Nanaimo Bird Walk June 30 2019

Sunday June 30:

There was no Sunday Bird Walk this week. The next Sunday Bird Walk will be on July28

Western Tanager, photo by John Morrison

Monday July 1:

30 plus Common Nighthawks were seen feeding above the Thunderbird / Forest neighborhood by the hospital for about 20 minutes

Tuesday July 2:

On July 2 the Tuesday bird walk went to Lot 10 in Qualicum Beach. The morning was overcast and winds light. Highlight of the walk was seeing the Black-throated Gray Warbler at the end of the walk. Out on the river we watched a Spotted Sandpiper along with Rough-winged Swallows flying low in front of us. We saw a beautiful male Western Tanager as we watched a young Northern Flicker poking its head out the nest waiting for lunch.

Black-throated Gray Warbler, photo by John Morrison

Thirteen birders saw and heard the following thirty one (31) species:

Great Blue Heron

Turkey Vulture

Bald Eagle

Spotted Sandpiper

Barred Owl

Anna’s Hummingbird

Belted Kingfisher

Northern Flicker

Red-breasted Sapsucker

Pacific-sloped Flycatcher

Common Raven

Violet-green Swallow

Tree Swallow

Rough-winged Swallow

Barn Swallow

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Brown Creeper

Bewick’s Wren

Pacific Wren

Warbling Vireo

American Robin

Swainson’s Thrush

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Black-throated Grey Warbler

Wilson Warbler

Orange-crowned Warbler

Western Tanager

Black-headed Grosbeak

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

Red Crossbills

Backyard Feeder Notes:

The juvenile birds are busy in the backyard these days with flickers, Pileated Woodpeckers, chickadees, nuthatch and starlings all busy following and begging for food. It’s fun to watch them as they feed until an adult arrives and then instantly beg to be fed until the adult leaves then go back to feeding for themselves, similar to a teenager.

The seed feeder is also busy with finches visiting but they do have a bit of competition with the squirrel.

The sparrows in my backyard are quiet but that’s because they are busy nesting with their second brood, should see them back at the feeders in a couple of weeks.

Common Nighthawks, photo by Steen Petersen

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: there will be no Tuesday Bird Walks until July 23, 2019.

On July 23 the walk will be going to the Englishman River Estuary, Plummer road. 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 at 9:10 a.m. 

The Sunday Bird Walk:   there will be no Sunday Bird Walks until July 28, 2019. Please check back for the location.

Good birding!

Colin Bartlett