Nanaimo bird report, September 27, 2015

NANAIMO BIRD REPORT “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 and location of your sighting.
*****************************************************************************
Sunday, September 27, 2015 

The Sunday bird walk went to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville  The morning was sunny and warm. We spotted a Barred Owl perched in a tall tree just off the trail.  Seven Western Grebes were seen offshore.  A Peregrine Falcon flew past over head.  Large numbers of American Robins and Steller’s Jays entertained us all morning.

 

Barred Owl: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

Eighteen birders saw and heard the following Fifty-two species:

Canada Geese

 American Widgeon

Mallard

 Northern Pintail

Harlequin Duck

Greater Scaup

 Surf Scoter

White-winged Scoter

Western Grebe

 Red-necked Grebe

 Common Merganser

Great Blue Heron

 Turkey Vulture

 Bald Eagle

Peregrine Falcon

Barred Owl

Killdeer

Greater Yellowlegs

Mew Gull

 California Gull

 Thayer's Gull

 Glaucous-winged Gull

California Quail

Anna's Hummingbird

Common Yellow-throat

Belted Kingfisher
Hairy Woodpecker

 Northern Flicker

Red-breasted Sapsucker

Steller’s Jay

 Northwestern Crow

 Common Raven

 Chestnut-backed Chickadee

 Red-breasted Nuthatch

Bewick's Wren

 Pacific Wren

 Ruby-crowned Kinglet

 American Robin

 European Starling

Cedar Waxwing

 Spotted Towhee

Fox Sparrow

Savannah Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco

Red Crossbill

Purple Finch 

House Finch

 Pine Siskin

American Goldfinch  

Saturday, September 26:

A greater White-fronted Goose was spotted flying at the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo. 

Friday, September 25:

Twelve Northern Shovelers were seen on the Englishman River in Parksville. 

A Vesper Sparrow, a Western Meadowlark and several Savannah Sparrows were seen at Piper’s Lagoon in Nanaimo. 

A Northern Harrier and five Long-billed Dowitchers were seen at the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo

Tuesday, September 22:

The Tuesday bird walk went to Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park in Parksville. The morning was sunny with a strong wind off the Strait of Georgia. There were large numbers of Common Loons, Horned Grebes and Red-necked Grebes on the Strait.  A Long-tailed Duck was spotted heading down the Strait.  A Merlin was perched on top of a snag giving us good views.  Six Northern Flickers were perched in the same area.

                                                                               

 Horned Grebe: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

Twenty-two birders saw and heard the following forty-one species:

Pacific Loon
Common Loon

American Wigeon
Northern Pintail

Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter

Black Scoter
Common Merganser
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe

Western Grebe

Long-tailed Duck
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Merlin

Black Turnstone

Killdeer
Thayer’s Gull
California Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull

Steller’s Jay
Northern Flicker

Pileated Woodpecker
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Anna’s Hummingbird
American Robin

Varied Thrush
European Starling
Spotted Towhee

Golden-crowned Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Purple Finch

                                           

        Northern Flicker: Ralph Hocken Photo.

 

*********************************************************************************
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. on 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 September 29, 2015 will be going to Columbia Beach.  Meet at the Parksville Community Park near the Lions Club Playground parking lot at 9:00 am. or at Columbia Beach, at the parking area along Admiral Tyron Blvd.(off highway 19a at Columbia Drive-- at the end of Columbia Drive turn right on Admiral Tyron Blvd.) 

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The Sunday bird walk on October 04, 2015 will be going to Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo.  Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 a.m. or at the parking lot at Buttertubs Marsh off Bowen Road at about 9:20 a.m.
**********************************************************************************
British Columbia Rare Bird Alert link--- http://www.bcbirdalert.blogspot.ca/
*******************************************************************************
Good birding
Neil Robins

THE BACKYARD WILDBIRD & NATURE STORE
6314 Metral Drive
Nanaimo  B.C.
V9T-2L8
Phone: 250-390-3669
Fax: 250-390-1633
Email:  thebackyard@shaw.ca
Blog:  www.thebirdstore.blogspot.co

 

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, September 22, 2015

The Tuesday bird walk went to Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park in Parksville. The morning was sunny with a strong wind off the Strait of Georgia. There were large numbers of Common Loons, Horned Grebes and Red-necked Grebes on the Strait.  A Long-tailed Duck was spotted heading down the Strait.  A Merlin was perched on top of a snag giving us good views.  Six Northern Flickers were perched in the same area.

