The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

Red-throated Loons at Lantzville: Ralph Hocken Photo.



The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store
Nanaimo Bird Alert

To report your sightings
phone the Store at 250-390-3669
e-mail us at thebackyard@shaw.ca
call the Bird Alert at 250-390-3029

Also check the birdstore blog for the latest bird alerts and updates:
www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com

Post your sightings on these site:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bcbirdingvanisland/messages

Birds of British Columbia:
http://www.geog.ubc.ca/biodiversity/efauna/SpeciesChecklists.html

International Birdwatching Guides
http://www.guidedbirdwatching.com

Birdwatching contacts and information find a local birder to go birdwatching with:
http://www.birdingpal.org/

Please remember, when reporting a sighting, to leave your name and phone number, along with the date, name and location of your sighting.

Sunday, November 02, 2008:
The Sunday Bird Walk went to the Little Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum Beach.
Among the highlights were the sightings of seven Long-tailed Ducks, a Western Grebe and Red-necked Grebes, off the viewing tower in Qualicum Beach.
We watched a Northern Shrike move from shrub to shrub along the beach and were astonished to see a Bald Eagle swoop down and pick off the Shrike and fly off, with several immature Bald Eagles in pursuit. We saw an estimated sixty Bald Eagles riding some thermals high in the sky. Chum Salmon swam close to the shore at the mouth of the Little Qualicum River in an attempt to stay away from several Sea Lions that were swimming in the middle of the River. We witnessed a Sea Lion swallow a Salmon, head first--much the same way a Great Blue Heron eats a fish.
Nineteen birders found the following forty-seven species of birds:
Common Loon, Red-necked Grebes, Horned Grebe, Western Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Trumpeter Swans, Canada Goose, Mallard, Green-winged Teal, Harlequin Duck, Long-tailed Duck, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Black Scoter, Bufflehead, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Bald Eagle, Cooper's Hawk, Northern Shrike, Black-bellied Plover, Black Turnstones, Black Oystercatcher, Bonaparte's Gull, Mew Gull, California Gull, Thayer's Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flicker, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, European Starling, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Bushtit, Brewer's Blackbird, Red-winged Blackbird, Song Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Spotted Towhee, House Finch, Dark-eyed Junco, Purple Finch and House Sparrow.

Saturday November 01:
A Rusty Blackbird was spotted at Whiffin Spit in Sooke.

Friday October 31:
Two Anna's Hummingbirds are visiting feeders at Boat Harbour.

Thursday October 30:
A Barred Owl was seen in the 6200 block of Forest Crescent in Nanaimo.

A Cassin's Finch was seen visiting feeders across from the Civic Center in Port Hardy.

Tuesday October 28:
The Tuesday Bird Walk went to Columbia Beach.
Among the highlights of the morning were the sightings of one Long-tailed Duck, a large raft of Surf Scoters and White-wing Scoters and several Black Scoters who entertained us with their singing throughout the morning. We spotted a Merlin chasing some song birds and a Cooper's Hawk put in a brief appearance. Several Pacific Loons, still in breeding plumage, with gorgeous silver necks and heads, were bobbing in the water. Four Dunlin, two Black-bellied Plovers, several Black Oystercatchers and a Killdeer were seen near the gravel bar. Large flocks of Harlequin Ducks flew past us and landed on the water within our viewing range.
Seventeen birders found the following thirty-nine species of birds.
Canada Goose, American Wigeon, Mallard, Harlequin Duck, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Black Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Bufflehead , Common Merganser, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Horned Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Cooper's Hawk, Merlin, Black-bellied Plover, Killdeer, Black Oystercatcher, Dunlin, Mew Gull, Ring-billed Gull, California Gull, Thayer's Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Rock Pigeon, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flicker, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, European Starling, Spotted Towhee, Fox Sparrow, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Brewer's Blackbird, House Finch.

Sunday October 26:
Two Western Meadowlarks, a Northern Shrike, Bufflehead and Surf Scoters, were seen at Nanoose Bay.

An Anna's Hummingbird was seen visiting feeders in the Springbrook area of Campbell River.

For further information on these sightings or for help in identifying a
bird please call The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store
@ (250) 390-3669
Toll Free @ 1-888-249-4145
e-mail: thebackyard@shaw.ca
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The Nanoose Naturalists
Ross Peterson will present an update on the Enos Lake Project.
Thursday November 13, 2008 @ 7:00 pm
Nanoose Library,
Nanoose Bay
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Arrowsmith Naturalists
Monthly Meeting,
Monday November 24, 2008@ 7:30 pm.
Springwood School
Parksville
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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. 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.
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The Tuesday Bird Walk on Tuesday November 04 will be going to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville..
Meet at the Parksville Beach Community Park, in the parking area in front of the Lions playground at 9 A.M. or at the corner of Plummer Road and Shorewood Drive at about 9:15 A.M.

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The Sunday Bird Walk on November 09, 2008 will be going to the Nanoose Bay.
Meet at the Bird Store at 9:00 A.M. or behind the Church Camp off highway 19 and Arlington Road at about 9:15 A.M.
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Good birding
Neil Robins
Nanaimo