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Tuesday 30 January 2018

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, January 30,2018


Parksville/Qualicum Beach, Tuesday bird walk January 30, 2018:
The rain finally subsided and the Tuesday bird walk went to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in  Parksville. The morning was cloudy with sunny periods with calm winds—and no rain!  Brant Geese were spotted flying up the Strait of Georgia.  A Western Gull and two  California Gulls, along with a large flock of Mew Gulls were seen on a gravel bar just off shore.  Four Gadwall were spotted along the Estuary.  A Sharp-shinned Hawk was perched on a stump not far from the trail.  A Cooper’s Hawk flew over head.  We spotted a Northern Shrike perched in a bush.  A large flock of Bushtits were seen feeding near the trail.  Three Western Meadowlarks were perched near the Community Park.  Three Virginia Rails were heard and one was seen next to the trail.

Bushtit: Ralph Hocken Photo: 

Fourteen birders including visiting birders from Seattle and North Vancouver saw and heard the following sixty species:
Brant
Canada Goose
 Mallard
 Northern Pintail
 Green-winged Teal
Gadwall
 Surf Scoter
Bufflehead
Red-breasted Merganser
Common Merganser
Barrows Goldeneye
Common Goldeneye
 Pacific Loon
Common Loon
 Horned Grebe
 Pelagic Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
 Coopers Hawk
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Northern Shrike
Western Gull
 California Gull
Mew Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Iceland- Thayer's Gull
 Killdeer
Black-bellied Plover
Black Turnstone
 Dunlin
 Black Oystercatcher
  Virginia Rail
Downy Woodpecker
 Northern Flicker
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
 Chestnut-backed Chickadee
 Bewick's Wren
Pacific Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
 Bushtit
Belted Kingfisher
 Anna’s Hummingbird
Western Meadowlark
California Quail
Evening Grosbeak
Varied Thrush
American Robin
Spotted Towhee
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Purple Finch
House Finch
Red Crossbills
Pine Siskin
Dark-eyed Junco
Western Meadowlark: Ralph Hocken Photo: 

Please Note
Check this site (www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com)  early Tuesday and Sunday mornings on stormy mornings to see if the walks have been cancelled! 

The Tuesday Bird Walk will  on February 06, 2018 will be going to Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park in Parksville. Meet at the Parksville Community Park (near the Lions Club parking lot) in Parksville at 9:00 am., or at the main parking lot at Rathtrevor Park at about 9:10 am.
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 28 January 2018




Nanaimo bird report, January 28, 2018:
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, January 28, 2018       
The Sunday bird walk was cancelled once again because of the wind and rain.
                                                             
Turkey Vulture: Ralph Hocken Photo:

Thursday, January 25:  
A Northern Shrike was seen in a backyard along Bayshore and Sunhaven Place in Nanaimo. 

Friday, January 26:  
“First of the year sighting”
A Turkey Vulture was seen over Highway 19A and Resort Way in Parksville at about 12:00 pm:

A Merlin was spotted perched in a tree along Despard Avenue and Meridian Way in Parksville.

Wednesday, January 24:  
Two Male Rufous Hummingbirds were seen at a feeder in Cedar.

Monday, January 22:
A Northern Shrike and nine Western Meadowlarks were seen at the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo.

 
                                                Northern Shrike: 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 January 30, 2018, will be going the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary 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 end of Shelly Road (on the oceanside of highway 19A) at about 9:10 a.m.
*******************************************************************
The Sunday walk on February 04, 2018, will be going to Bowen Park in Nanaimo. Meet at the Bird Store at 9:00 a.m. or at the main parking lot (near the lawn bowling green’s) at Bowen Park off Bowen 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

Sunday bird walk Cancelled



This Sunday bird walk, January 28, 2018 is cancelled due to wet weather. 
 
Please Note
Check this site( thebirdstore.blogspot.ca) early Tuesday and Sunday mornings on stormy mornings to see if the walks have been cancelled!*************************************************************************

The Tuesday Bird walk on January 30, 2018, will be going the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary 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 end of Shelly Road (on the oceanside of highway 19A) at about 9:10 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 23 January 2018

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, January 23, 2018



This Tuesday bird walk, January 23, 2018 was cancelled due to wet weather. 



Please Note

Check this site( thebirdstore.blogspot.ca) early Tuesday and Sunday mornings on stormy mornings to see if the walks have been cancelled!




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

The Tuesday Bird walk on January 30, 2018, will be going the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary 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 end of Shelly Road (on the oceanside of highway 19A) at about 9:10 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

Bird walk cancelled





This Tuesday bird walk, January 23, 2018 is cancelled due to wet weather. 


