American Pelicans

A Large flock of AMERICAN PELICANS were seen flying over Bowen Park-- Buttertubs area in Nanaimo!  They flew in a "v" formation over a house by the hospital in Nanaimo.

There's another report of sixty pelicans flying over upper Lantzville heading towards Winchelsea islands at 6:20 pm today June 28, 2016

Good birding
Neil  Robins
Parksville

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, June 28, 2016

The Tuesday bird walk went to Lot Ten, along the little Qualicum River, in north Qualicum Beach. The morning was sunny and hot but much cooler in the forest.  We spotted a Black-throated Gray Warbler at the start of the walk, perched high up in a very tall tree.  A Red-breasted Sapsucker flew into a tree next to the trail and began tapping sap holes in the tree. The Sapsucker was soon joined by a young fledgling Sapsucker who started feeding in the sap holes.  We watched the pair with fascination for several minutes--a great sight to see.  A Wilson’s Warbler was singing near the trail and the made an appearance in a short bush giving us great views. We spotted a Western Tanager feeding high in a cedar tree. The Tanager worked his way down the tree playing hide and seek with us and entertaining us for about twenty minutes. 

We ended the Tuesday Bird Walks for the season with a delicious BBQ.  Thanks Callie, Carol, David and Linda. 

 

                             Western Tanager: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

Eighteen birders including visiting birders from Malawi and St Albert saw and heard the following twenty-seven species:

Bald Eagle

Turkey Vulture

Spotted Sandpiper

Belted Kingfisher

Anna’s Hummingbird

Rufous Hummingbird

 Red-breasted Sapsucker

Hammonds Flycatcher

 Pacific-slope Flycatcher

Willow Flycatcher

 Warbling Vireo

 Violet-green Swallow

 Chestnut-backed Chickadee

 Bewick's Wren

Pacific Wren

Bushtit

 Pacific Wren

 Swainson's Thrush

American Robin

Black-throated Gray Warbler

Wilson’s Warbler

Orange-crowned Warbler

Western Tanager

 Spotted Towhee

 Song Sparrow

 Black-headed Grosbeak

European Starling 

                                            Red-breasted sapsucker: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

This is the final Tuesday bird walk of the season. The Tuesday bird walks will resume on September 06, 2016.  

Good birding

Neil Robins

Parksville

thebirdstore.blogspot.com

thebackyard@shaw.ca

Nanaimo bird report, June 26, 2016

 

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, June 26, 2016:

The Sunday bird walk went to Neck Point Park Nanaimo. The morning was cloudy with a strong wind off the Strait of Georgia. Two Marbled Murrelets, diving for food, were seen close to shore. An Orange-crowned Warbler was spotted feeding high up in an Arbutus Tree next to the trail. We heard a Swainson’s Thrush singing from the underbrush. American Robins serenaded us throughout the morning.

 

                    Orange-crowned Warbler: Ralph Hocken Photo.

Eighteen birders, including a visiting birder from Malawi Africa, saw and heard the following twenty-six species:

Canada Geese

Harlequin Duck

Common Loon

Double-crested Cormorant

Pelagic Cormorant

Marbled Murrelet

Pigeon Guillemot

Great Blue Heron

Bald Eagle

Turkey Vulture

Herring Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Northern Flicker

  Northwestern Crow

Common Raven

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Brown Creeper

Bewick’s Wren

Swainson’s Thrush

American Robin

Pacific-slope Flycatcher

Hammonds Flycatcher

Orange-crowned Warbler

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

House Finch   

  Friday, June 24:

Eight Gray Jays were seen on the Mount Benson trail about half way up the Mountain. 

Tuesday, June 21:

The Tuesday bird walk went to the Top Bridge Trail in Parksville. The morning was sunny and warm. A  Western Tanager greeted us at the start of the walk. Violet-green Swallows, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Black Swifts, Turkey Vultures, Bald Eagles, a Cooper’s Hawk and a Sharp-shinned Hawk were seen flying over head during the walk. We heard a Cassin's Vireo, singing not far from the trail. We spotted two Cassin's Vireos just off the trail as they went to a nest and began to feed three chicks in the nest. We had discovered a very active nest that royalty entertained us for about thirty minutes as we watched the adult Vireos feeding their young. 

Fourteen birders including visiting birders from California and Washington saw and heard the following thirty-nine species:

Turkey Vulture

Bald Eagle    

Coopers Hawk

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Barred Owl

Rufous Hummingbird

Anna’s Hummingbird

Downy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Willow Flycatcher

Pacific-slope Flycatcher

Warbling Vireo

Cassin's Vireo

Northwestern Crow

Common Raven

European Starling

Pacific Wren

Bewick’s Wren

Violet-green Swallow

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Black Swift

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Swainson's Thrush

American Robin

Orange-crowned Warbler

Townsend’s Warbler

Wilson’s Warbler

Common Yellowthroat

Western Tanager

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Chipping Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Black-headed Grosbeak

Brown-headed Cowbird

Purple Finch

American Goldfinch  

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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 June 28 will be going to Lot Ten in Qualicum Beach. Meet at the Parksville Community Park near the Lions Club Kids playground parking lot at 9:00 a.m. or at the forest side of Highway 19a and Kinkade Road in north Qualicum Beach at about 9:20 a.m. This is the final Tuesday bird walk of the season. The Tuesday bird walks will resume on September 06, 2016.  

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

The Sunday bird walk on July 03, 2016 will be going to Hemer Park in south Nanaimo. Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 a.m. or at parking lot at Hemer Park on Hemer Road off Cedar Road in Cedar at about 9:30 a.m. 

