Sunday & Tuesday Bird Walks Postponed

 Sunday and Tuesday Bird Walks will postponed until further notice.

We are postponing the walks for the next 14 days and according to the new provincial guidelines.

Thank you Colin Bartlett.

 

The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store 

Nanaimo Bird Report

November 21, 2020

“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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Steller’s Jay (J. Morrison)

NOTICES

-       The Sunday and Tuesday Bird Walks have been postponed until further notice. Please check www.thebirdstore.blogspot.ca for updates.

-       Access to the Nanaimo River Estuary by Raines Road is closed due to Covid-19

concerns.

Tuesday November 17, 2020:

The Tuesday Bird Walk was going to Columbia Beach but was cancelled due to  high winds and heavy rain.

Bufflehead (R. Hocken)

Sunday November 8, 2020:

The Sunday Bird Walk went to the Maki Road Trail. Weather was overcast with sunny breaks and was a cool day at 5 degrees. A few highlights on the walk were Cooper’s Hawk perched in the snag in the marsh, a mixed flock of Dunlin and Black-bellied Plovers on the sandbanks at the mouth of the Nanaimo River  and a flock of Double-crested Cormorants flying over the Nanaimo Estuary. Trumpeter Swans were heard but not seen.

16 Birders saw and heard the following 46 species:

Trumpeter Swan

Canada Goose

American Wigeon

Mallard

Northern Pintail

Bufflehead

Common Goldeneye

Barrow’s Goldeneye

Common Merganser

Hooded Merganser

Double-crested Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Northern Harrier

Copper’s Hawk

Red-tail Hawk

Bald Eagle

Dunlin

Black-bellied Plover

Bonaparte’s Gull

Mew Gull

Thayer’s Gull

California Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Anna's Hummingbird

Belted Kingfisher

Northern Flicker

Pileated Woodpecker

American Crow

Common Raven

Steller’s Jay

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Bushtit

Pacific Wren

Bewick’s Wren

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

American Robin

Spotted Towhee                

Song Sparrow

Fox Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Red-wing Blackbird

Purple Finch

Pine Siskin

House Sparrow

Ruby-crowned Kinglet (R. Hocken)

Sunday November 8, 2020:

A Snow Bunting was seen at Piper’s Lagoon, Nanaimo.

 The Backyard Bird Walks 

Our bird walks go out Sunday mornings in Nanaimo and Tuesday mornings in Parksville and Qualicum Beach area, are easy walks that go for two to three hours (back for lunch is the plan). Bring binoculars and a field guide.

Please check our blog (www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com) for any cancelations.

Covid-19 Precautions

·         Please do not attend if you have traveled outside of Canada in the last 14 days.

·         Do not attend if you have been sick or in contact with someone possibly sick in the last 14 days.

·         Please respect social distancing, 2 meters or 6 feet.

·         Wear your mask when unable to maintain social distancing.

Thank you.

The Tuesday Bird Walk

SORRY

CANCELED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE

The Sunday Bird Walk

SORRY

CANCELED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE 

Good birding! Colin Bartlett

The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

Nanaimo Bird Report November 14, 2020

“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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Townsend’s Warbler (K. Moore)

NOTICES

-       Access to the Nanaimo River Estuary by Raines Road is closed due to Covid-19

concerns.

Wednesday November 14, 2020:

Townsend’s Warbler is a regular visitor to a backyard suet feeder in the hospital area, Nanaimo.

Tuesday November 10, 2020:

The Tuesday Bird Walk went to Deep Bay. Weather was overcast, tide was coming in, no wind and 7 degrees. A few highlights from the walk were, Marbled Godwit and a  Whimbrel provided some great views along the shore and a Sharp-shinned Hawk perched atop a tree for all to see. A Bald Eagle also put on a show as it attempted to hunt amongst the ducks.

16 Birders saw and heard the following 52 species:

Canada Goose

Trumpeter Swan X Mute Swan Hybrid

American Widgeon

Mallard

Harlequin Duck

Surf Scoter

Black Scoter

White-winged Scoter

Long-tailed Duck

Bufflehead

Common Goldeneye

Red-breasted Merganser

Common Loon

Red-necked Grebe

Horned Grebe

Pelagic Cormorant

Double-crested Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Cooper’s Hawk

Bald Eagle

Black Turnstones

Black Oystercatcher

Whimbrel

Marbled Godwit

Mew Gull

Thayer’s Gull

California Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Marbled Murrelet

Anna’s Hummingbird

Belted Kingfisher

Northern Flicker

American Crow

Common Raven

Steller’s Jay

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Pacific Wren

American Robin

European Starling

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

White-crowned sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Brewer’s Blackbird

Red-winged Blackbird

House Finch

Pine Siskin

American Goldfinch

Graylag

Brewer’s Blackbird (R. Hocken)

Sunday November 8, 2020:

The Sunday Bird Walk went to the Englishman River Estuary but this time on the Plummer Road side. Weather was overcast with showers, a very windy day, tide was high and it was a cool day at 6 degrees. We started on the open water and once you could hold yourself up in the wind we saw Pacific and Common Loons, Surf and White-winged Scoters, Bufflehead and Red-necked Grebes. On the marsh side we saw Greater Yellowlegs, Dunlin, Peregrine Falcon hunting and White-winged Crossbill.

