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 by 8am the day of the walk.

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

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