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

Sunday, 30 November 2008

Nanaimo bird alert, November 30, 2008

















Red-tailed Hawk: 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 these 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, November 30, 2008:

The Sunday Bird Walk went to the Nanaimo River Estuary in Nanaimo.
Among the highlights were the sightings of a Wilson's Snipe, a Downy Woodpecker that was feeding on a small bush close to the trail, a Red-tailed Hawk who was perched in a tree for most of the morning, a Northern Harrier flying low over the estuary looking for prey and a Short-eared Owl hunting over the estuary.
Eight hardy birders found the following twenty-eight species of birds on a foggy November morning:
Great Blue Heron, Trumpeter Swan,
Mallard, Northern Pintail, Barrow's Goldeneye, Bufflehead, Common Merganser, Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Red-tailed Hawk, Short-eared Owl, Killdeer, Wilson's Snipe, Glaucous-winged Gull, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flicker, Downy Woodpecker, Steller's Jay, Common Raven, Bushtit, American Robin, European Starling, Spotted Towhee, Savannah Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, House Finch and Golden-crowned Sparrow.

Friday November 29:
Over thirty-five Purple Finch were seen at feeders in the 1000 block of Dunsmuir
Crescent in Ladysmith.


Thursday November 27:
A Eurasian Wigeon and a Eurasian by American Wigeon hybrid and more than a
thousand American Wigeon were seen near the end of the Cowichan Bay dock road in Cowichan Bay.

Tuesday November 18:
The Tuesday Bird Walk went to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River
Estuary in Parksville.
Highlights of the morning that caught our attention included a large flock of
feisty Dark-eyed Juncos flitting in and out of the small bushes just after we started the walk. A Peregrine Falcon was perched in his usual spot high up in a Fir Tree on the northwest trail of the estuary. A mixed flock of Song Sparrows, a Lincoln's Sparrow and several Golden-crowned Sparrows kept us entertained on the path and in the small bushes just off the trail. We saw three pairs of Eurasian Wigeon close to shore in the estuary. Further out on the ocean there were large flocks of Harlequin Ducks, Surf Scoters, White-winged Scoters, Black Scoters, Buffleheads and a lone Pacific Loon bobbing on the choppy seas. On the way out of the estuary we came upon a flock of Golden-crowned Kinglets displaying their Golden crowns.
Fourteen birders found the following forty-nine species of birds.
Canada Goose, Eurasian Wigeon, American Wigeon, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Harlequin Duck, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Black Scoter, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Barrow's Goldeneye, Hooded Merganser, Common
Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Pacific Loon, Brandt's Cormorant, Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, Peregrine Falcon, Black Turnstone, Wilson's Snipe, Mew Gull, Ring-billed Gull, California Gull, Herring Gull, Thayer's Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull,
Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flicker, Steller's Jay, Northwestern Crow, Common
Raven, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Golden-crowned Kinglet, American Robin, European Starling, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Brewer's Blackbird, House Finch and Pine Siskin.

Monday November 24:
A Golden-crowned Kinglet was spotted in Nanoose Bay.


Sunday November 23:

Ten California quail and one male Anna's hummingbird are visiting feeders in the 2500 Block Glenayr Drive in Nanaimo.
Seventy Greater White-fronted Geese were seen on the grass at the south end of the runway at the Tofino Airport .

Saturday November 22:
A Barred Owl was spotted sitting on the signpost on the corner of Sundown and Oakridge Drives 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 December 11, 2008 @ 7:00 pm
Nanoose Library,
Nanoose Bay
**********************************
Arrowsmith Naturalists
Monday December 22, 2008@ 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 on Tuesday December 02 will be going to Rathtrevor Provincial Park.
Meet at the Parksville Community Park at the parking area in front of the playground area at 9:00 a.m. or at the last parking area before the camping area at Rathtrevor Provincial Park at about 9:10 a.m. Please note there is a parking fee in effect for the park.
***************************************
The Sunday Bird Walk on December 07, 2008 will be going to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville.
Meet at the Bird Store at 9:00 A.M. or the parking area at the corner of Plummer Road and Shorewood Drive at about 9:30 a.m.
***************************************
Good birding
Neil Robins
Nanaimo

Tuesday, 25 November 2008

Tuesday bird walk, November 25, 2008















Red-tailed Hawk: Ralph Hocken Photo.



The Tuesday Bird Walk went to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville.

Fourteen birders saw and heard forty-nine species of birds on a surprisingly sunny November morning.

Highlights of the morning that caught our attention included a large flock of feisty Dark-eyed Juncos flitting in and out of the small bushes just after we started the walk. A Peregrine Falcon was perched in his usual spot high up in a Fir Tree on the northwest trail of the estuary. A mixed flock of Song Sparrows, a Lincoln's Sparrow and several Golden-crowned Sparrows kept us entertained on the path and in the small bushes just off the trail. We saw three pairs of Eurasian Wigeon close to shore in the estuary. Further out on the ocean there were large flocks of Harlequin Ducks, Surf Scoters, White-winged Scoters, Black Scoters, Buffleheads and a lone Pacific Loon bobbing on the choppy seas. On the way out of the estuary we came upon a flock of Golden-crowned Kinglets displaying their Golden crowns.


