The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

 

The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

Nanaimo Bird Report

March 21, 2024
“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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Turkey Vulture (S. Petersen)

Tuesday March 19, 2024:

The Tuesday Bird Walk went to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. Weather was sunny, 6C and tide was high. A few highlights from the walk were a Hutton’s Vireo calling at the parking lot and one seen along the river trail. Six Trumpeter Swans were seen flying over. A Turkey Vulture was seen, and a Great Horned Owl was heard.

30 birders saw and heard the following 57 species:

Brant

Canada Goose

Trumpeter Swan

Gadwall

American Wigeon

Eurasian Wigeon

Mallard

Northern Pintail

Green-winged Teal

Surf Scoter

Greater Scaup

Common Merganser

Double-crested Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Bald Eagle

Cooper’s Hawk

Northern Harrier

Turkey Vulture

Killdeer

Bonaparte's Gull

Short-billed Gull

Thayer’s Gull

California Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Great Horned Owl

Eurasian Collared Dove

Anna’s Hummingbird

Belted Kingfisher

Downy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Red-breasted Sapsucker

Violet-green Swallow

Hutton’s Vireo

Common Raven

American Crow

Steller’s Jay

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Bushtit

Brown Creeper

Bewick’s Wren

Pacific Wren

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Golden-crowned Kinglet

American Robin

Varied Thrush

Yellow-rumped Warbler

European Starling

Spotted Towhee

White-crowned Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Fox Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

House Finch

Purple Finch

Pine Siskin

Bewick’s Wren (J. Morrison)

Sunday March 17, 2024:

The Sunday Bird Walk went to Neck Point Park in north Nanaimo. It was a nice sunny day, and the park was busy. It was 9C, with a light breeze and the tide was high. A few highlights were a Wood Duck seen in a tree near the parking lot, juvenile Bald Eagle posed nicely on a near branch and good views of a Hairy and Pileated Woodpecker.

18 birders saw and heard the following 39 species:

Brant

Canada Goose

Mallard

Wood Duck

Harlequin Duck

Surf Scoter

Red-breasted Merganser

Horned Grebe

Red-necked Grebe

Double-crested Cormorant

Pelagic Cormorant

Brant’s Cormorant

Bald Eagle

Black Oystercatcher

Bonaparte’s Gull

Short-billed Gull

Thayer’s Gull

California Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Anna’s Hummingbird

Hairy Woodpecker

Pileated Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

American Crow

Common Raven

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Bushtit

Brown Creeper

Bewick’s Wren

Pacific Wren

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Golden-crowned Kinglet

American Robin

Varied Thrush

European Starling

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Rufous Hummingbird (R. Hocken)

Reports of the first Rufous Hummingbirds sightings started coming this week with sightings in south Nanaimo near Morell Wildlife Sanctuary, upper Lantzville, Parksville and, Qualicum Beach.

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, March 24, 2024.

The 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, parking at the corner under the power lines, at 9:10am. Weather cooperating.

The Tuesday Bird Walk, March 26, 2024.

The Tuesday Bird Walk will be going to Rathtrevor Provincial 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 beach entrance in the main parking lot at 9:10am. Weather Cooperating.

Good birding! Colin Bartlett