The Backyard Wildbird
and Nature Store
Nanaimo Bird Report
February 27, 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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Saturday February 22, 2020:
Another report of a Turkey Vulture was seen flying near the Woodgrove Centre Mall in North Nanaimo.
Photo: Turkey Vulture (S. Petersen)
Saturday February 22, 2020:
A Cackling
Goose was seen at the Brookwood pond accessible off Brookwood Drive.
We have had reports of swallows being seen at Brannon Lake and at Divers Lake in Nanaimo.
Sunday February 23, 2020:
The Sunday Bird Walk went to Buttertubs Marsh. Weather was not the best, low cloud and rain which was heavy at times and +2. The beginning of the walk we Steller’s Jay, California Quail, Red-winged Blackbirds and the usual sparrows but the marsh was quiet at that end. Near the miner’s shack we hear a Virginia Rail and saw a Anna’s Hummingbird sitting on a nest. The ducks were all hanging out at the south west corner of the marsh where we saw Hooded and Common Merganser, Bufflehead, Pied-billed Grebe and Wood Ducks. We also had a great view of the difference between a Cackling Goose and a Canada Goose as they were side by side. A juvenile Red-tailed Hawk was seen and then was checked out by a Sharp-shinned Hawk.
15 birders heard and saw the following 44 species:
Canada Goose
Cackling Goose
Wood Duck
Mallard
Ring-necked Duck
Bufflehead
Common Merganser
Hooded Merganser
California Quail
Pied-billed Grebe
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Virginia Rail
Glaucous-winged Gull
Rock Pigeon
Eurasian Collared Dove
Anna’s Hummingbird
Northern Flicker
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Steller’s Jay
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Brown Creeper
Bushtit
Bewick’s Wren
Marsh Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
American Robin
Varied Thrush
Cedar Waxwing
European Starling
Spotted Towhee
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Red-winged Blackbird
House Finch
Purple Finch
Pine Siskin
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
Monday February 24, 2020:
19 Snow Geese were seen at the Little Qualicum River Estuary.
Photo: Snow Goose (R. Hocken)
Tuesday February 25, 2020:
The Tuesday Bird Walk went to Little Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum Beach. The weather was +4 and cloudy with a few little showers. We started at the Brant viewing stand at Qualicum Beach where we saw Scoters, American Wigeon, and Black Oystercatchers but no Brant. We then moved over to the end of Surfside drive off of Kinkade Road where we saw 21 Snow Geese in the estuary along with Northern Pintail, White and Golden-crowned Sparrows. On the beach we saw Long-tailed Duck, Common Goldeneye, Greater Scaup, and Pacific loon. At the mouth of the river there were plenty of Mew Gulls, a couple of Bald Eagles, and a Belted Kingfisher.
10 birders saw and heard the following 44 species:
Snow Goose
Canada Goose
American Wigeon
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Greater Scaup
Harlequin Duck
Surf Scoter
Black Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Common Loon
Pacific Loon
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Black Oystercatcher
Black-bellied Plover
Black Turnstone
Dunlin
Mew Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Anna's Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Northern Flicker
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Bushtit
American Robin
European Starling
Spotted Towhee
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Red-winged Blackbird
House Finch
Tuesday February 25, 2020:
A Black-headed Grosbeak was seen in a backyard on Trevors Road in the Cinnabar area.
Black-Headed Grosbeak (photo by L. Thomas)
Backyard
Feeder Notes:
Spring must be near with the sightings of Turkey Vultures, Black-headed Grosbeak and swallows in the past week. Buttertubs Marsh is very active including a few unusual sightings like White-throated Sparrow, American Tree Sparrow and I heard that a Say’s Phoebe was also seen. Next is to watch for the warblers to begin arriving which usually starts with the Yellow-rump Warbler, and Orange-crowned Warblers. They can be seen in backyards as well as Buttertubs Marsh, Neck Point Park and Linley Valley to name just a few locations. As for backyard sighting we have received a few more reports of Evening Grosbeaks visiting backyard feeders and more reports of hawks, Sharp-shinned and Cooper’s Hawk, also visiting backyard feeders.
The Sunday Bird Walk March 1, 2020:
This Sunday Bird Walk will be going to Englishman River Estuary – Shelly Road in Parksville.
Meet at The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store at 9:00am or at the end of Shelly Road in Parksville at 9:15 am.
The Tuesday Bird Walk March 3, 2020:
This Tuesday Bird Walk will be going to 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 meet at the parking area on Admiral Tryon Blvd at 9:15 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!
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
