Steller's Jays have been spotted! Keep your eyes open and see if you can spot any banded jays, plus the colour of the bands.

If banded jays are spotted, report them to Report Banded Birds

Wednesday, 2 September 2009

THIS IS THE LAST TWO WEEKS....


...OF THE BACKYARD'S SEMI-ANNUAL SEED SALE

NOW IS THE TIME TO STOCK UP ON BIRD SEED
FOR THAT BUSY WINTER BIRD FEEDING!

SAVE 15 % ON MINIMUM $100.00 PURCHASE

ON JUGS, 20LB and 40LB BAGS OF BIRD SEED.

* Free Seed Storage Program
* Fresh Seed at 15 % OFF
* We take Phone Orders!

Our seed sale only happens twice a year so come in and save on your birdseed!

Purchase the birdseed you will use in the next few months at the sale price. Don’t worry about storage, just come by and pick up the seed you purchased as you need it, without the hassle of storing it! The seed will come from our store stock that is always fresh.

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, September 01, 2009




American Goldfinch: Ralph Hocken Photo.


The Tuesday Bird Walk for the Oceanside area resumed this week and went to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville.
Highlights of the morning included watching as two Black-throated Gray Warblers and a Warbling Vireo dropped out of the sky onto a big Ash Tree. Several American Goldfinch moved through the bushes and we watched White-crowned Sparrows moving through bushes and along the ground. A flock of Red Crossbills nosily flew overhead. A Spotted Sandpiper flew across the river and then bobbed his tail as he probed along the shore for food. A Barred Owl, perched on a low branch, gave us impressive looks until he flew into the forest. After a few minutes he gave a few calls to let us know he was still there.
Thirteen birders heard and saw the following forty-two species of birds:
Canada Goose
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Common Merganser
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Merlin
Killdeer
Spotted Sandpiper
Mew Gull
California Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Band-tailed Pigeon
Barred Owl
Anna's Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Warbling Vireo
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Bushtit
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Bewick's Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
American Robin
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Black-throated Gray Warbler
Western Tanager
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Purple Finch
House Finch
Red Crossbill
American Goldfinch

Good birding
Neil Robins
Parksville
British Columbia

Sunday, 30 August 2009

Nanamo bird alert, August 30, 2009






Pectoral Sandpiper: Ralph Hocken Photo.

The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store
Nanaimo Bird Alert

To report your sightings
phone the Store at 250-390-3669
e-mail us at thebackyard@shaw.ca
call the Bird Alert at 250-390-3029

Also check the birdstore blog for the latest bird alerts and updates:
www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com

Post your sightings on this site:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bcbirdingvanisland/messages

Birds of British Columbia:
http://www.geog.ubc.ca/biodiversity/efauna/SpeciesChecklists.html

International Birdwatching Guides
http://www.guidedbirdwatching.com

Birdwatching contacts and information find a local birder to go birdwatching with:
http://www.birdingpal.org/

Please remember, when reporting a sighting, to leave your name and phone number, along with the date, name and location of your sighting.

Sunday August 30, 2009:
The Sunday Bird Walk went to Columbia Beach
The morning was sunny and very comfortable. Highlights included seeing an Osprey hovering over the water looking for fish. We watched two Belted Kingfisher fishing and then perching to eat the fish. Two Greater Yellowlegs entertained us. We watched two White-crowned Sparrows flycatching from a perch. We observed Red Crossbills, through the scope as they perched at the top of tall Fir Trees.
Twenty-four birders heard and saw the following thirty-seven species of birds.
Common Loon, Canada Goose, Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Turkey Vulture, Merlin, Osprey, California Quail, Semipalmated Plover, Black Turnstone, Black Oystercatcher, Killdeer, Greater Yellowlegs, Common Murre, Rhinoceros Auklet, California Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Mew Gull, Rock Pigeon, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flicker, Hairy Woodpecker, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Marsh Wren, Bewick's Wren, Spotted Towhee, White-crowned Sparrow, Song Sparrow, House Finch, Red Crossbill, House Finch.

Saturday August 29:
Two Semipalmated Plovers, one Western Sandpiper and two Spotted Sandpipers were seen at Wall Beach in Nanoose Bay.

Thursday August 27:
Two Bonaparte's Gulls were seen at the Little Qualicum River Estuary north of Qualicum Beach.

Wednesday August 26:
A Great-horned Owl was seen at Neck Point Park in Nanaimo.

Tuesday August 25:
Twelve White-crowned Sparrows were visiting feeders in a backyard in the 5700 block of Broadway Road in Nanaimo.

Monday August 24:
Western Sandpipers, Least Sandpipers, a Short-billed Dowitcher, Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs, a Pectoral Sandpiper and a Peregrine Falcon were seen at Holden Creek (Nanaimo River Estuary) in south Nanaimo.

Three Red-necked Grebes, in breeding plumage and two Common Loons, in worn breeding plumage, were seen at San Pariel (Plummer Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville).


For further information on these sightings or for help in identifying a
bird please call The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store
@ (250) 390-3669
Toll Free @ 1-888-249-4145
e-mail: thebackyard@shaw.ca
**********************************
The Nanoose Naturalists
Guest Speaker, Richard Crowley of the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Reserve.
Thursday September 10, 2009 @ 7:00 pm
Nanoose Library,
Nanoose Bay
**********************************
Arrowsmith Naturalists
Monday September 28, 2009 @ 7:30 pm.
Springwood School
Parksville
******************************************************************
Everyone is welcome to join us for a 2-3 hour bird walk on the Sunday and Tuesday mornings. We leave from the Store at 9 A.M. Sunday Mornings and go to a different location in and around Nanaimo and from the Parksville Beach Community Park at 9 A.M. on Tuesdays and go to different areas in and around
the Oceanside area.
**************************************************************
THE TUESDAY BIRD WALK RESUMES ON SEPTEMBER 01, 2009
The Tuesday Bird Walk on September 01, 2009 will be going to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville.
Meet at the Parksville Beach Community Park near the parking area at the Lion's Playground at 9:00 A.M. or the parking area at the end of Shelly Road off the oceanside of Highway 19a at about 9:10 A.M.
*****************************************************
The Sunday Bird Walk on September 06 will be going to Biggs Road and Doumont Road in Nanaimo.
Meet at the Bird store at 9:00 a.m. or at the parking area at the corner of Biggs Road and Doumont Road at about 9:20 A.M.

