The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

Nanaimo Bird Report

November 30, 2021

“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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Surf Scoter (R. Hocken)

Tuesday November 30, 2021:

The Tuesday Bird Walk was to go to the Little Qualicum River Estuary but was canceled due to the weather, which turned out to be nicer and forecasted.

Here is a list of 52 birds seen at Little Qualicum River Estuary on November 12, 2019:

Canada Geese

American Widgeon

Mallard

Green-winged Teal

Harlequin Duck

Surf Scoter

White-wing Scoter

Black Scoter

Long-tailed Duck

Bufflehead

Barrow’s Goldeneye

Common Goldeneye

Red-breasted Merganser

Common Merganser

Pacific Loon

Common Loon

Red-necked Grebe

Horned Grebe

Pelagic Cormorant

Double-crested Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Bald Eagle

Copper’s Hawk

Merlin

Killdeer

Black Turnstone

Black Bellied Plover

Black Oystercatcher

Bonaparte’s Gull

Mew Gull

Thayer’s Gull

California Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Pigeon Guillemot

Common Murre

Marbled Murrlets

Eurasian-collared Dove

Anna’s Hummingbird

Belted Kingfisher

Northern Flicker

Northern Shrike

Northwestern Crow

Common Raven

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

Chipping Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Brewer’s Blackbird

Red-winged Blackbird

House Finch

Sunday November 28, 2021:

The Sunday Bird Walk was canceled due to weather and again the weather was nicer that forecasted. Two birders did go out and the weather was light shower, light breeze and it was almost high tide. A few highlights were, Eurasian Wigeon, Trumpeter Swans and a Pigeon Guillemot.

33 species were seen and heard:

Trumpeter Swan

Mallard

Bufflehead

American Wigeon

Eurasian Wigeon

Green-winged Teal

Northern Pintail

Common Goldeneye

Horned Grebe

Common Loon

Pelagic Cormorant

Double-crested Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Bald Eagle

Short-billed Gull

Thayer’s Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Pigeon Guillemot

Anna’s Hummingbird

Belted Kingfisher

Northern Flicker

American Crow

Common Raven

Steller’s Jay

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Bewick’s Wren

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Spotted Towhee

Dark-eyed Junco

Song Sparrow

Fox Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Pine Siskin

Sunday November 28, 2021:

Townsend’s Warbler continues to be a backyard visitor to a suet feeder and two Barred Owls were heard calling in the early evening at the same location on Honeysuckle Terrace in Nanaimo.

Snowy Owl seen November 19 at Garden Works in Nanaimo

(S. Germain)

Western Tanager Male (T. Pagani)

Seen in Port Alberni on Wallace Street visiting a backyard suet feeder.

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. The walks are weather pending.

Please check our blog (www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com) for any cancelations.

Covid-19 Precautions

·         Do not attend if you feel ill.

·         Please respect social distancing, 2 meters or 6 feet.

·         Wear your mask when unable to maintain social distancing.

Thank you.

The Tuesday Bird Walk, DECEMBER 7, 2021

This Tuesday Bird Walk will be going to Deep Bay.

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 marina parking lot at 9:20 am. Weather Cooperating.

The Sunday Bird Walk, December 5, 2021

The Sunday Bird walk will be going to the Nanoose Bay Estuary, again.

Meet at The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store at 9:00am or at the end of Nanoose Beach Road off of Arlington Road and the island highway in Nanoose at 9:15 am. Weather Cooperating

Good birding! Colin Bartlett

Tuesday BIrd Walk CANCELED

 Tuesday November 30 Bird Walk is CANCELED. With Environment Canada weather forecast of rain and wind gusting up 50km/h, we have decided to canceled this Tuesday Walk. Next weeks walks will be posted here on the blog. 

Sunday Bird Walk CANCELED

 Sunday November 28 bird walk is canceled due to weather. 

Nanaimo Bird Report, November 24 2021

 

The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

 

Nanaimo Bird Report

November 24, 2021

“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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Pied-billed Grebe (R. Hocken)

Sunday November 21, 2021:

A Redhead duck continues to be seen at Diver’s Lake in Nanaimo. Also seen there were American Coots, Pied-billed Grebe and Ring-necked Duck.

