The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

 

The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

Nanaimo Bird Report

May 18, 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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Common Merganser (R. Hocken)

Tuesday May 16 , 2023:

A report of two Common Nighthawks were heard on Kilpatrick Road in Nanaimo.

The Tuesday birding group went to the Englishman River Estuary on the Shelly Road side. The weather was sunny, warm, and 20C. A few highlights from the walk were a pair of Spotted Sandpipers calling on the gravel bar in the Englishman River. Three Black-headed Grosbeaks were seen and heard singing near the viewing mound and Western Tanagers and a Swainson’s Thrush were heard.

Thirteen birders saw and/or heard the following 49 species:

Canada Goose

Mallard

Common Merganser

Great Blue Heron

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Bald Eagle

Killdeer

Black Oystercatcher

Spotted Sandpiper

Glaucous-winged Gull

Eurasian Collared Dove

Band-tailed Pigeon

Rufous Hummingbird

Anna’s Hummingbird

Northern Flicker

Pileated Woodpecker

Warbling Vireo

Pacific-sloped Flycatcher

American Crow

Common Raven

Violet-green Swallow

Tree Swallow

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Brown Creeper

Bushtit

Bewick’s Wren

Pacific Wren

American Robin

Swainson’s Thrush

European Starling

Orange-crowned Warbler

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Wilson’s Warbler

Yellow Warbler

Western Tanager

Black-headed Grosbeak

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

Chipping Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Red-winged Blackbird

Brewer’s Blackbird

Brown-headed Cowbird

House Finch

Purple Finch

American Goldfinch 

Warbling Vireo (J. Morrison)

Sunday May 14, 2023:

A juvenile Bullock’s Oriole was reported at the Englishman River Estuary.

The Sunday Bird Walk went to Linley Valley, starting at the Burma Road entrance. Weather was sunny, warm and 20C. A few highlights from the walk were a Cassin’s Vireo and Hutton’s Vireo calling, great views of a singing Black-headed Grosbeak and a pair of Wood Ducks on the lake.

Six birders saw and heard 33 species.

Wood duck

Mallard

Red-tail Hawk

Turkey Vulture

Bald Eagle

Rufous Hummingbird

Anna’s Hummingbird

Downy Woodpecker

Pileated Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Pacific-sloped Flycatcher

Warbling Vireo

Hutton’s Vireo

Cassin’s Vireo

Common Raven

Tree Swallow

Violet-green Swallow

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Pacific Wren

American Robin

Swainson’s Thrush

Orange-crowned Warbler

Wilson’s Warbler

Townsend’s Warbler

Western Tanager

Black-headed Grosbeak

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

Chipping Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Red-winged Blackbird

Purple Finch

White-crowned Sparrow (J. Morrison)

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 23, 2023

The Tuesday Bird Walk will be going first to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in 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 corner of Plummer Road and Shorewood Drive at 9:10 am. Weather Cooperating.

The Sunday Bird Walk, May 21, 2023

This week’s Sunday Bird Walk is CANCELLED for the Victoria long week.

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