Neil Robins
Well-known member
BIRD REPORT “EXPLORE NATURE---GO BIRDING”
To report your sightings phone the Store at 250-390-3669 or e-mail us at
[email protected]
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, January 18, 2015:
The Sunday bird walk went to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville. The morning was cloudy with sunny periods and the wind was calm. The highlights included seeing a Long-tailed Duck not far from shore. Several flocks of Common Murre flew up the Strait of Georgia. We spotted a Pigeon Guillemot further off shore. Many Pacific Loons and Common Loons were seen through out the morning.
There were three Killer Whales ( Orcas) heading up the strait.
Fifteen birders saw and heard the following forty-one Species:
American Wigeon
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Harlequin Duck
Gadwall
Surf Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Red-breasted Merganser
Common Merganser
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Red-necked Grebe
Horned Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Mew Gull
Thayer's Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Common Murre
Pigeon Guillemot
Lesser Yellowlegs
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Steller’s Jay
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Anna’s Hummingbird
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
American Robin
Spotted Towhee
Fox Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
House Finch
Purple Finch
Friday, January 16:
A Peregrine Falcon was spotted at top of a tall conifer overlooking the marshland at the Little Qualicum River Estuary north of Qualicum Beach.
A White Hummingbird is visiting backyard feeders in Qualicum Beach
Tuesday, January 13:
The Tuesday bird walk went to Columbia Beach. The morning was cloudy with calm winds and a smooth Strait of Georgia.
The highlight sighting of the morning was the exciting showing of a pod of four Killer Whales heading up the Strait near the far horizon.
Killer Whales or Orcas are the largest of the dolphins and one of the world's most powerful predators. They feast on marine mammals such as seals, sea lions and also on fish, squid, and seabirds.
Watching the whales blow as they travelled along the horizon and then dove below the surface, only to rise again in a few moments was awesome!!!
Harlequin Ducks, Common Goldeneye, Barrows Goldeneye, Common Mergansers, Red-breasted Mergansers, Pacific Loons, Common Loon and Horned Grebes were see just off shore throughout the morning. A Pigeon Guillemot, several Marbled Murrelets and Ancient Murrelets along with hundreds of Common Murre were seen further off shore. A Greater Yellowlegs was roosting on the gravel bar with two Black-bellied Plovers. A Black Oystercatcher was resting on a big rock giving us good views and a flock of six Black Turnstones flew low over the water. Along the road we spotted a large number of singing House Finch, White-crowned Sparrows,
Golden-crowned Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos and Pine Siskins.
Seventeen birders saw and heard the following forty- seven bird species:
Mallard
Harlequin Duck
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Barrows Goldeneye
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Pigeon Guillemot
Marbled Murrelet
Ancient Murrelet
Common Murre
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Pelagic cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant
Belted Kingfisher
Greater Yellowlegs
Black-bellied Plover
Black Oystercatcher
Black Turnstone
Mew Gull
California Gull
Thayer's Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Eurasian-collared Dove
Rock Pigeon
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Anna’s Hummingbird
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
House Finch
Dark-eyed Junco
Pine Siskin
House Sparrow
Three mammal species:
Killer Whale
Harbour Seals
Sea Lions
Saturday, January 10:
Thirty California Quail were seen feeding in a backyard in the 3000 block of Barrington Road in Nanaimo.
The Snow Goose and two Greater White-fronted Geese are still feeding on the grass at the Parksville Community Park in Parksville.
**********************************************************************************
Monday, January 26:
Arrowsmith Naturalists meet at Knox United Church in Parksville at 7.30 pm. Members Night when members share their photos. All welcome.
Information at 752-7588.
*************************************************************************************
18th Annual Tofino Shorebird Festival
May 1-3, 2015
For information please contact----
http://raincoasteducation.org/events/tofino-shorebird-festival
*********************************************************************************
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
****************************************************************************
The Tuesday bird walk on January 20, 2015 will be going to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River Estuary. Meet at the parking lot near the Lions Club Playground in Parksville Community Park at 9:00 a.m. or at the corner of Plummer Road and Shorewood Drive in Parksville. at about
9:10 a.m.
*********************************************************************
The Sunday bird walk on January 25, 2015 will be going to Bowen Park in Nanaimo. Meet at the Bird Store at 9:00 a.m. or at the main parking lot at Bowen Park(near the lawn bowling green) off Bowen Road at about 9:15 a.m.
*********************************************************************
British Columbia Rare Bird Alert link--- http://www.bcbirdalert.blogspot.ca/
****************************************************************************
A must read for those of us who live along the Strait of Georgia.
