Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, May 28, 2019

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, May 28, 2019

The Tuesday bird walk went to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville.  The morning was mostly sunny with calm winds.  An Olive-sided Flycatcher was perched at the top of a very tall snag giving us great views through spotting scopes. Turkey Vultures, Bald Eagles, a Cooper’s Hawk and a Red-tailed Hawk were seen overhead.  Pacific-slope Flycatchers, Hammond’s Flycatchers and Willow Flycatchers were heard and seen during the walk. We had several sightings of several Yellow Warblers throughout the morning.  A Rose-breasted Grosbeak, a rare bird for this area, was seen high up in the conifers next to the trail at the Shelly Road parking area by several of the birders. The Rose-breasted Grosbeak is normally seen east of the Rockies, but rarely seen in this area.  For sure this was the top sighting of a good morning of birding!   

Seventeen birders including a visiting birder from Lasqueti Island saw and heard the following fifty-four species:

Canada Geese

Mallard

White-wing Scoter

Pacific Loon

Great Blue Heron

Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle

Cooper’s Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk

Barred Owl

Killdeer

Black Oystercatcher

Glaucous-winged Gull
Band-tailed Pigeon

Rufous Hummingbird

Anna’s Hummingbird
Pileated Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Downy Woodpecker

Red-breasted Sapsucker

Olive-sided Flycatcher

Pacific-slope Flycatcher

Hammond’s Flycatcher

Willow Flycatcher

Northwestern Crow

Common Raven

Violet-green Swallow

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Bewick’s Wren

Pacific Wren

Swainson’s Thrush

American Robin

European Starling

Warbling Vireo

Yellow Warbler

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Orange-crowned Warbler

Black-throated Grey Warbler

Wilson's Warbler

Western Tanager

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Black-headed Grosbeak

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Brown Creeper

American Goldfinch

Red-wing Blackbird

Brewer’s Blackbird

Dark-eyed Junco

Purple Finch

House Finch

 Pine Siskin

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 June 02, 2019 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 parking along Burma Road off Lost Lake Road off at about 9:20 am.

The Tuesday Bird Walk on June 04, 2019 will be going to the Little Qualicum Fish Hatchery in north Qualicum Beach.  Meet at the Parksville Community Park (near the Lions Club playground parking area) in Parksville at 9:00 am, or at the Fish Hatchery ( Follow Claymore Road to the entrance to the Little Qualicum River Fish Hatchery (2.4 Km from highway 19a to the entrance to the fish hatchery just after crossing the bridge over Whiskey Creek) at about 9:20 a.m. 

Good birding
Neil Robins

The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store
6314 Metral Drive V9T-2L8
Phone: 250-390-3669
Email: thebackyard@shaw.ca
Blog: www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com

Nanaimo Bird Report, May, 26, 2019.

The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store Weekly Bird Report

Nanaimo Bird Report, May, 26, 2019.
“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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BIRD REPORT, May 26, 2019

The Sunday bird walk went to Neck Point in Nanaimo. The morning was mostly sunny with a calm winds. A large number of Canada Geese goslings entertained us near the shoreline following their parents. Three Marbled Murrelets were close to the parking area giving us great views.  Five Brandt Cormorants flew past just above the water heading up the Strait of Georgia.  A Yellow Warbler, a Yellow-rumped Warbler, a Black-throated Warbler and a Wilson Warbler were seen close to the trail.  Warbling Vireos were heard and seen during the walk.  We heard Swainson’s Thrush singing for most of the morning.