12 Birders saw and heard the following 46 species:

Canada Goose

American Wigeon

Eurasian Wigeon

Mallard

Northern Pintail

Green-winged Teal

Harlequin Duck

White-winged Scoter

Surf Scoter

Long-tailed Duck

Bufflehead

Common Goldeneye

Common Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

Common Loon

Pacific Loon

Horned Grebe

Red-necked Grebe

Great Blue Heron

Red-tail Hawk

Bald Eagle

Peregrine Falcon

Dunlin

Greater Yellowlegs

Mew Gull

Thayer’s Gull

California Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Anna's Hummingbird

Northern Flicker

American Crow

Common Raven

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Bushtit

Pacific Wren

Spotted Towhee                

Song Sparrow

Fox Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Brewer’s Blackbird

White-winged Crossbill

Red Crossbill

House Finch

Purple Finch

Pine Siskin

White-winged Crossbill (photo from internet)

 The Backyard Bird Walks

 

Our bird walks go out Sunday mornings in Nanaimo and Tuesday mornings in Parksville and Qualicum Beach area, weather pending. It is an easy walk that go for two to three hours (back for lunch is the plan). Bring binoculars and a field guide if you have them.

Please check our blog (www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com) for any cancelations.

Covid-19 Precautions

·         Please do not attend if you have traveled outside of Canada in the last 14 days.

·         Do not attend if you have been sick or in contact with someone possibly sick in the last 14 days.

·         Please respect social distancing, 2 meters or 6 feet.

·         Wear your mask when unable to maintain social distancing.

Thank you.

The Tuesday Bird Walk

November 17

Will be going to the Columbia Beach

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 the parking area on Admiral Tryon Blvd  at 9:20am.

The Sunday Bird Walk

November 15

Will be going to Maki Road Trail, located at the end of Maki Road by Living Forest RV Park Nanaimo B.C.

Meet at The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store at 9:00am or meet us at the parking lot at the end of Maki Road at 9:15am. 

Good birding! Colin Bartlett

The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

Nanaimo Bird Report November 7, 2020

“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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Pectoral Sandpiper (R. Hocken)

NOTICES

-       Access to the Nanaimo River Estuary by Raines Road is closed due to Covid

concerns.

Wednesday November 4, 2020:

Seen at Piper’s Lagoon Nanaimo, Dunlin, Pectoral Sandpiper, Ring-billed Gull and approximately 60 Red-breasted Mergansers.

White-throated Sparrow was seen at a backyard feeder in the area of Aulds road and Arbutus Crescent in Lantzville.

Tuesday November 3, 2020:

Iceland Gull was seen at the Nanaimo River Estuary from the Maki Road trail.

Tuesday November 3, 2020:

The Tuesday Bird Walk was going to go to Deep Bay but was cancelled due to weather. We will try again this Tuesday November 10 at Deep Bay.

Eurasian Wigeon (R. Hocken)

Sunday November 1, 2020:

2 Snow Geese were seen with a flock of Canada Geese at the Parksville Community Park  near the volleyball court.

The Sunday Bird Walk went to the Englishman River Estuary, Shelly Road. The weather was sunny with no wind and seven degrees.a few highlights from the walk were Kestral, Lesser Yellowlegs, Virginia Rail, and a Barred Owl perched in the open beside the trail for all to see.

17 Birders saw and heard the following 54 species:

Canada Goose

American Wigeon

Eurasian Wigeon

Mallard

Northern Pintail

Harlequin Duck

White-winged Scoter

Surf Scoter

Bufflehead

Common Goldeneye

Common Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

Hooded Merganser

Common Loon

Horned Grebe

Double-crested Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Cooper’s Hawk

Bald Eagle

Kestral

Virginia Rail

Killdeer

Lesser Yellowlegs

Mew Gull

Thayer’s Gull

California Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Barred Owl

Anna's Hummingbird

Belted Kingfisher

Northern Flicker

American Crow

Common Raven

Steller’s Jay

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Brown Creeper

Bushtit

Pacific Wren

Bewick’s Wren

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

American Robin

European Starling

Spotted Towhee                

Song Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Red Crossbill

House Finch

Purple Finch

Pine Siskin

House Sparrow

Spotted Towhee (R. Hocken)

 The Backyard Bird Walks 

Our bird walks go out Sunday mornings in Nanaimo and Tuesday mornings in Parksville and Qualicum Beach area, are easy walks that go for two to three hours (back for lunch is the plan). Bring binoculars and a field guide.

Please check our blog (www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com) for any cancelations.

Covid-19 Precautions

·         Please do not attend if you have traveled outside of Canada in the last 14 days.

