The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

 The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

Nanaimo Bird Report

April 28, 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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Hermit Thrush 

Tuesday April 25, 2023:

Report of Hermit Thrush seen along Hammond Bay Road in the woods near Pipers Pub.

The Tuesday birding group went to the Brant Viewing Stand in Qualicum Beach and the Little Qualicum Estuary. Weather was overcast, 8C to start and 11C at the finish. Highlights were a flock of Greater White-fronted Geese circling overhead before joining a lone Brant on a gravel bar, Horned and Red-necked Grebes in bright breeding plumage and a good showing of 15 waterfowl species.

Fifteen birders saw and/or heard the following 60 species:

Greater White-fronted Goose

Brant

Canada Goose

American Wigeon

Mallard

Northern Pintail

Green-winged Teal

Harlequin Duck

Surf Scoter

Black Scoter

Bufflehead

Common Goldeneye

Barrow's Goldeneye

Common Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

California Quail

Pacific Loon

Common Loon

Horned Grebe

Red-necked Grebe

Double-crested Cormorant

Pelagic Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Bald Eagle

Black-bellied Plover

Killdeer

Black Oystercatcher

Greater Yellowlegs

Black Turnstone

Dunlin

Wilson’s Snipe

Bonaparte's Gull

Short-billed Gull

California Gull

Thayer's Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Marbled Murrelet

Eurasian Collared-Dove

Anna's Hummingbird

Belted Kingfisher

Northern Flicker

Pileated Woodpecker

American Crow

Common Raven

Violet-green Swallow

Barn Swallow

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Bushtit

American Robin

European Starling

American Pipit

Orange-crowned Warbler

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Spotted Towhee

Savannah Sparrow

Song Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Red-winged Blackbird

Brewer's Blackbird

House Finch 

Savanah Sparrow (J. Morrison)

Sunday April 23, 2023:

The Sunday Bird Walk went to Maki Road Trail in south Nanaimo. Weather was overcast and 7C. highlights were Greater White-fronted Geese flying over, Orange-crowned Warblers singing, and a few Greater Yellowlegs calling.

Twenty birders saw and heard 58 species.

Greater White-fronted Goose

Canada Goose

Wood Duck

American Wigeon

Mallard

Northern Pintail

Green-winged Teal

Ring-necked Duck

Bufflehead

Common Merganser

Hooded Merganser

Pied-billed Grebe

Great Blue Heron

Turkey Vulture

Bald Eagle

Merlin

American Coot

Dunlin

Black-bellied Plover

Greater Yellowlegs

Short-billed Gull

California Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Rufous Hummingbird

Anna’s Hummingbird

Belted Kingfisher

Pileated Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Red-breasted Sapsucker

Hutton’s Vireo

Common Raven

American Crow

Violet-green Swallow

Tree Swallow

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Brown Creeper

Bewick’s Wren

Pacific Wren

Bushtit

Ruby-crowned kinglet

American Robin

Hermit Thrush

European Starling

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Orange-crowned Warbler

Common Yellowthroat

Western Tanager

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Red-winged Blackbird

Brown-headed Cowbird

Purple Finch

American Goldfinch

Brown-headed Cowbird (J. Morrison)

The bird activity is very busy now, with the return of Rufous Hummingbirds, White-crowned Sparrow, swallows and more. Watch for Western Tanagers, Hermit Thrush, Wilson’s Warblers and Black-headed Grosbeaks returning to your backyard.

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, May 2, 2023

The Tuesday Bird Walk will be going to Springwood Park, Parksville.

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 Despard Avenue at 9:10. Weather cooperating.

The Sunday Bird Walk, April 30, 2023

This week’s Sunday Bird Walk will be going to Legacy Marsh in upper Lantzville.

Meet at The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store at 9:00am or at the corner of Normarel Drive and Sywash Ridge Road at 9:10am. Normarel Drive is located near the top of Superior Road, Lantzville. 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