The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

 

Nanaimo Bird Report

August 26, 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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Common Loon (R. Hocken)

August 25, 2020:

The Tuesday Bird Walk started off at the Brant viewing stand and then went to the Little Qualicum Fish Hatchery.  The weather was sunny with a very light breeze and 19 degrees. A few of the highlights from the water were, Common Loon, Red-necked Grebe, Pigeon Guillemot, and a family of California Quail next to the viewing stand. At the Little Qualicum Fish Hatchery the highlights were Black-throated Gray Warbler, MacGillivray’s Warbler, Cedar Waxwing and Steller’s Jay.

13 birders saw and heard the following 30 species:

Red-necked Grebe

Common Loon

Great Blue Heron

Bald Eagle

Turkey Vulture

California Quail

Bonaparte’s Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Pigeon Guillemot

Belted Kingfisher

Anna’s Hummingbird

Pileated Woodpecker

Pacific-sloped Flycatcher

American Crow

Common Raven

Steller’s Jay

Warbling Vireo

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

American Robin

Cedar Waxwing

European Starling

Black-throated Gray Warbler

MacGillivray’s Warbler

Western Tanager

Song Sparrow

Red Crossbill

House Finch

American Goldfinch

Pine Siskin

Cedar Waxwing (J. Morrison) 

Sunday August 23, 2020:

The Sunday Bird Walk went to Neck Point Park. Weather was sunny with wind out of the North West and 17 degrees. A few highlights from the walk were Lesser Yellowlegs, Barred Owl and Red Crossbills.

11 birders saw and heard the following 22 species:

Double-crested Cormorant

Pelagic Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Bald Eagle

Turkey Vulture

Lesser Yellowlegs

Glaucous-winged Gull

Mew Gull

Barred Owl

Belted Kingfisher

Anna’s Hummingbird

Common Raven

American Crow

Pileated Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Bewick’s Wren

Brown Creeper

Red Crossbill

American Goldfinch

Pine Siskin

August 19, 2020:

A Yellow- headed Blackbird was seen on Gordon Road side of the Nanaimo River Estuary in Cedar. Also seen were Eastern Kingbirds that is a continuing bird in the area.

August 16, 2020:

14 Black Oystercatchers were seen feeding in the low tide mud at Piper’s Lagoon and 4 Purple Martins were seen feeding overhead.

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

September 1

Will be going to the Englishman River Estuary, Shelly Road.

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 Shelly Road in Parksville at 9:10.

The Sunday Bird Walk

August 23

Will be going to Maki Road Trail.

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

Red Crossbill (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

 

The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

Nanaimo Bird Report

August 19, 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.
*********************************************************

Eastern Kingbird (J. Morrison) 

August 19, 2020:

A Yellow- headed Blackbird was seen on Gordon Road side of the Nanaimo River Estuary in Cedar. Also seen were Eastern Kingbirds that is a continuing bird in the area.

August 16, 2020:

14 Black Oystercatchers were seen feeding in the low tide mud at Piper’s Lagoon and 4 Purple Martins were seen feeding overhead.

August 12, 2020:

A Whimbrel was seen at Piper’s Lagoon in the morning feeding in the mud flats and later in the day seen feeding at water’s edge behind the houses. Also seen were Least Sandpipers and Black Oystercatchers.

Killdeer (R. Hocken)

August 18, 2020:

The Tuesday Bird Walk went to Columbia Beach in French Creek on a beautiful sunny day with a light breeze and 21c degrees. Tide was out but were able to see Semi-palmated Sandpiper and Plover along with Black Oystercatchers, Whimbrel, three cormorant species and Humpback Whales.

10 birders saw and heard the following  29 species:

White-winged Scoter

Double-crested Cormorant

Pelagic Cormorant

Brandt’s Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Bald Eagle

Turkey Vulture

Merlin

Semipalmated Plover

Killdeer

Black Oystercatcher

Whimbrel

Semipalmated Sandpiper

Western Sandpiper

Least Sandpiper

California Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Pigeon Guillemot

Eurasian Collared-Dove

Anna’s Hummingbird

Belted Kingfisher

Purple Martin

American Crow

Common Raven

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Spotted Towhee

House Finch

American Goldfinch

Humpback Whales

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

August 25,

Will be going to Little Qualicum Fish Hatchery, meeting at the Brant Viewing stand on hwy 19A at 9:10 before heading to the hatchery. 

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 Brant viewing stand on Hwy 19A at 9:10 or at the hatchery parking lot on Claymore Road at 9:40.

