NANAIMO BIRD REPORT JANUARY 09/2011

Northern Shrike: Ralph Hocken Photo.

NANAIMO BIRD REPORT
To report your sightings
phone the Store at 250-390-3669
e-mail us at thebackyard@shaw.ca

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

Birding in Central and South America:
www.wildbirdtours.ca

Identify backyard birds:
National Geographic Bird Identifier Site
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birding/backyard-bird-identifier/

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, the species and location of your sighting.

Sunday January 09, 2011:
The Sunday bird walk went to Nanoose Bay. The day was clear, sunny and
relatively warm given a couple of inches of fresh snow.
Four determined birders saw the following 27 species of birds:
Canada Goose, Trumpeter Swan, American Wigeon, Mallard, Northern Pintail,
Green-winged Teal, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Bufflehead, Barrow's
Goldeneye, Hooded Merganser, Common Merganser, Double-crested Cormorant,
Pelagic Cormorant, Bald Eagle, Killdeer, Mew Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull,
Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flicker, American Robin, European Starling,
Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco and
Red-winged Blackbird.
Thanks, Graham!

Saturday January 08:
A flock of Golden-crowned Kinglet were seen in a yard along Dickson Road in
Nanaimo.

Monday, January 24th
The Northern Mockingbird is still along Dumond Road near Eyelash Road in
Nanaimo.

A Barred Owl was seen at Morel Sanctuary in Nanaimo.

An Anna's Hummingbird is visiting feeders along Morrel Circle in Nanaimo.

Two Evening Grosbeak were seen visiting feeders along Meridian Way in
Parksville.

Friday January 07:
A Northern Shrike was spotted as it perched on a Cherry Tree in the 100
block of Meridian Way in Parksville.

Two Bald Eagle on and near Osprey nest near Highway 19 and Chase River.

A Barred Owl was calling in Colliery Dam Park and was heard from Harewood
Mines Road side in Nanaimo.

Two Peregrine Falcon were mobbing a Red-tailed Hawk over the Cottonwood
Golf Course in south Nanaimo.

Tuesday January 04:
The Tuesday bird walk went to Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville. The
morning was cool, but not too windy and the rain held off until 11:30. The
highlights of the morning included seeing two Hermit Thrush along the
forest edge. We watched a large flock of Golden-crowned Kinglet and
Ruby-crowned Kinglet quickly moving and feeding through the forest.
We saw over three hundred Dunlin feeding along the shoreline and then
suddenly fly up in a cloud to find another spot along the shore.
It was a good morning of birding as eleven birders including two visitors
from Manitoba, saw and heard the following forty-one species of birds:
Canada Goose, Brant, American Wigeon, Northern Pintail, Surf Scoter,
Long-tailed Duck, Bufflehead, Barrow's Goldeneye, Common Merganser,
Red-breasted Merganser, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Horned Grebe, Red-necked
Grebe, Western Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Bald
Eagle, Black-bellied Plover, Black Oystercatcher, Black Turnstone, Dunlin,
Glaucous-winged Gull, Northern Flicker, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven,
Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Bushtit, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper,
Bewick's Wren, Pacific Wren, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Ruby-crowned Kinglet,
Hermit Thrush, American Robin, European Starling, Spotted Towhee, Song
Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco and Pine Siskin.

A Sharp-shinned Hawk was seen sitting on a fence in the 5400 block of
Altavista Drive in North Nanaimo. A Downy Woodpecker was keeping perfectly
still on the hidden side of a garden post while the Hawk sat on the fence.
When the Hawk moved to a different spot, the Woodpecker shifted over
slightly to maintain his hiding position.

Monday January 03:
A Virginia Rail was seen feeding and searching for food for over four
minutes, out in the open about seven feet away from two birders in the
Richardson Creek area of Cinnabar Valley in south 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
**********************************
Nanoose Field Naturalists Meeting.
Thursday, January 13th, 7 pm in the Library on Northwest Bay Road,
AGM & Members Night.
Keynote presentation by Don Lawseth and Kari Nelson: "Wildlife in Various
Biogeoclimatic Zones of Australia"
**********************************
Arrowsmith Naturalists meeting
Monday January 24, 7.30 pm at Springwood School in Parksville.
January is Members' night with photos, stories and a raffle.
**********************************
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 on January 11, 2011 will be going to the Shelly Road
side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. We will meet at the
Parksville Beach Community Park, at the parking area in front of the Lions
Playground at 9 A.M. or at the end of Shelly Road on the Oceanside of
Highway 19A at about 9: 15 A.M.
*******************************************************
The Sunday Bird Walk on January 16, 2011 will be going to Neck Point Park.
We will meet at the Backyard Store at 9:00A.M. or the parking area at Neck
Point Park at 9:15 A.M.
*******************************************************
Good birding
Neil Robins

THE BACKYARD
Wildbird & Nature Store
6314 Metral Drive, Nanaimo, BC V9T 2L8
250.390.36621
250.390.1633 fax
thebackyard@shaw.ca
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG---> www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com

Northern Mockingbird

Northern Mockingbird: Ralph Hocken Photo.

