The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

                    The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

Nanaimo Bird Report

May 24, 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.
*********************************************************

Spotted Sandpiper (R. Hocken)

Tuesday May 23 , 2023:

A few sightings from Buttertubs Marsh, Pied-billed Grebe sitting on a nest, Yellow Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Black-headed Grosbeak, and a Barred Owl.

The Tuesday birding group went to the Englishman River Estuary, Plummer road side. The weather was overcast, a cool breeze, and 12C. A few highlights from the walk were a pair of Spotted Sandpipers, Barred Owl for our parking lot bird, Pacific Loons in beautiful breeding plumage and a House Wren singing.

Fourteen birders saw and/or heard the following 43 species:

  Goose

Mallard

Harlequin Duck

Common Merganser

Pacific Loon

Pelagic Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Turkey Vulture

Bald Eagle

Killdeer

Spotted Sandpiper

Glaucous-winged Gull

Barred Owl

Eurasian Collared Dove

Band-tailed Pigeon

Rufous Hummingbird

Northern Flicker

Warbling Vireo

Pacific-sloped Flycatcher

Willow Flycatcher

American Crow

Violet-green Swallow

Tree Swallow

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Bewick’s Wren

American Robin

Swainson’s Thrush

European Starling

Orange-crowned Warbler

Wilson’s Warbler

Yellow Warbler

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

Chipping Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Brewer’s Blackbird

Brown-headed Cowbird

Red-cross Crossbill

House Finch

Purple Finch

American Goldfinch

Pine Siskin 

Tree Swallow (R. Hocken)

Sunday May 21, 2023:

There was no Sunday bird walk this week.

American Goldfinch (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 30, 2023

The Tuesday Bird Walk will be going to the Brant Viewing Platform and the Little Qualicum River Estuary 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 platform, at the end of Qualicum Beach, at 9:15, then at the end of Surfside Drive, off Kinkade Road, at 9:45 am. Weather Cooperating.

The Sunday Bird Walk, May 28, 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