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 here by 8am the day of the walk. Our first bird walks of the year are going out on Sunday February 4th and Tuesday February 6th. Locations will be posted to our next Bird Report.

Monday 27 August 2018

Western Grebes

Hi birders,

Neil Robins and John Purves saw two Western Grebes on the Strait of Georgia off the Englishman River Estuary,  Plummer Road side at about 12 noon today, August 27.  and we saw one Marbled Murrelet off shore at French Creek. today

Good Birding
Neil Robins
Parksville

Sunday 26 August 2018

Nanaimo bird report, August 26, 2018


Nanaimo bird Report, August 26, 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.

***********************************************************
                           Sunday Bird Walk, August 26, 2018
The Sunday bird walk went to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo. The morning was cloudy with calm winds. Two Belted Kingfishers were flying near shore at the start of the walk. Two Black Oystercatchers flew into the rocky outcrop just off shore.  Several flocks of Double-crested Cormorants and Pelagic Cormorant were seen heading up the Strait of Georgia. We spotted a Yellow Warbler and a Wilson’s Warbler just off the trail. Two Black-throated Gray Warblers and a Orange-crowned Warbler put on a very exciting show for us as they chased each other in low bushes next to the trail.

 
                                          Black-throated Gray Warbler : Ralph Hocken Photo:

Fifteen birders saw and heard the following twenty-five species:
Common Merganser
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Black Oystercatcher
Bald Eagle
Turkey Vulture
  Great Blue Heron
Glaucous-winged Gull
Belted Kingfisher
Common Raven
Northwestern Crow 
Northern Flicker
Downy Woodpecker
 Yellow Warbler
Wilson’s Warbler
Black-throated Grey Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
 Chestnut-backed Chickadee
  Flycatcher—species unknown!
Red-breasted Nuthatch
  Brown Creeper
  Bewick's Wren
Spotted Towhee
American Goldfinch
 Dark-eyed Junco
                                           Orange-crowned Warbler: 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! 

Please Note

The Sunday Bird Walk on September 02, 2018 is cancelled.

The Tuesday Bird Walk resumes on September 04, 2018 and will be going to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. Meet at the Parksville Community Park (near the Lions Club playground parking lot) in Parksville at 9:00 a.m., or at the end of Shelly Road on the Oceanside of Highway 19a at about 9:10 a.m.

The Sunday Bird Walk on September 09, 2018 will be going to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville. Meet at the Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store, 6314 Metral Drive in Nanaimo at 9:00 a.m. or at the corner of Plummer Road and Shorewood Drive in Parksville at about  9:25 a.m.
Good birding
Neil Robins
THE BACKYARD WILDBIRD &  NATURE STORE
314 Metral Drive
Nanaimo B.C. 
V9T-2L8
Phone: 250-390-3669

Sunday 19 August 2018


Nanaimo bird Report, August 19, 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 was seen and location of your sighting.
***********************************************************
The Sunday bird walk went to Linley Valley in Nanaimo. The morning was smoky with calm winds. 
We spotted a House Finch high up in a tall tree at the start of the walk. Canada Geese, Mallards, Wood Ducks, a Pied-billed Grebe, three Hooded Mergansers and a Great Blue Heron were seen on the lake in amongst all the reeds on the lake. An Anna’s Hummingbird was seen perched just off the trail giving us great views.

 
                                         Pied-billed Grebe: Ralph Hocken Photo:

Eleven birders including visiting birders from Toronto and California saw and heard the following twenty species:
Canada Geese
Mallard
Wood Duck
Pied-billed Grebe
Hooded Merganser
Belted Kingfisher
Great Blue Heron
Anna’s Hummingbird
Pileated Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
European Starling
Common Raven
Northwestern Crow
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
 Brown Creeper
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Pacific Wren
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow 
House Finch 
                                                      House Finch: Ralph Hocken Photo:

Please Note
Please check this site (www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com) early Tuesday and Sunday mornings to see if the walks have been cancelled!

The Tuesday bird walks will resume in the fall.

