Nanaimo bird report, January 14, 2018

Nanaimo bird report, January 14, 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.

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Sunday bird walk, January 14, 2018       

The Sunday bird walk went to Nanoose Bay. The morning was foggy with calm winds. A Hairy Woodpecker was spotted in a tall tree. We spotted a flock of Evening Grosbeaks perched high up in a tall tree just off the trail. A large number of Black Oystercatchers flew near the shore and landed on a sand bar giving us great views. Two Spotted Towhees, a Fox Sparrow, a Song Sparrow, a White-crowned Sparrow and a Golden-crowned Sparrow were observed just off the trail. A Horned Grebe, a Red-necked Grebe and a Common Loon were seen off shore.

Evening Grosbeak: John Purves Photo: 

Sixteen birders including two visiting birders from Winnipeg saw and heard the following forty-three species:

Canada Geese

American Wigeon

Mallard

Northern Pintail

Green-winged Teal

Bufflehead

Common Goldeneye

Red-breasted Merganser

Common Merganser

Horned Grebe

Red-necked Grebe

Common Loon

Pelagic Cormorant

  Double-crested Cormorant

Black Oystercatcher

Great Blue Heron

Belted Kingfisher

Mew Gull

Iceland (Thayer’s) Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Bald Eagle

Coopers Hawk

Common Raven

Northwestern Crow

European Starling

Downey Woodpecker

Hairy Woodpecker

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Bewick’s Wren

Red-breasted Nuthatch

American Robin

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Evening Grosbeak

Spotted Towhee

Fox Sparrow

Song Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow 

 House Finch

Purple Finch

Red-winged Blackbird

Dark-eyed Junco 

Fox Sparrow: Ralph Hocken Photo: 

A pair of Canvas-backed Ducks and several Northern Shoveller's were seen at Somas Marsh in Duncan.  

Friday, January 12:

An American Kestrel was seen at Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park in Parksville.

A Tundra Swan was spotted off Church Road in Parksville. 

Tuesday bird walk, January 09, 2018:

The Tuesday Bird Walk went to Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park in Parksville. The morning was mostly sunny but there was a very strong wind off the Strait of Georgia. Two Brant and a large flock of American Widgeons greeted us at the start of the walk. Two Golden-crowned Sparrows were seen feeding on the trail not far from us. A large number of Northern Pintail flew overhead heading up the Strait.  A flock of White-winged Scoters were spotted hiding in the high waves offshore. Common Murre were heading up the Strait all morning.  California Gulls and Mew Gulls flew high overhead.  A Yellow-rumped Warbler was spotted high up in a conifer tree. Two Ruby-crowned Kinglets were feeding in the low bushes just off the trail.

                                           

                                          Ruby-crowned Kinglet: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

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

Brant

                                                           American Widgeon

Mallard 

Harlequin Duck

Northern Pintail

Surf Scoter

White-winged Scoter

 Bufflehead

Common Goldeneye

Red-breasted Merganser

Common Loon

Pacific Loon

Horned Grebe

Red-necked Grebe

Western Grebe

                                                               Ancient Murrelet

Common Murre

Double-crested Cormorant

Bald Eagle

California Gull

Mew Gull
Iceland-Thayer's Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Common Raven
Northwestern Crow

Steller’s Jay

Northern Flicker

Pileated Woodpecker

American Robin

Varied Thrush

Anna’s Hummingbird

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Golden-crowned Kinglet
Yellow-rumped Warbler

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Beswick’s Wren

Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco 

Saturday, January 06:

Barn swallows were seen flying near Madrona Point in Nanoose Bay. 

Please Note

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

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The Tuesday Bird walk on January 16, 2018, will be going Deep Bay. 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 lot at the Deep Bay Marina at about 9:35 a.m. 

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The Sunday walk on January 21, 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.

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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