The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store 

Nanaimo Bird Report

October 1, 2020

“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 was seen and location of your sighting.
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Harlequin Duck (R. Hocken)

NOTICES

Access to the Nanaimo River Estuary by Raines Road is closed due to Covid concerns.

Monday September 28, 2020:

A Ruffed Grouse was seen and Videoed in a backyard near Victoria Road and Selby Street in Nanaimo.

Tuesday September 29, 2020:

A lone Turkey Vulture was seen soaring over highway 19 at the Courtenay turnoff.

Tuesday September 29, 2020:

The Tuesday Bird Walk went to Columbia Beach in French Creek. The weather was sunny, warm,  light breeze, and the tide was out a little ways. A few highlights seen on the walk were Bonaparte’s Gull, Thayer’s Gull, Parasitic Jaegers, Northern Pintail, Cedar Waxwing, American Pipit and 3 Humpback Whales.

11 birders saw and heard the following 52 species:

Mallard

Northern Pintail

Harlequin Duck

Surf Scoter

White-winged Scoter

Common Merganser

Pacific Loon

Common Loon

Red-necked Grebe

Pelagic Cormorant

Double-crested Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Bald Eagle

California Quail

Greater Yellowlegs

Black Oystercatcher

Killdeer

Black-bellied Plover

Black Turnstone

Parasitic Jaeger

Bonaparte’s Gull

Mew Gull

Thayer’s Gull

California Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Rock Pigeon

Band-tailed Pigeon

Anna’s Hummingbird

Belted Kingfisher

Downy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Common Raven

American Crow

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Bewick’s Wren

Bushtit

American Pipit

Cedar Waxwing

European Starling

Spotted Towhee

White-crowned Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Fox Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Savannah Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Red Crossbill

House Finch

Pine Siskin

American Goldfinch

House Sparrow

And Humpback Whales

Sunday September 20, 2020:

The Sunday Bird Walk went to Englishman River Estuary, Shelly Road, in Parksville. Weather was warm with little wind and high cloud. Highlights included large numbers of warblers, good views of Hermit Thrush, Warbling Vireo, Lincoln’s Sparrow and American kestrel. Thank you to Graham for leading this walk.

12 Birders saw and heard the following 57 species:

Canada Goose

American Wigeon

Northern Shoveler

Green-winged Teal

Harlequin Duck

Surf Scoter

White-winged Scoter

Red-breasted Merganser

Pacific Loon

Common Loon

Double-crested Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Turkey Vulture

Northern Harrier

Cooper's Hawk

Bald Eagle

California Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Black Swift

Anna's Hummingbird

Belted Kingfisher

Red-breasted Sapsucker

Downy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Pileated Woodpecker

American Kestrel

Hutton's Vireo

Warbling Vireo

Steller's Jay

Northwestern (American) Crow

Common Raven

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Brown Creeper

Pacific Wren

Bewick's Wren

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Hermit Thrush

American Robin

American Pipit

Cedar Waxwing

Orange-crowned Warbler

Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle and Audubon’s)

Spotted Towhee

Savannah Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Lincoln's Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Purple Finch

House Finch

Red Crossbill

Pine Siskin

American Goldfinch

House Sparrow

Cedar Waxwing (J. Morrison)

Backyard Feeder Notes:

It’s so enjoyable to watch the Anna’s Hummingbirds all year round. Typically the Anna’s Hummingbirds nested in February March, before the Rufous Hummingbirds returned but now we are seeing them nest almost year round. Over the last 3 winters I have noticed juvenile Anna’s hummingbirds visiting my feeders in October, November and  January one year. Well its happening again this year, about a month or more ago we saw and heard male Anna’s Hummingbirds displaying with their high dives showing off to the girls. Now we have had reports of juvenile hummingbirds visiting feeders and reports of a few active hummingbird nests around Nanaimo.

The first Christmas Bird Count record of the Anna’s Hummingbird in Nanaimo was in 1974 and in Victoria in 1971.

Anna’s Hummingbird female feeding 2 young (R. Harbo) 

The Backyard Bird Walks 

Our bird walks go out Sunday mornings in Nanaimo and Tuesday mornings in Parksville and Qualicum Beach area, are easy walks that go for two to three hours (back for lunch is the plan). Bring binoculars and a field guide.

Please check our blog (www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com) for any cancelations.

Covid-19 Precautions

·         Please do not attend if you have traveled outside of Canada in the last 14 days.

·         Do not attend if you have been sick or in contact with someone possibly sick in the last 14 days.

·         Please respect social distancing, 2 meters or 6 feet.

·         Wear your mask when unable to maintain social distancing.

Thank you.

The Tuesday Bird Walk

October 6

Will be going to the Rathtrevor Provincial Park 

Meet at the Parksville Tourist Information Center parking lot, located by Hwy 19A, Northwest Bay road and Franklin’s Gull road in Parksville, at 9:00 am or at the beach entrance of the main parking lot at 9:10 am.

The Sunday Bird Walk

October 4

Will be going to the Nanoose Bay Estuary

Meet at The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store at 9:00am or meet us at the end of Nanoose Beach Road at 9:15 am. Tide will be high and going out. 

