The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

 The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

Nanaimo Bird Report

March 11, 2022

“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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Short-billed Gull (Previously known as Mew Gull) (R. Hocken)

Friday March 11, 2022:

A large flock of Trumpeter Swans are feeding in the fields be side the Silver Meadows Farm Market on Errington Road, just up from highway 4A.

Tuesday March 8, 2022:

The Tuesday Bird Walk went to the Shelley roadside of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. Sunny, warm, calm day. Highlights from the walk were a Peregrine Falcon perched on a stump out in the middle of the estuary. 5 Eurasian Wigeon were seen with three of them near the viewing stand providing a great view of them,

10 birders saw and heard the following 41 species:

Canada Goose

Gadwall

American Widgeon

Eurasian Widgeon

Mallard

Northern Pintail

Green-winged Teal

Surf Scoter

Bufflehead

Common Goldeneye

Common Merganser

Double-crested Cormorant

Great-blue Heron

Bald Eagle

Northern Harrier

Peregrine Falcon

Killdeer

Dunlin

Short-billed Gull

California Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Eurasian Collared Dove

Anna’s Hummingbird

Northern Flicker

Pileated Woodpecker

Downy Woodpecker

Common Raven

Steller’s Jay

Chestnut-backed chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Bewick’s Wren

Pacific Wren

Bushtit

Brown Creeper

American Robin

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

Fox Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Dark-eye Junco

Purple Finch

Brown Creeper (R. Hocken)

Sunday March 6, 2022:

The Sunday Bird Walk went to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo. The weather was sunny with a cool breeze. Out on the rocks it was great to see ten plus Black Oystercatchers all together and communicating. The majority of gulls we saw were Short-billed Gulls with a few Glaucous-winged Gulls flying over the park.

20 birders saw and heard the following 35 species:

Brant

Canada Goose

Mallard

Harlequin Duck

Surf Scoter

White-winged Scoter

Black Scoter

Bufflehead

Common Goldeneye

Common Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

Red-necked Grebe

Double-crested Cormorant

Pelagic Cormorant

Bald Eagle

Black Oystercatcher

Glaucous-winged Gull

Short-billed Gull

Pigeon Guillemot

Anna’s Hummingbird

Northern Flicker

Pileated Woodpecker

American Crow

Common Raven

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Brown Creeper

Golden-crowned Kinglet

American Robin

Varied Thrush

European Starling

Song Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Purple Finch

Pine Siskin

Saturday March 5, 2022:

Violet-green Swallow was seen at the Nanaimo Rive Estuary.

A Tree Swallow was reported at Buttertubs Marsh.

With spring on the way and the weather slowly warming up there are a few species to watch for. Orange-Crowned Warblers, Yellow-rumped Warblers, swallows, Rufous Hummingbirds (mid March), and for a short period Mountain Bluebirds (see at Englishman River Estuary, Nanaimo River Estuary, Nanaimo Airport – south end fence).

In the backyard make sure the nest boxes are cleaned out and ready to go.

Golden-crowned Kinglet (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, March 15, 2022

This Tuesday Bird Walk will be going to Rathtrevor Provincial Park.

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 main parking area by the beach entrance at 9:10. 

The Sunday Bird Walk, March 13, 2022

The Sunday Bird walk will be cancelled this week and will resume on Sunday March 20

Good birding! Colin Bartlett