The Sunday Bird Walk

August 23

Will be going to Neck Point Park. 

Meet at The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store at 9:00am or at the Neck Point Parking lot at 9:10 am.

Bewick’s Wren (R. Hocken)

Good birding!

Colin Bartlett

The Backyard Wildbird & 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

The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store 

Nanaimo Bird Report

August 16, 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.
*********************************************************

Whimbrel (J. Purves) 

August 12, 2020:

A Whimbrel was seen at Piper’s Lagoon in the morning feeding in the mud flats and later in the day seen feeding at water’s edge behind the houses. Also seen were Least Sandpipers and Black Oystercatchers.

August 16, 2020:

14 Black Oystercatchers were seen feeding in the low tide mud at Piper’s Lagoon and 4 Purple Martins were seen feeding overhead.

Purple Martin (R. Hocken)

Backyard Feeder Notes:

There have been a few reports of Steller’s Jays since last week and most of them where from feeders near the woods and higher elevations. American Goldfinch was the topic of the week with reports of less visiting the feeders and less males visiting. As there are more natural seed available such as thistle, which the goldfinch like, and that they are late nesters may have something to do with this. Soon the male American Goldfinch will be changing to their winter plumage and the bright yellow disappears. Check out our article at https://thebirdstorearticles.blogspot.com/2020/08/what-is-that-bird-molting-at-your.html

If you are out birding watch for Red Crossbills and migrating Yellow-rumped Warblers which will be starting to move southward soon.

The Backyard Bird Walks

Starting August 18! 

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

Will be starting again on August 18,

going to Columbia Beach in French Creek.

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 lot on Admiral Tryon Blvd in French Creek.

The Sunday Bird Walk

Will be starting up again on

August 23, and going to Neck Point Park.

Meet at The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store at 9:00am or at the Neck Point Parking lot at 9:05 am.

Red Crossbill (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

The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

Nanaimo Bird Report

August 8, 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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Least Sandpiper and Pectoral Sandpiper, center. (R. Hocken) 

It’s an exciting time for bird watching as fall migration is underway.  Head out to the coastline and inlets between low tide and high tide to look for shorebirds. They can be as small as a sparrow, such as a Least or Western Sandpiper to something larger like a Greater Yellowlegs or Whimbrel. Watch just in front of the water’s edge along the sand and mud as the birds will be moving along looking for food. Some other species to look for are, Killdeer, Black Oystercatcher, Spotted Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitcher, Dunlin and amongst the rocky areas Black Turnstones.

A few good places to look for shorebirds are Piper’s Lagoon, Nanoose Estuary, Englishman River Estuary on the Plummer Road side, and Columbia Beach in French Creek.

Black Oystercatcher (R. Hocken)

Backyard Feeder Notes:

The chickadees are taking over and what fun it is to watch. This summer the chickadees are plentiful and constant visitors in my backyard and at the store, just like last year. Bushtits are visiting the suet feeder ten at a time and have to contend with the chickadees to feed. Nuthatches and Bewick’s Wren, Downy Woodpecker and Northern Flickers are also busy at the suet. Water is always busy this time of year, sparrows are the ones who bathe the most and empty the birdbath. This time of year water can attract different visitors to your backyard like Yellow-rumped Warblers, Western Tanager, Hermit Thrush and other species that don’t visit your bird feeders.

Fall is coming and just waiting to see what the Steller’s Jays are going to do and that depends on the abundance of natural seed. Let us know if you see a Steller’s Jay visiting your backyard.

The Backyard Bird Walks

starting August 18!

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.

The Tuesday Bird Walk

Will be starting again on August 18,

going to Columbia Beach in French Creek.

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 trail parking lot at the end of Shelly Road at 9:10 am.

The Sunday Bird Walk

Will be starting up again on

August 23, and going to Neck Point Park.

Meet at The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store at 9:00am or at the Neck Point Parking lot at 9:05 am.

Wilson’s Warbler (J. Morrison)

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

What it's Like To Be A Bird  David Sibley The bird book for birders and nonbirders alike that will excite and inspire by providing a new and deeper understanding of what common, mostly backyard, birds are doing–and why.

it' that time! Free Delivery Needing seed or suet but dont want to drive in? We can deliver your supplies to you this week. Tuesday August 11 - north Parksville, Qualicum, Fanny Bay, Courtenay and Comox. Thursday August 13 - south Cedar, Yellow Point, Ladysmith, Chemainus and Duncan.