Good birding!

Colin Bartlett

The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

6314 Metral Drive V9T-2L8
Phone: 250-390-3669

Email: thebackyard@shaw.ca
Blog: www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com

NEW WEBSITE: www.thebackyard.ca

 

The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

Nanaimo Bird Report

September 24, 2020

“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 was seen and location of your sighting.
*********************************************************

Common Tern (R. Hocken)

NOTICES

Access to the Nanaimo River Estuary by Raines Road is closed due to Covid concerns.

Thursday September 24, 2020:

A large flock of Sandhill Cranes were seen flying south over the area of Aulds Road and the Parkway.

Tuesday September 22, 2020:

The Tuesday Bird Walk went to Deep Bay. The walk started with sunny skies, calm breeze and cam waters by near the end of the walk the winds had picked up and the water was choppy. At the parking lot there were Vaux Swifts overhead, Orange-crowned Warbler, Parasitic Jaeger fly over and a Merlin. On the strait we saw 2 Parasitic Jaegers harassing the gulls, Common Tern, lots of Bonaparte’s Gulls, Pacific Loons and 3 species of Scoters, Surf, Black and White-winged.

16 birders saw and heard the following 55 species:

Canada Goose

American Wigeon

Mallard

Harlequin Duck

Surf Scoter

Black Scoter

White-winged Scoter

Common Merganser

Hooded Merganser

Pacific Loon

Common Loon

Red-necked Grebe

Horned Grebe

Pelagic Cormorant

Double-crested Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Turkey Vulture

Bald Eagle

Merlin

Black Oystercatcher

Killdeer

Western Sandpiper

Parasitic Jaeger

Bonaparte’s Gull

Mew Gull

California Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Common Tern

Pigeon Guillemot

Marbled Murrelet

Rock Pigeon

Eurasian Collared Dove

Vaux Swifts

Anna’s Hummingbird

Belted Kingfisher

Northern Flicker

Red-breasted Sapsucker

Common Raven

American Crow

Steller’s Jay

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

American Robin

European Starling

Orange-crowned Warbler

Brewer’s Blackbird

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

Savannah Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

House Finch

Pine Siskin

American Goldfinch

Graylag - domestic

Tuesday September 22, 2020:

A Northern Pygmy Owl was seen at Little Mountain Park in Parksville.

Sunday September 20, 2020:

The Sunday Bird Walk went to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo. Weather was sunny, calm breeze and the tide was high. Highlights from the walk were seeing a small flock of American Pipits land in front of us while on the board walk looking out at the strait. Also saw a Common Tern on the water and heard a Pacific-slope Flycatcher. One observation was we saw and heard no finches during this walk, which was the same for the bird walk this time last year.

10 Birders saw and heard the following 38 species:

Harlequin Duck

Surf Scoter

Common Loon

Double-crested Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Merlin

Turkey Vulture

Bald Eagle

Black Oystercatcher

Black Turnstone

Spotted Sandpiper

Mew Gull

California Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Common Tern

Anna’s Hummingbird

Downy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Red-Breasted Sapsucker

Pacific-sloped Flycatcher

Common Raven

American Crow

Steller’s Jay

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Brown Creeper

Bewick’s Wren

Pacific Wren

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

American Robin

American Pipit

Orange-crowned Warbler

Spotted Towhee

Savannah Sparrow

Fox Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Northern Pygmy Owl (J. Morrison)

Backyard Feeder Notes: 

The sparrows are beginning to return to my backyard with a flock of Golden-crowned Sparrows invading. It is a mixture of adults and juveniles working their way through the lawn and garden. Dark-eyed Juncos will be arriving soon as well, although there are some juncos that stay here year round. Other sparrows to watch for are Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow and Fox Sparrow. Bushtits are busy at the suet feeder with about a flock of 20 visiting a few times a day. We also have a regular flock of Bushtits visiting the store as well. House Finches are steady visitors to the sunflower seed feeder and we are hearing about Pine Siskin’s starting to arrive as well.

Where are the chickadees? Last year I was loaded with them at this time but this year none or very few, which lets us know that there is a good crop of natural seed this year for the birds to feed on. Birds feed on natural seed first and only use the bird feeders for supplementary feeding.

Golden-crowned Sparrow (R. Hocken) 

The Backyard Bird Walks 

Our bird walks go out Sunday mornings in Nanaimo and Tuesday mornings in Parksville and Qualicum Beach area, are easy walks that go for two to three hours (back for lunch is the plan). Bring binoculars and a field guide.

Please check our blog (www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com) for any cancelations.

Covid-19 Precautions

·         Please do not attend if you have traveled outside of Canada in the last 14 days.

·         Do not attend if you have been sick or in contact with someone possibly sick in the last 14 days.

·         Please respect social distancing, 2 meters or 6 feet.

·         Wear your mask when unable to maintain social distancing.

Thank you.

The Tuesday Bird Walk

September 29

Will be going to the Columbia Beach 

Meet at the Parksville Tourist Information Center parking lot, located by Hwy 19A, Northwest Bay road and Franklin’s Gull road in Parksville, at 9:00 am or at the parking area on Admiral Tryon Blvd at 9:15 am.

