The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

Nanaimo Bird Report

September 25, 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.
*********************************************************

September 19:

Common Loon was seen out at Yellow Point

American Pipits were seen at the old Harwood school site on Howard avenue.


September 20:

A small flock of American Pipits were seen at the Nanaimo River Estuary perched on a fence near the large lagoon.

Approximately 30 Black Oystercatchers and 20 Harlequin Ducks were seen out at Yellow Point.


 September 22:

A Lewis’s Woodpecker was seen in a backyard at Cathers Lake in Nanaimo



Sunday September 22:

The Sunday Bird Walk went to Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville. The rain kept a lot of birders away and it was drizzling steadily at 0930. Four hardy souls showed up and we started the walk, setting up scopes near the beach to see what was out there. The rain tapered off and we did see quite a few birds at low tide offshore, but the best sighting was a small pod of Orcas! Passerines were very scarce, and we only managed to find these twenty species.

Thank you Bud for leading this walk.

Great Blue Heron, photo by Ralph Hocken

Four birders saw and heard the following twenty (20) species:

Common Loon

Pacific Loon

Red-necked Grebe

Horned Grebe

Double-crested Cormorant

Canada Goose

Great Blue Heron

Mallard

American Wigeon

Green-winged Teal

Surf Scoter

Glaucous-winged Gull

Northern Flicker

Northwestern Crow

American Robin

Spotted Towhee

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Fox Sparrow

Savannah Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Savannah Sparrow, photo by John Morrison

Tuesday September 24:

The Tuesday Bird Walk went to the Nanoose Bay Estuary at the end of Nanoose Beach road. The weather was sunny, winds were calm and the fog rolled in and out quickly. The tide was out making it a little harder to see some of the birds. In all it was a pretty good day for birding.

Fourteen (14) birders including a couple from the UK, saw and heard the following forty three (43) species:

Common Loon

Pacific Loon

Red-necked Grebe

Horned Grebe

Pelagic Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Canada Goose

Mallard

Green-winged Teal

Northern Pintail

Cooper’s Hawk

Red-tail Hawk

Turkey Vulture

Mew Gull

California Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Pigeon Guillemot

Band-tailed Pigeon

Belted Kingfisher

Anna’s Hummingbird

Pileated Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Northwestern Crow

Common Raven

Steller’s Jay

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Brown Creeper

Bushtit

Bewick’s Wren

American Robin

Cedar Waxwing

European Starling

Red-winged Blackbird

Spotted Towhee

Golden-crowned Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Fox Sparrow

Lincoln Sparrow

Savannah Sparrow

House Finch

Purple Finch

Red-tail Hawk, photo by Ralph Hocken.

Backyard Feeder Notes:

The finches are back and are they busy at my bird feeder. These days my chickadees and nuthatches are having a hard time getting any seed with all the finches in the feeder. Good numbers of House Finch along with some Pine Siskins and American Goldfinch in winter plumage. Need to add another feeder for just the finches. The Northern Flickers seem to be establishing territories already as I have one flicker that will chase other flickers away from the suet feeder. It’s entertaining to watch.

The Anna’s Hummingbirds are busy and it seems like there is a new butch of juveniles visiting the feeders. It will be interesting to see if we get any juveniles in November like I did last year.

House Finch, photo by Ralph Hocken

The Sunday Bird Walk September 29, 2019:

Will be going to the Nanaimo River Estuary at the end of Raines road in south Nanaimo. Meet at The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store at 9:00am or at the parking lot at 9:15 am.


The Tuesday Bird Walk October 1, 2019:

Will be going to Little Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum Beach. Meet at the Parksville Community Park (near the Lions Club playground parking area) in Parksville at 9:00 am. We will first meet at the Qualicum Beach viewing stand at 9:15 a.m. then at the north end of Surfside drive which is off Kinkade road off highway 19A at 9:40am.


Please Note:
Check this site (www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com) early Tuesday and Sunday on stormy mornings to see if the walks have been cancelled!



Good birding!

Colin Bartlett

The Backyard 

Wildbird and Nature Store
6314 Metral Drive V9T-2L8
Phone: 250-390-3669

Email: thebackyard@shaw.ca
Blog: www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com