The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

Nanaimo Bird Report

March 16, 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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Northern Pintail (J. Morrison)

Turkey Vulture

We have been receiving many calls of Turkey Vultures sightings:

Monday March 13 – Piper’s Lagoon

Wednesday March 15 – 2 seen over Drew Road in Parksville

Thursday March 16 – 1 in Departure Bay Nanaimo and 2 in Nanoose Bay

Tuesday March 14, 2023:

The Tuesday Bird Walk went to the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. The weather was sunny with a few clouds, 5 degrees and the winds were calm. A few highlights were a Peregrine Falcon flying around in the open field, good views of many male Anna’s Hummingbirds (so close didn’t need binoculars), and a Hutton’s Vireo that we heard and had great views of.

10 birders saw and heard the following 49 species.

Brant

Canada Geese

Snow Goose

Gadwall

American Wigeon

Eurasian Wigeon

Mallard

Northern Pintail

Green-wing Teal

Greater Scaup

Surf Scoter

Bufflehead

Common Goldeneye

Common Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

California Quail

Common Loon

Horned Grebe

Double-crested Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Bald Eagle

Merlin

Peregrine Falcon

Short-billed Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Anna’s Hummingbird

Belted Kingfisher

Downy Woodpecker

Pileated Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Common Raven

American Crow

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Brown Creeper

Pacific Wren

Bewick's Wren

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Hutton’s Vireo

American Robin

European Starling

Spotted Towhee,

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Fox Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Brewer’s Blackbird

Purple Finch

Red-breasted Sapsucker (J. Morrison)

Sunday March 12, 2023:

The Sunday Bird Walk went to the Maki Road trail located at the end of Maki Road in south Nanaimo. The weather started off sunny and feeling warm but ended in clouds and a cool breeze at 6 degrees. A few highlights were seeing a Red-breasted Sapsucker working on its nest, along with a Red-breasted Nuthatch building a nest. A Trumpeter Swan was seen on the far side of the marsh along with many Great Blue Herons.

15 birders saw and heard the following 38 bird species:

Trumpeter Swans

Canada Goose

Gadwall

American Wigeon

Mallard

Northern Pintail

Green-winged Teal

Bufflehead

Common Goldeneye

Common Merganser

Great Blue Heron

Red-tailed Hawk

Bald Eagle

American Coot

California Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Anna's Hummingbird

Belted Kingfisher

Downy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Red-breasted Sapsucker

Common Raven

American Crow

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Bushtit

Brown Creeper

Bewick’s Wren

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

American Robin

European Starling

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Red-winged Blackbird

Purple Finch 

Turkey Vulture (S. Petersen)

Spring is on the way and migration is starting. With the return of the Turkey Vultures also watch for Rufous Hummingbirds, Bonaparte’s Gulls, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Orange-crowned Warblers, and White-crowned Sparrows just to name a few.

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, March 21, 2023

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 trail entrance of Plummer Road and Shorewood Drive at 9:10. Weather cooperating.

The Sunday Bird Walk, March 19, 2023

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

Meet at The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store at 9:00am or *NEW PARKING LOCATION* at the parking lot off 2^nd avenue by the Miner Shack (across from the baseball field entrance) 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