The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store
Nanaimo Bird Report
September 24, 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.
*********************************************************
Common Tern (R. Hocken)
NOTICES
Access to the Nanaimo River Estuary by Raines Road is closed due to Covid concerns.
Thursday September 24, 2020:
A large flock of Sandhill Cranes were seen flying south over the area of Aulds Road and the Parkway.
Tuesday September 22, 2020:
The Tuesday Bird Walk went to Deep Bay. The walk started with sunny skies, calm breeze and cam waters by near the end of the walk the winds had picked up and the water was choppy. At the parking lot there were Vaux Swifts overhead, Orange-crowned Warbler, Parasitic Jaeger fly over and a Merlin. On the strait we saw 2 Parasitic Jaegers harassing the gulls, Common Tern, lots of Bonaparte’s Gulls, Pacific Loons and 3 species of Scoters, Surf, Black and White-winged.
16 birders saw and heard the following 55 species:
Canada
Goose
American
Wigeon
Mallard
Harlequin
Duck
Surf
Scoter
Black
Scoter
White-winged
Scoter
Common
Merganser
Hooded
Merganser
Pacific
Loon
Common
Loon
Red-necked
Grebe
Horned
Grebe
Pelagic
Cormorant
Double-crested
Cormorant
Great
Blue Heron
Turkey
Vulture
Bald
Eagle
Merlin
Black
Oystercatcher
Killdeer
Western
Sandpiper
Parasitic
Jaeger
Bonaparte’s
Gull
Mew
Gull
California
Gull
Glaucous-winged
Gull
Common
Tern
Pigeon
Guillemot
Marbled
Murrelet
Rock
Pigeon
Eurasian
Collared Dove
Vaux
Swifts
Anna’s
Hummingbird
Belted
Kingfisher
Northern
Flicker
Red-breasted
Sapsucker
Common
Raven
American
Crow
Steller’s
Jay
Chestnut-backed
Chickadee
Red-breasted
Nuthatch
American
Robin
European
Starling
Orange-crowned
Warbler
Brewer’s
Blackbird
Spotted
Towhee
Song
Sparrow
Savannah
Sparrow
White-crowned
Sparrow
Dark-eyed
Junco
House
Finch
Pine
Siskin
American
Goldfinch
Graylag - domestic
Tuesday September 22, 2020:
A Northern Pygmy Owl was seen at Little Mountain Park in Parksville.
Sunday September 20,
2020:
The Sunday Bird Walk went to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo. Weather was sunny, calm breeze and the tide was high. Highlights from the walk were seeing a small flock of American Pipits land in front of us while on the board walk looking out at the strait. Also saw a Common Tern on the water and heard a Pacific-slope Flycatcher. One observation was we saw and heard no finches during this walk, which was the same for the bird walk this time last year.
10 Birders saw and heard the following 38 species:
Harlequin
Duck
Surf
Scoter
Common
Loon
Double-crested
Cormorant
Great
Blue Heron
Sharp-shinned
Hawk
Merlin
Turkey
Vulture
Bald
Eagle
Black
Oystercatcher
Black
Turnstone
Spotted
Sandpiper
Mew
Gull
California
Gull
Glaucous-winged
Gull
Common
Tern
Anna’s
Hummingbird
Downy
Woodpecker
Northern
Flicker
Red-Breasted
Sapsucker
Pacific-sloped
Flycatcher
Common
Raven
American
Crow
Steller’s
Jay
Chestnut-backed
Chickadee
Red-breasted
Nuthatch
Brown
Creeper
Bewick’s
Wren
Pacific
Wren
Ruby-crowned
Kinglet
American
Robin
American
Pipit
Orange-crowned
Warbler
Spotted
Towhee
Savannah
Sparrow
Fox
Sparrow
Song
Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Backyard
Feeder Notes:
The
sparrows are beginning to return to my backyard with a flock of Golden-crowned
Sparrows invading. It is a mixture of adults and juveniles working their way
through the lawn and garden. Dark-eyed Juncos will be arriving soon as well,
although there are some juncos that stay here year round. Other sparrows to
watch for are Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow and Fox Sparrow. Bushtits are busy
at the suet feeder with about a flock of 20 visiting a few times a day. We also
have a regular flock of Bushtits visiting the store as well. House Finches are
steady visitors to the sunflower seed feeder and we are hearing about Pine Siskin’s
starting to arrive as well.
Where are the chickadees? Last year I was loaded with them at this time but this year none or very few, which lets us know that there is a good crop of natural seed this year for the birds to feed on. Birds feed on natural seed first and only use the bird feeders for supplementary feeding.
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
29
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 9:15 am.
The Sunday Bird Walk
September 27
Will be going to the Englishman River Estuary – Shelly Road
Meet at The Backyard
Wildbird & Nature Store at 9:00am or meet us at the parking lot, end of
Shelly Road in Parksville at 9:20 am.
Good birding! Colin Bartlett
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