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 18 March 2014

Parksville/Qualicum beach Tuesday bird walk, March 18, 2014

The Tuesday bird walk went to Columbia Beach. The morning was cloudy with strong biting winds and rough seas. We saw a Savannah Sparrow perched on a log on the shore. Over thirty Long-tailed Ducks gave us a treat and flew in and landed not far from shore.  We were challenged as we looked for the ducks hiding in the waves further out on the Strait . There were many flocks of Surf Scoters  flying just above the water throughout the morning. We spotted a Red-throated Loon not far off shore.  A mixed flock of Mew, California, Thayer's and Glaucous-winged Gulls were resting on a gravel bar close to shore. Thirteen Trumpeter Swans flew over the Strait at the end of the walk.

 
                                                                                            
 
                                                                   Savannah Sparrow: Ralph Hocken Photo.                           

Twelve birders saw and heard the following forty-three species:
Trumpeter Swan
Brant
American Widgeon
Mallard
Harlequin Duck
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Barrow's Goldeneye
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Red-throated Loon
Horned Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Bald Eagle
Killdeer
Black Oystercatcher
Mew Gull
California Gull
Thayer's Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Marbled Murrelet
Eurasian-collared Dove
Northern Flicker
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
American Robin
European Starling
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
House Finch
Purple Finch
House Sparrow                                                                    

 

                                            Long-tailed Duck: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

The Tuesday bird walk on March 25, 2014 will be going to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville. 

Good birding
Neil Robins
Parksville

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