Horned Grebe: Ralph Hocken Photo.

 

Twenty-two birders saw and heard the following forty-one species:

Pacific Loon
Common Loon

American Wigeon
Northern Pintail

Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter

Black Scoter
Common Merganser
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe

Western Grebe

Long-tailed Duck
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Merlin

Black Turnstone

Killdeer
Thayer’s Gull
California Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull

Steller’s Jay
Northern Flicker

Pileated Woodpecker
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Anna’s Hummingbird
American Robin

Varied Thrush
European Starling
Spotted Towhee

Golden-crowned Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Purple Finch

 

                                                                      Northern Flicker: Ralph Hocken Photo.

 

The Tuesday bird walk on September 27, 2015 will be going to Columbia Beach.  Meet at the Parksville Community Park near the Lions Club Playground parking lot at 9:00 am. Or at Columbia Beach, at the parking area along Admiral Tyron Blvd.(off highway 19a at Columbia Drive-- at the end of Columbia Drive turn right on Admiral Tyron Blvd.)

Good birding

Neil Robins

 

Parksville

Nanaimo bird report, September 20, 2015

NANAIMO BIRD REPORT “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 and location of your sighting.
*****************************************************************************
Sunday, September 20, 2015:

The Sunday bird walk went to Nanaimo River Estuary in Nanaimo.  The morning was sunny and warm. The highlight of the morning was the sighting of a Pectoral Sandpiper feeding on a stream with four Long-billed Dowitchers. A large number of Common Ravens were playing and talking above us throughout the morning. Savannah Sparrows, White-crowned Sparrows and  American Goldfinch was feeding on a shrub near the trail.

Pectoral Sandpiper: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

Eight birders saw and heard the following thirty-two species:

Common Loon

Mallard

Hooded Merganser

Common Merganser

Great Blue Heron

 Bald Eagle

Northern Harrier

Peregrine Falcon

 Turkey Vulture

 Dunlin

Killdeer

 Long-billed Dowitcher

Pectoral Sandpiper

Thayer’s Gull

Ring-billed Gull

 California Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

 Belted Kingfisher

 Northern Flicker

 Common Raven

 Steller's Jay

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

 Bewick's Wren

 American Robin

European Starling

 Spotted Towhee

 Savannah Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

 Purple Finch

 American Goldfinch

House Sparrow   

Saturday, September 19:

A Lincoln’s Sparrow has been a frequent visitor to a backyard along Meridian Way in Parksville, along with four Steller’s Jays who have taken up residence.

Tuesday, September 15:

The Tuesday bird walk went to the Little Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum Beach. The morning was mostly sunny with calm winds until near the end of the walk when the winds picked up making for lots of whitecaps on the Strait. We saw large numbers of Red-necked Grebes, Common Loons, one Pacific Loon and several Horned Grebes. One Western Grebe, one Pigeon Guillemot and four Common Murre were spotted offshore. A large number of Mew Gulls, a Western Gull and two Thayer’s Gulls were perched on a gravel bar not far from shore. Two American Pipits flew by over the water. A Merlin was perched on a fir tree near the beach.

                                                                                                                                                         

 Red-neck Grebe: Ralph Hocken Photo.

