The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

 

The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

Nanaimo Bird Report

October 12, 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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Greater White-fronted Goose (R. Hocken)

Tuesday October 11, 2022:

The Tuesday Bird Walk went up to the Little Qualicum River Estuary with a stop at the Brant viewing stand. The weather was sunny, winds calm, tide going out and 15 degrees. A few highlights from the walk were, a Greater White-fronted Goose that flew low right in front of the viewing platform following a group of Canada Geese, a Yellow-billed Loon near the mouth of the river, and a small flock of 6 Brant flying up the strait. We also saw a pod of Orcas moving south and two Humpback Whales which look to be feeding.

12 birders saw and heard the following 54 bird species:

Brant

Canada Goose

Greater White-fronted Goose

American Wigeon

Mallard

Green-winged Teal

Harlequin Duck

Surf Scoter

White-winged Scoter

Common Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

Common Loon

Pacific Loon

Yellow-billed Loon

Red-necked Grebe

Horned Grebe

Western Grebe

Double-crested Cormorant

Pelagic Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Red-tailed Hawk

Bald Eagle

Cooper’s Hawk

Killdeer

Black Oystercatcher

Black Turnstone

Least Sandpiper

Baird’s Sandpiper

Greater Yellowlegs

Bonaparte’s Gull

Short-billed Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Ring-billed Gull

Thayer’s Gull

California Gull

Common Murre

Eurasian Collared Dove

Anna’s Hummingbird

Belted Kingfisher

Pileated Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Common Raven

American Crow

American Robin

European Starling

Golden-crowned Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Savannah Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Red-winged Blackbird

Brewer’s Blackbird

House Finch

American Goldfinch

Varied Thrush (J. Morrison)

Sunday October 9, 2022

The Sunday Bird Walk was cancelled for the Thanksgiving Weekend.

A lone Turkey Vulture was seen soaring by the cliffs on Gabriola Island.

Monday October 10, 2022:

Varied Thrush was heard and seen on Gabriola Island.

Dark-eyed Junco (R. Hocken)

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, October 18, 2022

The Tuesday Bird Walk will be 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 area on Admiral Tryon Blvd, off Columbia Drive and Hwy 19A, at 9:15. Weather cooperating.

The Sunday Bird Walk, October 16, 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