American White Pelicans

13 AMERICAN WHITE PELCANS were seen in Craig Bay Parksville BC. They were first spotted Wednesday evening and seen again Thursday morning. Check out the video at https://www.facebook.com/TheBackyardWildbirdStore/#

Parksville Qualicum Beach Tuesday Birdwalk June 6, 2017

The Tuesday Bird Walk on June 6, 2017 went to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary.  The morning was sunny & warm. The highlights included seeing Yellow Warblers, Willow Flycatchers, Pacific-Slope Flycatchers, Savannah Sparrows & a family of Barred Owls. 
Eleven Birders saw and heard the following forty-three species:

Canada Geese
Double Crested Cormorant
Mallard Duck
Common Merganser
Bald Eagle
Turkey Vulture
Sharp-Shinned Hawk
Great Blue Heron
Glaucous-Winged Gull
Mew Gull
California Gull
Barred Owl
European Starling
Band-Tail Pigeon
Eurasian-Collared Dove
Anna's Hummingbird
Rufous Hummingbird
Northern Flicker 
Hairy Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Willow Flycatcher
Pacific-Slope Flycatcher
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Violet-Green Swallow
Chestnut-Backed Chickadee
Red-Breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Bewick's Wren
Pacific Wren
Bushtit
Swainson's Thrush
Cedar Waxwing
American Robin
Orange-Crowned Warbler 
Yellow Warbler
Yellow-Rumped Warbler
Western Tananger
Spotted Towhee
Brown-Headed Cowbird
Song Sparrow
White-Crowned Sparrow
Purple Finch
American Goldfinch

The Tuesday Bird Walk on June 13, 2017 will be going to Rathtrevor Provincial Park. Meet at the Parksville Community Park at 9:00 a.m. In front of the Lions Kids Playground or at the main parking lot at Rathtrevor at 9 :10 a.m. 

Good Birding
Neil RobinsPa

Nanaimo bird report, June 04, 2017

Sunday Bird Walk, June 04, 2017:

The Sunday bird walk went to Morden Colliery Park in south Nanaimo.

The morning was mostly sunny and the winds were calm. We watched in fascination as a pair of Red-breasted Sapsuckers came and went into a nest hole in a snag not far from the trail.  Swainson’s Thrush and Pacific-slope Flycatchers were heard singing all morning.  A Swainson’s Thrush was spotted on a perch on a branch just above the trail.  We heard a Warbling Vireo singing near the river and we finally saw him feeding in a tall tree right above us.  Two Cedar Waxwings flew in and looked us over not five feet above us.

Red-breasted Sapsucker: Ralph Hocken Photo:

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

Common Merganser

Bald Eagle

Turkey Vulture

European Starling

Pileated Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Red-breasted Sapsucker

Belted Kingfisher

Orange-crowned Warbler

Common Yellowthroat

Yellow Warbler

Wilson’s Warbler

Swainson’s Thrush

Common Raven

Northwestern Crow

Northern Rough-wing Swallow

Violet-green Swallow

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Pacific Wren

Bewick’s Wren

Brown Creeper

Pacific-slope Flycatcher

Willow Flycatcher

Warbling Vireo

Rufous Hummingbird

American Robin

Cedar Waxwing

Black-headed Grosbeak

Spotted Towhee

Yellow-headed Blackbird

Song Sparrow

Cedar Waxwing: Ralph Hocken Photo;

Saturday, June 03, 2017:

A Bullock’s Oriole was seen in a backyard near Ermineskin Avenue and Despard Avenue in Parksville.

Friday, June 02, 2017

A House Wren was seen near Extension Ridge in Chase River.

Thursday, June 01, 2017:

A Bullock’s Oriole was seen in a backyard in the 2700 block of Horth Road in Nanaimo.