                                                              

 Nineteen birders saw and heard the following forty-three species:

Canada Goose

Turkey Vulture

Merlin

Mallard

Harlequin Duck

Common Mergansers

Surf Scoters

White-winged Scoters

Black Scoter

Common Loon

Pacific Loon

Red-necked Grebe

Horned Grebe

Western Grebe

Pigeon Guillemot

Common Murre

Black Oystercatcher

Killdeer

Black Turnstone

American Pipit

Double-crested Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Western Sandpiper

Belted Kingfisher

Bonaparte's Gull

California Gull

Mew Gull

Western Gull

Thayer’s Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Eurasian Collared-Dove

Stellar Jay

Northwestern Crow

Common Raven

Northern Flicker

Pileated Woodpecker

American Robin

                                                     Song Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Savannah Sparrow

Lincoln's Sparrow

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Bewick’s Wren 

                                                                                  

                      Merlin: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

Monday, September 14:

Eight Common Loons, Two Canada Geese, forty American Wigeon, three Harlequin Ducks, twelve Surf Scoters, four White-winged Scoters, one Black Scoter, one Horned Grebe, one Red-necked Grebe, two Western Grebes, four Double-crested Cormorants, four Pelagic Cormorants, one Great Blue Heron, two Turkey Vultures, two Bald Eagles, fourteen Killdeer,one Greater Yellowlegs, two Bonaparte Gulls, forty California Gulls, sixty Glaucous-winged Gulls and two Common Murre were seen along the Strait of Georgia from the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River in 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. on 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 September 22, 2015 will be going to Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville.

Meet at the Parksville Community Park parking lot near the Lions playground at 9:00 am or at the main parking lot in Rathtrevor Provincial Park at about 9:10 am. 

****************************************************************************
The Sunday bird walk on September 27, 2015 will be going to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville.  Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 a.m. or at the end of Shelly Road on the ocean side of highway 19a  at about 9:30 a.m.
**********************************************************************************
British Columbia Rare Bird Alert link--- http://www.bcbirdalert.blogspot.ca/
*******************************************************************************
Good birding
Neil Robins

THE BACKYARD WILDBIRD & NATURE STORE
6314 Metral Drive
Nanaimo  B.C.
V9T-2L8
Phone: 250-390-3669
Fax: 250-390-1633
Email:  thebackyard@shaw.ca
Blog:  www.thebirdstore.blogspot.co

Parksville/Quailicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, September 15, 2015

The Tuesday bird walk went to the Little Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum Beach. The morning was mostly sunny with calm winds until near the end of the walk when the winds picked up making for lots of whitecaps on the Strait. We saw large numbers of Red-necked Grebes, Common Loons, one Pacific Loon and several Horned Grebes. One Western Grebe, one Pigeon Guillemot and four Common Murre were spotted offshore. A large number of Mew Gulls, a Western Gull and two Thayer’s Gulls were perched on a gravel bar not far from shore. Two American Pipits flew by over the water. A Merlin was perched on a fir tree near the beach.                                                       

 

 

 

 

   Red-neck Grebe: Ralph Hocken Photo.                                                              

 Nineteen birders saw and heard the following forty-three species:

Canada Goose

Turkey Vulture

Merlin

Mallard

Harlequin Duck

Common Mergansers

Surf Scoters

White-winged Scoters

Black Scoter

Common Loon

Pacific Loon

Red-necked Grebe

Horned Grebe

Western Grebe

Pigeon Guillemot

Common Murre

Black Oystercatcher

Killdeer

Black Turnstone

American Pipit

Double-crested Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Western Sandpiper

Belted Kingfisher

Bonaparte's Gull

California Gull

Mew Gull

Western Gull

Thayer’s Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Eurasian Collared-Dove

Stellar Jay

Northwestern Crow

Common Raven

Northern Flicker

Pileated Woodpecker

American Robin

Song Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Savannah Sparrow

Lincoln's Sparrow

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Bewick’s Wren

 

                                                                                              

                                                            Merlin: Ralph Hocken Photo.                                                                 

 

The Tuesday bird walk on September 22, 2015 will be going to Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville. Meet at the Parksville Community Park parking lot near the Lions playground at 9:00 am or at the main parking lot in Rathtrevor Provincial Park at about 9:10 am. 

Good birding

Neil Robins

Parksville.

 

 

Nanaimo bird report, September 13, 2015

NANAIMO BIRD REPORT “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 and location of your sighting.

