The Backyard's Weekly Bird Walk locations are found in the Backyard Bird Report at the very end of the most recent report. Any cancellations will be posted here by 8am the day of the walk. Our first bird walks of the year are going out on Sunday February 4th and Tuesday February 6th. Locations will be posted to our next Bird Report.

Tuesday 28 November 2017

Parksville Community Park, November 27, 2017

Five Brant Geese, four hundred Bonaparte's Gulls, forty Dunlin and twenty Black-bellied Plovers   were seen at the gravel bar. at the Parksville Community Park on November 27, 2017
A Palm Warbler was seen at Eaglecrest in Qualicum Beach on Monday, November 27, 2017
Palm Warbler: Rosemary Taylor Photo:

Parksville/Qualicum Beach bird walk


This Tuesday's ( November 28) Bird walk was cancelled because of the weather!!

The Tuesday bird walk on December 05, 2017 will be going to Columbia Beach in French Creek, depending on the weather! 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 Blvd. (turn onto Columbia Drive off highway 19a then turn right onto Admiral Tryon Blvd.  Go about one hundred yards and turn left to the parking area) 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

Sunday 26 November 2017

Nanaimo bird report, November 26, 2017



BIRD REPORT
“EXPLORE NATURE”---GO BIRDING:
To report your sightings phone the Store at 250-390-3669 or e-mail us at thebackyard@shaw.ca
Please remember, when reporting a sighting, to leave your name and phone number along with the date, the species and location of your sighting.

************************************************************ 
Sunday bird walk, November 26, 2017
The Sunday bird walk went to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo. The morning started out sunny but turned cloudy and very windy as the morning progressed. Fourteen Black Turnstones and twelve Black Oystercatchers were seen on the rocks just offshore. A large flock of Pacific Loons were seen further offshore. Brandt Cormorants, Pelagic Cormorants and Double-crested Cormorants were resting on the big rocks at the Point.

Black Turnstones: Ralph Hocken Photo.

Nine birders saw and heard the following thirty-three species:
Harlequin Duck
White-winged Scoter
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Brandt Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant
Pigeon Guillemot
Bald Eagle
Black Oystercatcher
Black Turnstone
                                                                            Killdeer
Mew Gull
California Gull
Iceland Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Brown Creeper
Song Sparrow
American Robin
Varied Thrush
European Starling
 Common Raven
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco

Brandt Cormorant: Ralph Hocken Photo:

Please Note
Check this site early Tuesday and Sunday mornings on stormy mornings to see if the walks have been cancelled!

The Tuesday bird walk on November 28, 2017 will be going to Columbia Beach in French Creek, depending on the weather! 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 Blvd. (turn onto Columbia Drive off highway 19a then turn right onto Admiral Tryon Blvd.  Go about one hundred yards and turn left to the parking area) at about 9:15 a.m.
*******************************************************************
The Sunday walk on December 03, 2017 will be going to Nanoose Bay, depending on the weather. Meet at the bird store at 9:00 a.m. or at beach in front of the Nanoose Bay Church Camp off highway 19 and Arlington 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:http://thebirdstore.blogspot.ca


Tuesday 21 November 2017

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, November 21.

This Tuesday's ( November 21) Bird walk was cancelled because of the weather!!




The Tuesday bird walk on November 28, 2017 will be going to Columbia Beach in French Creek, depending on the weather! 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 Blvd. (turn onto Columbia Drive off highway 19a then turn right onto Admiral Tryon Blvd.  Go about one hundred yards and turn left to the parking area) at about 9:15 a.m.

Sunday 19 November 2017

Nanaimo bird report, November 19, 2017


Please Note

Check this site early Tuesday and Sunday mornings on stormy mornings to see if the walks have been cancelled!






BIRD REPORT
“EXPLORE NATURE”---GO BIRDING:


To report your sightings phone the Store at 250-390-3669 or e-mail us at thebackyard@shaw.ca
Please remember, when reporting a sighting, to leave your name and phone number along with the date, the species and location of your sighting.

