The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

Nanaimo Bird Report

September 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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Harlequin Duck (R. Hocken)

Wednesday September 27, 2023:

7 Greater Yellowlegs were seen in the pool at the Nanaimo River Estuary along with Western Meadowlarks, and flying over were Northern Shovelers and Sandhill Cranes.

Tuesday September 26, 2023:

The Tuesday birding group went to Columbia Beach in French Creek. The weather started out windy and cool for the walk but then the rain started halfway through. It was 13C, cloudy, windy, rainy and the tide was going out. A few highlights from were Black-bellied Plovers, Greater Yellowlegs, and Varied Thrush.

4 birders saw and heard the following 39 species:

Canada Goose

American Wigeon

Mallard

Harlequin Duck

Surf Scoter

White-winged Scoter

Pacific Loon

Common Loon

Double-crested Cormorant

California Quail

Great Blue Heron

Bald Eagle

Killdeer

Black Oystercatcher

Black-bellied Plover

Black Turnstones

Greater Yellowlegs

Short-billed Gull

Thayer’s Gull

California Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Common Murre

Anna’s Hummingbird

Northern Flicker

American Crow

Steller’s Jay

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

American Robin

Varied Thrush

European Starling

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

Fox Sparrow

Savanah Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

House Finch

House Sparrow

Sunday September 24, 2023:

The Sunday Bird group went to Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo. The weather was overcast, and 13C. A few highlights from the walk were, an Osprey flew overhead of us, Pectoral Sandpiper with Long-billed Dowitchers and a Wilson’s Snipe. A Hermit Thrush was also seen.

15 birders saw and heard the following 42 species:

Canada Goose

Wood Duck

Mallard

Green-winged Teal

Hooded Merganser

Pied-billed Grebe

Great Blue Heron

Merlin

Red-tailed Hawk

Osprey

Turkey Vulture

American Coot

Kill Deer

Western Sandpiper

Pectoral Sandpiper

Wilson’s Snipe

Lesser Yellowlegs

Long-billed Dowitcher

Band-tailed Pigeon

Anna’s Hummingbird

Downy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Red-breasted Sapsucker

Common Raven

Steller’s Jay

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Brown Creeper

Bewick’s Wren

Marsh Wren

American Robin

Hermit Thrush

Cedar Waxwing

European Starling

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

Fox Sparrow

Golden-crowed Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Red-winged Blackbird

House Finch

Purple Finch

House Sparrow

Long-billed Dowitcher (R. Hocken)

Saturday September 23, 2023:

10 Sandhill Cranes were seen flying over Grovehill Road in Qualicum Beach.

A Barred Owl was seen in the trees at Buttertubs Marsh near Valley Oak Estates.

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 Sunday Bird Walk, October 1, 2023

This week’s Sunday Bird Walk will be going to Nanoose Estuary in Nanoose Bay.

Meet at The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store at 9:00am or at the end of Nanoose Beach Road, off of Arlington Road and HWY 19, at 9:15am. Weather cooperating.

The Tuesday Bird Walk, October 3, 2023

The Tuesday Bird Walk will be going to Rathtrevor Beach Provicial Park.

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 main parking lot by the beach entrance at 9:10am. Weather Cooperating.

Good birding! Colin Bartlett

 The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

Nanaimo Bird Report

September 20, 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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Greater Yellowlegs (R. Hocken)

Tuesday September 19, 2023:

The Tuesday birding group went to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. The weather was cloudy, showers, 13C and high tide. A few highlights from the walk were, Greater Yellowlegs in the estuary that was nice and close to view along with a few Killdeer, a Savanah Sparrow that perch on a long in the estuary for great viewing and Cedar Waxwings that landed in the trees neat the viewing mound.

10 birders saw and/or heard the following 42 species:

Canada Goose

American Wigeon

Mallard

Northern Pintail

Harlequin Duck

Surf Scoter

Common Merganser

Common Loon

Horned Grebe

Pelagic Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Turkey Vulture

Merlin

Killdeer

Black-bellied Plover

Greater Yellowlegs

Short-billed Gull

California Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Eurasian Collared Dove

Anna’s Hummingbird

Belted Kingfisher

Downy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Vaux Swift

Common Raven

American Crow

Steller’s Jay

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Bushtit

Brown Creeper

Bewick’s Wren

Golden-crowned Kinglet

American Robin

Cedar Waxwing

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

Savanah Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

House Finch

American Goldfinch

Monday September 18, 2023:

Approximately 50 Band-tailed Pigeons were seen around Nottingham Drive and Crossbow Drive, near the Pacific Biological Station in Nanaimo.