Monday November 22, 2021:

Townsend’s Warbler continues to be a backyard visitor to a suet feeder on Honeysuckle Terrace in Nanaimo.

 Tuesday November 23, 2021:

 The Tuesday Bird Walk went to Englishman River Estuary on Plummer Road. Weather was sunny, strong cool wind and the tide was high. A few highlights from the walk was a Northern Shrike that perched in a tree in front of everyone, a Northern Harrier that was busy hunting over the estuary and a male Anna’s Hummingbird. 

9 Birders saw and heard the following 42 species:

Brant

Canada Goose

American Wigeon

Eurasian Wigeon

Mallard

Northern Pintail

Green-winged Teal

Harlequin Duck

Surf Scoter

Bufflehead

Common Goldeneye

Red-breasted Merganser

Common Loon

Pacific Loon

Horned Grebe

Double-crested Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Northern Harrier

Bald Eagle

Short-billed Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Common Murre

Ancient Murrelet

Anna’s Hummingbird

Belted Kingfisher

Downy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Northern Shrike

Common Raven

American Crow

Steller’s Jay

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Bewick’s Wren

Pacific Wren

American Robin

Spotted Towhee

Fox Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Red Crossbill

Pine Siskin

House Finch

Northern Shrike (J. Morrison)

Tuesday November 23, 2021:

A male Western Tanager in non-breeding plumage is visiting a suet feeder in the 3700 block of Wallace Street in Port Alberni.

 

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. The walks are weather pending.

Please check our blog (www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com) for any cancelations.

Covid-19 Precautions

·         Do not attend if you feel ill.

·         Please respect social distancing, 2 meters or 6 feet.

·         Wear your mask when unable to maintain social distancing.

Thank you.

The Tuesday Bird Walk, November 30, 2021

This Tuesday Bird Walk will be going to Little Qualicum River Estuary, starting at the Brant viewing stand at Qualicum 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 Brant viewing stand at the end of Qualicum Beach at 9:15am. Weather Cooperating.

 

The Sunday Bird Walk, November 28, 2021

The Sunday Bird walk will be going to the Nanoose Bay Estuary.

Meet at The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store at 9:00am or at the end of Nanoose Beach Road off of Arlington Road and the island highway in Nanoose at 9:15 am. Weather Cooperating

 

 

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

Website: www.thebackyard.ca

Nanaimo Bird Report, November 19 2021

 

The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

 

Nanaimo Bird Report

November 19, 2021

“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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Snowy Owl (R. Hocken)

Friday November 19, 2021:

Snowy Owl has been seen on top of Garden Works nursery in Nanaimo.

 

Thursday November 18, 2021:

About 24 Anna’s Hummingbirds have been visiting a feeder on San Perial Drive in Parksville. We have had a few reports of an increase in hummingbird activity and numbers at the feeders lately.

 Tuesday November 16, 2021:

The Tuesday Bird Walk went to Columbia Beach in French Creek. The weather was sunny with a cool breeze. A few highlights from the walk were, Long-tailed Duck, Marbled and Ancient Murrelet, Common Murre, Dunlin and Black-bellied Plover. There was a lot of bird activity on the water but also a few porpoises.

 10 Birders saw and heard the following 47 species:

Canada Goose

Harlequin Duck

Surf Scoter

Black Scoter

White-wing Scoter

Long-tailed Duck

Bufflehead

Common Goldeneye

Barrow’s Goldeneye

Red-breasted Merganser

Common Merganser

Common Loon

Pacific Loon

Red-neck Grebe

Horned Grebe

Double-crested Cormorant

Pelagic Cormorant

Bald Eagle

Sharp-shinned Hawk

killdeer

Oystercatcher

Black-bellied Plover

Dunlin

Bonaparte’s Gull

Short-billed Gull

California Gull

Thayer’s Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Common Murre

Ancient Murrelet

Marbled Murrelet

Rock Pigeon

Anna’s Hummingbird

American Crow

Steller’s Jay

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Bushtit

Golden-crowned Kinglet

European Starling

Spotted Towhee

Fox Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Pine Siskin

House Sparrow

Sunday November 14, 2021:

The Sunday Bird Walk was cancelled due to the heavy rain and winds.

 

 

Anna’s Hummingbird male (R. Hocken)

 

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. The walks are weather pending.