************************************************************ 

Sunday, November 19, 2017:

This Sunday’s Bird walk was cancelled because of the weather!!



The Tuesday bird walk on November 21, 2017 will be going to Columbia Beach in French Creek, depending on the weather! 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 Blvd. (turn onto Columbia Drive off highway 19a then turn right onto Admiral Tryon Blvd.  Go about one hundred yards and turn left to the parking area) at about 9:15 a.m.



*******************************************************************

The Sunday walk on November 26, 2017 will be going to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo, again depending on the weather. Meet at the bird store at 9:00 a.m. or at parking lot at Neck Point in Nanaimo off Hammond Bay Road at about 9:15 a.m.

**********************************************************************

“RARE BIRD ALERT”

Wednesday, November 08:

A Blue Jay has been visiting a backyard feeder for two days along Greendale Road and Highway 18 in Lake Cowichan.  



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:http://thebirdstore.blogspot.ca






Saturday 18 November 2017

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, November 21.


Hi birders,

 The November 14, bird walk, was very wet so it was cancelled!!! 

We will head for Columbia Beach again on the 21st of November.

The Tuesday bird walk on November 21, 2017 will be going to 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 Blvd. (turn onto Columbia Drive off highway 19a then turn right onto Admiral Tryon Blvd.  Go about one hundred yards and turn left to the parking area) 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




Sunday 12 November 2017

Sad news

We are very sorry to pass on the sad news that Frank Stoney has passed away. We will miss Frank's soft spoken presence on our bird walks. It was always a pleasure to have him join us. Our deepest condolences to Barb.
Neil





BIRD REPORT
“EXPLORE NATURE”---GO BIRDING:

To report your sightings phone the Store at 250-390-3669Or e-mail us at thebackyard@shaw.ca
Please remember, when reporting a sighting, to leave your name and phone number along with the date, the species and location of your sighting.
************************************************************ 

Sunday, November 12, 2017:
This Sunday’s Bird walk was cancelled because of the weather!!


A Northern Pygmy-Owl was seen visiting a backyard along Meridian Way in Parksville.

Saturday, November 11:
A Mountain Bluebird was seen at the Englishman River Estuary, Shelly Road side in Parksville.

Thursday, November 09:
A Mourning Dove was spotted in with a flock of Eurasian–Collared Doves along Jingle Pot Road in Nanaimo.

             Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday Bird Walk, November 07:
The Tuesday bird walk went to the Englishman River on the Plummer Road side in Parksville. The morning was cloudy with a strong wind off the strait of Georgia.  We spotted a Northern Harrier at the beginning of the morning flying just above the grass. The Harrier then perched on a log to give us great views.  A Cooper's Hawk and a Merlin flew over head. A very large flock of American Wigeon’s, with one Eurasian Wigeon were seen swimming in the flooded estuary. Three flocks of Dunlin and a flock of Black-bellied Plovers were seen flying up the Strait of Georgia. We spotted a Clark’s Grebe swimming up the Strait and we were entertained by him for about thirty minutes.
Clark’s Grebe (front) and a Western Grebe (back): Ralph Hocken Photo:

Twelve birders saw and heard the following fifty-seven Species:
Canada Geese
American Wigeon
Eurasian Wigeon
Bufflehead
 Mallard Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
 Greater Scaup
 Harlequin Duck
 Surf Scoter
 White-winged Scoter
 Black Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Common Goldeneye
Common Merganser
 Red-breasted Merganser
Ancient Murrelet
Common Murre
 Pacific Loon
 Common Loon
Red-necked Grebe
 Horned Grebe
 Clark’s Grebe
 Double-crested Cormorant
 Brandt’s Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
 Northern Harrier
 Cooper's Hawk
Merlin
Killdeer
Dunlin
Black-bellied Plover
  Mew Gull
 California Gull
Iceland Gull
 Glaucous-winged Gull
 Belted Kingfisher
Anna's Hummingbird
 Northern Flicker
Common Raven
 Northwestern Crow
 Steller’s Jay
Eurasian-collared Dove
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
European Starling
Bewick’s Wren
Red-breasted Nuthatch
 Spotted Towhee
 Fox Sparrow
 Song Sparrow
 Golden-crowned Sparrow
 Dark-eyed Junco
 Red-winged Blackbird
Brewer’s Blackbird
Pine Siskin
 House Finch
                                               Northern Harrier: Ralph Hocken Photo:


