Nanaimo bird report, September 17, 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 17, 2017:

The Sunday bird walk went to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo.  The morning was cloudy with sunny periods and calm winds. Turkey Vultures flew over head heading south all morning.  A Merlin was spotted perched high at the top of tree.  A flock of Surf Scoters, a flock of White-wing Scoters and a flock of American Widgeon were seen heading down the Strait of Georgia. Twenty Black Turnstones were seen on the point giving us great views. A Black Oystercatcher was spotted on a rocky island just off shore. Many  Bonaparte Gulls were seen flying down the strait.

White-winged Scoters: Ralph Hocken Photo.

Eighteen birders saw and heard the following twenty-nine species:

American Widgeon

Harlequin Duck

Surf Scoter

White-wing Scoter

Double-crested Cormorant

  Pelagic Cormorant

Belted Kingfisher

Black Turnstone

Black Oystercatcher

Spotted Sandpiper

Bald Eagle

Merlin

Turkey Vulture

Great Blue Heron

Mew Gull

Bonaparte Gull

California Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Northern Flicker

Steller’s Jay

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Bushtit

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

  Brown Creeper

  Berwick’s Wren

  Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Merlin: Ralph Hocken Photo:

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, September 12, 2017 

The Tuesday bird walk went to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville.  The morning was cloudy with strong winds off the Strait of Georgia. We heard and then saw a Cassin’s Vireo.  Chestnut-backed Chickadees flew in the bushes just off the trail.  Several Cedar Waxwings flew in and landed in the tall trees near the trail.  A large flock of Canada Geese, several Northern Pintails, Mallards, Green-winged Teal and an American Wigeon were resting along the mudflats.  Large numbers of Western Sandpipers, Least Sandpipers, Semipalmated Plover and Killdeer were feeding along the mudflats.  White-winged Scoters, a Double-crested Cormorant, a Pelagic Cormorant and three Common Loons were seen on the Strait.                                                 

Semipalmated Plover: Ralph Hocken Photo: 

Twenty-one birders including visiting birders from Ontario, Washington and Alberta saw and heard the following thirty-nine species:

Canada Geese

Mallard

Green-winged Teal

White-winged Scoter

American Wigeon

Harlequin Duck 

                                                 Northern Pintail

  Double-crested Cormorant

Pelagic Cormorant

Great-blue Heron

Heermann’s Gull

California Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Common Loon

Western Sandpiper

Semipalmated Plover

Least Sandpiper

Killdeer

Cooper’s Hawk

Turkey Vulture

Anna’s Hummingbird

Belted Kingfisher

Northern Flicker

Hairy Woodpecker

Northwestern Crow

Common Raven

Steller’s Jay

Eurasian-collared Dove

Cassin’s Vireo

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

American Robin

Cedar Waxwing

Brewer’s Blackbird

Spotted Towhee

                                                               Savannah Sparrow

Song Sparrow

American Goldfinch

House Finch

Purple Finch 

Saturday, September 16:

Two Baird Sandpipers were spotted at Piper’s Lagoon in Nanaimo.

 A Townsend’s Solitaire, a Sooty Grouse and a Northern Pygmy Owl were seen on Little Mountain near Parksville.

Northern Pygmy Owl: John Morrison Photo:

The Tuesday Bird walk on September 19, 2017, will be going to the Little Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum Beach. 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 Brant Viewing Platform in north Qualicum Beach at about 9:20 a.m.

The Sunday Bird walk on September 24, 2017 will be going to Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park in Parksville. Meet at the Bird store at 9:00 a.m. or at the main parking at Rathtrevor Park at about 9:30 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