The Backyard Wildbird and Nature
Store
Nanaimo
Bird Report
June
17, 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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Sunday June 16:
The Sunday Bird Walk went to Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo. Weather was sunny
breaks and the winds were calm. Our first sighting was a Pied-billed Grebe
sitting on a nest in the middle of the marsh, along with Wood Ducks, Mallards
and a couple of Western Painted Turtles sunning on a log. A highlight on the
seeing the Yellow-warbler nest and how hidden the adult was sitting on the
nest.
Yellow
Warbler, photo by John Morrison
Thirteen birders include a guest from
Mexico saw and heard the following thirty seven Species:
Pied-billed Grebe
Mallard
Wood Duck
Bald Eagle
Turkey Vulture
Band-tailed Pigeon
Eurasian Collared Dove
Anna’s Hummingbird
Rufous Hummingbird
Northern Flicker
Pacific-sloped Flycatcher
Common Raven
Northwestern Crow
Purple Martin
Violet-green Swallow
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Bushtit
Marsh Wren
Brown Creeper
Bewick's Wren
American Robin
Swainson’s Thrush
Orange-crowned Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Brewer’s Blackbird
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Western Tanager
Black-headed Grosbeak
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
House Finch
Pine Siskin
House Sparrow
Tuesday June 11:
The Tuesday bird walk went to the Englishman River Estuary on the
Plummer road side. The weather was sunny and winds were calm. The birds were
cooperating with some good looks at American Goldfinch, Anna’s Hummingbird, and
Cedar Waxwing. One exciting moment was watching a Bald Eagle attack a flock of
Common Merganser ducklings and seeing the power as the eagle hovered above like
a hummingbird.
Killdeer, photo by Ralph Hocken
Fourteen birders saw and heard the following forty one (41) species:
Canada Goose
Common Merganser
Great Blue Heron
Spotted Sandpiper
Killdeer
Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle
Glaucous-winged Gull
Band-tailed Pigeon
Eurasian-collared Dove
Anna’s Hummingbird
Rufous Hummingbird
Northern Flicker
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Pacific-sloped Flycatcher
Willow Flycatcher
Common Raven
Northwestern Crow
Violet-green Swallow
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Bushtit
Bewick’s Wren
American Robin
Swainson’s Thrush
Cedar Waxwing
European Starling
Orange-crowned Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Brewer’s Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Black-headed Grosbeak
Spotted Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
House Finch
Purple Finch
American Goldfinch
Pine Siskin
Friday June 14:
A
pair of Evening Grosbeak’s was seen at a backyard feeder near Cathers Lake and Westwood
road.
Saturday June 15:
Common Nighthawks were heard flying over Living
Forest Campground.
Sunday June 16:
Olive
sided Flycatcher was seen at Rathtrevor beach on a small snag to the left of
the children's climbing/slide nearest the beach.
Backyard Feeder Notes:
The juvenile birds have been the
entertainment lately. Young chickadees are about and along with all the Pine
Siskins and goldfinch the feeders are busy. Mother Downy Woodpecker brought her
young along and showed him the suet feeder which was interesting to watch how cautious
he was learning this new thing. We are receiving reports of more hummingbirds
visiting the feeders again which is a sign the young Rufous are fledging, but I
have noticed when it is hot and dry once the hummingbirds have finished their nesting
they head to the alpine areas quickly. We will watch and see if that happens
this year.
Cedar Waxwings have returned as well as
Common Nighthawks, which I heard my first ones this past Saturday evening over
the Living Forest Campground.
With summer here remember to provide a water
source and change your hummingbird feeders every two or three day and give the
feeders a cleaning at the same time.
Downy Woodpecker – female, photo by Ralph Hocken
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
June 18, 2019 will be
going to the Springwood Park at the end of Despard avenue. Meet at the
Parksville Community Park (near the Lions Club playground parking area) in
Parksville at 9:00 am, or at the dead end of Despard Avenue about 9:10
a.m.
The Sunday Bird Walk on
June 23, 2019 will be going to Hemer
park in Cedar. Meet at the Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store (6314 Metral
Drive in Nanaimo) at 9:00 am or at the parking lot at the end of Hemer road
about 9:20 am.
Good birding!
Colin Bartlett
