The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

                             The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

Nanaimo Bird Report

November 3, 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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Harlequin Duck (R. Hocken)

Tuesday November 1, 2022:

The Tuesday Bird Walk went to Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville. The weather was sunny 2C to start and 8C at finish. Light cloud allowed decent viewing of Craig Bay and rain showers stayed out in the middle of the strait. A few highlights from the walk were, a very cooperative Barred Owl, a Eurasian Wigeon, and 6 gulls species.

11 birders saw and heard the following 50 bird species:

Brant

Canada Goose

Eurasian Wigeon

American Wigeon

Mallard

Northern Pintail

Green-winged Teal

Greater Scaup

Harlequin Duck

Surf Scoter

White-winged Scoter

Bufflehead

Red-breasted Merganser

Common Loon

Pacific Loon

Red-necked Grebe

Horned Grebe

Double-crested Cormorant

Pelagic Cormorant

Cooper’s Hawk

Bald Eagle

Dunlin

Short-billed Gull

Bonaparte’s Gull

Ring-billed Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Thayer’s Gull

California Gull

Common Murre

Marbled Murrelet

Ancient Murrelet

Barred Owl

Northern Flicker

Common Raven

American Crow

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Bushtit

Pacific Wren

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

American Robin

European Starling

Spotted Towhee

Golden-crowned Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Fox Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Purple Finch

Pacific Wren (J. Morrison)

Monday October 31, 2022:

Two Snow Geese were seen on Icarus Drive in Nanaimo.

Sunday October 30, 2022:

The Sunday Bird Walk went to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo. The weather was not great but warm at 9C and started off with wind and rain, but the rain stopped shortly after we started. A few highlights were seeing a pair of California Quail run across the path near the board walk, 3 Pacific Loons close to point for easy viewing and a Pacific Wren along the edge of the trail providing a great view.

3 birders saw and heard the following 16 bird species:

White-winged Scoter

California Quail

Pacific Loon

Double-crested Cormorant

Pelagic Cormorant

Bald Eagle

Black Oystercatcher

Short-billed Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Brown Creeper

Bewick’s Wren

Pacific Wren

Spotted Towhee

Dark-eyed Junco

American Dipper (R. Hocken) 

Friday October 28, 2022:

American Dipper was seen at the Little Qualicum River Hatchery.

Wednesday October 26, 2022:

Sora and Virginia Rail were heard near the Buttertubs Drive entrance to Buttertubs Marsh.

Backyard Bird Notes:

Well so much for fall, it feels like we went from summer straight to winter next week. With the quick change in the weather and cooler temperatures, the birds are quickly arriving back at the feeders.

Suet is a great source of energy for the birds to help them through the colder nights. Peanut or peanut butter suet has always been a favorite of the birds and usually has the highest crude protein percentage. If problems with the squirrels taking all the suet try the hot pepper suet and for starlings try hanging your suet feeder upside down which is harder for the starlings to access.

Keep your birdseed dry to prevent molding. Use a dome or cover for your feeders or use less seed, just enough for the day. Refilling the seed frequently will help keep the feeders cleaning and waste less seed.

Keeping your hummingbird feeders warm will prevent freezing. Use a hummingbird feeder heater, outdoor incandescent Christmas lights or heat lamps or other devices to prevent the freezing. Also change the sugar water nectar every couple of days when using a heater as the nectar will spoil faster just like in the summer.

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, November 8, 2022

The Tuesday Bird Walk will be Going to Little Qualicum River Estuary (Marshall Stevenson Estuary), stopping first at the Brant Viewing Stand in 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 or at the end of Surfside Drive off Kinkade Road at 9:45. Weather cooperating.

The Sunday Bird Walk, November 6, 2022

This week’s 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 Arlington Road and HWY 19) at 9:15 am. Weather cooperating, the forecast is wet, so if raining the walk will be cancelled.

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