THE SEA AMONG US
THE AMAZING STRAIT OF GEORGIA
RICHARD BEAMISH AND GORDON McFARLANE
*****************************************************************************
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: [email protected]
Blog: www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com
To report your sightings phone the Store at 250-390-3669 or e-mail us at
[email protected]
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, January 18, 2015:
The Sunday bird walk went to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville. The morning was cloudy with sunny periods and the wind was calm. The highlights included seeing a Long-tailed Duck not far from shore. Several flocks of Common Murre flew up the Strait of Georgia. We spotted a Pigeon Guillemot further off shore. Many Pacific Loons and Common Loons were seen through out the morning.
There were three Killer Whales ( Orcas) heading up the strait.
Fifteen birders saw and heard the following forty-one Species:
American Wigeon
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Harlequin Duck
Gadwall
Surf Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Red-breasted Merganser
Common Merganser
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Red-necked Grebe
Horned Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Mew Gull
Thayer's Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Common Murre
Pigeon Guillemot
Lesser Yellowlegs
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Steller’s Jay
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Anna’s Hummingbird
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
American Robin
Spotted Towhee
Fox Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
House Finch
Purple Finch
Friday, January 16:
A Peregrine Falcon was spotted at top of a tall conifer overlooking the marshland at the Little Qualicum River Estuary north of Qualicum Beach.
A White Hummingbird is visiting backyard feeders in Qualicum Beach
Tuesday, January 13:
The Tuesday bird walk went to Columbia Beach. The morning was cloudy with calm winds and a smooth Strait of Georgia.
The highlight sighting of the morning was the exciting showing of a pod of four Killer Whales heading up the Strait near the far horizon.
Killer Whales or Orcas are the largest of the dolphins and one of the world's most powerful predators. They feast on marine mammals such as seals, sea lions and also on fish, squid, and seabirds.
Watching the whales blow as they travelled along the horizon and then dove below the surface, only to rise again in a few moments was awesome!!!
Harlequin Ducks, Common Goldeneye, Barrows Goldeneye, Common Mergansers, Red-breasted Mergansers, Pacific Loons, Common Loon and Horned Grebes were see just off shore throughout the morning. A Pigeon Guillemot, several Marbled Murrelets and Ancient Murrelets along with hundreds of Common Murre were seen further off shore. A Greater Yellowlegs was roosting on the gravel bar with two Black-bellied Plovers. A Black Oystercatcher was resting on a big rock giving us good views and a flock of six Black Turnstones flew low over the water. Along the road we spotted a large number of singing House Finch, White-crowned Sparrows,
Golden-crowned Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos and Pine Siskins.
Seventeen birders saw and heard the following forty- seven bird species:
Mallard
Harlequin Duck
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Barrows Goldeneye
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Pigeon Guillemot
Marbled Murrelet
Ancient Murrelet
Common Murre
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Pelagic cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant
Belted Kingfisher
Greater Yellowlegs
Black-bellied Plover
Black Oystercatcher
Black Turnstone
Mew Gull
California Gull
Thayer's Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Eurasian-collared Dove
Rock Pigeon
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Anna’s Hummingbird
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
House Finch
Dark-eyed Junco
Pine Siskin
House Sparrow
Three mammal species:
Killer Whale
Harbour Seals
Sea Lions
Saturday, January 10:
Thirty California Quail were seen feeding in a backyard in the 3000 block of Barrington Road in Nanaimo.
The Snow Goose and two Greater White-fronted Geese are still feeding on the grass at the Parksville Community Park in Parksville.
**********************************************************************************
Monday, January 26:
Arrowsmith Naturalists meet at Knox United Church in Parksville at 7.30 pm. Members Night when members share their photos. All welcome.
Information at 752-7588.
*************************************************************************************
18th Annual Tofino Shorebird Festival
May 1-3, 2015
For information please contact----
http://raincoasteducation.org/events/tofino-shorebird-festival
*********************************************************************************
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
****************************************************************************
The Tuesday bird walk on January 20, 2015 will be going to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River Estuary. Meet at the parking lot near the Lions Club Playground in Parksville Community Park at 9:00 a.m. or at the corner of Plummer Road and Shorewood Drive in Parksville. at about
9:10 a.m.
*********************************************************************
The Sunday bird walk on January 25, 2015 will be going to Bowen Park in Nanaimo. Meet at the Bird Store at 9:00 a.m. or at the main parking lot at Bowen Park(near the lawn bowling green) off Bowen Road at about 9:15 a.m.
*********************************************************************
British Columbia Rare Bird Alert link--- http://www.bcbirdalert.blogspot.ca/
****************************************************************************
A must read for those of us who live along the Strait of Georgia.
THE SEA AMONG US
THE AMAZING STRAIT OF GEORGIA
RICHARD BEAMISH AND GORDON McFARLANE
*****************************************************************************
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: [email protected]
Blog: www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com