The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store's weekly bird walk in the Parksville/Qualicum Beach area is on Tuesday mornings at 9 a.m. Participants meet at the at the Parksville Beach Community Park, at the parking area in front of the playground at 9 a.m. Rain and/or heavy winds will deter us--but we will plan a walk for every week. Everyone is welcome to bring their binoculars and join us for a morning of birding. For the weekly location of the birdwalk, please call Neil Robins at 250-954-1928 or The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store at 1-888-249-4145.


Fourteen birders found the following forty-nine species of birds:
Canada Goose
Eurasian Wigeon
American Wigeon
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Harlequin Duck
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Barrow's Goldeneye
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Pacific Loon
Brandt's Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
Peregrine Falcon
Black Turnstone
Wilson's Snipe
Mew Gull
Ring-billed Gull
California Gull
Herring Gull
Thayer's Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Belted Kingfisher
Northern Flicker
Steller's Jay
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Golden-crowned Kinglet
American Robin
European Starling
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Brewer's Blackbird
House Finch
Pine Siskin

Sunday, 23 November 2008

Nanaimo bird alert, November 23, 2008
















Dunlin: 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 these 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, November 23, 2008:
The Sunday Bird Walk went to Neck Point in Nanaimo.
Among the highlights were the sightings of Pacific Loons, Common Murres and
Marbled Murrelets off shore. A flock of one hundred Dunlin moved along the shoreline. A mixed flock of Bushtits and Golden-crowned Kinglets flew through the low bushes near Sunset Beach.
Eighteen birders found the following forty-five species of birds:
Trumpeter Swans, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Brandt's Cormorant,
Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Mallard, Common Goldeneye, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Black Scoter, Harlequin Duck, Long-tailed Duck, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Horned Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, Great Blue Heron, Dunlin, Black Turnstone, Black Oystercatcher, Spotted Sandpiper, Bald Eagle, Sharp-shined Hawk, Thayer's Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Common Murre, Marbled Murrelet, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flicker, European Starling, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Bushtit, Winter Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Golden-crowned Kinglet, American Robin, Spotted Towhee, Dark-eyed Junco, House Finch, Song Sparrow and Pine Siskin.

Saturday November 22:
Eleven California Quail were feeding under a bird feeder as Steller's Jays
tossed seed to the ground and ten Golden-Crowned Sparrows were seen in a backyard in the 2500 block Glenayr Drive in Nanaimo.
A female Merlin, a Northern Harrier, two Anna's Hummingbirds, Northern Flickers, Downy Woodpecker, European Starlings, Spotted Towhees, Chestnut-backed Chickadees, House Finches, Dark-eyed Juncos, Stellars Jays, Pileated Woodpecker, Trumpeter Swans, Canada geese, Great Blue Heron, Pine Siskins were seen in a backyard in the Five Acres area of Harewood in Nanaimo.

Thursday November 20:
"Rare Bird Alert: Black-tailed Gull" A Black-tailed Gull was seen resting on the bank of a channel near the viewing
tower at the end of Shelley Road at the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. The Black-tailed Gull is normally found in Asia.
One Hairy Woodpecker, four Northern Flickers and two Pileated Woodpeckers were seen in a backyard in Qualicum Beach.
One Snow Bunting was seen at Parksville Beach Community Park in Parksville.


Wednesday November 19:
"Rare Bird Alert: Black-tailed Gull"
A Black-tailed Gull was seen at the Parksville Community Park Beach near the
Volleyball sand boxes area and later off the gravel bar near the Hovercraft Landing Pad.


Tuesday November 18:
Sixteen birders saw and heard forty-five species of birds on a sunny November morning.
Highlights of the morning included the sighting of over five hundred Dunlin who came towards us in a huge cloud and moved along the shore. We followed one Clark's Grebe in our scopes as it swam towards Denman Island. Eight Western Grebes off shore caught our attention throughout the morning. We watched over three hundred Red-necked
Grebes and at least thirty Horned Grebes. Huge rafts of Surf, Black and White-winged Scoters stretched on for the length of Denman Island.
There were several Long-tailed Ducks off shore.
Sixteen birders found the following forty-five species of birds.
Canada Goose, Trumpeter Swan, American Wigeon, Mallard, Greater Scaup, Harlequin Duck, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Black Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Horned Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, Western Grebe, Clark's Grebe, Brandt's Cormorant, Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Bald Eagle, Dunlin, Mew Gull, California Gull, Thayer's Gull,
Glaucous-winged Gull, Pigeon Guillemot, Rock Pigeon, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flicker, Steller's Jay, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Bushtit, European Starling, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, House Finch and House Sparrow.
"Rare Bird Alert: Black-tailed Gull"
A Black-tailed Gull in winter plumage was seen on the mudflats at the south end
of the Courtenay Air Park in Courtenay.

