Long-tailed Duck: Photo by Ralph HockenThe Wednesday bird walk went to the Little Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum Beach. Eleven birders found fifty-one species of birds. Off the Viewing Tower in Qualicum Beach there were huge rafts of thousands of sea ducks, including Brant Geese, Greater Scaup, Harlequin Duck, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Black Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Barrow's Goldeneye, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Pacific Loon and Common Loon. Another great highlight of the morning was the sighting of approximately two hundred Violet-green Swallows and Tree Swallows hawking insects just above the Little Qualicum River. A true sign that spring is just around the corner.
Eleven birders found the following fifty-one species.
Canada Goose
Brant
Trumpeter Swan
Eurasian Wigeon
American Wigeon
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Greater Scaup
Harlequin Duck
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Barrow's Goldeneye
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Brandt's Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Merlin
Killdeer
Black Oystercatcher
Black Turnstone
Bonaparte's Gull
Mew Gull
Ring-billed Gull
California Gull
Herring Gull
Thayer's Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Belted Kingfisher
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Tree Swallow
Violet-green Swallow
American Robin
European Starling
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Brewer's Blackbird
Purple Finch
The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store's weekly bird walk in the Parksville/Qualicum Beach area is on Wednesday mornings at
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