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 24 May 2015

Nanaimo bird report, May 24, 2015


NANAIMO BIRD REPORT
 “EXPLORE NATURE---GO BIRDING”
To report your sightings phone the Store at
250-390-3669 or e-mail us at
thebackyard@shaw.ca
Please remember, when reporting a sighting, to leave your name and phone number along with the date, the species and location of your sighting.

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Sunday, May 24, 2015:
The Sunday bird walk went to Morrell Wildlife Sanctuary in Nanaimo. The morning was cloudy and the winds were calm. The highlights included seeing a Barred Owl fly in and perch on a tall conifer giving us close views. We watched a family of Hairy Woodpeckers feed on a snag close to the trail. A Chestnut-backed Chickadee flew in and out of a nest in a short snag.  A Hooded Merganser and its cute fledgling were swimming on Morrell Lake.

Barred Owl: Ralph Hocken Photo.  

Fifteen birders including a visiting birder from Ottawa saw and heard the following twenty-nine species:
Canada Geese
 Mallard
Belted Kingfisher
 Hooded Merganser
Barred Owl
Hairy Woodpecker
  Rufous Hummingbird
 Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Hammond’s Flycatcher
 Warbling Vireo
Cassin’s Vireo
 Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Golden-crowned Kinglet
 Brown Creeper
 Red-breasted Nuthatch
 Pacific Wren
Bewick’s Wren
 Swainson's Thrush
 American Robin
Orange-crowned Warbler
 Black-throated Gray Warbler
 Wilson's Warbler
Townsend’s Warbler
Black-headed Grosbeak
Western Tanager
Spotted Towhee
  Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Pine Siskin  

Saturday, May 23:
A Whimbrel, Western and Baird’s Sandpiper, Greater Yellowlegs and Black-bellied Plovers were seen on the mud flats on the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville.  

Two Olive-sided Flycatchers were heard and seen in the woods above Colbourne Drive in Nanaimo.

A Pigeon Guillemot was seen off shore at Neck Point Park in Nanaimo. 

Friday, May 22:
  Two Whimbrels were seen along the tide line on the Strait of Georgia off the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville. 

Wednesday, May 20: 
A Pigeon Guillemot was seen off shore at Piper’s Lagoon in Nanaimo. 

Tuesday, May 19:

The Tuesday bird walk went to Lot Ten in north Qualicum Beach. The morning was sunny and warm with calm winds. California Quail were seen at the start of the walk. A Spotted Sandpiper was preening on a Little Qualicum River gravel bar giving us great views. Pacific-slope Flycatchers and Hammond’s Flycatchers were singing high up in the tall trees. A Black-headed Grosbeak swooped in just above us singing his vibrant song that we heard for most of the morning. Several Red-breasted Sapsuckers flew near us as we walked on the trail. Yellow Warblers were singing and they stopped long enough to give us great views. Western Tanagers entertained us and we had several great views of them high in the conifers across the river. A Red-eyed Vireo was singing his long song high up in the tall trees next to the trail.  We heard the song but there were no views for us!

                                                                  
  Yellow Warbler: Ralph Hocken Photo. 


Seventeen birders saw and heard the following thirty-nine species:
Canada Geese
Bald Eagle
Belted Kingfisher
Spotted Sandpiper
California Quail
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Hammond’s Flycatcher
Warbling Vireo
Cassin’s Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Violet-green Swallow
Black Swift
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Pacific Wren
Bewick’s Wren
Rufous Hummingbird
Anna’s Hummingbird
Swainson's Thrush
American Robin
Western Tanager
European Starling
MacGillivray’s Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Townsend’s Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Black-headed Grosbeak
Brown-headed Cowbird
American Goldfinch
Pine Siskin

 

                                                                         
   
 

                                             Red-breasted Sapsucker: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

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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. on 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 May 26, 2015 will be going to the Little Qualicum Fish Hatchery in Qualicum Beach.  We meet at the Parksville Community Park by the Lions Club playground parking lot at 9 a.m. or parking lot at the fish hatchery off Claymore Road in north Qualicum Beach at about 9:20 a.m.

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The Sunday bird walk on May 31, 2015 will be going to Linley Valley in Nanaimo.  Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 a.m. or at the end of Burma Road off Lost Lake Road in Nanaimo at about 9:20 a.m.

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British Columbia Rare Bird Alert link---
http://www.bcbirdalert.blogspot.ca/
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Good birding
Neil Robins

THE BACKYARD WILDBIRD & NATURE STORE
6314 Metral Drive
Nanaimo  B.C.
V9T-2L8
Phone:
250-390-3669
Fax: 250-390-1633
Email:  thebackyard@shaw.ca
Blog:  www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com 

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