Nanaimo weekly Bird Report November 20, 2019

The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

Nanaimo Bird Report

November 20, 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 November 17, 2019:

The Sunday Bird Walk went to the Englishman River Estuary on the Plummer road side in Parksville. The weather was cool, cloudy, light wind and the tide was high. The walk started off very quiet but was busier as we walked out to the estuary. A Northern Harrier provided some action and perched on a post for all to see. There were also lots of American Widgeon, Common and Red-breasted Mergansers.  

Photo: Common Goldeneye (Ralph Hocken)

Ten birders saw and heard the following 46 species 

Canada Goose

American Widgeon

Mallard

Northern Pintail

Green-winged Teal

Harlequin Duck

Surf Scoter

Black Scoter

Bufflehead

Common Goldeneye

Common Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

Common Loon

Pacific Loon

Horned Grebe

Red-necked Grebe

Double-crested Cormorant

Pelagic Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Bald Eagle

Northern Harrier

Black Oystercatcher

Killdeer

Bonaparte’s Gull

Mew Gull

Thayer’s Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

California Gull

Anna’s Hummingbird

Belted Kingfisher

Northern Flicker

Northwestern Crow

Common Raven

Steller’s Jay

Bewick’s Wren

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

American Robin

Spotted Towhee

Golden-crowned Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Fox Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Brewer’s Blackbird

House Finch

Purple Finch

Sunday November 17,  2019:



A Short-eared Owl and Western Meadowlarks were seen at the Nanaimo River Estuary.



Tuesday November 19, 2019:



An unconfirmed report of a Tropical Kingbird was reported in Port Hardy.

 

Tuesday November 19, 2019:

The Tuesday Bird Walk went to the other side of the Englishman River Estuary at the end of Shelley road in Parksville. Weather was a mix of sun and cloud, cool temperature with light winds and the tide was high. Highlights for the walk were 2 American Pipits, Northern Harrier and a Northern Shrike. To end the walk a flock of Trumpeters Swans flew over the parking lot.

Fifteen birders heard and saw the following 51 species:

Canada Geese

Trumpeter Swan

American Widgeon

Eurasian Widgeon

Mallard

Northern Pintail

Green-winged Teal

Bufflehead

Common Goldeneye

Red-breasted Merganser

Common Merganser

Common Loon

Double-crested Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Bald Eagle

Northern Harrier

Cooper’s Hawk

Peregrine Falcon

Mew Gull

Thayer’s Gull

California Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Anna’s Hummingbird

Belted Kingfisher

Downy Woodpecker

Hairy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Northern Shrike

Northwestern Crow

Common Raven

Steller’s Jay

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Brown Creeper

Bushtit

Bewick’s Wren

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

American Robin

Varied Thrush

European Starling

American Pipit

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

Fox Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Brewer’s Blackbird

Red-winged Blackbird

House Finch

Pine Siskin

House Sparrow

Photo: Brown Creeper (Ralph Hocken)

Backyard Feeder Notes:

So an update on the backyard battles with the four legged friends. Moving the shepherd hook a little farther away from the railing has stopped the raccoons but squirrel can easily jump this distance. So to save some seed for the birds I changed my feeder to the squirrel buster and now I do not see squirrels in my feeder all the time. I just wish I was around to watch the first time the squirrel got on the feeder and see its reaction. All the birds have taken to the new feeder except for the towhee which has tried but is not sure of the feeder yet. So it is feeding under the  feeder and amongst the shrubs. As for the suet I changed to the hot pepper suet and that has stopped the squirrel as well and now the suet lasts about four days instead of two. As revenge the squirrel decided to destroy the wood suet feeder. Now when I watch the bird feeders all I enjoy is watching the birds, although the squirrels did provide some exercise for us a we chased them out of the feeder.

Finally saw a Varied Thrush in the backyard on Sunday. They are a beautiful bird and it’s great to hear them first thing in the morning especially when it is foggy. A couple of other birds to watch for at the suet feeder are Townsend’s Warbler and Bewick’s Wren. The Bewick’s Wren is a common backyard bird but does not bother with the seed feeders and the Townsend’s Warbler will winter here and when insects are tough to find they will feed on suet as an alternate food source.

Photo: Bewick’s Wren (Ralph Hocken)

 

The Sunday Bird Walk November 24, 2019:

This week the Sunday bird walk will be going to Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo.

Meet at The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store at 9:00am or meet at the end of Buttertubs drive off Bowen road at 9:10 am.

  

The Tuesday Bird Walk November 26, 2019:

This week the Tuesday Bird Walk will be going to the Nanoose Bay estuary.

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 meet at the end of Nanoose Beach road at 9:15.

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