*******************************************************
Good birding
Neil Robins
Nanaimo
British Columbia

Sunday, 23 August 2009

THE BACKYARD'S SEMI ANNUAL SEED SALE


CONTINUES........

NOW IS THE TIME TO STOCK UP ON BIRD SEED
FOR THAT BUSY WINTER BIRD FEEDING!

SAVE 15 % ON MINIMUM $100.00 PURCHASE

ON JUGS, 20LB and 40LB BAGS OF BIRD SEED.

* Free Seed Storage Program
* Fresh Seed at 15 % OFF
* We take Phone Orders!

Our seed sale only happens twice a year so come in and save on your birdseed!

Purchase the birdseed you will use in the next few months at the sale price. Don’t worry about storage, just come by and pick up the seed you purchased as you need it, without the hassle of storing it! The seed will come from our store stock that is always fresh.

Nanamo bird alert, August 23, 2009





Semipalmated Sandpiper: Ralph Hocken Photo


The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store
Nanaimo Bird Alert

To report your sightings
phone the Store at 250-390-3669
e-mail us at thebackyard@shaw.ca
call the Bird Alert at 250-390-3029

Also check the birdstore blog for the latest bird alerts and updates:
www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com

Post your sightings on this site:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bcbirdingvanisland/messages

Birds of British Columbia:
http://www.geog.ubc.ca/biodiversity/efauna/SpeciesChecklists.html

International Birdwatching Guides
http://www.guidedbirdwatching.com

Birdwatching contacts and information find a local birder to go birdwatching with:
http://www.birdingpal.org/

Please remember, when reporting a sighting, to leave your name and phone number, along with the date, name and location of your sighting.

Sunday August 23, 2009:
The Sunday Bird Walk went to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo
The morning was sunny but windy. Highlights included seeing a Great Horned Owl at two different locations. We saw two Spotted Sandpipers, one Semipalmated Sandpiper and five Western Sandpipers at Sunshine Beach.
Fifteen birders heard and saw the following twenty-seven species of birds:
Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Turkey Vulture, Great Horned Owl, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper, Spotted Sandpiper, California Gull, Mew Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Black Oystercatcher, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flicker, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Bushtit, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Bewick's Wren, Swainson's
Thrush, American Robin, Cedar Waxwing, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, House Finch, Red Crossbills and Pine Siskin.

Over thirty young American Goldfinch were seen in a backyard along Meridian Way in Parksville.

Anna's Hummingbirds are coming to feeders on Cypress Bowl Place in Nanaimo.

Saturday August 22:
Anna's Hummingbirds are visiting feeders along Eagle Crescent in Nanaimo.

Friday August 21:
A Northern Shoveler was seen on a marsh off Brookwood Drive in Nanaimo.

Thursday August 20:
A Great Horned Owl was seen by Haslam Creek near the Cassidy Inn in south Nanaimo.

Five Eurasian Collared Doves and two California Quail are visiting feeders in a backyard in the 700 block of Sanderson Road in Parksville.

Wednesday August 19:
A juvenile Peregrine Falcon was spotted in a large dead Oak tree along the dike at the west side of Buttertubs Marsh. At the same time there was a very vocal Merlin in the tree 'next door'. The Peregrine flew out about 80 metres, picked something up off of the surface of the pond, and returned to the same tree to eat it.

A very vocal Steller's Jay was heard and seen at the west end of Westwood Lake in Nanaimo.

For further information on these sightings or for help in identifying a
bird please call The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store
@ (250) 390-3669
Toll Free @ 1-888-249-4145
e-mail: thebackyard@shaw.ca
**********************************
The Nanoose Naturalists
Thursday September 10, 2009 @ 7:00 pm
Nanoose Library,
Nanoose Bay
**********************************
Arrowsmith Naturalists
Monday September 28, 2009 @ 7:30 pm.
Springwood School
Parksville
******************************************************************
Everyone is welcome to join us for a 2-3 hour bird walk on the Sunday and Tuesday mornings. We leave from the Store at 9 A.M. Sunday Mornings and go to a different location in and around Nanaimo and from the Parksville Beach Community Park at 9 A.M. on Tuesdays and go to different areas in and around
the Oceanside area.
**************************************************************
THE TUESDAY BIRD WALK RESUMES ON SEPTEMBER 01, 2009

The Tuesday Bird Walk on September 01, 2009 will be going to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville.
Meet at the Parksville Beach Community Park near the parking area at the Lion's Playground at 9:00 A.M. or the parking area at the end of Shelly Road off the oceanside of Highway 19a at about 9:10 A.M.
*****************************************************
The Sunday Bird Walk on August 30 will be going to Columbia Beach.
Meet at the Bird store at 9:00 a.m. or at the parking area off Admiral Tryon Blvd. (turn off Highway 19a at Columbia Drive across from Windsor Plywood, follow Columbia Drive to the tee intersection at Admiral Tryon Blvd., turn right and go about 100 yards and turn left onto the parking area) at about 9:30 a.m.
*******************************************************
Good birding
Neil Robins
Nanaimo
British Columbia