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 20 February 2018

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


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
Pine Siskin
  
                                                Varied Thrush: Ralph Hocken Photo:

Please Note
Check this site (www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com)early Tuesday and Sunday 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.
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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