The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store Weekly Bird Report

The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store Weekly Bird Report Nanaimo Bird Report, December 02, 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, December 02, 2018   The Sunday bird walk went to Nanoose Bay. The morning was sunny and warm with calm winds off the Strait of Georgia.  A large number of Greater Scaup, Surf Scoters, Common Goldeneye, Common Mergansers, Red-breasted Mergansers, Horned Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, Common Loons, Pacific Loons, White-wing Scoters and Bufflehead  were seen on the Strait near the Oyster Farm.  A Eurasian Widgeon and many American Widgeon were seen offshore.  A Northern Shrike was perched at the top of a bush giving us great views.  Several Spotted Towhee’s, a Fox Sparrow and Song Sparrows were spotted on the ground not far from the trail. Sixteen Bald Eagles and a Red-tailed Hawk were seen overhead.  We watched a very large flock of Pine Siskins  fly above the trees.

Northern Shrike: Ralph Hocken Photo:

Six birders  saw and heard the following fifty-three species: Trumpeter Swan Canada Geese Mallard Eurasian Widgeon American Widgeon Greater Scaup Surf Scoter Common Goldeneye Common Merganser Red-breasted Merganser Horned Grebe Red-necked Grebe Common Loon Pacific Loon White-wing Scoter Bufflehead Double-crested Cormorant Pelagic Cormorant Great Blue Heron Belted Kingfisher Bald Eagle Red-tailed Hawk Northern Shrike Killdeer Black-bellied Plover Black Oystercatcher Mew Gull California Gull Iceland Gull Mew Gull Glaucous-winged Gull Eurasian-collared Dove Northern Flicker Downy Woodpecker Common Raven Northwestern Crow Chestnut-backed Chickadee Bushtit Bewick’s Wren Golden-crowned Kinglet Ruby-crowned Kinglet American Robin European Starling Brewer’s Blackbird Spotted Towhee Fox Sparrow Song Sparrow Golden-crowned Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco House Finch Purple Finch Pine Siskin Saturday, December 01: Eight Steller’s Jays and two Northern Flickers were seen visiting feeders along Walker Avenue in Ladysmith.

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

Upcoming Bird Walks

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.

The Sunday Bird Walk on December 09, 2018 will be going to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo.  Meet at the Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store, 6314 Metral Drive at 9:00 am or at the parking lot at Neck Point Park off Hammond 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