Neil Robins




THE BACKYARD WILDBIRD & NATURE STORE

314 Metral Drive

Nanaimo B.C.
V9T-2L8

Phone: 250-390-3669

Fax: 250-390-1633



Sunday 21 January 2018

Nanaimo bird report, January 21, 2018




Nanaimo bird report, January 21, 2018:
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, January 21, 2018       
The Sunday bird walk was cancelled because of the wind and rain. 

Saturday, January 20:
Rare bird alert
Two Short-tailed Shearwaters were seen at the Little Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum Beach.

Tuesday bird walk, January 16, 2018:
The Tuesday Bird Walk went to Deep Bay.
The morning was mostly cloudy with light showers but we finished the morning in sunshine and blue skies!  A large flock of Dunlin flew along the far shore.  We spotted a Pie-billed Grebe just off shore.  A Black-bellied Plover was seen resting on the gravel near the shoreline. A Black Oystercatcher was spotted further along the shoreline. We saw eight Long-tailed Ducks in different plumages swimming and diving not twenty yards off shore giving us great views.  A large flock of Greater Scaup, Harlequin Ducks, Surf Scoters, White-winged Scoters and Black Scoters were seen further off shore. The two surprise sightings of the morning were an Rufous Hummingbird and a Chipping Sparrow seen just off the trail at the point.

Long-tailed Duck: Ralph Hocken Photo:


Sixteen birders saw and heard the following forty-six species:
Canada Geese
American Widgeon
Mallard
Greater Scaup
Harlequin Duck
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Red-breasted Merganser
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Ancient Murrelet
Pie-billed Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Brandt’s Cormorant
Bald Eagle
Black Oystercatcher
Black-bellied Plover
Dunlin
Mew Gull
Thayer's Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Eurasian-collared Dove
Northwestern Crow
American Robin
European Starling
Spotted Towhee
Brewer’s Blackbird
Red-winged Blackbird
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Anna’s Hummingbird
Rufous Hummingbird
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Chipping Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Purple Finch
House Finch  
                                            Black Scoter: Ralph Hocken Photo:       

The Tundra Swan continues to be seen in the fields near the corner of Church and Coldwater Roads in Parksville

Monday, January 15:
Five hundred Dunlin and one Sanderling were seen resting on the gravel bar at the far end of Parksville Community Park in Parksville. A Palm Warbler and a Yellow-rumped Warbler were seen in the trees in the same area. 

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 January 23, 2018, will be going the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary 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 end of Shelly Road (on the oceanside of highway 19A) at about 9:10 a.m.
*******************************************************************
The Sunday walk on January 28, 2018, will be going to Bowen Park in Nanaimo. Meet at the Bird Store at 9:00 a.m. or at the main parking lot (near the lawn bowling greens) at Bowen Park off Bowen 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

Sunday bird walk cancelled




This Sundays bird walk, January 21, 2018 is cancelled due to wet weather. 

Neil Robins





THE BACKYARD WILDBIRD & NATURE STORE

314 Metral Drive

Nanaimo B.C.
V9T-2L8

Phone: 250-390-3669

Fax: 250-390-1633


Tuesday 16 January 2018

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, January 16, 2018


Tuesday bird walk, January 16, 2018:

The Tuesday Bird Walk went to Deep Bay.
The morning was mostly cloudy with light showers but we finished the morning in sunshine and blue skies!  A large flock of Dunlin flew along the far shore.  We spotted a Pie-billed Grebe just off shore.  A Black-bellied Plover was seen resting on the gravel near the shoreline. A Black Oystercatcher was spotted further along the shoreline. We saw eight Long-tailed Ducks in different plumages swimming and diving not twenty yards off shore giving us great views.  A large flock of Greater Scaup, Harlequin Ducks, Surf Scoters, White-winged Scoters and Black Scoters were seen further off shore. The two surprise sightings of the morning were an Rufous Hummingbird and a Chipping Sparrow seen just off the trail at the point.
Long-tailed Ducks: Ralph Hocken Photo:

Sixteen birders saw and heard the following forty-six species:
Canada Geese
American Widgeon
Mallard
Greater Scaup
Harlequin Duck
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Red-breasted Merganser
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Ancient Murrelet
Pie-billed Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Brandt’s Cormorant
Bald Eagle
Black Oystercatcher
Black-bellied Plover
Dunlin
Mew Gull
Thayer's Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Eurasian-collared Dove
Northwestern Crow
American Robin
European Starling
Spotted Towhee
Brewer’s Blackbird
Red-winged Blackbird
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Anna’s Hummingbird
Rufous Hummingbird
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Chipping Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Purple Finch
House Finch
                                              Black Scoter: Ralph Hocken Photo:

The Tuesday Bird walk on January 23, 2018, will be going the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary 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 end of Shelly Road (on the oceanside of highway 19A) at about 9:10 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
The Blog: http://thebirdstore.blogspot.ca