The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

Nanaimo Bird Report

February 18, 2025
“EXPLORE NATURE” --- GO BIRDING:
To report your sightings phone the Store at 250-390-3669 or e-mail us at birding@thebackyard.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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Western Meadowlark (R. Hocken)

TUESDAY February 18, 2025:

The Tuesday Bird Walk went to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. Weather was overcast, 6C, tide was high. A few highlights from the bird walk were Red Crossbills seen out by the estuary, Western Meadowlark was seen from the viewing mound at the far end of the field and Brant were seen flying towards Rathtrevor.

10 birders saw and heard the following 42 species:

Brant

Canada Goose

Gadwall

American Wigeon

Eurasian Wigeon

Mallard

Northern Pintail

Green-winged Teal

Surf Scoter

Bufflehead

Common Goldeneye

Common Loon

Pacific Loon

Great Blue Heron

Double-crested Cormorant

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Bald Eagle

Killdeer

Short-billed Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Eurasian Collared Dove

Anna’s Hummingbird

Belted Kingfisher

Northern Flicker

Pileated Woodpecker

Common Raven

American Crow

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Pacific Wren

Brown Creeper

Golden-crowned Kinglet

American Robin

Western Meadowlark

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

Fox Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Red Crossbill

Purple Finch

Pine Siskin

House Sparrow

Long-tailed Duck (J. Morrison)

Sunday February 16, 2025:

The Sunday Bird Walk was canceled this week for the Family Day weekend.

American Goldfinch were reported back visiting the bird feeder in lower Lantzville.

Saturday February 15, 2025:

Bohemian Waxwing was seen again at Buttertubs Marsh, along with a few Cedar Waxwings.

Friday February 14, 2025:

Northern Shoveler was seen near the mouth of French Creek.

A large number of Long-tailed Ducks were seen off the point at Deep Bay.

Birding Notes:

The 2025 Great Backyard Bird Count finished on Monday February 17^th, and so far, there have been 7933 species recorded worldwide from over 286,000 checklists this weekend. For the Nanaimo area there were 106 species recorded from 230 checklists. It is very interesting to look at this data and to see what is happening around the world with the birds. Attached is a link to The Great Backyard Bird Count and click on the regions on the right side to find Canada. Click on Canada to see the provinces and territories, which you can click on the see the different areas within them.

World - Great Backyard Bird Count for all the information.

Top states or provinces - Canada - Great Backyard Bird Count for Canada’s results

Keep checking back, as birders can continue to upload their counts until March 1^st!

If you have any birds to report or need help identifying, just email or call the store, birding@thebackyard.ca or 250-390-3669, toll-free 1-888-808-BIRD (2473)

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. The walks are weather pending.

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

Sunday Bird Walk, February 23, 2025.

The Sunday Bird Walk will be going to Maki Road Trail in south Nanaimo.

Meet at The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store at 9:00 am or at the end of Maki Road (off HWY 19A by Rona) at 9:15 am. Weather cooperating.

Tuesday Bird Walk, February 25, 2025.

The Tuesday Bird Walk will be going to Columbia Beach in French Creek.

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 meet at the sandy beach parking lot located on Admiral Tyron Blvd, located off Columbia Drive and HWY 19A, at 9:15am. Weather Cooperating.

Good birding! Colin Bartlett

 The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

Nanaimo Bird Report

February 14, 2025
“EXPLORE NATURE” --- GO BIRDING:
To report your sightings phone the Store at 250-390-3669 or e-mail us at birding@thebackyard.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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Red Crossbill (R. Hocken)

TUESDAY February 11, 2025:

The Tuesday Bird Walk went to Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville. Weather was sunny, cool -4C, no wind and high tide going out. A few highlights from the walk were Red Crossbills, lots of Dunlin and 8 Brant.

3 birders saw and heard the following 30 species:

Brant

American Wigeon

Mallard

Northern Pintail

Surf Scoter

Bufflehead

Common Goldeneye

Red-breasted Merganser

Horned Grebe

Red-necked Grebe

Common Loon

Pacific Loon

Bald Eagle

Black Oystercatcher

Black-bellied Plover

Dunlin

Short-billed Gull

Thayer’s Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Anna’s Hummingbird

Northern Flicker

Common Raven

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Pacific Wren

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Red Crossbill

Pine Siskin

Redhead (J. Pugh)

Sunday February 9, 2025:

The Sunday Bird Walk went to Buttertubs Marsh. Weather started out sunny then clouded over by the end and, -2C. A few highlights from the walk were a Redhead seen in the open water near the Osprey stand, along with a couple of Pied-billed Grebes and a Red-breasted Sapsucker near the parking lot on Jingle Pot Road.