The Sunday Bird Walk

September 27

Will be going to the Englishman River Estuary – Shelly Road 

Meet at The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store at 9:00am or meet us at the parking lot, end of Shelly Road in Parksville at 9:20 am.

Good birding! Colin Bartlett

The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store 

Nanaimo Bird Report

September 17, 2020

“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 was seen and location of your sighting.
*********************************************************

Common Merganser (R. Hocken)

NOTICE

Access to the Nanaimo River Estuary by Raines Road is closed due to Covid concerns.

Tuesday September 15, 2020:

The Tuesday Bird Walk went to the Englishman River Estuary on the Plummer Road side. Weather was overcast with smoke, 15 degrees with no wind and the tide was just on the way in. Some highlights from the walk were Pectoral Sandpiper, Northern Harrier, Yellow-rumped Warbler and Lincoln Sparrow.

10 birders saw and heard the following 44 species:

Canada Goose

Mallard

Northern Pintail

Green-winged Teal

Harlequin Duck

Common Merganser

California Quail

Pacific Loon

Common Loon

Red-necked Grebe

Horned Grebe

Double-crested Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Northern Harrier

Cooper’s Hawk

Black Oystercatcher

Killdeer

Western Sandpiper

Pectoral Sandpiper

California Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Marbled Murrelet

Eurasian Collared Dove

Anna’s Hummingbird

Belted Kingfisher

Northern Flicker

Warbling Vireo

American Crow

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Brown Creeper

Bewick’s Wren

American Robin

Cedar Waxwing

European Starling

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

Lincoln Sparrow

Red Crossbill

House Finch

Purple Finch

Pine Siskin

American Goldfinch

Monday September 14, 2020:

A Wilson Snipe was observed in a backyard along Drew Road in Qualicum Beach.

Sunday September 13, 2020:

The Sunday Bird Walk went to the Nanoose Bay Estuary. Weather was overcast with smoke, 14 degrees with a light breeze and the tide was out and on the way in. Highlights were Marbled Murrelet, Red-neck Grebe, a covey of quail along the side of the railway tracks and a Wilson’s Snipe that flew by.

12 Birders saw and heard the following 28 species:

Canada Goose

Green-winged Teal

California Quail

Red-necked Grebe

Horned Grebe

Great Blue Heron

Turkey Vulture

Killdeer

Wilson’s Snipe

California Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Marbled Murrelet

Anna’s Hummingbird

Belted Kingfisher

Pileated Woodpecker

Downy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

American Crow

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Bushtit

Bewick’s Wren

Cedar Waxwing

Spotted Towhee

White-crowned Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Red Crossbill

American Goldfinch

Wilson’s Snipe (R. Hocken)

Backyard Feeder Notes:

As the season changes so do the birds in the backyard. Watch for the Dark-eyed Juncos to return from nesting along with the Spotted Towhees and Song Sparrows. I have heard Golden-crowned Sparrows learning to sing in my neighbourhood and hear to occasional Steller’s Jay but only saw it the one day. We have been hearing about flocks of Pine Siskin’s visiting backyard feeders so it may be a busy winter with them.

If you are out for a drive through the country side watch the fields for Sandhill Cranes, and Greater White-fronted Geese that will stop to feed on their migration south.

Interested in seeing Turkey Vultures kettling along with other species of raptors as they begin their migration south crossing the Juan de Fuca Strait to the Olympic National Park in Washing ton State? Head to East Sooke Regional Park in Metchosin over the next couple of weeks to see this annual migration spectacle. Parking for East Sooke Regional Park is located at the end of Becher Bay Road. For more information check out the Victoria Natural History Society website https://www.vicnhs.bc.ca or https://birding.bc.ca/regions/victoria/hotspots/siteguide-hawkwatch.php

Pine Siskin (J. Morrison)

The Backyard Bird Walks

Our bird walks go out Sunday mornings in Nanaimo and Tuesday mornings in Parksville and Qualicum Beach area, are easy walks that go for two to three hours (back for lunch is the plan). Bring binoculars and a field guide.

Please check our blog (www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com) for any cancelations.

Covid-19 Precautions

·         Please do not attend if you have traveled outside of Canada in the last 14 days.

·         Do not attend if you have been sick or in contact with someone possibly sick in the last 14 days.

·         Please respect social distancing, 2 meters or 6 feet.

·         Wear your mask when unable to maintain social distancing.

Thank you.

The Tuesday Bird Walk

September 22

Will be going to the Deep Bay

Meet at the Parksville Tourist Information Center parking lot, located by Hwy 19A, Northwest Bay road and Franklin’s Gull road in Parksville, at 9:00 am or at the Marina Parking lot at 9:25.

The Sunday Bird Walk

September 20

Will be going to the Neck Point Park

Meet at The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store at 9:00am or meet us at the parking lot at Neck Point 9:15.

Good birding!

Colin Bartlett

NEW WEBSITE: www.thebackyard.ca