Please check our blog (www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com) for any cancelations.

Covid-19 Precautions

·         Do not attend if you feel ill.

·         Please respect social distancing, 2 meters or 6 feet.

·         Wear your mask when unable to maintain social distancing.

Thank you.

 

The Tuesday Bird Walk, November 23, 2021

This Tuesday Bird Walk will be going to Englishman River Estuary – Plummer 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 trail head at Plummer Road and Shorewood Drive in Parksville at 9:10am.

 

The Sunday Bird Walk Cancelled this week

The Sunday Bird walk is cancelled this week but will resume on November 28.

 

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

Website: www.thebackyard.ca

Clear Skies - The Leonid Meteor Shower, the Planets, and the ISS

 Mercury and Mars are too close to the rising sun in the morning to see them, but Jupiter, Saturn, and Venus are still visible in the evening sky.

Venus is visible just after sunset, low in the southwest.  You have to catch it early, as it sets by about 7 p.m.  It is shining quite brightly so you will know it when you are see it.

Saturn and Jupiter are also visible after sunset, more towards the south.  Saturn is a bit further to the left of Venus than the distance from your thumb to your pinkie outstretched at arm’s length.  It might be easier to find the much brighter Jupiter still further left, and then go back to the right about the distance from your index finger to pinkie outstretched at arm’s length.  Jupiter is much brighter, but Saturn is the next brightest “star” in that area.

Leonid Meteor Shower

The annual Leonid Meteor shower peaks in the morning of Wednesday, November 17. However, because of the timing of the peak, you can hope to see a few meteors both Tuesday and Wednesday nights.

Unfortunately we are approaching Full Moon (Friday) so the sky won’t be very dark, which will limit the number of fainter meteors we can see.  Still, some patient viewing may provide you with a few nice meteors.

Meteor showers occur when Earth passes through the tail of dust left behind by a comet when it crossed Earth’s orbit, and these dust tails can last many years.  As Earth ploughs into this dust, the dust burns up in the upper atmosphere, creating those beautiful bright streaks.  Occasionally we even get a fireball, which is the spectacular result of a larger bit of rock causing a much brighter flash - sometimes greenish - and often leaving a trail after it has passed.

To get the most from the meteor shower, try to observe from a fairly dark location, out of sight of direct house or street lights.  The meteors can appear in any part of the sky, although they seem to originate in the constellation Leo, from which they get their name.  Try to avoid looking near the Moon, or even at it, as it will affect your ability to see faint meteors.  Then, choose the largest unobstructed area of sky you can find, relax, and wait!

Remember to dress warmly – for about 10 to 15 degrees cooler than the actual temperature.  Give your eyes a few minutes to adapt to the dark; the longer you are out, the more faint meteors you will be able to see – well, the Moon notwithstanding!

But, there is always a bit of luck to how many you will see; there is no guarantee of a good show.

Partial Lunar Eclipse… but not here!

You may have heard that there will be a partial eclipse of the Moon on November 19, however it will be mainly visible from eastern Europe and Africa, so we won’t be able to enjoy this one.

International Space Station

For those of us on Vancouver Island and the lower BC mainland, we have a chance to see four short passes of the International Space Station over the next week or so.

On Sunday, November 21, the ISS will rise in the WSW at 6:49 p.m. and will climb about half way up the sky, passing well above Saturn and Venus, and coming close to the bright star Aquilla (the lowest star in the large Summer Triangle) after which it will fade out at 6:53 as it enters Earth’s shadow.

On Monday, November 22, the ISS rises in the southwest at 6:02 p.m., passes above Saturn and Jupiter, and crosses the southern sky.  After it passes below the Great Square of Pegasus, it will fade from view in the ESE at 6:08.

Tuesday, November 23, sees two passes, a lower long one first, and then a shorter brighter pass an hour and a half later.  Rising first at 5:15 p.m., ISS passes close to Venus, and then continues on close to both Saturn and Jupiter.  It stays low across the sky disappearing in Earth’s shadow just above the horizon in the east at 5:23.

Then, at 6:52, ISS rises again, in the WSW, climbing towards bright Lyra (the upper right star in the Summer Triangle).  As it approaches Lyra at 6:56, it will fade into Earth’s shadow.

 

Clear skies.

David Prud'homme