Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, Bird alert, May 31, 2009

Bullock's Oriole at Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo: Ralph Hocken Photo.


The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store
Nanaimo Bird Alert

To eport 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 this 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 May 31, 2009:
"Rare bird alert-Western Kingbird"
A Western Kingbird was seen near the creek at French Creek.

The Sunday Bird Walk went to Morrell Wildlife Sanctuary in Nanaimo.
The morning was sunny and warm. Eighteen birders saw and heard thirty-two species of birds.
The morning was filled with the sounds of birds including a Cassin's Vireo, Orange-crown Warblers, Townsend's Warblers, Wilson's Warblers, Black-throated Gray Warblers, Hammond's Flycatchers, Pacific-slope Flycatchers, Swainson's Thrush, Western Tanager, Black-headed Grosbeaks and Winter Wren. We saw a nest cavity with three young Pileated Woodpecker chicks and watched as a male Pileated Woodpecker fed the hungry chicks.
Eighteen birders heard and saw the following thirty-two species of birds.
Turkey Vulture, Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, Osprey, Mallard, Rufous Hummingbird,
Red-breasted Sapsucker, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Glaucious-winged Gull, Common Raven, Bewick's Wren, Winter Wren, Black Swift, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Brown Creeper, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Swainson's Thrush, American Robin, Cassin's Vireo, Orange-crown Warbler, Wilson's Warbler, Townsend's Warbler, Black-throated Gray Warbler,Hammond's Flycatcher, Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, Western Tanager, Red-winged Blackbird, Black-headed Grosbeak, and
Pine Siskin.

Saturday May 30:
A Ringed Turtle Dove was seen in the 1600 block of Casper's Way in Nanaimo.

Ruby-crowned Kinglets were spotted at Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville.

Friday May 29:
A Ringed Turtle-Dove was spotted sitting on the top of the Diadora tree near Piper's Lagoon in Nanaimo.

A Killdeer was spotted near the Navy League Building in Nanaimo.

Tuesday May 26:
The Tuesday Bird Walk went to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River
Estuary in Parksville. The morning was cloudy with periods of rain. The walk
started out with the sighting of a flock of Black and Vaux's Swifts hawking insects high in the sky. A flock of twelve Bald Eagles gave us a secular sight high up in the sky, riding the thermos . We saw and heard both Willow Flycatchers and a Pacific-slope Flycatcher throughout the morning walk. There was a Yellow Warbler gleaning insects on a tall bush near the path. A flock of Brant Geese flew into the Estuary from the Strait.
Fourteen birders saw and heard the following forty-six species of birds:
Canada Goose, Brant, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Harlequin Duck, Common Goldeneye, Common Merganser, Common Loon, Pelagic Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Turkey Vulture, Bald Eagle, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Killdeer, Black Oystercatcher, Mew Gull, California Gull, Thayer's Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Pigeon Guillemot, Black Swift, Vaux's Swift, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flicker, Willow Flycatcher, Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Violet-green Swallow, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, American Robin, European Starling, Bohemian Waxwing, Cedar Waxwing, Orange-crowned Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Wilson's Warbler, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Brown-headed Cowbird, Purple Finch, House Finch, House Sparrow.

A female Red Crossbill was seen at a feeder along Johnstone Road in French Creek.

Sunday May 24:
A Green Heron was seen at the Chase River Estuary in south Nanaimo.

Wednesday May 20:
Nine Caspian Terns were seen at Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville.

Monday May 18:
"Rare bird alert-Hudsonian Godwit"
A Hudsonian Godwit was seen at the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville.

A Blue-winged Teal was seen at the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville.

A pair of Wood Ducks was seen at the 6 metre tree stump across from the viewing platform at the Hemer Marsh pond in Cedar. The female was going in and out of the hole near the top of the stump, the male sitting on top a foot or so higher.

Saturday May 16:
Over six Red Crossbills were seen in the 3500 block of Wiltshire Drive in Nanaimo.

Wednesday May 13:
A Brown Pelican was seen off Maude Point in Nanoose Bay and another one was seen off shore at Campbell River.

Tuesday May 12:
A Mourning Dove was seen in the 700 block of Bradbury Avenue in Parksville.

An Anna's Hummingbird was seen along the Englishman River Road in Errington.

Monday May 11:
" Rare bird alert-Western Kingbird"
A Western Kingbird was seen along Payne Road near the Comox Airport in Comox.

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
Thursday June 11, 2009 @ 7:00 pm
Nanoose Library,
Nanoose Bay
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Arrowsmith Naturalists
Monday June 22, 2009 @ 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 June 02, 2009 will be going to the Lot Ten in Qualicum Beach.
Meet at the Parksville Beach Community Park near the parking area at the Lion's
Playground at 9:00 A.M. or at the end of Kinkade Road on the Forest side of Highway 19a at about 9:20 a.m.
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The Sunday Bird Walk on June 07 will be going to Morden Colliery Provincial Park in south Nanaimo. Meet at the Bird store at 9:00 a.m. or at Morden Colliery Provincial Park off Highway one and Morden Road at about 9:30 a.m.
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Good birding
Neil Robins
Nanaimo,
British Columbia