Warbling Vireo: Ralph Hocken Photo:

Twenty-three birders saw and heard the following forty-one Species:

Canada Geese

Surf Scoter

Red-breasted Merganser

Double-crested Cormorant

Pelagic Cormorant

Brandt’s Cormorant

Marbled Murrelet

Bald Eagle

Turkey Vulture

Great Blue Heron

Thayer’s Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Belted Kingfisher

Anna’s Hummingbird

Rufous Hummingbird

Northern Flicker

Downy Woodpecker

Northwestern Crow

Common Raven

Pacific-sloped Flycatcher

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Brown Creeper

Bewick's Wren

Bushtit

American Robin

Swainson’s Thrush

European Starling

Warbling Vireo

Orange-crowned Warbler

Yellow Warbler

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Black-throated Warbler

Wilson Warbler

Black-headed Grosbeak

Dark-eyed Junco

Spotted Towhee

American Goldfinch

Song Sparrow

Purple Finch

House Finch

Wednesday, May 22:

A Pileated Woodpecker is visiting a suet feeder at the third floor on Boundary Road in Nanaimo.

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, May 21, 2019  The Tuesday bird walk went to Springwood Park in Parksville.  The morning was mostly sunny with calm winds. Turkey Vultures, Bald Eagles, two Red-tailed Hawks and a Cooper’s Hawk were soaring high overhead.  A Brown Creeper entertained us for a long while as we watched it gathering nesting material, going into a cavity in a tree and then came out to look for more material.  A colourful male Western Tanager was spotted at the top of a conifer tree.  A  Red-breasted Nuthatch was seen feeding on a tree close to the trail.  A newly hatched Rufous Hummingbird chick was resting on a tree branch at eye level close to the trail--an awesome sighting.  Bewick’s Wrens, Swainson's Thrush, Chipping Sparrows and Warbling Vireos were heard all morning.

 Red-tailed Hawk: Ralph Hocken Photo:


Twenty-one birders including visiting birders from Victoria saw and heard the following forty species:
Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
Coopers Hawk
Anna's Hummingbird
Rufous Hummingbird
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Northwestern Crow
Bewick’s Wren
Swainson's Thrush
American Robin
European Starling
Tree Swallow
Brown Creeper
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Orange-crowned Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Wilson's Warbler
Townsend’s Warbler
Western Tanager
Spotted Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Brown-headed Cowbird
Red-winged Blackbird
Dark-eyed Junco
Black-headed Grosbeak
Purple Finch
American Goldfinch
Pine Siskin

Monday, May 20:
Two  Evening Grosbeaks were visiting a backyard feeder ,at Seven Street and Douglas Avenue.

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 Tuesday Bird Walk on May 28, 2019 will be going to Shelly Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville.  Meet at the Parksville Community Park (near the Lions Club playground parking area) in Parksville at 9:00 am, or at the end of Shelly Road on the ocean side of Highway 19a in Parkville at about 9:10 a.m. 

The Sunday Bird Walk on June 02, 2019 will be going to Lindsey Valley in Nanaimo. Meet at the Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store (6314 Metral Drive in Nanaimo) at 9:00 am or at the parking along Burma Road off Lost Lake Road off at about 9:20 am.

Thank you so much everyone for your kind words on our retirement.  We will miss you all.

 Good birding to all.

Neil & Marilynne Robins

The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store
6314 Metral Drive V9T-2L8
Phone: 250-390-3669
Email: thebackyard@shaw.ca
Blog: www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com

Happy Second Retirement Neil and Marilynne!

Neil and Marilynne have been an integral part of the store for the last 17 years, but these two will be having new adventures without us after May 26. We would like to invite customers to come and join us at the store this Sunday, May 26, to wish Neil and Marilynne luck on their second attempt at retirement! When: May 26 (12:00pm - 4:30pm) Where: The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store Enjoy your new found freedom and make the most of it! From:  Colin, Jason, Nicole, Carol, Nancy, Bob and Glen

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, May 21, 2019

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, May 21, 2019

The Tuesday bird walk went to Springwood Park in Parksville.  The morning was mostly sunny with calm winds. Turkey Vultures, Bald Eagles, two Red-tailed Hawks and a Cooper’s Hawk were soaring high overhead.  A Brown Creeper entertained us for a long while as we watched it gathering nesting material, going into a cavity in a tree and then came out to look for more material.  A colourful male Western Tanager was spotted at the top of a conifer tree.  A  Red-breasted Nuthatch was seen feeding on a tree close to the trail.  A newly hatched Rufous Hummingbird chick was resting on a tree branch at eye level close to the trail--an awesome sighting.  Bewick’s Wrens, Swainson's Thrush, Chipping Sparrows and Warbling Vireos were heard all morning.