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, May 30, 2017:
The Tuesday Birdwalk went to Springwood Park in Parksville.  The morning was cloudy with a light rain shower.  Highlights included the sighting of a McGillivray's Warbler, a Yellow Warbler, a Black-Throated Warbler and a colourful Western Tanager.
Sixteen birders saw and heard the following forty species:
Killdeer
Bald Eagle
Barred Owl
California Quail
European Starling
Band-Tail Pigeon
Eurasian-Collared Dove
Anna's Hummingbird
Rufous Hummingbird
Northern Flicker
Willow Flycatcher
Pacific-Slope Flycatcher
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Barn Swallow
Violet-Green Swallow
Chestnut-Backed Chickadee
Red-Breasted Nuthatches
Brown Creeper
Bewick's Wren
Pacific Wren
Bushtit
Swainson's Thrush
Pileated Woodpecker
American Robin
Orange-Crowned Warbler
McGillivray's Warbler
Townsend Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Black-Throated Gray Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Warbling Vireo
Western Tanager
Spotted Towhee
Brown-Headed Cowbird
Song Sparrow
White-Crowned Sparrow
Dark-Eyed Junco
Black-Headed Grosbeak
Purple Finch
American Goldfinch

Western Tanager: Ralph Hocken Photo:

The Tuesday Birdwalk on June 6/17 will be going to The Englishman River Estuary, Shelly Road Side.  Meet at The Parksville Community Park at the parking lot in front of the Lion's Playground at 9 a.m. or at the end of Shelly Road on the Oceanside of Highway 19a at 9:10 a.m.

The Sunday Birdwalk on June 11/17 will be going to Hemer Provincial Park in Cedar.  Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 a.m. or at the parking lot at Hemer Park at about 9:25 a.m. (Hemer Provincial Park is located on Holden Lake. Take the Cedar Road turnoff from Hwy 1 and follow directional signs to the park, which is situated on Hemer Road)

Good birding

Neil Robins

THE BACKYARD WILDBIRD & NATURE STORE

314 Metral Drive

 Nanaimo B.C.
V9T-2L8

Phone: 250-390-3669

Fax: 250-390-1633

Email: thebackyard@shaw.ca

Blog: www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com

Tuesday Birdwalk May 30, 2017

The Tuesday Birdwalk went to Springwood Park in Parksville.  The morning was cloudy with a light rain shower.  Highlights included the sighting of a McGillivray's Warbler, a Yellow Warbler, a Black-Throated Warbler and a colourful Western Tanager.
Sixteen birders saw and heard the following forty species:
Killdeer
Bald Eagle
Barred Owl
California Quail
European Starling
Band-Tail Pigeon
Eurasian-Collared Dove
Anna's Hummingbird
Rufous Hummimgbird
Northern Flicker
Willow Flycatcher
Pacific-Slope Flycatcher
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Barn Swallow
Violet-Green Swallow
Chestnut-Backed Chickadee
Red-Breasted Nuthatcher
Brown Creeper
Bewick's Wren
Pacific Wren
Bushtit
Swainson's Thrush
Pileated Woodpecker
American Robin
Orange-Crowned Warbler
McGillivray's Warbler
Townsend Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Black-Throated Gray Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Warbling Vireo
Western Tanager
Spotted Towhee
Brown-Headed Cowbird
Song Sparrow
White-Crowned Sparrow
Dark-Eyed Junco
Black-Headed Grosbeak
Purple Finch
American Goldfinch

The Tuesday Birdwalk on June 6/17 will be going to The Englisman River Estuary, Shelly Road Side.  Meet at The Parksville Community Park at the parking lot in front of the Lion's Playground at 9 a.m. or at the end of Shelly Road on the Oceanside of Highway 19a at 9:10 a.m.

Good Birding
Neil Robins

Nanaimo bird report, May 28, 2017

Nanaimo bird report”

Explore Nature ---Go Birding

To report your sightings call the birdstore at 250-390-3669 or e-mail

thebirdstore@shaw.ca

Please remember when reporting a sighting please leave your name and phone number with the date and location of the sightings.

Sunday Bird Walk, May 28, 2017:

The Sunday bird walk went to Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo. The morning sunny and the winds were calm.

A Bald Eagle, a Red-tailed Hawk, a Cooper’s Hawk and several Turkey Vultures were seen soaring high overhead.  Common Yellowthroats were heard singing through the morning.  We had great views of a Yellow Warbler as it entered it’s nest  just off the trail.  We watched as a Bushtit flew out of it’s nest and perched on a limb to watch us. Many Purple Martins were resting on the Osprey nest in the middle of the marsh.