·         Do not attend if you have been sick or in contact with someone possibly sick in the last 14 days.

·         Please respect social distancing, 2 meters or 6 feet.

·         Wear your mask when unable to maintain social distancing.

Thank you.

The Tuesday Bird Walk

November 10

Will be going to the Deep Bay, again. 

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 the marina parking lot in Deep Bay at 9:20am.

The Sunday Bird Walk

November 8

Will be going to the Englishman River Estuary – Plummer Raod, Parksville

Meet at The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store at 9:00am or meet us at the parking lot at the end of Mariner Way in Parksville at 9:15am. 

Good birding! Colin Bartlett

Bird Walk Cancelled

 Good morning, today’s Tuesday Bird Walk November 3,has been canceled due to weather. 

We will go to Deep Bay next Tuesday. 

 

The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

Nanaimo Bird Report

October 31, 2020

“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.
*********************************************************

Great Blue Heron (J. Morrison)

NOTICES

-       Access to the Nanaimo River Estuary by Raines Road is closed due to Covid

concerns.

Saturday October 31, 2020:

Dunlin were seen at Piper’s Lagoon in Nanaimo.

Friday October 29, 2020:

2 Turkey Vultures were seen soaring over Lantzville near the highway.

An unusual sighting of 2 Sanderlings were seen at Brookwood Marsh in Nanaimo

Tuesday October 27, 2020:

The Tuesday Bird Walk went to the Little Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum Beach. Weather was overcast with a light breeze. The first stop was at the Brant Viewing stand at the end of Qualicum Beach where Black and Surf Scoters were seen along with Bufflehead, Common Loon, Pacific Loon and Long-tailed Duck. Other highlights from the estuary were Common Goldeneye, Green-winged Teal, Red-tailed Hark and lots of Bald Eagles.

13 birders saw and heard the following  44 species:

Canada Goose

American Wigeon

Mallard

Green-winged Teal

Harlequin Duck

Surf Scoter

Black Scoter

Long-tailed Duck

Bufflehead

Common Goldeneye

Common Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

Common Loon

Pacific Loon

Horned Grebe

Red-necked Grebe

Double-crested Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Bald Eagle

Red-tailed Hawk

Killdeer

Black Turnstone

Black Oystercatcher

Bonaparte’s Gull

Mew Gull

California Gull

Thayer’s Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Anna’s Hummingbird

Belted Kingfisher

Northern Flicker

American Crow

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

American Robin

European Starling

Brewer’s Blackbird

Red-winged Blackbird

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

House Finch

Purple Finch

Pine Siskin

Bufflehead (R. Hocken)

Sunday October 25, 2020:

Trumpeter Swans, Snow Geese and over 100 Bald Eagles were seen at the Little Qualicum River Estuary near the mouth of the river.

The Sunday Bird Walk went to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo. The weather was overcast with a steady cool breeze. Just before we started the walk a flock of 18 Trumpeter Swans flew over the parking lot heading south. Out on the water a few highlights were Common Goldeneye, Bufflehead, White-winged Scoters and Harlequin Duck.

13 Birders saw and heard the following 37 species:

Canada Goose

Trumpeter Swan

American Wigeon

Mallard

Harlequin Duck

White-winged Scoter

Bufflehead

Common Goldeneye

Common Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

Pacific Loon

Common Loon

Horned Grebe

Red-necked Grebe

Pelagic Cormorant

Double-crested Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Bald Eagle

Black Oystercatcher

Mew Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Anna's Hummingbird

Belted Kingfisher

Northern Flicker

Common Raven

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Pacific Wren

Bewick’s Wren

American Robin

Spotted Towhee                

Fox Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Red Crossbill

House Finch

Purple Finch

Pine Siskin

Thursday October 22, 2020:

A Parasitic Jaeger was seen off the beach at Piper’s Lagoon in Nanaimo.

Pine Siskin (J. Morrison)

 The Backyard Bird Walks 

Our bird walks go out Sunday mornings in Nanaimo and Tuesday mornings in Parksville and Qualicum Beach area, are easy walks that go for two to three hours (back for lunch is the plan). Bring binoculars and a field guide.

Please check our blog (www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com) for any cancelations.

Covid-19 Precautions

·         Please do not attend if you have traveled outside of Canada in the last 14 days.

·         Do not attend if you have been sick or in contact with someone possibly sick in the last 14 days.

·         Please respect social distancing, 2 meters or 6 feet.

·         Wear your mask when unable to maintain social distancing.

Thank you.

The Tuesday Bird Walk

November 3

Will be going to the Deep Bay 

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 the marina parking lot in Deep Bay at 9:20am.

The Sunday Bird Walk

November 1

Will be going to the Englishman River Estuary – Shelly Road, Parksville

Meet at The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store at 9:00am or meet us at the parking lot at the end of Shelly Road in Parksville at 9:15am. 

Good birding! Colin Bartlett

The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

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

NEW WEBSITE: www.thebackyard.ca