Nanaimo bird report, September 10, 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 10, 2017:

The Sunday bird walk went to Moorcroft Regional Park in Nanoose Bay.  The morning was cloudy with sunny periods and calm winds. Turkey Vultures flew over head all morning.  A Great Blue Heron, a Glaucous-winged Gull and a Pelagic Cormorant were perched on a island just off shore.  We spotted a young Red-breasted Sapsucker tapping on a tree near the trail.  A pair of Hairy Woodpecker put on a great show for us while they were feeding on a tall tree along the trail.  A family of Brown Creepers were feeding on a tree next to the trail.  A Fox Sparrow and a Song Sparrow played hide and seek with us for a long time.

Hairy Woodpecker: Ralph Hocken Photo.

Ten birders saw and heard the following twenty-two species:

Turkey Vulture

Great Blue Heron

Glaucous-winged Gull

  Double-crested Cormorant

  Pelagic Cormorant

  California Quail

Downy Woodpecker

  Hairy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

                                                        Red-breasted Sapsucker

Anna’s Hummingbird

Bushtit

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

  Brown Creeper

  Berwick’s Wren

American Robin

  Spotted Towhee

Fox Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, September 05, 2017

The Tuesday bird walk went to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. The morning was cloudy and smoky with a light breeze off the Strait of Georgia. We spotted a Barred Owl as it moved along the forest.   It stopped to look us over, giving us great views. We watched as Cedar Waxwings, a Black-throated Gray Warbler, an Orange-crowned Warbler, a Cassin’s Vireo and a Willow Flycatcher came and went as they fed on a berry tree just off the trail.  We saw a Merlin perched on a big snag near the strait.  One Pigeon Guillemot and two Marbled Murrelets were seen near the shore heading down the Strait of Georgia.  Three River Otters were seen walking along a gravel bar.  We spotted Two Pacific White- sided Dolphins swimming just off shore going down the Strait. We watched in fascination as five Killer Whales headed up the Strait, diving and surfacing above the water.   Much to our enjoyment they turned around and headed down the Strait, doubling our pleasure. We were entertained for about forty-five minutes. 

It was a Whale of a Bird Walk this morning! 

Barred Owl: Ralph Hocken Photo:

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

Canada Geese

Mallard

                                                                  Northern Pintail

Gadwall

Harlequin Duck

Red-necked Grebe

Common Loon

Double-crested Cormorant

Pigeon Guillemot

Marbled Murrelet

Merlin

Sharp-shinned Hawk

 Barred Owl

Great Blue Heron

California Gull

 Glaucous-winged Gull

Black-bellied Plover

Killdeer

Belted Kingfisher

Northern Flicker

 California Quail

Steller’s Jay

 Northwestern Crow

 Common Raven

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Brown Creeper

Bushtit

Berwick’s Wren

  American Robin

Cedar Waxwing

Anna’s Hummingbird

Rufous Hummingbird

Black-throated Gray Warbler

Orange-crowned Warbler

Cassin’s Vireo

 Willow Flycatcher

 Spotted Towhee

 Song Sparrow

 White-crowned Sparrow

 House Finch

 Purple Finch 

American Goldfinch

Five Killer Whales

Two Pacific White-sided Dolphins

Three River Otters

Everyone is welcome to join us for a 2-3 hour bird walk on Sunday & Tuesday. We leave from the Store at 9 a.m. on Sunday Mornings and go to a different location in and around Nanaimo.  We leave from the Parksville Community Park at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday mornings go to a different location in the Oceanside area.

The Tuesday Bird walk on September 12, 2017, will be going to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville. Meet at the Parksville Community Park (at the Lions Club Playground parking lot) at 9:00 a.m. or at the corner of Plummer Road and Shorewood Drive on the Oceanside of Highway 19a at about 9:10 a.m.

The Sunday Bird walk on September 17, 2017 will be going to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo.  Meet at the Bird store at 9:00 a.m. or at the Parking lot of Neck Point off Hammond Bay 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