Friday, November 03:
A White-throated Sparrow was seen at Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo.

A Canvas-backed Duck was spotted at Divers Lake in Nanaimo.

Wednesday, November 01:
A flock of White-winged Crossbills were seen at Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo.
*********************************************************************
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 and go to a different location in the Oceanside area.   *******************************************************************
The Tuesday bird walk on November 14, 2017 will be going to 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 Blvd. (turn onto Columbia Drive off highway 19a then turn right onto Admiral Tryon Blvd.  Go about one hundred yards and turn left to the parking area) at about 9:15 a.m.
***************************************************************************** 
The Sunday walk on November 19, 2017 will be going to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo. Meet at the bird store at 9:00 a.m. or at parking lot at Neck Point in Nanaimo 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:http://thebirdstore.blogspot.ca

Tuesday 7 November 2017

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, November 07, 2017


             Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday Bird Walk, November 07:
The Tuesday bird walk went to the Englishman River on the Plummer Road side in Parksville. The morning was cloudy with a strong wind off the strait of Georgia.  We spotted a Norther Harrier at the beginning of the morning flying just above the grass. The Harrier then perched on a log to give us great views.  A Cooper's Hawk and a Merlin flew over head. A very large flock of  American Wigeons with one Eurasian Wigeon were seen swimming in the flooded estuary. Three flocks of Dunlin and a flock of Black-bellied Plovers were seen flying up the Strait Of Georgia. We spotted a Clark’s Grebe swimming up the Strait and we were entertained by him for about thirty minutes.

Clark’s Grebe(front) and a Western Grebe (back): Ralph Hocken Photo:

Twelve birders saw and heard the following fifty-five Species:
Canada Geese
American Wigeon
Eurasian Wigeon
Bufflehead
 Mallard
 Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
 Greater Scaup
 Harlequin Duck
 Surf Scoter
 White-winged Scoter
 Black Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Common Goldeneye
Common Merganser
 Red-breasted Merganser
Ancient Murrelet
Common Murre
 Pacific Loon
 Common Loon
Red-necked Grebe
 Horned Grebe
 Clark’s Grebe
 Double-crested Cormorant
 Brandt’s Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
 Norther Harrier
 Cooper's Hawk
Merlin
Killdeer
Dunlin
Black-bellied Plover
  Mew Gull
 California Gull
Iceland Gull
 Glaucous-winged Gull
 Belted Kingfisher
Anna's Hummingbird
 Northern Flicker
Common Raven
 Northwestern Crow
 Steller’s Jay
Eurasian-collared Dove
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
European Starling
Red-breasted Nuthatch
 Spotted Towhee
 Fox Sparrow
 Song Sparrow
 Golden-crowned Sparrow
 Dark-eyed Junco
 Red-winged Blackbird
Brewer’s Blackbird
 House Finch

Northern Harrier: Ralph Hocken Photo:

The Tuesday bird walk on November 14, 2017 will be going to 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 Blvd. (turn onto Columbia Drive off highway 19a then turn right onto Admiral Tryon Blvd.  Go about one hundred yards and turn left to the parking area) 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
Blog: www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com