Sunday September 17, 2023:

The Sunday Bird group went to Maki Road trail in south Nanaimo. Weather was sunny, 15C, steady breeze and the tide was high and going out. A few highlights from the walk were, an Osprey soaring high over the harbour, a Great Yellowlegs in the marsh providing a great view for everyone and a Common Yellowthroat was heard in the marsh.

22 birders saw and heard the following 31 species:

Mallard

Hooded Merganser

Common Merganser

Double-crested Cormorant

Pelagic Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Osprey

Turkey Vulture

Greater Yellowlegs

Short-billed Gull

California Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Anna’s Hummingbird

Belted Kingfisher

Downy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Red-breasted Sapsucker

Common Raven

Steller’s Jay

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Bewick’s Wren

American Robin

European Starling

Common Yellowthroat

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

White-crowed Sparrow

Red-winged Blackbird

House Finch

Purple Finch

Juvenile White-crowned Sparrow (R. Hocken)

Backyard News:

Activity at the backyard feeders is steadily getting busier. At my feeders I am seeing lots of chickadees, nuthatch, Bushtits, House Finch, flickers and now starting to see more sparrows about. Dark-eyed Juncos have been in the yard all summer but lately the Spotted Towhees arrived and just yesterday Song Sparrows arrived.

With the weather changing next week and rain finally happening we need to switch our bird feeding routine to fall and winter. Keeping the bird seed dry can be a challenge sometimes but using domes or placing your feeder in an area that is sheltered will help. For some bird feeders, like squirrel proof ones, domes don’t always work, so for my feeders I use only enough bird seed that the birds finish in a day. This way there is less of a problem with wet and moldy bird seeds. It also makes cleaning a lot easier.

There have been a few reports of Pine Siskins about, but more reports of American Goldfinch. It has been a great summer for the goldfinch. Watch for Cedar Waxwings feeding on any berries as they migrate south. Steller’s Jays are busy, and I have gone from one to three of them battling for the peanuts in the shell I put out. I only put out a dozen or so peanuts in the shell on the deck railing so the need to be quick before the squirrel finds them.

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 Sunday Bird Walk, September 24, 2023

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

Meet at The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store at 9:00am or at the parking lot on Jingle Pot Road and the corner of 3^rd street, across from the ballpark, at 9:15am. Weather cooperating.

The Tuesday Bird Walk, September 26, 2023

The Tuesday Bird Walk will be going to Columbia Beach in French Creek.

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 sandy beach parking lot located on Admiral Tyron Blvd, located off Columbia Drive and HWY 19A, at 9:15am. Weather Cooperating. (if raining steadily the walk will be cancelled)

Good birding! Colin Bartlett

Clear Skies - The Moon, Planets, and Space Station

First, an update on the Moon and planets, and then a few passes of the International Space Station this week.

The Moon is “new” on Sept. 14 – meaning it is close to the Sun.  Starting about Monday, look for a very thin crescent Moon low in the southwest, just after the Sun sets.  Each day the crescent will grow larger and the Moon will be visible later.  The quarter Moon – half lit – will be on Friday, Sept 22, and the Moon will be “full” on Friday, Sept. 28.

Saturn is nicely visible all evening.  It can be seen by about 8:30 p.m., only about the width of your fist held at arm’s length above the southeast horizon.  It reaches its highest around midnight, when it can found about a third of the way up from the horizon in the south.  On the evening of Tuesday, Sept. 26, the bright Moon will be just below Saturn.

Jupiter is the brightest planet visible in the evenings, although it only rises around 9 o’clock.  It is at its highest around 4:30 in the morning, when it shines brightly in the south.  On Sunday, Oct. 1, the Moon will be just to the left of Jupiter.

Venus is now a morning planet, rising around 4 a.m. ahead of the Sun.  It is shining very brightly and can be found even in the morning glow in the east southeast.  It will continue to get brighter over the coming weeks.  For a nice challenge, look for Venus and a thin crescent Moon close together low in the morning southerly sky on Tuesday, October 10, even with the sky getting bright.

The International Space Station (ISS)

ISS is currently crewed by three Russians, two Americans, a Dane and a Japanese. There will be some nice passes over the next week visible from Vancouver Island and the southern BC mainland.

On Friday, Sept. 15, the ISS will rise in the southwest about 9:04 p.m.  It will climb about half way up the sky in the south southwest, passing very close to Altair, the bright star at the bottom of the Summer Triangle.  It will then fade from sight at 9:09 as it enters Earth’s shadow and is no longer lit by the sun.

Saturday, Sept. 16, gives us two chances to see the ISS.  It orbits the Earth in about 90 minutes, so tonight we get a chance to see it twice.  ISS first rises in the southwest about 8:18 p.m., climbs about a third of the way up the sky in south southeast before disappearing low in the east about 8:24.

