The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

 The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

Nanaimo Bird Report

September 16, 2026
“EXPLORE NATURE” --- GO BIRDING:
To report your sightings phone the Store at 250-390-3669 or e-mail us at birding@thebackyard.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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American Kestrel (R. Hocken)

Wednesday September 16, 2026:

37 Black Oystercatchers were seen huddling together at Columbia Beach, Parksville.

Tuesday September 15, 2026:

The Tuesday bird walk went to Parksville Wetlands / Springwood Park in Parksville. Weather was sunny and 9C. A few highlights from the walk were a pair of Kestrels by Church Road and Coldwater Road, Orange-crowned Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler and to end the walk a flock of Golden-crowned Kinglets with two of them on the same branch flashing their orange crowns.

5 birders saw and heard the following 29 species:

Red-tailed Hawk

Turkey Vulture

American Kestrel

Anna’s Hummingbird

Downy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Red-breasted Sapsucker

Steller’s Jay

Common Raven

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Brown Creeper

Bewick’s Wren

Pacific Wren

Golden-crowned Kinglet

American Robin

European Starling

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Orange-crowned Warbler

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

Fox Sparrow

Savanah Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Red Crossbill

House Finch

Pine Siskin

American Goldfinch

Savanah Sparrow (J. Morrison)

Sunday September 13, 2026:

A Clark’s Nutcracker was seen and photographed up at the Lantzville Foothills lookout.

The Sunday bird walk went to Maki Road Trail in south Nanaimo. Weather was sunny, 9C to start and tide was in. A few highlights from the walk were a female Western Tanager seen briefly by a few birders, Spotted Sandpiper seen working along the riverbank before disappearing at the mouth of the river, a Virginia Rail was heard and a large flock of Savanah Sparrows in the shrubs near the river.

10 birders saw and heard the following 36 species:

Mallard

Northern Pintail

Green -winged Teal

Great Blue Heron

Cooper’s Hawk

Turkey Vulture

Killdeer

Spotted Sandpiper

California Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Virginia Rail

Anna’s Hummingbird

Belted Kingfisher

Northern Flicker

Pileated Woodpecker

Red-breasted Sapsucker

Steller’s Jay

Common Raven

American Crow

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Bewick’s Wren

Golden-crowned Kinglet

American Robin

European Starling

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Western Tanager

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

Savanah Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Red-winged Blackbird

House Finch

Purple Finch

Thursday September 10, 2026:

Northern Pygmy Owl was seen on Notch Hill in Nanoose.

If you have any bird sightings to report or need help identifying, just email or call the store, birding@thebackyard.ca or 250-390-3669, toll-free 1-888-808-BIRD (2473)

Backyard Happenings

 Red Crossbills are being seen and heard frequently all around the island. These birds, like other finches, arrive in good numbers when the natural seed crop is plentiful. They are unique to see as they get their name from their bill. The upper and lower mandibles of these birds cross over at the tip of the bill, giving the birds their name “crossbill”. When identifying the Red Crossbill, they are slightly bigger than a House Finch with a parrot like bill crossed at the tip. The male is red in colour, and the wings may look darker. The female is yellowish or olive colour with some grey. Their call sounds like chip chip chip chip-----chip chip chip chip.

Back in history it was thought that Mother Nature had gone horribly wrong with the crossbills, but Mother Nature designed the bill for a purpose. When the crossbill’s feed on the conifer cones, they push their bill into the cone, in the closed position. Then they will open their bill spreading or removing the scales of the cone to access the seeds. They then use their spoon shaped tongue to retrieve the seed. Depending on the habitat and area some crossbill’s upper bill cross to the left and some crossbills will cross to the right. These bills are adaptable to the different regions. Look closely at the juvenile birds, as they do not have a crossed bill for at least a week or so after fledging from the nest.

Crossbill’s like to visit backyard bird feeding stations for a drink of water, a bath and to visit the bird feeders. A preferred seed is the black oil sunflower seed provided in an open or tray style bird feeder.

Red Crossbill (R. Hocken)

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.

Sunday Bird Walk September 20, 2026, will be going to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo.

Meet by the water’s edge by the parking lot at 9:00am.

Weather cooperating.

Tuesday Bird Walk September 22, 2026, will be going to the Plummer Road in Parksville.

Meet directly at the corner of Plummer Road and Shorewood Drive at 9:00 am.

Weather cooperating.

Good birding! Colin Bartlett