The Backyard's Weekly Bird Walk locations are found in the Backyard Bird Report at the very end of the most recent report. Any cancellations will be posted by 8am the day of the walk.

Wednesday 25 September 2019




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

No comments: