Nanaimo bird report, October 01, 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, October 01, 2017:

The Sunday bird walk went to Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo.  The morning was cloudy with calm winds.  Four Pied-billed Grebes, three Green-wing Teal, a flock of Ring-necked Ducks and American Widgeons were seen on the marsh at the start of the walk.  We spotted a young Red-tailed Hawk perched in a snag near the trail. Three more Red-tailed Hawks and three Turkey Vultures were seen flying overhead.  Several Yellow-rumped Warblers were feeding just off the trail.  A Varied Thrush was perched just off the trail.  We heard several Steller’s Jays squawking and then spotted a young Great Horned Owl who was being mobbed by the Jays.

Great Horned Owl: Lynda Stevens Photo:

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

Canada Geese 

Mallards

  Wood Ducks

 Green-wing Teal

Ring-necked Duck

American Widgeon

Hooded Merganser

  Pied-billed Grebe

 American Coot

Belted Kingfisher

Great Blue Heron

Red-tailed Hawk

Merlin

Great Horned Owl

Turkey Vulture

  Band-tailed Pigeon

  Eurasian-collared Dove

  Northern Flicker

Downy Woodpecker

Anna’s Hummingbird

Common Raven

Northwester Crow

Steller’s Jay

European Starling

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Common Yellowthroat

  Chestnut-backed Chickadee

  Marsh Wren

Bewick’s Wren

  Pacific Wren

American Robin

Varied Thrush

Dark-eyed Junco

Spotted Towhee

  Song Sparrow

  Fox Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

  Purple Finch

Red-winged Blackbird

  American Goldfinch 

 House Finch 

Saturday, September 30: 

Three Greater White-fronted Geese, three Ring-necked Ducks, one Greater Scaup and several yellow-rumped Warblers were seen at the Morningstar Pond in French Creek.

Friday, September 29:

A large flock of Black Swifts and several Northern Pygmy Owls were seen at Little Mountain in Parksville.

A White-throated Sparrow was seen in a backyard along Berry Point Road on Gabriola Island.

Parksville/Qualicum Beach, Tuesday bird walk, September 26, 2017

The Tuesday bird walk went to the Columbia Beach in French Creek. The morning was foggy with calm winds.  We spotted hundreds of Pacific Loons and Common Loons through the fog, on the water not far from shore. Ten Western Grebes and two Pigeon Guillemots were seen further off shore.  A Bald Eagle was perched high in a conifer tree.  A Merlin was being chased by a feisty Anna’s Hummingbird.  Several Black Oystercatchers were seen along the shore line.  Large numbers of Black-bellied Plovers and Black Turnstones as well as Iceland Gulls, Mew Gulls, California Gulls, Glaucous-winged Gulls and two Herring Gulls were roosting along the gravel bar along with two Greater Yellowlegs.

Greater Yellowlegs: Ralph Hocken Photo:

Twenty-one birders saw and heard the following forty-one species:

Surf Scoter
Common Merganser
Pacific Loon

Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Western Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant

Great Blue Heron
Pigeon Guillemot

Bald Eagle

Merlin

Greater Yellowlegs

Black-bellied Plover
Killdeer
Black Oystercatcher
Black Turnstone 

Western Sandpiper

Iceland Gull
Mew Gull
California Gull
Herring Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull
Belted Kingfisher

Eurasian-collared Dove
Steller’s Jay

Northern Flicker
Northwestern Crow 

Common Raven

Anna’s Hummingbird

Chestnut-backed Chickadee
American Robin 

Cedar Waxwing

Spotted Towhee
American Pipit

Fox Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Song Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow

House Finch

Varied Thrush: Ralph Hocken Photo:

The Tuesday Bird walk on October 03, 2017, will be going to Rathtrevor Beach Provincial in Parksville. 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 main parking lot at Rathtrevor Park at about 9:10 a.m.

The Sunday Bird walk on October 08, 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 at 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