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.

Sunday 7 February 2010

Nanaimo bird alert, February 07, 2010


Western Meadowlark at the Nanaimo River Estuary: Ralph Hocken Photo

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 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 February 07, 2010:
The Sunday bird walk went to the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo. The morning was mostly sunny and calm.
Five Western Meadowlarks were singing from a small bush all morning. A Northern Shrike spent the morning on three perches close to us. A White-throated Sparrow and a Fox Sparrow put in a quick appearance near the viewing platform. A female Northern Harrier flew low over the estuary in search of prey. A Merlin and a Peregrine Falcon flew past us very fast.
Seventeen birders found the following thirty-seven species of birds:
Canada Goose, Trumpeter Swan, American Wigeon, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Bufflehead, Barrow's Goldeneye, Common Goldeneye, Common Merganser, Great Blue Heron, Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Red-tailed Hawk, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Northern Shrike, Glaucous-winged Gull, Northern Flicker, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Steller's Jay, Belted Kingfisher, American Robin, Western Meadowlark, European Starling, Bewick's Wren, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Spotted Towhee, Fox Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Golden-crowned Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Purple Finch, Red-winged Blackbird, House Finch and Pine Siskin.

A juvenile Trumpeter Swan was seen swimming in Sunset Bay at Neck Point Park in Nanaimo.

Tuesday February 02:
The Tuesday, February 2nd Bird Walk went to Deep Bay.
The morning was cloudy with fog and misty rain, but the winds were calm and the Strait of Georgia was like glass.
The Black Scoters and Long-tailed Ducks were singing and diving just off shore. We spotted a Pigeon Guillemot near Denman Island. A huge raft of Greater Scaup, Harlequin Ducks, Surf Scoters, White-winged Scoters, Black Scoters, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Barrow's Goldeneye, Common Mergansers, Red-breasted Mergansers and Brant Geese were not far from shore. A flock of Brandt's Cormorants, Double-crested Cormorants and Pelagic Cormorants flew over the water, heading toward Denman Island.
Fifteen birders saw and heard the following forty-five species of birds.
Canada Goose, Brant, Mute Swan, Trumpeter Swan, American Wigeon, Mallard, 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, California Quail, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Horned Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, Brandt's Cormorant, Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Bald Eagle, Black Oystercatcher, Black Turnstone, Dunlin, Mew Gull, Thayer's Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Pigeon Guillemot, Rock Pigeon, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flicker, Northwestern Crow, European Starling, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco and House Finch.

Sunday January 31:
Two Barred Owls were calling near the lower lake at Colliery Dam Park in Nanaimo

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
Guest Speaker, Carolyn Masson. Her topic is The Status Of The Garry Oak Ecosystems.
Thursday February 11, 2010 @ 7:00 pm
Nanoose Library,
Nanoose Bay
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Arrowsmith Naturalists
Guest Speaker Guy Monty
Monday February 15, 2010 @ 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 February 09, 2010 will be going to Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville.
We meet the Parksville Beach Community Park at the parking area near the Lions playground at 9 A.M. or at the main parking lot in Rathtrevor Provincial Park at about 9:15 A.M. Please note there is a parking fee at the Park.
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The Sunday Bird Walk on February 14, 2010, will be going to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo.
Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 A.M. or at the parking area in Neck Point off Hammond Bay Road at about 9:20 A.M.
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Good birding
Neil Robins

THE BACKYARD
Wildbird & Nature Store
6314 Metral Drive, Nanaimo, BC V9T 2L8
250.390.3669
250.390.1633 fax
thebackyard@shaw.ca
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG---> www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com

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