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.

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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