The Backyard's Weekly Bird Walk locations are found in the Backyard Bird Report at the very end of the most recent report. Any cancellations will be posted by 8am the day of the walk.

Tuesday 25 November 2008

Tuesday bird walk, November 25, 2008















Red-tailed Hawk: Ralph Hocken Photo.



The Tuesday Bird Walk went to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville.

Fourteen birders saw and heard forty-nine species of birds on a surprisingly sunny November morning.

Highlights of the morning that caught our attention included a large flock of feisty Dark-eyed Juncos flitting in and out of the small bushes just after we started the walk. A Peregrine Falcon was perched in his usual spot high up in a Fir Tree on the northwest trail of the estuary. A mixed flock of Song Sparrows, a Lincoln's Sparrow and several Golden-crowned Sparrows kept us entertained on the path and in the small bushes just off the trail. We saw three pairs of Eurasian Wigeon close to shore in the estuary. Further out on the ocean there were large flocks of Harlequin Ducks, Surf Scoters, White-winged Scoters, Black Scoters, Buffleheads and a lone Pacific Loon bobbing on the choppy seas. On the way out of the estuary we came upon a flock of Golden-crowned Kinglets displaying their Golden crowns.


The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store's weekly bird walk in the Parksville/Qualicum Beach area is on Tuesday mornings at 9 a.m. Participants meet at the at the Parksville Beach Community Park, at the parking area in front of the playground at 9 a.m. Rain and/or heavy winds will deter us--but we will plan a walk for every week. Everyone is welcome to bring their binoculars and join us for a morning of birding. For the weekly location of the birdwalk, please call Neil Robins at 250-954-1928 or The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store at 1-888-249-4145.


Fourteen birders found the following forty-nine species of birds:
Canada Goose
Eurasian Wigeon
American Wigeon
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Harlequin Duck
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Barrow's Goldeneye
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Pacific Loon
Brandt's Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
Peregrine Falcon
Black Turnstone
Wilson's Snipe
Mew Gull
Ring-billed Gull
California Gull
Herring Gull
Thayer's Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Belted Kingfisher
Northern Flicker
Steller's Jay
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Golden-crowned Kinglet
American Robin
European Starling
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Brewer's Blackbird
House Finch
Pine Siskin

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