The Sunday bird walk on August 26, 2018
will be going to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo. Meet at the Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store, 6314 Metral Drive in Nanaimo at 9:00 am or at the parking lot at Neck Point off Hammond Bay Road at about 9:20 am.

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

Sunday 12 August 2018

Heermann's Gull

A Heermann's Gull was seen at French Creek today, August 12, 2018

Nanaimo bird Report, August 12, 2018.


Nanaimo bird Report, August 12, 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.
***********************************************************
The Sunday bird walk went to the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo.  The morning was cloudy and quite warm.
We spotted a Peregrine Falcon perched high up in a very tall conifer tree at the start of the walk. Two Greater Yellowlegs were seen along the shore of the river and two more were seen feeding on the estuary not far from the trail. A pair of Western Sandpipers landed in a pond very close to us. A Red-tailed Hawk was seen in a tall tree next to the Estuary. A very large flock of Barn Swallows flew overhead hawking insects for most of the morning.  Many Common Ravens and Northwestern Crows entertained us all morning.

Peregrine Falcon: Ralph Hocken Photo:

Eleven birders including a visiting birder from Toronto and two visitors from California saw and heard the following twenty-five species: 
Canada Geese
Mallard
Green-wing Teal
Great Blue Heron
Common Merganser
Bald Eagle
Peregrine Falcon
Red-tailed Hawk
Turkey Vulture
Greater Yellowlegs
Western Sandpiper
Killdeer
Glaucous-winged Gull
Northern Flicker
Common Raven
Northwestern Crow
Barn Swallow
European Starling
Brown Creeper
Bewick’s Wren
Willow Flycatcher
Common Yellowthroat
Orange-crowned Warbler
Song Sparrow
House Finch
Western Sandpipers: Ralph Hocken Photo: 

Please Note
Please check this site (www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com) early Tuesday and Sunday mornings to see if the walks have been cancelled!

The Tuesday bird walks will resume in the fall.

The Sunday bird walk on August 19, 2018
will be going to Linley Valley in Nanaimo. Meet at the Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store, 6314 Metral Drive in Nanaimo at 9:00 am or at the Burma Road entrance to Linley Valley at about 9:20 am.

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

Sunday 5 August 2018


Nanaimo bird Report, August 05, 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.
***********************************************************
The Sunday bird walk went to Bowen Park in Nanaimo.  The morning was sunny and very hot but much cooler in the forest!

A MacGillivray’s Warbler was seen high up in a tall tree near the trail at the start of the walk. We watched a Downy Woodpecker feeding on the trunks of a tree close by, giving us great views. We saw several Brown Creepers climbing up the trunks of trees throughout the morning. We heard Northern Flickers, a Pileated Woodpecker and a Red-breasted Sapsucker during the walk..
                                                  Brown Creeper: Ralph Hocken Photo:



Twenty-three birders saw and heard the following eighteen species:
Mallard
Turkey Vulture
Glaucous-winged Gull
Anna’s Hummingbird
Northern Flicker
Downy Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
MacGillivray’s Warbler
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Bewick's Wren
Dark-eyed Junco
American Robin 
 Spotted Towhee 
                                               MacGillivray’s Warbler: Ralph Hocken Photo:

Friday, August 03:
An Evening Grosbeak was seen on a Garry Oak in Nanoose Bay.

Monday, July 30:  
A Great Horned Owl was seen at Neck Point Park in Nanaimo.

Seven Spotted Sandpipers were seen along Sunset Beach at Neck Point Park in Nanaimo.

Please Note
Please check this site (www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com) early Tuesday and Sunday mornings to see if the walks have been cancelled!

The Tuesday bird walks will resume in the fall.

The Sunday bird walk on August 12, 2018
will be going to the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo. Meet at the Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store, 6314 Metral Drive in Nanaimo at 9:00 am or at the end of Raines Road  ( follow Cedar Road off Highway One to the Nanaimo River Bridge and turn left onto Raines Road) at about 9:25 am.

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