  The morning was cloudy with sunny periods and calm winds. Over ten Northern Shoveller’s were seen just off shore. Three Horned Grebes, one Red-necked Grebe, four Western Grebes, three Pacific Loons, three Common Loons, a Double-crested Cormorant and a Brandt’s Cormorant were seen further offshore. The Sea Birds are returning for the winter!

Five American Pipit’s were seen feeding along the gravel bar. Two Ruby-crowned Kinglets were seen feeding just off the trail, at the end of the walk. We watched in fascination as two Hump-backed Whales near the horizon were  spouting and flashing their tails as they swam down the Strait of Georgia.

American Pipit: Ralph Hocken Photo.

Nineteen birders saw and heard the following forty-two species:

Mallard

Northern Shoveller

Northern Pintail

Harlequin Duck

American Wigeon
Surf Scoter
Black Scoter 

Common Merganser

Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe

Western Grebe 

 Pacific Loon 
  Common Loon 

Double-crested Cormorant
Brandt’s Cormorant

Ring-billed Gull

Mew Gull

California Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull 

Black-bellied Plover

Red-breasted Sapsucker

Northern Flicker

Pileated Woodpecker
Northwestern Crow
Steller‘s Jay

Band-tailed Pigeon

Chestnut-backed Chickadee 

Red-breasted Nuthatch
Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Anna’s Hummingbird
American Robin

Hermit Thrush

Bewick’s Wren

Pacific Wren

American Pipit
Spotted Towhee 

Golden-crowned Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Purple Finch

Ruby-crowned Kinglet: Ralph Hocken Photo:

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, September 19:

The Tuesday bird walk went to the Little Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum Beach.  The morning was cloudy with calm winds. We saw flocks of Canada Geese, Surf Scoters, and White - winged Scoters, Black Scoters, several Common Loons, Horned Grebes and Red-necked Grebes from the Brant viewing platform. A Parasitic Jaeger was spotted heading up the Strait of Georgia. Four Black Oystercatchers and several Black Turnstones were seen feeding along the shore line. Two Yellow-rumped Warblers, entertained us along the walk to the river. We spotted a Merlin perched in a tall snag near the trail. We saw twenty Great Blue Herons along the tide line during the morning. A Ring-billed Gull, several Mew Gulls, California Gulls and Glaucous-winged Gulls were seen along the gravel bars.

Yellow-rumped Warbler: Ralph Hocken Photo:

Six birders saw and heard the following forty-three species:

Canada Geese

Mallard

Northern Pintail

Northern Shoveler

Green-wing Teal

Surf Scoter

White-winged Scoter

Black Scoter

Common Merganser

Common Loon

Pacific Loon

Horned Grebe

Red-necked Grebe

Double-crested Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Black Oystercatcher

Black Turnstone

Killdeer

Ring-billed Gull

Mew Gull

California Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Parasitic Jaeger

Belted Kingfisher

Bald Eagle

Merlin

Eurasian-collared Dove

Northern Flicker

Pileated Woodpecker

Steller’s Jay

Northwestern Crow

Common Raven

Anna’s Hummingbird

Yellow-rumped Warbler

American Pipit

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

European Starling

Brewer’s Blackbird

Savannah Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Purple Finch

House FinchAmerican Goldfinch

Black Turnstone: Ralph Hocken Photo:

                                                Wednesday, September 20: 

A Green-wing Teal and a Golden-crowned Sparrow were seen along Brookwood Marsh in Nanaimo.

The Tuesday Bird walk on September 26, 2017, will be going to the Columbia Beach in French Creek. Meet at the Parksville Community Park (at the parking lot in front of the Lions Club Playground) at 9:00 a.m. or at the parking area off Admiral Tryon Bld. (Turn off highway 19a at Columbia Drive. Turn right onto Admiral Tryon Bld. and go about 100 yards to the parking area) meet at about 9:20 a.m.

The Sunday Bird walk on October 01, 2017 will be going to Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo. Meet at the Bird store at 9:00 a.m. or at the parking lot at Buttertubs off Bowen Park Road 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