The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

 

The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

Nanaimo Bird Report

February 23, 2023

“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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Brant (R. Hocken)

Tuesday February 21, 2023:

The Tuesday Bird Walk was going to Columbia Beach but unfortunately was canceled.

Here is a list of birds seen on a past bird walk to Columbia Beach.

This bird walk was on January 29, 2019.

17 birders saw and heard the following 58 bird species:

Canada Geese

Greater-white Fronted Goose

Trumpeter Swan

Brant

Mallard

Harlequin Duck

Northern Pintail

Eurasian Wigeon

American Wigeon

Surf Scoter

White-winged Scoter

Long-tailed Duck

Bufflehead

Barrow’s Goldeneye

Common Goldeneye

Common Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

Western Grebe

Horned Grebe

Red-necked Grebe

Double-crested Cormorant

Pelagic Cormorant

Pacific Loon

Common Loon

Belted Kingfisher

Great -blue Heron

Bald Eagle

Black-bellied Plover

Black Turnstone

Dunlin

Black Oystercatcher

Greater Yellowlegs

Mew Gull

California Gull

Thayer's Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Ring-billed Gull

Common Murre

Rhinoceros Auklet

Pigeon Guillemot

Northern Flicker

Common Raven

Northwestern Crow

Eurasian-collared Dove

American Robin

Anna’s Hummingbird

Cedar Waxwing

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

European Starling

Spotted Towhee

Fox Sparrow

Song Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

House Finch

Purple Finch

Pine Siskin

House Sparrow

Red-breasted Sapsucker (R. Hocken)

Sunday February 19, 2023:

The Sunday Bird Walk went to Maki Road Trail. The weather was cloudy with sunny breaks and 4C. Thank you Susan for leading the walk and a few good sightings that were seen, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Hutton’s Vireo and Golden-crowned Kinglets.

18 birders saw and heard the following 34 bird species:

Canada Goose

Trumpeter Swan

Gadwall

American Wigeon

Mallard

Northern Pintail

Bufflehead

Common Goldeneye

Common Merganser

Anna's Hummingbird

American Coot

Short-billed Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Great Blue Heron

Cooper's Hawk

Bald Eagle

Belted Kingfisher

Red-breasted Sapsucker

Northern Flicker

Hutton's Vireo

Common Raven

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Brown Creeper

Bewick's Wren

American Robin

Purple Finch

Fox Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Spotted Towhee

Red-winged Blackbird 

Fox Sparrow (J. Morrison)

Backyard TidBits

Winter has returned. With the cold temperatures and snow the feeders are really busy. Keep those feeders topped up a clean as this is a time that birds will depend on them as the snow has covered most of the natural food sources. With the winter weather I have had a few new visitors at my backyard feeders, Purple Finch, Fox Sparrow and Varied Thrush.

American Robins don’t visit the feeders but if you have some looking for food in your backyard, try placing out blueberries or apples cut in half or quarters. One customer mentioned they grate suet, and the robins love it along with many others. Also try removing the snow off an area of your garden and turn the soil for the birds to find insects.

Some Anna’s Hummingbirds are nesting so make sure the feeders are not frozen as they will be using feeder steadily for the energy.

Spring is not far off as swallows have already been seen on the island.

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, February 28, 2023

The Tuesday Bird Walk will be going to Englishman River Estuary – Shelly 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 end of Shelly Road off of HWY 19a at 9:10. Weather cooperating.

The Sunday Bird Walk, February 26, 2023

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

Meet at The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store at 9:00am or 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