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

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

Parksville/Qualicum beach Tuesday bird walk

The Tuesday birdwalk went to the Top Bridge Trail in Parksville. The morning was sunny and warm. A  Western Tanager greeted us at the start of the walk. Violet-green Swallows, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Black Swifts  Turkey Vultures, Bald Eagles, a Coopers Hawk and a Sharp-shinned Hawk were seen over head during the walk. We heard a Cassin's Vireo, singing not far from the trail. We spotted two Cassin's Vireos just off the trail as they went to a nest and began to feed three chicks in the nest. We had discovered a very active nest which we were royalty entertained for about thirty minutes as the adult vireos fed their young.

 

                                                                             

                Cassin’s Vireo feeding young in the nest: John Purves Photo. 

fourteen birders saw and heard the following thirty-nine species:

Turkey Vulture

Bald Eagle    

Coopers Hawk

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Barred Owl

Rufous Hummingbird

Anna’s Hummingbird

Downy Woodpecker

 Northern Flicker

Willow Flycatcher

Pacific-slope Flycatcher

 Warbling Vireo

Cassin's Vireo

 Northwestern Crow

 Common Raven

European Starling

Pacific Wren

Bewick’s Wren

Violet-green Swallow

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Black Swift

 Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

 Swainson's Thrush

 American Robin

Orange-crowned Warbler

Townsend’s Warbler

Wilson’s Warbler

Common Yellowthroat

Western Tanager

 Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

 Chipping Sparrow

 Dark-eyed Junco

Black-headed Grosbeak

 Brown-headed Cowbird

 Purple Finch

American Goldfinch  

The Tuesday bird walk on June 28 will be going to Lot Ten in Qualicum Beach. Meet at the Parksville Community Park near the Lions Club Kids playground parking lot at 9:00 a.m. or at the forest side of Highway 19a and Kinkade Road in north Qualicum Beach at about 9:20 a.m. 

 This is the final Tuesday bird walk of the season, The Tuesday bird walks will resume on September 06, 2016.  

Good birding

Neil Robins

Parksville 

thebirdstore.blogspot.com

       thebackyard@shaw.ca

Nanaimo bird report, June 19, 2016

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, June 19, 2016:

The Sunday bird walk went to Beck Creek in south Nanaimo. The morning was cloudy with calm winds. Three Lesser Yellowlegs and a Spotted Sandpiper were seen near the river. Several Great Blue Herons were seen flying, in the ponds and atop a tree during the morning. A Pied-billed Grebe with chicks and a Wood Duck with chicks were seen swimming on the pond. Tree Swallows, Violet-green Swallows, Barn Swallows and Northern Rough-winged Swallows were hawking insects over head all morning.

 

                               Lesser Yellowlegs: Ralph Hocken Photo.

Twelve birders saw and heard the following forty species:

Canada Geese

Mallard

Pied-billed Grebe

Wood Duck

Great Blue Heron

Spotted Sandpiper

Lesser Yellowlegs

Turkey Vulture

  Bald Eagle

Glaucous-winged Gull

  Band-tailed Pigeon

  Belted Kingfisher

Pacific-sloped Flycatcher

Willow Flycatcher

Common Yellowthroat

Orange-crowned Warbler

Yellow Warbler

Warbling Vireo

    Northwestern Crow

Common Raven

Tree Swallow

  Violet-green Swallow

Barn Swallow

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Chestnut-backed Chickadee  

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Brown Creeper

European Starling

Swainson's Thrush

American Robin

Western Tanager

Cedar Waxwing

Black Headed Grosbeak

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Red-winged Blackbird

Purple Finch

House Finch

Dark-eyed Junco

Thursday, June 16:

Twenty American White Pelicans were seen flying over the Ladysmith Harbour and then flying off to the southeast. 

Over thirty Vaux swifts were seen flying over Somenos Marsh in Duncan. 

Tuesday, June 14:

The Tuesday bird walk went to the Beaver Ponds in Nanoose Bay.  Most of the morning was filled with rain showers where the birds were scarce, but we did see and hear them between the showers. A Black-throated Gray Warbler feeding in a Arbutus Tree near the trail, caught our attention at the start of the walk.  We were entertained as we watched a Swainson's Thrush flew from branch to branch on a tree right in front of us.  Orange-crowned Warblers, a Warbling Vireo, a Cassin’s Vireo and a Hutton’s Vireo were singing nearby.  Bald Eagles and Turkey Vultures flew high overhead.  We saw Black Swifts flying high over the beaver ponds and Violet-green Swallows flying low over the ponds. Red-winged Blackbirds serenaded us nearby.

Nineteen dedicated birders, including visiting birders from Florida and Washington, saw and heard the following thirty species:

Bald Eagle

Turkey Vulture

Downy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Pileated Woodpecker

Rufous Hummingbird

Anna’s Hummingbird

Willow Flycatcher

Pacific-slope Flycatcher

Hammond’s Flycatcher

Common Raven

Black Swift

Violet-green Swallow

Brown Creeper

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Swainson's Thrush

American Robin

European Starling

Orange-crowned Warbler

Black-throated Gray Warbler

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Warbling Vireo

Cassin’s Vireo

Hutton’s Vireo

Western Tanager

Spotted Towhee

Chipping Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Red-winged Blackbird

Purple Finch 

 

Monday, June 13:

A Coopers Hawk was seen at Rutherford Park in Nanaimo. 

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

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 June 21, 2016 will be going to the Top Bridge Trail in Parksville. Meet at the Parksville Community Park near the Lions Club Kids playground parking lot at 9:00 a.m. or at the Top Bridge Trail parking lot along Industrial Way off highway 19a at about 9:10 a.m. 

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

The Sunday bird walk on June 26, 2016 will be going to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo. Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 a.m. or at parking lot at Neck Point off Hammond Bay Road in Nanaimo at about 9:20 a.m.

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

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