Nanaimo bird report, February 25, 2018

Nanaimo bird report, February 25, 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, February 25, 2018

The Sunday bird walk went Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo. The morning was mostly sunny and the winds were calm.   Four Great Blue Herons were perched on a tall tree near the viewing tower.  One Trumpeter Swan and a pair of Hooded Mergansers were resting on the marsh.  A Bald Eagle and a Red-tailed Hawk were spotted high over head. A lone Cedar Waxwing  was perched on a bush near the trail.  Song Sparrows, Fox Sparrows and Golden-crowned Sparrows were seen just off the trail and two Downy Woodpeckers were seen feeding on a tree just off the trail.

Hooded Merganser :Ralph Hocken Photo:

Seventeen birders including visiting birders from Ontario and Washington State saw and heard the following forty-three species:

Trumpeter Swan

Canada Geese

Great Blue Heron

Mallard,

Bufflehead

Hooded Merganser

Ring-necked Duck

Double-crested Cormorant

Belted Kingfisher

Bald Eagle

Red-tailed Hawk

Pied-billed Grebe

Wood Duck

Virginia Rail

Glaucous-winged Gull

Eurasian-collared Dove 

Northern Flicker

Downy Woodpecker

Steller’s Jay

Common Raven

Northwestern Crow
Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Bushtit

Brown Creeper

Berwick’s Wren

Marsh Wren

Anna's Hummingbird

Hutton’s Vireo

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Golden-crowned Kinglet

American Robin

Cedar Waxwing 

Varied Thrush

Red-winged Blackbird

Brewers Blackbird

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow, 

Fox Sparrow,

Golden-crowned Sparrow,

House Finch, 

Purple Finch

Dark-eyed Junco, 

 House Sparrow

Parksville/Qualicum Beach, Tuesday bird walk, February 20, 2018:

The Tuesday bird walk went to the Englishman River Estuary on the Shelly Road side in Parksville.  The morning was sunny with calm winds.  A large flock of Trumpeter Swans greeted us as they flew over head at the start of the walk. We spotted a singing Hutton’s Vireo sitting fairly low in a tree along the trail.  A large number of Chestnut-backed Chickadees were seen in the same area.  Six Varied Thrush were spotted along the ground not far from the trail.  A Eurasian Wigeon was seen in with a flock of American Wigeon and Green-winged Teal resting on the estuary.  A pair of Barrow’s Goldeneye and a pair of Common Goldeneye swam along the estuary. Three Brant flew down the Strait of Georgia.  A Northern Shrike perched on a tall snag, giving us great views.  We spotted a Red-breasted Sapsucker perched at the top of a tall Conifer.  A Bald Eagle was spotted flying high in the blue sky alongside a Red-tailed Hawk.  Could they be from the nest in Victoria last summer ?

Hutton’s Vireo: Ralph Hocken Photo:

Twenty-one birders including visiting birders from Yellowknife, Jasper, Red Deer, Calgary and Seattle saw and heard the following fifty-one species.

Trumpeter Swan

Canada Geese

Brant

Eurasian Wigeon

American Wigeon

Barrows Goldeneye

Common Goldeneye

Green-winged Teal

Mallard

Northern Pintail

Surf Scoter

Horne Grebe

Red-neck Grebe

Long-tailed Duck

Bufflehead

Common Merganser

Common Loon

Double-crested Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Bald Eagle

Red-tailed Hawk

Northern Shrike

Killdeer

California Quail

Mew Gull

California Gull

Iceland-Thayer's Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Anna's Hummingbird

Northern Flicker

Downy Woodpecker

Red-breasted Sapsucker

Northwestern Crow

Common Raven

Steller’s Jay

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Pacific Wren

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Hutton’s Vireo

Brown Creeper

American Robin

Varied Thrush

Golden-crowned Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Fox Sparrow

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

House Finch

Purple Finch  

Varied Thrush: 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 on February 27, 2018 will be going to the Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum Beach. Meet at the Parksville Community Park (near the Lions Club playground parking lot) in Parksville at 9:00 am, or at the Brant viewing platform in north Qualicum Beach at about 9:20 am.

The Sunday Bird Walk on Marsh 04, 2018 will be going to Nanoose Bay. Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 AM. or  Nanoose Bay on the beach at the church camp (off highway 19 and Arlington Road) at about 9:15 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

Email: thebackyard@shaw.ca