Nanaimo Bird Report, March 3, 2019

The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store Weekly Bird Report Nanaimo Bird Report, March 3, 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. *********************************************************** 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, March 3, 2019 This weeks bird walk went to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo. The weather was overcast with a chilly breeze to start the walk. On the water to start there was a lone Canada Goose in Hammond Bay, and also saw Surf Scoters flying mostly southward with one White-winged Scoter. One highlight of the walk was a good view of a male Red Crossbill singing. 16 birders including birders from Edmonton, Washington state, Campbell River and Deep Bay saw and heard the following 32 species. Red Crossbill, photo by Ralph Hocken Common Loon Pacific Loon Red-necked Grebe Canada Goose Double-created Cormorant Pelagic Cormorant Mallard Harlequin Duck Red-breasted Merganser Common Merganser Surf Scoter White-winged Scoter Glaucous–winged Gull Mew Gull California Gull Bald Eagle Anna’s Hummingbird Northern Flicker Common Raven Northwestern Crow Chestnut-backed Chickadee Red-breasted Nuthatch Bewick’s Wren Ruby-crowned Kinglet American Robin Varied Thrush European Starling Spotted Towhee Dark-eyed Junco Red Crossbill Purple Finch Pine Siskin March 1, 2019: TURKEY VULTURE was seen soaring above the Crescent Heights area near Vancouver Island University. February 28,2019: RED-TAILED HAWK was seen perch on a pole at Robbins Park in south Nanaimo. February 26,2019: BARRED OWL was seen along the trail at Buttertubs Marsh near the modular home park. February 26,2019: BLACK OYSTERCATCHER was seen in downtown Nanaimo harbour. The Tuesday bird walk was a day trip to the Salton Sea. Four birders braved cool temperatures and steady wind, but had a sunny walk. List for the day was 55 species. Highlights were flocks of Long-billed Curlews, White-faced Ibis, Cattle, Snowy and Great Egrets on the farm fields, Gambel’s Quail, Abert’s Towhee, American Avocet, Black-necked Stilt, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Snowy Plover, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Loggerhead Shrike and Common Moorhen. We saw two Burrowing Owls at their burrows and a Greater Roadrunner hunting along the roadside.  Bird walk report provided by Graham G. Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday Bird Walk, February 26, 2019 The Tuesday bird walk went to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River, in Parksville. The morning was sunny but cool with calm winds. Several Brown Creepers were creeping up the trees along the river path. Three flocks of Surf Scoters and one flock of White-winged Scoters were heading up the Strait of Georgia. One Greater Scaup was spotted not far from shore. Several Anna's Hummingbirds were seen just off the trail. A Peregrine Falcon flew over head. Two Western Meadowlarks were perched in a tree along the fence line at the Community Park. Nineteen birders saw and heard the following fifty-eight species: Canada Goose Greater White-fronted  GooseGadwall Green-winged Teal American Wigeon MallardNorthern  Pintail Green-winged Teal Surf Scoter White-winged Scoter Greater Scaup Bufflehead Common Goldeneye Common Merganser Red-breasted Merganser Pacific Loon Common Loon Horned Grebe Red-necked Grebe Brandt’s Cormorant Double-crested Cormorant Great Blue Heron Killdeer Mew Gull Iceland (Thayer's) Gull California Gull Herring Gull Glaucous-winged Gull Bald Eagle Peregrine Falcon Anna's Hummingbird Northwestern Crow Common Raven Pileated Woodpecker Northern Flicker European Starling Brewer’s Blackbird Red-winged Blackbird Chestnut-backed Chickadee Ruby-crowned Kinglet Golden-crowned Kinglet Red-breasted Nuthatch Bushtit Brown Creeper Pacific Wren Bewick’s Wren American Robin Varied Thrush Western Meadowlark Spotted Towhee Fox Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow Golden-crowned Sparrow Song Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco House Finch Pine Siskin House Sparrow Western Meadowlark, photo by Ralph hocken. The Tuesday Bird Walk on March 05, 2019 will be going to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville. Meet at the Parksville Community Park (near the Lions Club playground parking lot) in Parksville at 9:00 am, or at the corner of Plummer Road and Shorewood Drive on the ocean side of highway 19a at about 9:10 am. The Sunday Bird Walk on March 10, 2019 will be going to Englishman River Estuary, Shelley road side of the estuary. Meet at The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store (6314 Metral Drive in Nanaimo) at 9:00am or at the parking lot at the end of Shelley Road at about 9:20 am. Good birding! Colin. ***********************************************************

Links to Upcoming Local Events Vancouver Island University Science and Technology Leecture Series (Every Wednesday evening from ~7:00pm-8:00pm January to April) Lecture for March 7 2019 :  Clean Coal… VIU Style Green Second Life for Former Mine Workings Legacy (Presented by: Jeff Quibell, Principal Engineer, Falcon Engineering)