           Red-tailed Hawk: Ralph Hocken Photo:

Twenty-one birders including visiting birders from Victoria saw and heard the following forty species:

Turkey Vulture

Bald Eagle

Red-tailed Hawk

Coopers Hawk
Anna's Hummingbird

Rufous Hummingbird

Downy Woodpecker

Hairy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Pileated Woodpecker

Pacific-slope Flycatcher

Northwestern Crow
Bewick’s Wren

Swainson's Thrush

American Robin

European Starling

Tree Swallow

Brown Creeper

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Warbling Vireo

Red-eyed Vireo

Orange-crowned Warbler

Yellow Warbler

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Common Yellowthroat

Wilson's Warbler

Townsend’s Warbler

Western Tanager

Spotted Towhee

Chipping Sparrow

Song Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Brown-headed Cowbird

Red-winged Blackbird

Dark-eyed Junco

Black-headed Grosbeak

Purple Finch

American Goldfinch

Pine Siskin

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 May 26, 2019 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 9:15am.

The Tuesday Bird Walk on May 28, 2019 will be going to the Englishman River, Shelly Road side in Parksville.  Meet at the Parksville Community Park (near the Lions Club playground parking area) in Parksville at 9:00 am, or at end of Shelly Road on the ocean side of highway 19a in Parkville at about 9:10 a.m. 

Good birding
Neil Robins

The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store
6314 Metral Drive V9T-2L8
Phone: 250-390-3669
Email: thebackyard@shaw.ca
Blog: www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com

Mourning Dove

A Mourning Dove has been visiting a backyard along Meridian Way in Parksville for the past two days, May 18 and 19, 2019:

Neil Robins
Parksville

The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store Weekly Bird Report

Nanaimo Bird Report, May 19, 2019
“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.
*********************************************************

BIRD REPORT, May 19, 2019
The Sunday bird walk went to Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo. The morning was mostly sunny with a calm winds.  A Pied-billed Grebe was seen diving on the marsh.  We heard and saw several Black-headed Grosbeaks and saw a male Black-headed Grosbeak  sitting on a nest.  Common Yellowthroats were heard for most of the morning.  Two Red-tailed Hawks and a Cooper’s Hawk were spotted overhead. We watched a Downy Woodpecker moving up a tree trunk, feeding along the way.  Several Band-tailed Pigeons flew overhead past the marsh.  Violet-green Swallows, Purple Martins and Tree Swallows were seen hawking insects for a good part of the morning.

Black-headed Grosbeak: Linda Stevens photo:

Twenty-one birders saw and heard the following thirty-nine species:
Canada Geese
Wood Duck
Mallard
Pie-billed Grebe
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
Bald Eagle
Turkey Vulture
Red-tailed Hawk
Cooper’s Hawk
Band-tailed Pigeon

Rock Pigeon
Eurasian-collared Dove
Common Raven
Downy Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
 Rufous Hummingbird
Anna’s Hummingbird
Warbling Vireo
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Brown Creeper
Red-breasted Nuthatch
 American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
Violet-green Swallow
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
 Orange-crowned Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Red-winged Blackbird
Black-headed Grosbeak
American Goldfinch
Pine Siskin
House Sparrows

Wednesday, May 15:
A Whimbrel was seen feeding on the Kite Fields at the Parksville Community Park.  

