Nanaimo bird report, December 20, 2015

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, December 20, 2015

The Sunday bird walk went to Buttertubs Marsh. The morning was mostly sunny with a few clouds and the wind was calm. A large flock of Ring-necked Ducks were seen on the marsh. We spotted a Barred Owl perched next to the trail giving us great views. A Ruby-crowned Kinglet kept us entertained feeding just off the trail. At the top of a tall tree we saw a young Northern Shrike, the Shrike did not have his mask yet but was very light coloured and looked us over before flying off.

Barred Owl: Ralph Hocken Photo.

Thirteen birders saw and heard the following thirty-seven species:

Canada Geese

Cackling Goose

 Mallard

Bufflehead

Ring-necked Duck

Wood Duck

American Widgeon

Pied-billed Grebe

Belted Kingfisher

Bald Eagle

 Barred Owl

Northern Shrike

 Glaucous-winged Gull

 Great Blue Heron

 Anna's Hummingbird

 Downy Woodpecker

 Northern Flicker

 Eurasian collared-Dove

  Common Raven

 Northwestern Crow

Steller’s Jay

 Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Bewick's Wren

Red-breasted Nuthatch

  Ruby-crowned Kinglet

 American Robin

  Spotted Towhee

 Song Sparrow

 Fox Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

 Red-winged Blackbird

 Brewer’s Blackbird

 Dark-eyed Junco

 American Goldfinch

 House Finch

Pine Siskin

House Sparrow

Saturday, December 19:

“RBA-REDWING”

A Redwing as in Eurasian thrush was seen in trees near 3940 S. Valley drive in Victoria.

Evening Grosbeaks were seen near Townsite Road and Graham Road in Nanaimo.

Tuesday, December 15: 

The Tuesday bird walk went to Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park in Parksville. The morning started with light rain and calm winds but the rain stopped after a short while and we had a pleasant morning for the walk. Several flocks of Brant Geese flew past during the morning. We discovered a mixed flock of Black Turnstones and six Surfbird feeding along the shoreline at the point. Several Common Murre, two Marbled Murrelets, two Long-tailed Ducks and a Pigeon Guillemot were seen further off shore giving us good views.

 

                                                                                                        Surfbirds: Ralph Hocken Photo.

 

Nineteen birders saw and heard the following forty-two species:

 Mallard

 Bufflehead

 Common Goldeneye

 Surf Scoter

 White-winged Scoter

Black Scoter

Brant

 American Widgeon

Long-tailed Duck

 Common Merganser

 Red-breasted Merganser

 Pacific Loon

 Common Loon

 Horned Grebe

 Red-necked Grebe

Double-crested Cormorant

 Pelagic Cormorant

Belted Kingfisher

Bald Eagle

 Mew Gull

California Gull

 Glaucous-winged Gull

Great Blue Heron

Common Murre

Marbled Murrelet

Pigeon Guillemot

Surfbird

 Black Turnstone

  Northwestern Crow

 Common Raven

 Varied Thrush

 Red-breasted Nuthatch

 Chestnut-backed Chickadee

 Golden-crowned Kinglet

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

 Pacific Wren

 Brown Creeper

 Spotted Towhee

Golden-crowned Sparrow

 Song Sparrow

Red Crossbill

                                   Dark-eyed Junco                                                                                                           

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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 December 22 will be going to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. Meet at the Parksville Community Park, near the Lions Club Kids Playground at 9:00 a.m. or at the corner of Plummer Road and Shorewood Drive at about 9:10 a.m.

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There will be no Sunday bird walk on December 27, 2015

“MERRY CHRISTMAS “

                 From all of us at the birdstore, Colin,                        Denise, Nichole, Carol, Ralph, Marilynne and Neil
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Nanaimo Christmas Bird Count, Sunday, December 27th, 2015.
Please contact Rhys Harrison at 248-5305 or rhysharrison@shaw.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.co