The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

Nanaimo Bird Report

March 5, 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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Photo: Say’s Phoebe (J. Purves)

Friday February 28, 2020:

A Say’s Phoebe was seen at Buttertubs Marsh along the main dyke near the turtle nest area.

Sunday March 1, 2020:

The Sunday Bird Walk went to the Englishman River Estuary, Shelly road. Weather was overcast with a few sunny breaks and a cool steady breeze. 2 Hutton’s Vireos were heard just up the trail from the parking lot but we were unable to spot them. There was pleanty to see in the estuary including a pod of Killer Whales. In the open field a Northern Shrike and a Copper’s Hawk were seen along with a Merlin that flew by us with its prey.

18 birders heard and saw the following 52 species:



Canada Goose

Trumpeter Swan

Gadwall

American Widgeon

Mallard

Northern Pintail

Green-winged Teal

Surf Scoter

Bufflehead

Common Goldeneye

Common Merganser

Hooded Merganser

California Quail

Pacific Loon

Common Loon

Great Blue Heron

Bald Eagle

Cooper’s Hawk

Merlin

Black-bellied Plover

Mew Gull

Thayer’s Gull

California Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Anna’s Hummingbird

Downy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Pileated Woodpecker

Northern Shrike

Hutton’s Vireo

Northwestern Crow

Common Raven

Steller’s Jay

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Bushtit

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Brown Creeper

Bewick’s Wren

Pacific Wren

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

American Robin

European Starling

Spotted Towhee

White-crowned Sparrow

Golden-crowned sparrow

Fox Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

House Finch

Pine Siskin

House Sparrow



Tuesday March 3, 2020:

We have had reports of swallows being seen at Buttertubs Marsh, Brannon Lake and at Divers Lake in Nanaimo.

Photo: Tree Swallow (J. Morrison)

Tuesday March 3, 2020:



The Tuesday Bird Walk went to Columbia Beach. Weather was overcast with a stiff cool breeze. Seen from the parking lot were Brant and scoters flying by along with Harlequin Duck, Long-tailed Duck, Common and Pacific Loon. Further down at the next beach access Dunlin and a Black-bellied were seen on the beach. At French Creek a Ring-billed Gull was seen along with Common Merganser, American Wigeon and Mallards.

15 birders saw and heard the following 47 species:



Brant

Canada Geese

American Wigeon

Mallard

Northern Pintail

Harlequin Duck

Surf Scoter

White-winged Scoter

Long-tailed Duck

Bufflehead

Common Goldeneye

Red-breasted Merganser

Common Merganser

Pacific Loon

Common Loon

Horned Grebe

Red-Necked Grebe

Double-crested Cormorant

Bald Eagle

Black Turnstone

Black Oystercatcher

Killdeer

Black–bellied Plover

Dunlin

Mew Gull

Thayer’s Gull

California Gull

Ring-billed Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Eurasian Collared Dove

Rock Pigeon

Anna’s Hummingbird

Northern flicker

Northwestern Crow

Steller’s Jay

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Bewick’s Wren

Spotted Towhee

Song sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Red-winged Black Bird

House Finch

Pine Siskin

House Sparrow

Thursday March 5, 2020:



A Townsend’s Warbler was seen feeding at a backyard suet feeder on Honeysuckle Terrace in Nanaimo.



Evening Grosbeaks are being seen visiting a backyard feeder on Cavendish blvd, Nanaimo.

Photo: Evening Grosbeak (Malcolm)

The Sunday Bird Walk March 8, 2020:

This Sunday Bird Walk will be going to the Nanaimo River Estuary.

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

The Tuesday Bird Walk March 10, 2020:

This Tuesday Bird Walk will be going to the Nanoose Estuary.

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, off Arlington Road and Hwy 19, 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!

Good birding!

Colin Bartlett