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, May 14, 2019: 

The Tuesday bird walk went to Lot Ten in north Qualicum Beach.  The morning started with rain showers but soon the showers stopped and the winds were calm.  A Black Swift flew high overhead at the start of the walk. Swainson's Thrush were heard all morning.  We heard and saw a large number of Warbling Vireos during the morning.   A Red-breasted Sapsucker was tapping its musical song on a tree trunk.  A Belted Kingfisher was seen fishing from a perch near the river.  Two Spotted Sandpipers were flying just over the river.  Tree Swallows, Violet-green Swallows and a Northern Rough-winged Swallow were seen flying and hawking insects over the river.  Two Western Tanagers were seen in a tree near the trail.  A female Black-headed Grosbeak was on the ground.

Spotted Sandpiper: Ralph Hocken Photo:

Eleven birders saw and heard the following thirty-nine species:

Common Merganser

Turkey Vulture

Bald Eagle

Spotted Sandpiper

Belted Kingfisher

Pileated Woodpecker

Red-breasted Sapsucker

Northern Flicker

Pacific-slope Flycatcher

Willow Flycatcher

Black Swift

Tree Swallow

Violet-green Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Warbling Vireo

Hutton’s Vireo

Common Raven
Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Pacific Wren
Swainson's Thrush

American Robin

Varied Thrush

European Starling

Orange-crowned Warbler

Black-throated Gray Warbler

Wilson's Warbler

Townsend’s Warbler

Yellow Warbler

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Western Tanager

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Black-headed Grosbeak

Purple Finch

Red Crossbill

Pine Siskin

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 Tuesday Bird Walk on May 21, 2019 will be going to Springwood Park in Parksville.  Meet at the Parksville Community Park (near the Lions Club playground parking area) in Parksville at 9:00 am, or at the west end of Despaird Avenue in Parkville at about 9:10 a.m. 

The Sunday Bird Walk on May 26, 2019 will be going to Neck Point 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 9:15 am.

Good birding
Neil Robins

The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store
6314 Metral Drive V9T-2L8
Phone: 250-390-3669
Email: thebackyard@shaw.ca
Blog: www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, May 14, 2019

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, May 14, 2019

The Tuesday bird walk went to Lot Ten in north Qualicum Beach.  The morning started with rain showers but soon the showers stopped and the winds were calm.  A Black Swift flew high overhead at the start of the walk. Swainson's Thrush were heard all morning.  We heard and saw a large number of Warbling Vireos during the morning.   A Red-breasted Sapsucker was tapping it’s musical song on a tree trunk.  A Belted Kingfisher was seen fishing from a perch near the river.  Two Spotted Sandpipers were flying just  over the river. 

Tree Swallows, Violet-green Swallows and a Northern Rough-winged Swallow were seen flying and hawking insects over the river.  Two Western Tanagers were seen in a tree near the trail.  A female Black-headed Grosbeak was on the ground.

      Spotted Sandpiper: Ralph Hocken Photo:

Eleven birders saw and heard the following thirty-nine species:

Common Merganser

Turkey Vulture

Bald Eagle
Spotted Sandpiper

Belted Kingfisher

Pileated Woodpecker

Red-breasted Sapsucker

Northern Flicker

Pacific-slope Flycatcher

Willow Flycatcher

Black Swift

Tree Swallow 

Violet-green Swallow

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Warbling Vireo

Hutton’s Vireo

Common Raven

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Pacific Wren

Swainson's Thrush

American Robin

Varied Thrush

European Starling

Orange-crowned Warbler

Black-throated Gray Warbler

Wilson's Warbler

Townsend’s Warbler

Yellow Warbler

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Western Tanager

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Black-headed Grosbeak

Purple Finch

Red Crossbill

Pine Siskin

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 May 19, 2019 will be going to Buttertubs Marsh 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 Buttertubs Marsh off Bowen Park Road at about 9:15am.

The Tuesday Bird Walk on May 21, 2019 will be going to Springwood Park in Parksville.  Meet at the Parksville Community Park (near the Lions Club playground parking area) in Parksville at 9:00 am, or at the west end of Despard Avenue in Parkville at about 9:10 a.m. 

Good birding
Neil Robins

The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store
6314 Metral Drive V9T-2L8
Phone: 250-390-3669
Email: thebackyard@shaw.ca
Blog: www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com