The second pass is quite short, as the Sun is lower in the west so the ISS isn’t lighted as long.  You can catch it rising in the west at 9:54, and it will only climb about half way up the sky before it fades from sight about three minutes later.  The bright star it passes after a minute or so is Arcturus, which is the second brightest star visible from Canada.  The brightest star, Sirius, is now only rising about 1 a.m.

On Sunday, Sept. 17, we will see the ISS pass high overhead.  It will rise in the west southwest at 9:06 p.m., will pass close to both Vega and Deneb, the top two stars of the Summer Triangle, and will then fade from sight in the east northeast at 9:11 p.m.

We get another good pass on Monday, Sept. 18, when ISS rises in the WSW at 8:19 p.m.  It will pass through the Summer Triangle three minutes later, and then drop to the horizon in the ENE and disappear at 8:25.

Tuesday, Sept. 19, ISS will rise in the west at 9:08 p.m., climb 2/3 of the way up the sky in the north by 9:11, and then it will disappear at 9:12, just after passing through Cassiopeia, the “W”.

On Wednesday, Sept. 20, ISS rises in the west at 8:20 p.m., and as it climbs in that part of the sky, it will again pass close to Arturus (see the second pass on Sept. 16 for a reminder). ISS disappears in the ENE at 8:26.

Thursday, Sept. 21, will see a shorter pass in the north.  ISS rises in the WNW at 9:08 p.m, climbs very close to the North Star, Polaris, at 9:12, then disappears just as it approaches Cassiopeia.

Finally, on Friday, Sept. 21, ISS will rise in the west at 8:21 p.m., will pass by the handle of the Big Dipper about 8:23, before disappearing low in the ENE at 8:26.

Clear skies.

David.

                     The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

Nanaimo Bird Report

September 14, 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.
*********************************************************

Great Blue Heron (J. Morrison)

Tuesday September 12, 2023:

The Tuesday birding group went to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River Estuary. The weather was cloudy, showers, 14C and low tide. A few highlights from the walk were watching a Merlin attacking a group of 4 Northern Flickers, not very successfully, hearing the Steller’s Jays and watching the interactions of the Common Ravens. Just as everyone was leaving a pair of Western Tanagers were heard in the trees in the parking area.

5 birders saw and/or heard the following 31 species:

Mallard

Northern Pintail

Green-winged Teal

Harlequin Duck

Red-necked Grebe

Double-crested Cormorant

Pelagic Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Bald Eagle

Merlin

Killdeer

Greater Yellowlegs

Short-billed Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Anna’s Hummingbird

Belted Kingfisher

Northern Flicker

Common Raven

American Crow

Steller’s Jay

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Brown Creeper

Bewick’s Wren

Golden-crowned Kinglet

American Robin

European Starling

Western Tanager

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

Purple Finch

Sunday September 10, 2023:

A Hermit Thrush was seen in the backyard on Honeysuckle Terrace and Forest Drive.

The Sunday Bird group went to Neck Point Park for the first walk of the fall. Weather was sunny, 16C, steady breeze and low tide. A few highlights from the walk were, Black Turnstones, two Spotted Sandpipers out on the rocks of Sunset Beach, a Barred Owl by the fairy doors, and a White-throated Sparrow in the brush on the waterfront.

20 birders saw and heard the following 28 species:

Canada Goose

Common Loon

White-winged Scoter

Red-necked Grebe

Double-crested Cormorant

Pelagic Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Cooper’s Hawk

Bald Eagle

Turkey Vulture

Black Turnstone

Spotted Sandpiper

Short-billed Gull

California Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Barred Owl

Anna’s Hummingbird

Belted Kingfisher

Common Raven

Steller’s Jay

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Brown Creeper

Bewick’s Wren

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Spotted Towhee

White-throated Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

White-throated Sparrow (R. Hocken)

Thursday September 7, 2023:

A Wilson’s Snipe was seen on a front lawn on the east side of Long Lake.

Great Horned Owl was heard in a tot lot on Thunderbird Drive and Eagle Crescent near the hospital.

Wednesday September 6, 2023:

Cedar Waxwings were observed in a backyard on Departure Bay Road and Neyland Road.

Cedar Waxwing (S. Petersen)

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 Sunday Bird Walk, September 17, 2023

This week’s Sunday Bird Walk will be going to Maki Road Trail, located at the end of Maki Road in Nanaimo.

Meet at The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store at 9:00am or at the parking lot at the end of Maki Road 9:15am. Weather cooperating.

The Tuesday Bird Walk, September 19, 2023

The Tuesday Bird Walk will be going back to the Shelly 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 parking lot at the end of Shelly Road at 9:10am. Weather Cooperating.

Good birding! Colin Bartlett