*****************************************************************************

Sunday, September 13, 2015:

The Sunday bird walk went to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo.  The morning was sunny with strong winds off the Strait of Georgia.  The highlights included seeing a Black Oystercatcher perched on a rock near the shore. We saw the resident Spotted Sandpiper fly along Sunshine Bay near the far shore. Double-crested Cormorants and Pelagic Cormorants flew low over the strait heading north.

Black Oystercatcher: Ralph Hocken Photo.   

Twenty-three birders including visiting birders from Victoria, Alberta, Oregon and California saw and heard the following twenty-five species:

Common Loon

Canada Geese

Double-crested Cormorant

Pelagic Cormorant

Mallard

Common Merganser

Great Blue Heron

Black Oystercatcher

Spotted Sandpiper

Turkey Vulture

Glaucous-winged Gull

Anna’s Hummingbird

Downy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Steller’s Jay

Common Raven

Northwestern Crow

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Brown Creeper

Bewick’s Wren

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

American Robin

Spotted Towhee

European Starlings 

Saturday, September 12:

Surfbirds and Horned Larks were seen at Piper’s Lagoon in Nanaimo. 

.A Wilson’s Snipe was spotted along Morell Circle in Nanaimo.  

Three Clarks Grebes were seen on the Strait of Georgia from the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville. 

Friday, September 11:

Wood Ducks and a Trumpeter Swan were seen at Beck Lake in south Nanaimo. 

Thursday, September 10:

Twenty common Nighthawks were seen over Corfield Road in Parksville. 

A Horned Lark was seen on Sugar Loaf Mountain in Nanaimo.

 

Tuesday, September 08:

The first Tuesday bird walk for the fall went to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville.  The morning started out cloudy but soon turned sunny with a light breeze.  The highlights included seeing a Parasitic Jaeger flying low over the water heading down the Strait of Georgia.  Not far from shore, a mixed flock of Common Terns and Arctic Terns were circling and playing in the wind as they flew down the Strait.  We saw a hawk lift numerous gulls from a gravel bar near the ocean. The Hawk landed near the gulls and we had a chance to study it with our scopes. We concluded that the Hawk, with the long tail of an accipiter, broad head and bulky body and a white “eyebrow” above the eye was a Northern Goshawk.  A pair of American Kestrels put on a show for us as they chased each other over the meadow.

      

 

          Parasitic Jaeger: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

Twenty-three birders including visiting birders from Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario, along with two birders from the United Kingdom and Ontario who have just moved to this area, saw and heard the following forty species.

Common Loon

Canada Geese

Mallard

American Wigeon

Common Merganser

Northern Pintail

Turkey Vulture

Bald Eagle

Northern Goshawk

American Kestrel

Killdeer

Greater Yellowlegs

Black-bellied Plover

Parasitic Jaeger

California Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Mew Gull

Common Terns

Artic Terns

Black Swift

Anna’s Hummingbird

Belted Kingfisher

Northern Flicker

Pacific-slope Flycatcher

Yellow Warbler

Steller’s Jay

Common Raven

Northwestern Crow

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

American Robin

European Starling

 Cedar Waxwing

White-crowned Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Savannah’s Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Spotted Towhee

House Finch

                          American Goldfinch.                                                                                                         

Common Terns & Bonaparte Gull: Ralph Hocken Photo 

Saturday, September 05:

A Western Grebe was seen at the Englishman River Estuary in 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. on 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 September 15 will be going to the Little Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum Beach.

Meet at the Parksville Bay Community Park at the Lions Club Playground parking lot at 9:00 am. Or at the Brant Viewing Platform in north Qualicum Beach at about 9:20 am 

****************************************************************************

The Sunday bird walk on September 20, 2015 will be going to the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo.  Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 a.m. or at the end Raines Road in south Nanaimo at about 9:30 a.m.

**********************************************************************************
British Columbia Rare Bird Alert link--- http://www.bcbirdalert.blogspot.ca/
*******************************************************************************
Good birding
Neil Robins

THE BACKYARD WILDBIRD & NATURE STORE
6314 Metral Drive
Nanaimo  B.C.
V9T-2L8
Phone: 250-390-3669
Fax: 250-390-1633
Email:  thebackyard@shaw.ca
Blog:  www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com