Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, November 27, 2018

The Tuesday bird walk went to the  Shelly Road side of the Englishman Estuary in Parksville.

After a night of heavy wind and rain, the morning was mostly sunny with calm winds.  Two very large flocks of Pine Siskins greeted us at the start of the walk flying above the trees.  A Eurasian Widgeon and two Gadwall were seen from the viewing ramp.  A Varied Thrush was spotted preening in a bush not far from the trail.  Long-tail Ducks, Surf Scoters, White-wing Scoters, Bufflehead, Red-breasted Mergansers, Common Mergansers, Red-necked Grebes, Horned Grebes, Barrow’s Goldeneye and Common Goldeneye were seen off shore on the Strait.  Two Pileated Woodpeckers were seen just off the trail.  A large flock of Pine Siskins flew out of a bush to the end of the walk.

Red-breasted Merganser: Ralph Hocken Photo:

Fourteen birders saw and heard the following fifty-one species:

Canada Geese

Mallard

Harlequin Duck

Eurasian Widgeon

American Widgeon

Gadwall

Long-tail Duck

Surf Scoter

White-wing Scoter

Bufflehead

Barrow’s Goldeneye

Common Goldeneye

Northern Pintail

Green-wing Teal

Red-breasted Merganser

Common Merganser

Red-necked Grebe

Horned Grebe

Double-crested Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Herring Gull

Mew Gull

Iceland Gull

California Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Bald Eagle

Cooper’s Hawk

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Pileated Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Downy Woodpecker

Northwestern Crow

Common Raven

American Robin

Varied Thrush

European Starling

Brewer’s Blackbird

Bewick’s Wren

Pacific Wren

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Anna’s Hummingbird

Spotted Towhee

Fox Sparrow

Song Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

House Finch

Purple Finch

Pine Siskin

The Tuesday Bird Walk on December 04, 2018 will be going to the Little Qualicum River Estuary in north 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 off Highway 19a 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

Email: thebackyard@shaw.ca

Blog: ww.thebirdstore.blogspot.com

Nanaimo bird report, November 25, 2018

The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store Weekly Bird Report Nanaimo Bird Report, November 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 was seen and location of your sighting. Please Note Please check this site (www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com) early Tuesday and Sunday mornings to see if the walks have been cancelled! Sunday Bird Walk, November 25, 2018 The Sunday bird walk went to Columbia Beach and Morningstar Ponds in French Creek. The morning began dry, but became very wet as the morning progressed.  Harlequin Ducks, American Widgeons, Surf Scoters, Black Scoters, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Common Mergansers, Red-breasted Mergansers, Pacific loons and Common Loons were seen on the Strait of Georgia. Black-bellied Plovers, Black Oystercatchers and Black Turnstones were seen flying up the Strait. We spotted a Peregrine Falcon perched on top of a very tall conifer tree. We made our way over to the Morningstar Pond and saw Red Head Ducks, Greater Scaup, Northern Shovelers and a Cackling Goose on the pond.

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Peregrine Falcon: Photo by Ralph Hocken

Seven dedicated birders  saw and heard the following forty-four species: Canada Geese Cackling Goose Brant Mallard Northern Shoveler Red-headed Duck Gadwall Ring-neck Duck Harlequin Duck American Widgeon Greater Scaup Surf Scoter Black Scoter Bufflehead Common Goldeneye Common Merganser Red-breasted Merganser Great Blue Heron Bald Eagle Peregrine Falcon Iceland Gull Mew Gull Glaucous-winged Gull Black-bellied Plover Black Oystercatcher Black Turnstone Rock Pigeon Anna's Hummingbird Northern Flicker Common Raven Northwestern Crow Chestnut-backed Chickadee Bushtit Pacific Wren Ruby-crowned Kinglet American Robin European Starling Spotted Towhee Song Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco House Finch Purple Finch Pine Siskin      Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, November 13, 2018

The morning was cloudy but calm.  Four Trumpeter Swans were see flying overhead the trail and again over the ocean.  Several Varied Thrushes along with Robins were eating berries high in the trees.  A small flock of Cedar Waxwings were spotted atop the conifers.   A Pileated Woodpecker was spotted right at the end of our walk.

   

                                             Trumpeter Swan - Ralph Hocken Photo

19 birders saw and heard the following 60 species.

Snow Geese

Canada Geese

Trumpeter Swan

American Widgeon

Eurasian Widgeon

Mallard

Gadwall

Northern Pintail

Green-winged Teal

Harlequin Duck

Surf Scoter

White-wing Scoter

Bufflehead

Barrow’s Goldeneye

Common Goldeneye

Common Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

Pacific Loon

Common Loon

Horned Grebe

Red-neck Grebe

Pelagic Cormorant

Brandt’s Cormorant

Common Murre

Great Blue Heron

Bald Eagle

Cooper’s Hawk

Belted Kingfisher

Dunlin

Black Turnstone

Mew Gull

California Gull

Iceland (Thayer’s) Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Northern Flicker

Pileated Woodpecker

Downy Woodpecker

Northwestern Crow

Common Raven

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Bewick’s Wren

Pacific Wren

Anna’s Hummingbird

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Golden-crowned Kinglet

American Robin

Varied Thrush

Spotted Towhee

Brewer’s Blackbird

European Starling

Cedar Waxwing

Golden-crowned Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Fox Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Bushtit

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Purple Finch

House Finch

Pine Siskin 

                                             Enjoy birding

                                                  Rhonda Fleming

Upcoming Bird Walks

The Tuesday Bird Walk on November 27, 2018 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 am, or at the end of Shelly Road on the oceanside of Highway 19a in Parksville at about 9:10 am.

