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 26 September 2010

Nanaimo bird report, September 26, 2010


Western Meadowlark: 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

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

Birding in Central and South America:
www.wildbirdtours.ca

Identify backyard birds:
National Geographic Bird Identifier Site
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birding/backyard-bird-identifier/

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, the species and location of your sighting.

Sunday September 26, 2010:
The Sunday Bird Walk went to the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo.
The morning started with fog, but turned sunny and warm as the morning progressed.
Among the highlights were the sighting of a Northern Shrike, a Northern Harrier, a Merlin, a Cooper's Hawk, a Western Tanager and two Yellow-rumped Warblers.
Seventeen birders, including a visiting birder from Nova Scotia, saw and heard the following thirty-eight species of birds:
American Wigeon, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Common Merganser,Great Blue Heron, Bald Eagle, Osprey, Cooper's Hawk, Merlin, Red-tailed Hawk, Northern Harrier, Turkey Vulture, Northern Shrike, Long-billed Dowitcher, Mew Gull, California Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flicker, Common Raven, Steller's Jay, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Bewick's Wren, American Robin, Western Tanager, European Starling, Spotted Towhee, Savannah Sparrow, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Western Meadowlark, Purple Finch, House Finch and American Goldfinch.

Thirty Long-billed Dowitchers, two Short-billed Dowitchers, a Red-tailed Hawk, a Lincoln's Sparrow, Green-winged Teal and a House Finch were seen at the Holden Creek side of the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo.

Saturday September 25:
A flock of Bushtits and Steller's Jay were seen at Bowen Park in Nanaimo. An American Dipper was preening by the falls in Bowen Park.
Twenty Greater-white-fronted Geese were seen at the Holden Creek side of the Nanaimo River Estuary.

Friday September 24:
A Northern Harrier was seen near the viewing platform on the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville.

An Albino American Robin was seen in the Woods area of Qualicum Beach.

Thursday September 23:
Three Varied Thrushes were seen in a garden in the Diver Lake area of Nanaimo.

Wednesday September 22:
"Rare bird alert--Ruff"
A Ruff and a Short-billed Dowitcher were seen at Whiffen Spit near Sooke, on the west side of Vancouver Island.

Four Common Terns were seen at Columbia Beach, near the Admiral Tryon Pools.

A Parasitic Jaeger (light phase) was seen harassing gulls out in the Strait of Georgia from Columbia Beach.

A first year Bullock's Oriole was seen at French Creek.

Tuesday September 21:
The Tuesday bird walk went to Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville. The morning was cloudy with light showers throughout the morning, but the wind was calm.
The parking area was teeming with birds this morning and we saw a Cassin's Vireo, a Hutton's Vireo, Cedar Waxwing, Orange-crowned Warbler, Spotted Towhee, Savannah Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow before we began the walk.
We watched a Cooper's Hawk chase a Merlin. At least two Merlin were in the area most of the morning.
Just off the trail we spotted a Pectoral Sandpiper feeding in the tidal area.
There were Surf Scoters, White-winged Scoters, Common Mergansers, Pacific Loons, Common Loons, Horned Grebes, Red-necked Grebes, Double-crested Cormorants, Pelagic Cormorants and a Pigeon Guillemot on the Strait of Georgia.
Twenty-one birders including visiting birders from Sussex, England, Colorado, Montana, Nova Scotia and Manitoba saw and heard the following forty-eight species of birds:
Canada Goose, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Common Merganser, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Horned Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Bald Eagle, Osprey, Cooper's Hawk, Merlin, Sanderling, Pectoral Sandpiper, Mew Gull, Ring-billed Gull,
Glaucous-winged Gull, Pigeon Guillemot, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker,
Cassin's Vireo, Hutton's Vireo, Steller's Jay, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven,
Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Pacific Wren, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, American Robin, European Starling, Cedar Waxwing, Orange-crowned Warbler, Spotted Towhee, Savannah Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, House Finch, Red Crossbill and Pine Siskin.

Thirty-five Turkey Vultures were seen above highway 19A at Royston.

Four Spotted Sandpipers were seen at Sunset Beach, Neck Point in Nanaimo.

Monday September 20:
Two Greater White-fronted Geese were seen at Pacific Shores Resort in Nanoose Bay.

A Great Horned Owl was seen along Meridian Way in Parksville.

Three Greater White-fronted Geese were spotted at the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo.

Five Eurasian Collared Doves were seen along Dawkins Lane in Nanaimo.

Sunday September 19:
A Northern Harrier was seen at Buttertubs Marsh 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 meeting.
October 14th at 7 pm
in the Library on Northwest Bay Road.
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The Arrowsmith Naturalists meeting.
Monday, September 27th at 7.30 pm
at Springwood School.
Guest speaker--Dr. John Gunton- "Geohazards of the Georgia Basin".
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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 September 28, 2010. will be going to Columbia Beach.
We will meet at the Parksville Beach Community Park, at the parking area in front of the Lions Playground at 9 A.M. or at the parking area off Admiral Tryon Bld. (From Highway 19A turn onto Columbia Drive across from Windsor Plywood turn right at the TEE intersection go about 100 yards turn left onto the parking area) at about 9:15 A.M.
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The Sunday Bird Walk on October 03, 2010 will be going to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo.
We will meet at The Backyard Bird Store at 9:00 A.M. or at the main parking area off Hammond Bay 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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