Sunday 5 November 2017

Nanaimo bird report, November 05, 2017



BIRD REPORT
“EXPLORE NATURE”---GO BIRDING:
To report your sightings phone the Store at 250-390-3669Or e-mail us at thebackyard@shaw.ca
Please remember, when reporting a sighting, to leave your name and phone number along with the date, the species and location of your sighting.
************************************************************ 
Sunday, November 05, 2017:  
This Sunday’s Bird Walk went to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville. We heard a Trumpeter Swan and a flock of Canada Geese singing. We saw a Eurasian Wigeon in with a flock of American Wigeon near the shore. A Varied Thrush was spotted at the start of the walk. We had great sightings of a Western Meadowlark and a Northern Shrike along the community park fence line. A large flock of Harlequin Ducks and Common Goldeneye were seen just off shore.
Common Goldeneye: Ralph Hocken Photo:

Ten birders saw and heard the following sixty-one species:
Trumpeter Swan
Canada Geese
Eurasian Wigeon 
American Wigeon
Western Meadowlark
Mallard 
Northern Pintail 
Harlequin Duck
Common Goldeneye
Bufflehead
Green-wing Teal 
Gadwall
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser 
Red-breasted Merganser
 Common Loon
Horned Grebe 
Pelagic Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant 
Great Blue Heron 
Bald Eagle 
Cooper’s Hawk
Merlin
Northern Shrike
Dunlin
Black-bellied Plover
Killdeer
Bonaparte’s Gull
Mew Gull
California Gull 
Iceland Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull 
Anna's Hummingbird 
Belted Kingfisher 
Northern Flicker 
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Steller's Jay 
Northwestern Crow 
Common Raven
Chestnut-backed Chickadee 
Red-breasted Nuthatch 
Pacific Wren 
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 
American Robin
Varied Thrush
European Starling 
Spotted Towhee 
Fox Sparrow  
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow 
Chipping Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco 
Brewer's Blackbird 
Purple Finch
House Finch
Pine Siskin

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday Bird Walk, October 31:
The Tuesday bird walk went to the Brandt viewing platform and Lot Ten in north Qualicum Beach. The morning was clear and sunny with calm winds, making for a very pleasant bird walk.  The highlight of the morning was when we sighted four Humpbacked Whales far offshore. The whales entertained us royally for an hour as we watched them spout and breach.  Two Western Grebes were spotted in with a flock of Buffleheads not far from shore.  A Long-tailed Duck flew just above the water heading down the Strait Of Georgia.  Red-breasted Mergansers, Common Mergansers and Black Scoters were seen not far from shore.  At Lot Ten we watched large numbers of Glaucous-winged Gulls feeding on fish carcasses along the river banks.

Bufflehead: Ralph Hocken Photo:

Thirteen birders saw and heard the following forty-one species:
Canada Geese
Harlequin Duck
Bufflehead
                                                       Red-breasted Merganser
Common Merganser
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe 
Western Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron 
Belted Kingfisher
Pigeon Guillemot
Black-bellied Plover
Black Oystercatcher

Bonaparte’s Gull
Mew Gull 
California Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Bald Eagle 
Pileated Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Eurasian-collared Dove 
Steller’s Jay
Northwestern Crow
                                                       Common Raven
                                              American Robin
                                               Varied Thrush
                                             Bewick’s Wren
                                               Pacific Wren
                                     Chestnut-backed Chickadee
                                                Fox Sparrow
                                               Song Sparrow
                                             Spotted Towhee
                                              Dark-eyed Junco                                     
                                  Glaucous-winged Gull: Ralph Hocken Photo: 



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 and go to a different location in the Oceanside area.   *******************************************************************

The Tuesday bird walk on November 07, 2017 will be going to the Englishman River, Plummer Road side 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 corner of Plummer Road and Shorewood Drive at about 9:10 a.m.

***************************************************************************** 

The Sunday walk on November 12, 2017 will be going to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo . Meet at the bird store at 9:00 a.m. or at parking lot at Neck Point in Nanaimo 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:
http://thebirdstore.blogspot.ca/