A Northern Mockingbird is still being seen along Doumont Road near Eyelash Road, close to Brennan Lake in north Nanaimo.

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk,January 04, 2011

Dunlin and Black-bellied Plovers:Ralph Hocken Photo.

Hi birders,

The Tuesday bird walk went to Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville. The morning was cool, but not too windy and the rain held off until 11:30. The highlights of the morning included seeing two Hermit Thrushes along the forest edge. We watched a large flock of Golden-crowned Kinglets and Ruby-crowned Kinglets quickly moving and feeding through the forest.
We saw over three hundred Dunlin feeding along the shoreline and then suddenly fly up in a cloud to find another spot along the shore.
It was a good morning of birding as eleven birders including two visitors from Manitoba, saw and heard the following forty-one species of birds:
Canada Goose
Brant
American Wigeon
Northern Pintail
Surf Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead
Barrow's Goldeneye
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Western Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Bald Eagle
Black-bellied Plover
Black Oystercatcher
Black Turnstone
Dunlin
Glaucous-winged Gull
Northern Flicker
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Bushtit
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Bewick's Wren
Pacific Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
European Starling
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Pine Siskin

Neil Robins
Parksville
British Columbia

NANAIMO BIRD REPORT JANUARY 02/2011

Chestnut-backed Chickadee: Ralph Hocken Photo.


NANAIMO BIRD REPORT
To report your sightings
phone the Store at 250-390-3669
e-mail us at thebackyard@shaw.ca

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

Birding in Central and South America:
www.wildbirdtours.ca

Identify backyard birds:
National Geographic Bird Identifier Site
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birding/backyard-bird-identifier/

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, the species and location of your sighting.

Sunday January 02, 2011:
The Rough-legged Hawk is still in the same area as reported on January 01. The Hawk was seen this morning just off Corfield Avenue & south of Despard perched in a tall tree.

The Northern Mockingbird is still along Dumond Road near Eyelash Road in Nanaimo.

Saturday January 01:
A Rough-legged Hawk landed on the top of a snag-topped tree along Corfield Avenue, just off Despard in Parksville.

Evening Grosbeaks are visiting backyard feeders at Butler and Corfield in Parksville.

A Varied Thrush, an American Goldfinch, a large number of Dark-eyed Juncos, Northern Flickers, European Starlings, Spotted Towhees, a large flock of Bushtits, a Song Sparrow and a Fox Sparrow are daily visitors at feeders in the 100 block of Meridian Way in Parksville.

Friday December 31:
Downy Woodpeckers, Hairy Woodpeckers, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpeckers, Chestnut-backed Chickadees, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Bushtits and a Townsend’s Warbler are visiting feeders along Garry Oaks in Nanoose Bay for the past week.

Over thirty Evening Grosbeaks are visiting feeders in a back yard along Loat Street in Nanaimo.

Wednesday December 29:
Fourteen Evening Grosbeaks, three Varied Thrush, one Golden-crowned Kinglet, Anna's Hummingbird and a Cooper's Hawk are visiting a backyard along Doehle Avenue in Parksville.

Eight California Quail, six Varied Thrush, many Dark-eyed Junco, Spotted Towhees, six Northern Flickers, ten Stellar Jays and two Chestnut-backed Chickadees are visiting feeders in the 1300 block of Lanyon Drive in Parksville.

One Greater White-fronted Goose was spotted in with about 500 Canada Geese, browsing at the Nanaimo Cemetery near Howard Avenue and Bowen Road in Nanaimo.

An Anna's hummingbird has been visiting feeders along Newdale Place in Nanaimo.