The Sunday Bird Walk on December 02, 2018 will be going to Nanoose Bay.  Meet at the Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store, 6314 Metral Drive in Nanaimo at 9:00 a.m. or at the waterfront near the Church Camp off Highway 19 and Arlington Road at about 9:15 am.

Good birding

Neil Robins

THE BACKYARD WILDBIRD &; NATURE STORE

6314 Metral Drive

Nanaimo, B.C.

V9T-2L8

Phone: 250-390-3669
Email: thebackyard@shaw.ca

www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com

Nanaimo Bird Report November 18

The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store Weekly Bird Report Nanaimo Bird Report, November 20, 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. *********************************************************** Please Note Please check this site (www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com) early Tuesday and Sunday mornings to see if the walks have been cancelled! ***********************************************************

Sunday Bird Walk, November 18, 2018 The Sunday bird walk went to Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo. The morning was sunny and a beautiful day for a bird walk. Just the usual suspects on the marsh when we first started, Pied-billed Grebe, Mallard, Wood Duck, Hooded Merganser and Rink-necked Duck. There was no sign of the Snow Geese that were seen there earlier in the week. ***********************************************************

Ring-neck Duck photo by Ralph Hocken

Twelve birders  saw and heard the following thirty four species: Trumpeter Swan Mallard Wood Duck Ring-neck Duck Hooded Merganser American Coot Pied-billed Grebe Great Blue Heron Bald Eagle Cooper's Hawk Glaucous-winged Gull Virginia Rail Rock Pigeon Belted Kingfisher Anna's Hummingbird Downy Woodpecker Northern Flicker Common Raven Chestnut-backed Chickadee Bushtit Bewick’s Wren Marsh Wren Ruby-crowned Kinglet American Robin European Starling Spotted Towhee Song Sparrow Golden-crowned Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco Red-winged Blackbird Purple Finch Pine Siskin American Goldfinch House Sparrow ***********************************************************

Reported Sightings Friday Nov 16: A flock of 43 Canada Geese - Cackling landed at Buttertubs Marsh. Canvasback was also seen at Buttertubs Marsh Saturday Nov 17: possible Rufous Hummingbird was seen at French Creek. It was perched in the bushes on the creek side near the restaurant. Tuesday Nov 20: juvenile Snow Goose at Nexk Point Park near the parking lot. This bird has been sighted for the last couple of weeks there. ***********************************************************

Anna's Hummingbird photo by Mike Hamilton

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, November 13, 2018 The Tuesday bird walk went to Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville. The morning was cloudy with very strong winds off the Strait of Georgia. A large flock of Surf Scoters and White-winged Scoters were seen far offshore. Two Brant Geese were heading into the shore from the strait and nine Brant were seen further off shore. Two Common Murre and a Marbled Murrelet were spotted heading up the Strait. A flock of Bufflehead and Common Goldeneye were riding the waves. Several Horned Grebes, many Red-neck Grebes and a Western Grebe were playing hide and seek in the rough surf. A Golden-crowned Kinglet was feeding in the tall trees along the trail. A large number of Dark-eyed Juncos were seen during the walk. ***********************************************************

Brant photo by Ralph Hocken

Twenty-three birders including a visiting birder from Fort MacMurray saw and heard the following thirty-nine species: Brant Geese Snow Geese Canada Goose Mallard American Widgeon Northern Pintail Bufflehead Common Goldeneye Greater Scaup Surf Scoter White-winged Scoter Red-breasted Merganser Common Merganser Horned Grebe Red-neck Grebe Western Grebe Pacific Loon Common Loon Double-crested Cormorant Pelagic Cormorant Common Murre Marbled Murrelet Bonaparte’s Gull Mew Gull California Gull Iceland (Thayer's) Gull Glaucous-winged Gull Bald Eagle Common Raven Northwestern Crow Northern flicker Golden-crowned Kinglet Anna’s Hummingbird Chestnut-backed Chickadee Pacific Wren American Robin Song Sparrow Spotted Towhee Purple Finch Dark-eyed Junco ***********************************************************

Upcoming Bird Walks The Tuesday Bird Walk on November 27, 2018 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 am, or at the end of Shelly Road on the oceanside of Highway 19a in Parksville at about 9:10 am. The Sunday Bird Walk on November 25, 2018 will be going to Columbia Beach near French Creek. Meet at the Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store, 6314 Metral Drive in Nanaimo at 9:00 a.m. or at the parking lot on Admiral Tryon blvd which is off of Columbia drive at about 9:30 am ***********************************************************

Backyard Bird News The backyard feeders are getting busy with what seems to be more Dark-eyed Juncos arriving. Song Sparrow and the Golden-crowned Sparrows along with the Spotted Towhees are also busy at the feeders. Very few reports of Steller's Jays but that is not surprising as the natural seed seems to be abundant this year compared to last year. There are also less Chestnut-backed Chickadees and Red-breasted Nuthatches visiting the feeders as well. Anna's Hummingbirds are busy and it seems as though they may have had a late brood in my area. Pine Siskings are about but not visiting the backyard feeders just yet, i figure they will make their apperance in January or February. Good Biridng Colin. ***********************************************************