Nanaimo bird report, March 10, 2019

The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store
Weekly Bird Report

Nanaimo Bird Report, March 10, 2019

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.

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Sunday Bird Walk, March 10, 2019
This week’s Sunday bird walk went the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville.  The weather was sunny with calm winds.  Ruby-crowned Kinglets and Golden-crowned Kinglets were seen high up in the trees just off the trail at the start of the walk.  Large numbers of Bald Eagles were seen flying over head all morning.  Common Loons, Pacific Loons, a Brandt’s Cormorant, Double- crested Cormorants and one Common Murre were seen on the Strait of Georgia. Flocks of Killdeer, Black Oystercatchers and Dunlin were seen near the shore.  We heard Varied Thrush and heard and saw a Western Meadowlark near the observation ramp. We heard a Barred Owl singing at the end of the walk.

Eighteen birders including two visiting birders from Ottawa saw and heard the following fifty-six Species:
Canada Goose
Brant
American Widgeon
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Red-breasted Merganser 
Common Merganser
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Greater Scaup
Common Loon
Pacific Loon
Brandt’s Cormorant
Double- crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Common Murre
Killdeer
Black Oystercatcher
Dunlin
Bald Eagle
Mew Gull
Thayer’s Gull
California Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Eurasian Collared Dove
Barred Owl
Anna’s Hummingbird
Pileated Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Downy Woodpecker
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Marsh Wren
Bewick’s Wren
Pacific Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Bushtit
Brown Creeper
American Robin
Varied Thrush
Western Meadowlark
European Starling
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
House Finch
Purple Finch
Pine Siskin


Ruby-crowned Kinglet: Photo by Ralph Hocken Photo:

 March 9 :
A Virginia Rail was seen at Hemer Park in Cedar.

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday Bird Walk, March 5, 2019, 2019
The Tuesday bird walk went to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville. The morning was sunny but cool with strong winds off the Strait of Georgia.  A flock of Canada Geese, one Greater White-fronted Goose, one Snow Goose and several flocks of Brant were seen on the walk.  Six Gadwall, one Eurasian Wigeon, two Eurasian Teal were seen along the estuary. A Western Grebe, a large flock of Ancient Murrelets, many Common Murre and a Brandt’s Cormorant were seen on the Strait.  Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Anna's Hummingbirds and Golden-crowned Kinglets were spotted along the trails.
Twenty-two birders including visiting birders from Calgary saw and heard the following fifty-four species:
Canada Goose 
Greater White-fronted Goose
Snow Goose
Brant
Gadwall
Eurasian Wigeon
American Wigeon
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Eurasian Teal
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Greater Scaup
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Barrow's Goldeneye
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Western Grebe
Ancient Murrelet
Common Murre
Brandt’s Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Killdeer
Mew Gull
Iceland-(Thayer's) Gull
California Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven 
Pileated Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Anna's Hummingbird
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Bewick’s Wren
American Robin
European Starling
Spotted Towhee
Golden-crowned Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
House Finch
Purple Finch
Pine Siskin

   Eurasian Wigeon, Ralph Hocken Photo:

Wednesday, March 6: A Turkey Vulture was seen above Collage Heights in Nanaimo.

Friday, March 1:  A Turkey Vulture was spotted over the Departure Bay area of Nanaimo.

Thursday February 28:
A Red-tailed Hawk was seen at Robbins Park in south Nanaimo. 

Tuesday February 26:
A Barred Owl was seen at Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo.

Two Stellers Jays were  at Hammond Bay and Vista Road.


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 Sunday Bird Walk on March 17, 2019 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 9:00am or at the end of Raines Road off Cedar Road at about 9:30am.


The Tuesday Bird Walk on March12, 2019 will be going to Columbia Beach in French Creek. Meet at the Parksville Community Park (near the Lions Club playground parking lot) in Parksville at 9:00 am, or at the parking area on Admiral Tryon Boulevard, off Columbia Drive on the ocean side of highway 19a at about 9:20am.

Good birding
Neil Robins 


THE BACKYARD WILDBIRD & NATURE STORE
6314 Metral Drive
Nanaimo, B.C. V9T-2L8
Phone: 250-390-3669Email: thebackyard@shaw.ca
www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com