Nanaimo Christmas Bird Count
The Nanaimo Christmas Bird Count took place on Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2010 under sunny skies with very low temperatures and high winds.
Overall, the count was very successful, although, many individual teams felt as
though there was a large drop in numbers in their area due to the severe winds
and bitter cold. Graeme Ellis et al. from Protection Island did head out in
their small boat to survey the harbour but the Pacific Traveler skippered by
Doug Henderson, unfortunately yet understandably, never left the dock. Doug and
his wife Eveline Stokkink take birders out every year to survey the waters of
Georgia Strait, for which we are always hugely grateful, but this year it simply
wasn't safe. Hopefully next year we will get out again and pick up some of those
alcids we missed this year.
The most noticeable change this year, I would have to say, was the absolute
dearth of finches. Very low numbers of even the usually abundant House Finch
and Pine Siskin were recorded, and Red Crossbill and American Goldfinch were
absent altogether. The wind can be blamed for the low numbers of House Finches
perhaps, but the total lack of crossbills must have to do with some larger
trend. They must be following the cone crops to some other locale this winter.
Making comment about other trends with birds this year is difficult due to the
very high winds on count day. Most passerine species were keeping an extremely low profile so as not to be swept away. The only Great Blue Heron observed in my count area of Nanaimo Harbour/Chase River Estuary, where there are usually at least half a dozen, was holding on to a log for dear life near the west arm of the Nanaimo River and visibly leaning into the wind, beak first. It was rather comical. And viewing seabirds was made tremendously difficult by the very choppy waters and whipping wind that threatened to smash scopes on the ground if you didn't hold on!
TOWNSEND'S WARBLERS were observed on Gabriola Island and at Bruce Cousens and Charlene Lee's feeder on Hammond Bay Road. Bruce had an exceptional feeder count submission, adding two new species to the count: LINCOLN'S SPARROW and WHITE-THROATED SPARROW. Well done, Bruce!
Margie Bryant et al. who surveyed the area around Brannen Lake had staked out a NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD along Dumont Road near Eyelash Road. Apparently, the bird has been frequenting that area for about a month. Northern Mockingbirds are known to set up shop for the winter and stay a while, but I think this is firstone, or at least the first in a long time, to be recorded on the Nanaimo Christmas Bird Count. Thanks for keeping your eye on this character and bagging another species for the count, Margie and team!
Karl Ricker and Jim Wisnia turned up a couple interesting species around Piper's
Lagoon, as they often do, again this year. Karl managed to spot a dark phase
PARASITIC JAEGER flying by the beach, and when Jim noticed a flock of shorebirds the lagoon later in the day and went in for closer inspection they found what they believe to be a PACIFIC GOLDEN PLOVER among a flock of Dunlin. If anyone is in the area please have a look for these birds. Further confirmation would be greatly appreciated!

Other interesting sightings include: a RUDDY DUCK spotted by Steve Baillie, Kim
Goldberg, and Karen Mullen at Quennell Lake; Neil Bourne, Ann Thompson, and Eric Grundman spotted the only SURFBIRDS seen this year on Brandon Island (or was it Jesse?) and the only YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER recorded at the Nanaimo Golf Course.
EVENING GROSBEAKS continue to be spotted at feeders throughout the count circle, which is a special treat for many backyard birders this year.

TOTAL SPECIES RECORDED ON COUNT DAY: 113

Thanks again to everyone who participated with a special thanks to Brian Simmons and Ann Thompson for stepping up to take over organizing duties next year. It's been a rewarding 5 years for me as compiler and now I'm off to start some new adventures as a teacher!
Cheers!
Carlo Pavan


Tuesday December 28:
An American Coot was seen at Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo.

A Snow Bunting was seen at the point at Deep Bay.

Seven Trumpeter Swans were spotted flying over Meridian Way in Parksville.

A Varied Thrush is visiting suet feeders on an apartment balcony along Boundary Crescent in Nanaimo.

Monday December 27:
A Belted Kingfisher was seen at Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo.

A female Yellow-rumped Warbler was seen in a backyard in the 2500 block of Glenayr Drive in Nanaimo and four Trumpeter Swans and a Bald Eagle were seen flying over the yard.

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
**********************************
Nanoose Field Naturalists Meeting.
Thursday, January 13th, 7 pm in the Library on Northwest Bay Road,
AGM & Members Night.
Keynote presentation by Don Lawseth and Kari Nelson: "Wildlife in Various Biogeoclimatic Zones of Australia"
**********************************
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 on January 04, 2011 will be going to Rathtrevor Provincial Park. We will meet at the Parksville Beach Community Park, at the parking area in front of the Lions Playground at 9 A.M. or at the main parking area at Rathtrevor Provincial Park at about 9: 15 A.M.--"Please note there is a parking fee at Rathtrevor Park"!
*******************************************************
The Sunday Bird Walks will be going to Nanoose Bay on January 09, 2011,
We will meet at the Backyard Store at 9:00A.M. or the parking area behind the Church Camp (off Nanoose Beach Road and Highway 19) at about 9:20 A.M.
*******************************************************
Good birding
Neil Robins

THE BACKYARD
Wildbird & Nature Store
6314 Metral Drive, Nanaimo, BC V9T 2L8
250.390.36621
250.390.1633 fax
thebackyard@shaw.ca
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG---> www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com

Rough-legged Hawk

A Rough-legged Hawk was spotted landing near the top of a snag-topped tree along Corfield Avenue, just off Despard in Parksville, this afternoon, January 01, 2011.

Good birding
Neil Robins
Parksville
British Columbia