                                                            

 Purple Martin: Ralph Hocken Photo:

Eighteen birders saw and heard the following forty species:

Canada Geese

Wood Duck

Hooded Merganser

Great blue Heron

Virginia Rail

Bald Eagle

Red-tailed Hawk

Cooper’s Hawk

Turkey Vulture

European Starling

Eurasian-collared Dove

Band-tailed Pigeon

Northern Flicker

Orange-crowned Warbler

Yellow Warbler

Common Yellowthroat

Common Raven

Northwestern Crow

Purple Martin

Violet-green Swallow

Tree Swallow

Barn Swallow

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Marsh Wren

Bewick’s Wren

Bushtit

Rufous Hummingbird

Anna’s Hummingbird

American Robin

Cedar Waxwing

Black-headed Grosbeak

Spotted Towhee

Red-wing Blackbird

Brewer’s Blackbird

Brown-headed Cowbird

Dark-eyed Junco

Purple Finch

House Finch

House Sparrow

Song Sparrow

A Western Kingbird and a Caspian Tern were seen from the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville.

A family of four Great Horned owls was seen at Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park in Parksville.

 Saturday May 27:  

A Yellow-headed Blackbird was seen flying at the Rutherford down towards the Marsh.

 A yellow-rumped Warbler was seen visiting suet feeders along Honey Suckle Terrace near the Hospital in Nanaimo.

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, May 23:

The Tuesday bird walk went to Moorecroft Regional Park in Nanoose Bay. The morning was sunny and warm. Turkey Vultures, Bald Eagles and a Cooper’s Hawk flew high overhead.  We saw and heard several Orange-crowned Warblers, a Yellow-rumped Warbler, a Townsend’s  Warbler and a Wilson’s Warbler during the walk. A Warbling Vireo was feeding high up in the tall trees over the trail giving us great looks.  We heard and then saw a Great Horned Owl fly from its perch not far from the trail.  A Willow Flycatcher, hunting insects, flew from its perch over the marsh, giving us great views. We heard several Pacific-slope Flycatchers and Hammond’s Flycatchers on the walk through the forest. A Western Tanager flew in over the marsh and landed in a tall snag giving us excellent views. A Yellow-rumped Warbler and a Townsend’s  Warbler  were seen just above us at the end of the walk. 

Western Tanager: Ralph Hocken Photo:

Seventeen birders including visiting birders from New Jersey-USA, Whitecourt and St. Albert saw and heard the following

forty-four species:

Mallard

Surf Scoter

Pelagic Cormorant

Pacific Loon

Black Oystercatcher

Mew Gull

Herring Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Turkey Vulture

                                                       Bald Eagle

Cooper’s Hawk

Great Horned Owl

Common Raven

Northwestern Crow

Anna’s Hummingbird

Rufous Hummingbird

Red-breasted Sapsucker

Downy Woodpecker

Hairy Woodpecker

Pileated Woodpecker

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Brown Creeper

Red-breasted Nuthatch

American Robin

Swainson’s Thrush

Western Tanager

Black-headed Grosbeak

Willow Flycatcher

Pacific-slope Flycatcher

Hammond’s Flycatcher

Warbling Vireo

Orange-crowned Warbler

Yellow-rumped Warbler

                                     Townsend’s  Warbler                                       

Wilson’s Warbler

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Chipping Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Purple Finch

American Goldfinch

Great Horned Owl: Hans Laue Photo:

The Tuesday bird walk on May 30, 2017 will be going to Springwood Park in Parksville. Meet at the Parksville Community Park at the parking lot next to the Lion’s Club Kids playground at 9:00 a.m. or at the west end of Despard Avenue in Parksville at about 9:10 a.m.

The Sunday Birdwalk on June 04, 2017 will be going to the Morden Colliery Historic Provincial Park in south Nanaimo. Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00a.m. or at Morden Colliery Park at about 9:25 a.m. (take Highway One south to Morden Road turn left and follow the park signs to Morden Colliery.)

Good birding

Neil Robins

THE BACKYARD WILDBIRD & NATURE STORE

314 Metral Drive

 Nanaimo B.C.
V9T-2L8

Phone: 250-390-3669

Fax: 250-390-1633

Email: thebackyard@shaw.ca

Blog: www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com