Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, January 10, 2017

This week’s Tuesday Bird Walk went to the Little Qualicum River Estuary in north Qualicum Beach. The morning was cloudy with a very strong wind off the Strait Of Georgia.  Black-bellied Plovers, Black Turnstones, Black Oystercatchers and Killdeer were seen walking not far from us along the tide line.  Large flocks of Greater Scaup, Surf Scoters, White-winged Scoters and Black Scoters  were seen bouncing in the waves not far from shore.  Thirty-two seals were lounging on the gravel bar near the estuary. We spotted  twenty Trumpeter Swans along the river and the estuary during the morning. A large number of great Blue Heron were resting in the tall grass on the estuary.

Black Scoter: Ralph Hocken Photo.

Twelve birders including a visiting birder from California saw and heard the following thirty-four species.

Canada Goose

Brant

Trumpeter Swan

Mallard

American Widgeon

Green-winged Teal

Northern Pintail

Lesser Scaup

Greater Scaup

Surf Scoter

White-winged Scoter

Black Scoter

Bufflehead

Common Goldeneye

Common Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

Red-necked Grebe

Great Blue Heron

Black-bellied Plover

Black Turnstone

Dunlin

Black Oystercatcher

Killdeer

Mew Gull

California Gull

Thayer's Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Common Murre

Marbled Murrelet

Northwestern Crow

Common Raven

Anna’s Hummingbird

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Dark-eyed Junco

 

 

 

 

                                                             Trumpeter Swans: Ralph Hocken Photo.

The Tuesday bird walk on January 17, 2017 will be going to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville. Meet at the Parksville Community Park at the parking lot next to the Lions Club Kids Playground at 9:00 a.m. or at the end of Shelly Road on the Oceanside of Highway 19a at about 9:10 a.m.

Good birding

Neil Robins

Parksville 

 http://thebirdstore.blogspot.ca/

       thebackyard@shaw.ca