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.

Monday 21 June 2010

Nanaimo bird report, June 21, 2010


Chipping Sparrow: Ralph Hocken Photo



NANAIMO BIRD REPORT
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To report your sightings
phone the Store at 250-390-3669
e-mail us at thebackyard@shaw.ca
call the Bird Report 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 June 20, 2010:
The Sunday Bird Walk today was cancelled due to illness, but eight dedicated birders did a self guided walk to the Beaver Ponds in Fairwinds. Thanks to you all for your understanding!

Friday June 18:
Violet-green Swallows, Tree Swallows, Barn Swallows and Northern Rough-winged Swallows were seen hawking insects at Rivers Edge behind the Government Weigh Scale in Parksville. High above the Swallows, three Common Nighthawks were spotted. A Red-breasted Sapsucker was seen on a tree at the forest edge. The evening was full of the sounds of White Crowned Sparrows and Chipping Sparrows, with the occasional croak of a Bull Frog!

Tuesday June 15:
The Tuesday bird walk went to Lot Ten along the Little Qualicum River in Qualicum Beach.
The morning was cloudy with a light breeze, but no rain fell during the morning.
We spotted a Peregrine Falcon flying above us as we started out from the Parksville Community Park. There was a Great Blue Heron perched on a rock at Qualicum Beach just past the tide line. We heard and then saw a Red-breasted Sapsucker tapping on a tall snag at the start of the walk on Lot Ten. We had great long looks at a Black-throated Gray Warbler perched in a tall snag at the edge of the forest. An Orange-crowned Warbler flew into the forest edge. As we walked towards the river we heard and then spotted a Red-eyed Vireo gleaning insects, high up in a Big Leaf Maple tree above us. We saw and heard many Swainson's Thrush throughout the morning and we watched a Swainson's Thrush having a bath along the rivers edge. A family of Belted Kingfishers were resting along the rivers edge. A fledging Red-breasted Sapsucker was sitting on the hydro lines above our cars at the end of the walk.
Nine birders including a visiting birder from Seattle saw and heard the following thirty-four species of birds:
Great Blue Heron, Bald Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, Rufous Hummingbird, Belted Kingfisher, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker,
Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Cassin's Vireo,
Warbling Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven,
Violet-green Swallow, Chestnut-backed Chickadee , Brown Creeper, Bewick's Wren, Winter Wren, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Swainson's Thrush, American Robin, European Starling, Orange-crowned Warbler, Black-throated Gray Warbler,
Wilson's Warbler, Spotted Towhee, Chipping Sparrow, Song Sparrow,
Black-headed Grosbeak, Purple Finch and American Goldfinch.

A Western Wood-pewee and a Willow Flycatcher was seen in the wild rose patch, on the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville.

A pair of Yellow-headed Blackbirds were seen at the Nanoose Estuary in Nanoose Bay.

Monday June 14:
Three Osprey were observed flying overhead near the 3km mark Westwood Lake in Nanaimo.

A Black-headed Grosbeak was seen along Roxanne Drive in Nanaimo.

Sunday June 13:
A Mountain Bluebird was seen at the end of Gerald Street in Nanoose Bay.

Thursday June 10:
Great Horned Owl fledglings were seen near Northfield Road and Highway 19, 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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Arrowsmith Naturalist meeting, Monday. June 28th –7:30 p.m.
Springwood Middle School, Parksville.
Guest Speaker: Hans Boerger: Close Encounters with Pond Critters.
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The Nanoose Naturalists meetings will resume in September, 2010
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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 22, 2010 will be going to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville
We meet the Parksville Beach Community Park at the parking area near 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 June 27, 2010 will be going to Springwood Park in Parksville.
We will meet at The Backyard Bird Store at 9:00 A.M. or at the west end of Despard Avenue at about 9:30 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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