The Backyard's Weekly Bird Walk locations are found in the Backyard Bird Report at the very end of the most recent report. Any cancellations will be posted by 8am the day of the walk.

Saturday 23 May 2020


The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store



Nanaimo Bird Report

May 23, 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: Rose-breasted Grosbeak (internet)



Sunday May 17, 2020



Rose-breasted Grosbeak was seen at the end of Lockinvar Lane on Gabriola Island.



Western Tanager and 2 Evening Grosbeaks were seen in a backyard on Plummer Road  in San Pareil Parksville



Monday May 18, 2020:



House Wren was heard singing in the area of Eagle Crescent and Thunderbird Drive Nanaimo.



Tuesday  May 19, 2020:



Mandarin Duck continues to be seen at the Morning Star Pond, and has been seen with ducklings and a female Wood Duck.


Thursday May 21, 2020:



Cinnamon Teal was seen at the Nanaimo River Estuary from the Maki Road side.


Friday May 22, 2020:



Barred Owl was heard calling in the early hours in the hospital area of Forest Drive and Honeysuckle Terrace.




Photo: Evening Grosbeak (Malcolm)



Backyard Feeder Notes:



With juvenile birds now beginning to leave the nest we begin to receive more inquiries about what bird is this. For some bird species the juvenile birds will look completely different than the adults such as the Spotted Towhee and Dark-eyed Junco. These juveniles along with some others look like an LBB (little brown bird) with no unique markings. Many identification guides only show the adult birds in breeding plumage when they look their best so it can be hard to identify the juveniles. One way is to observe the bird and watch whom it is associating but look at the shape, size and habits to help with the identification. There is one exception to using association to identify and that is the Brown-headed Cowbird. This species will lay their eggs in another birds nest and the host birds will do all the work. Juvenile Cowbird can be twice the size as their host parents.

If you are looking for a good online app to use try Merlin by The Cornell Lab.

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The Sunday and Tuesday Bird Walks

temporarily postponed

Please watch for further updates when the walks will resume.





Here is a list of birds seen in Springwood Park in Parksville on one of the Tuesday Bird Walks last May. Forty species were seen and heard:



Turkey Vulture

Bald Eagle

Red-tailed Hawk

Coopers Hawk
Anna's Hummingbird


Rufous Hummingbird

Downy Woodpecker

Hairy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Pileated Woodpecker

Pacific-slope Flycatcher

Northwestern Crow
Bewick’s Wren


Swainson's Thrush

American Robin

European Starling

Tree Swallow

Brown Creeper

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Warbling Vireo

Red-eyed Vireo

Orange-crowned Warbler

Yellow Warbler

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Common Yellowthroat

Wilson's Warbler

Townsend’s Warbler

Western Tanager

Spotted Towhee

Chipping Sparrow

Song Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Brown-headed Cowbird

Red-winged Blackbird

Dark-eyed Junco

Black-headed Grosbeak

Purple Finch

American Goldfinch

Pine Siskin


Photo: Spotted Towhee juvenile (R. Hocken)



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

NEW WEBSITE: www.thebackyard.ca

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