Monday November 17:
A Mourning Dove was seen in the 1900 block of Bay Street in Nanaimo.

Sunday November 09:

A Snow Bunting in winter plumage was seen on a gravelly/rocky area beside the road at Logan's Run in north 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
***********************************
Arrowsmith Naturalists
Guess Speaker " Chris Czajkowski," naturalist and author, will speak on "The
plants of Tweedsmuir Provincial Park".
Monday November 24, 2008@ 7:30 pm.
Springwood School
Parksville
********************************
The Nanoose Naturalists
Thursday December 11, 2008 @ 7:00 pm
Nanoose Library,
Nanoose Bay
**********************************
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 Tuesday November 25 will be going to the Englishman River Estuary, Shelly Road side in Parksville.
Meet at the Parksville Community Park at the parking area in front of the playground area at 9:00 a.m.
***************************************
The Sunday Bird Walk on November 30, 2008 will be going to the Nanaimo River Estuary in south
Nanaimo.
Meet at the Bird Store at 9:00 A.M. or the parking area at the end of Raines Road at about 9:30 a.m.
***************************************
Good birding
Neil Robins
Nanaimo

Wednesday, 19 November 2008

RARE BIRD ALERT: BLACK-TAILED GULL

A rare BLACK-TAILED GULL was seen at the Parksville Community Park around noon on Wednesday November 19 2008.
Report by Christopher Stephens:
Hi all, seeing the report from Courteny of a Black tailed Gull, I thought it would be worth checking out the Parksville community park to see if there was anything of interest. In the volleyball sandpit near the gazebo was a group of California and other gulls, and in with them sharply stood out a a gull with yellow legs, slightly smaller than California's, with a noticeably darker back, about intermediate between breeding and winter plumage, with BRIGHT YELLOW EYES, AND A BILL TIP THAT WAS SOLID DEEP RED WITH A LITTLE BIT OF BLACK. The bird had a "lower to the ground, I guess shorter legs, than the Californiagulls.the flock flushed, circled around, and most of them landed back in the volleyball sandpit. I couldn't see the bird among them as they landed.It could be anywhere in the several reasonably sized groups of gulls in the park. The big gull roosts are on the volleyball sandpit, the roof of the old skating rink, and the little island just of the "point" of the park. also check the playground, lamps, and the road.
Second report from Christopher Stephens:
Hi all, I just went down to the Parksville Community Park with my camera to try for a photo of the BLACK TAILED GULL. It was out on the gravel bar/island in the south side of Parksville Bay. The bird flew out of the flock of California Gulls roosting there, giving me great views of it's bright white tail with WIDE BLACK BAND the bird settled in the water, and I got a few distant shots. I will post a couple on here soon. I lost track of the the bird again, and I believe it may have flown down to the second gravel bar a few hundred meters south, just off the Englishman River Estuary, in front of the R.V park. the two gravel bars are the gulls day roosts it seems, if you come early in the morning when there is little human disturbance, you can see many of the gulls on the volleyball sandpit in the field beside the skate park,which is easier than looking through the birds on the gravel bar. That is how I saw the bird originally.

Any further sightings or reports would be appreciated.
thebackyard@shaw.ca

Tuesday bird walk, November 18, 2008















Long-tailed Duck: Ralph Hocken Photo.


This Tuesday bird walk went to Deep Bay.


Sixteen birders saw and heard forty-five species of birds on a sunny
November morning.

Highlights of the morning included the sighting of over five hundred
Dunlin who came towards us in a huge cloud and moved along the shore.
We followed one Clark's Grebe in our scopes as it swam towards Denman
Island. Eight Western Grebes off shore caught our attention
throughout the morning. We watched over three hundred Red-necked
Grebes and at least thirty Horned Grebes. Huge rafts of Surf, Black
and White-winged Scoters stretched on for the length of Denman Island.
There were several Long-tailed Ducks off shore.

The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store's weekly bird walk in the
Parksville/Qualicum Beach area is on Tuesday mornings at 9 a.m.
Participants meet at the at the Parksville Beach Community Park, at
the parking area in front of the playground at 9 a.m. Rain and/or
heavy winds will deter us--but we will plan a walk for every week.
Everyone is welcome to bring their binoculars and join us for a
morning of birding. For the weekly location of the birdwalk, please
call Neil Robins at 250-954-1928 or The Backyard Wildbird & Nature
Store at 1-888-249-4145.

Sixteen birders found the following forty-five species of birds on
November 18, 2008:
Canada Goose
Trumpeter Swan
American Wigeon
Mallard
Greater Scaup
Harlequin Duck
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Western Grebe
Clark's Grebe
Brandt's Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Dunlin
Mew Gull
California Gull
Thayer's Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Pigeon Guillemot
Rock Dove
Belted Kingfisher
Northern Flicker
Steller's Jay
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Bushtit
European Starling
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
House Finch
House Sparrow