Nanaimo Bird Report September 13, 2022

The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

Nanaimo Bird Report

September 13, 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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Pacific Golden-Plover (G. Fowler)

Tuesday September 13, 2022:

The Tuesday Bird Walk went to Columbia Beach, French Creek. The weather was overcast, winds calm, tide was on the way out and 16 degrees. A few highlights from the bird walk were, great looks at a Pacific Golden-Plover on the beach, a Rhinoceros Auklet feeding with a flock of gulls and a couple of Orange-crowned Warblers in the bushes.

15 birders saw and heard the following 40 species:

Canada Goose

Mallard

Surf Scoter

White-winged Scoter

Harlequin Duck

Common Merganser

California Quail

Common Loon

Red-necked Grebe

Double-crested Cormorant

Pelagic Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Turkey Vulture

Merlin

Black-bellied Plover

Pacific Golden-Plover

Killdeer

Black Oystercatcher

Greater Yellowlegs

Spotted Sandpiper

Black Turnstones

Western Sandpiper

Bonaparte’s Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

California Gull

Rhinoceros Auklet

Eurasian Collared Dove

Rock Pigeon

Anna’s Hummingbird

Belted Kingfisher

Northern Flicker

Common Raven

American Crow

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Orange-crowned Warbler

Spotted Towhee

Golden-crowned Sparrow

White-crown Sparrow

Savannah Sparrow

House Sparrow

Savannah Sparrow (R. Hocken)

Sunday September 11, 2022:

The Sunday Bird Walk went to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo. The weather was sunny, smokey, water was calm and 18 degrees. A few highlights from the walk were, Black-throated Gray Warbler in the trees near the parking lot, American Pipits on the rocks near the boardwalk, Rhinoceros Auklet and great views of a pod of Orcas near the shore with a Humpback Whale further out.

11 birders saw and heard the following 20 bird species:

White-winged Scoter

Double-crested Cormorant

Pelagic Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Black Oystercatcher

California Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Marbled Murrelet

Rhinoceros Auklet

Anna’s Hummingbird

Belted Kingfisher

Northern Flicker

Common Raven

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

American Pipit

Black-throated Gray Warbler

Spotted Towhee

Savannah Sparrow

Purple Finch

 

Orca pod

Humpback Whale

Sea lion

House Finch (J. Morrison)

Backyard Bird Notes:

It has been an interesting spring and summer for the birds. With the wet, cool spring and then a flick of the switch it was hot and dry. Water was a very important for the birds this summer and the bird baths were busy.

At our feeders the birds have been a little quiet through the summer, but we are seeing House Finch and American Goldfinch, in winter plumage, visiting the sunflower feeders. The suet feeder is always busy starting in late August. The Bushtits are flocking together, and I see about 20 at a time on the suet feeder as they make multiple visits during the day, along with a family of Northern Flickers, Pileated Woodpecker, chickadees, and Red-breasted Nuthatch.

There was a pair of Dark-eyed Juncos that hung around and nested through the summer and now we are starting to see a few others visiting the feeders. Usually, it is around mid-September that the flocks of juncos begin to return to the backyard feeders.

So as the weather begins to cool and a little moisture falls, activity in your backyard will get a little busier as the birds establish their winter feeding area. Watch for Dark-eyed Juncos, Spotted Towhees, Song Sparrows, and Golden-crowned Sparrows the arrive in your backyard.

Don’t forget about the Anna’s Hummingbirds as they are busy starting to nest again. I have a male Anna’s Hummingbird busy doing their display dives in my backyard and we have seen females taking nesting material.

Remember to give all your bird feeders a good cleaning with a solution of 1 part bleach to 9 parts water and to clean them regularly, including your water source.

If you have any birds to report or need help identifying, just email or call the store, thebackyard@shaw.ca or 250-390-3669, toll-free 1-888-808-BIRD (2473).

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.

The Tuesday Bird Walk, September 20, 2022

The 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 parking area at the corner of Plummer Road and Shorewood Drive at 9:10am. Weather cooperating.

The Sunday Bird Walk, September 18, 2022

This week’s Sunday Bird Walk will be going to Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo.

Meet at The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store at 9:00am or at the marsh entrance at the end of Buttertubs Drive off Bowen Road at 9:15 am. Weather cooperating.

For cancelled bird walks due to weather, please check The Backyard blog at www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com on the day of the bird walk. A notice will be up before 8:00am if there is a cancelation.

Good birding! Colin Bartlett