7 birders saw and heard the following 27 species:

Wood Duck

Green-winged Teal

Redhead

Ring-neck Duck

Bufflehead

Pied-billed Grebe

Cooper’s Hawk

Glaucous-winged Gull

Anna’s Hummingbird

Downy Woodpecker

Red-breasted Sapsucker

American Crow

Common Raven

Steller’s Jay

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Bewick’s Wren

Golden-crowned Kinglet

American Robin

Varied Thrush

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

Fox Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Red-winged Blackbird

Pine Siskin

House Sparrow

Two Yellow-shafted Flickers were seen at a feeder on Granite Park Road in Nanaimo.

There was also one reported Hammond Bay Road and Parkway Drive in Nanaimo.

Monday February 3, 2025: 

Four Evening Grosbeaks were seen along the Hoylake Road West path in Qualicum Beach.

Birding Notes:

The Great Backyard Bird Count starts today!

 

If you have any birds to report or need help identifying, just email or call the store, birding@thebackyard.ca or 250-390-3669, toll-free 1-888-808-BIRD (2473)

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. The walks are weather pending.

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

The Sunday Bird Walk, February 16, 2025.

The Sunday Bird Walk is CANCELED this week for the Family Day long weekend.

The Tuesday Bird Walk, February 18 , 2025.

The Tuesday Bird Walk will be going to the Englishman River Estuary - Shelly Road.

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 meet at the end of Shelly Road, at the trail entrance, at 9:10am. Weather Cooperating.

Good birding! Colin Bartlett 

Tuesday Bird Walk CANCELED

 Well we tried but Tuesday February 4 bird walk will be CANCELED due to weather conditions. Enjoy the birds in your backyard.

Colin.

photo by J Shabbits

Weekly Bird Walks are Resuming

 WEEKLY BIRD WALKS

Our weekly bird walks are about to start up for 2025. 

Tuesday Bird Walk will begin on Tuesday February 4, 2025 at 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 meet at the beach entrance of the main parking lot at 9:10 am. Weather cooperating.

Sunday Bird Walk will begin on February 9, 2025 at Buttertubs Marsh. Meet at The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store at 9:00 am or at the Second Street entrance by the Miners Shack at 9:10 am. Weather cooperating.

Look forward to seeing you on the walk, Colin.

Clear Skies - An Exciting Start to the Year

 Happy New Year.  Let’s start the year off with a meteor shower.

In many parts of the country, the weather doesn’t look great for viewing a meteor shower, but if you happen to have clear skies over the next few nights, the annual Quadrantid meteor shower peaks on Friday, January 3, and meteors may be visible for the next few days.  Occasionally we get a spectacular fireball, but they are rare.

As always, to fully enjoy the Quadrantids, dress warmly – as though it is 10-15 degrees colder than the actual temperature.  The Quadrantids seem to come from the northeastern sky (below the tip of the Big Dipper’s handle), but for the best viewing, find as large a patch of open sky as you can, in any direction, away from house or streetlights.  Lay back on a blanket or lounger, and just watch the sky - wherever you can see the most sky.  You will easily see any bright meteors, and after about 20 minutes or so, your eyes should be “dark adapted” and you will probably be able to pick out several faint ones, too.  The naked eye is all you need.  

The Moon won’t really interfere, as it is just a thin crescent visible in the southwest after sunset.  It will continue to brighten over the next few days as the crescent gets larger. Look for “earthshine” which lets you see the full disk of the Moon due to reflected sunlight from earth.  As the crescent gets brighter, earthshine fades away relatively.

The Moon and the Planets

On Friday, January 3, the Moon will be to the left of bright Venus low in the southwest just after sunset.  Saturn is the semi-bright “star” to the upper left of the Moon.  This grouping might make a very nice photograph with an interesting foreground.  

A day later, on Saturday, both Saturn and Venus will be to the lower right of the crescent Moon.

Throughout the evening of Thursday and Friday, January 9 and 10, the Moon will be close to very bright Jupiter – to the right on the 9th and to the upper left on the 10th.

On Monday evening, January 13, most of North America will get a treat.  The Moon will pass in front of Mars, from right to left.  The further east in Canada you are, you may see both the disappearance and reappearance of Mars as the Moon crosses in front of it.  Mars will be easy to identify, as it is the bright reddish “star” close to the Moon.

The exact time totally depends on where you are.  As early in the evening as you can see the Moon, look for Mars and then monitor its proximity to the Moon as the Moon approaches it.  If you have a pair of binoculars or a spotting scope or telescope, it is quite a treat to see Mars disappear behind the Moon.  Of course, you can also see this event naked eye, but it will be more dramatic with some magnification.

It is harder to catch its reappearance, as it will be about three hours before it reappears, depending, very literally, on exactly where you are located. 

For the west coast, Mars may already be hidden by the Moon as it rises in the ENE around 5:30 p.m., but you can still watch for Mars to reappear sometime after about 8:00 p.m.  

Clear skies.
David