Nanaimo Weekly Bird Report October 24, 2019

The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

Nanaimo Bird Report

October 24,2019

“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 October 20, 2019:

The Sunday Bird Walk went to Neck Point Park. The weather was a steady wind and on and off again showers. The water was choppy but there were plenty of Pacific Loons to see, along with a few Common Loons, Red-necked Grebes and a Rhinoceros Auklet. It was quiet in the woods as well but was able to see a Varied Thrush long the trail with other sparrows.

11 birders braved the windy wet weather and observed and heard 24 species:

Common Loon

Pacific Loon

Horned Grebe

Red-necked Grebe

Pelagic Cormorant

Double-crested Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Harlequin Duck

Bald Eagle

Black Oystercatcher

Mew Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Rhinoceros Auklet

Belted Kingfisher

Northern Flicker

Common Raven

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Bewick’s Wren

American Robin

Varied Thrush

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Photo: Pacific Loon (Ralph Hocken)

  

Monday October 21, 2019:

7 Snow Geese were seen at the Parksville Community Park feeding during the rainy windy day.

Tuesday October 22, 2019:

The Tuesday Bird Walk went to the Plummer road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. Weather started out sunny with clam winds but by the end of the walk there was a steady breeze with clouds as a weather system seemed to be moving in. Some of the highlights from the walk were, a Cooper’s Hawk then a Peregrine Falcon flew over us while a Merlin was perched atop a tree. In the estuary were Long-billed Dowitchers, Dunlin, and on the water we saw Western Grebe Bufflehead and a Rhinoceros Auklet. A highlight of the walk was the female Mountain Bluebird seen at the end of Mariner Drive at the gallery.

17 birders heard and saw the following 60 species:

Pacific Loon

Common Loon

Western Grebe

Red-necked Grebe

Horned Grebe

Pelagic Cormorant

Double-crested Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Canada Geese

Cackling Goose

American Widgeon

Eurasian Widgeon

Mallard

Bufflehead

Northern Pintail

Green-winged Teal

Gadwall

Greater Scaup

Harlequin Duck

Surf Scoter

White-winged Scoter

Common Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Cooper’s Hawk

Bald Eagle

Merlin

Peregrine Falcon

Long-billed Dowitcher

Dunlin

Black-bellied Plover

Bonaparte’s Gull

Mew Gull

California Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Rhinoceros Auklet

Belted Kingfisher

Anna’s Hummingbird

Northern Flicker

Downy Woodpecker

Common Raven

Northwestern Crow

Steller’s Jay

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Bewick’s Wren

Pacific Wren

Bushtit

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

American Robin

Red-winged Blackbird

Brewer’s Blackbird

Mountain Bluebird

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

Fox Sparrow

White-crowned sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

House Finch

Pine Siskin

Photo: Mountain Bluebird, female (R. Hocken)

Backyard Feeder Notes:

The steady activity at the bird feeders is wonderful to watch. My suet feeder is always busy with the flickers, chickadees, nuthatches but now the Dark-eyed Juncos are starting to take over the suet feeder. I am hoping to see one other visit the suet feeder this winter, the Townsend’s Warbler. This visitor usually makes an appearance once a year and it is great to see the beautiful yellow marking on the head as they light up the backyard.

A couple of starlings have visited the feeder which is earlier than the last few years but so far that is it. When the flocks of starlings begin to arrive I change my suet feeder to the upside down suet feeder to help deter the starlings but allow the chickadees, nuthatch and woodpeckers still.

Don’t forget to keep a supply of water throughout the winter as well.

Photo: Townsend’s Warbler with Anna’s Hummingbird

The Sunday Bird Walk October 27, 2019:

Will be going to Nanaimo River Estuary in Nanaimo. Meet at The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store at 9:00am or at the parking lot at the end of Raines road in Cedar at 9:20 am.

The Tuesday Bird Walk October 29, 2019:

Will be going to Rathtrevor Beach in Parksville.

NEW MEETING LOCATION – meet at the Parksville Tourist Information Center parking lot, located by Hwy 19A, Northwest Bay road and Franklin’s Gull road in Parksville, at 9:00 am or at Rathtrevor Beach, parking lot #1 at 9:10 am.

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