The Nanaimo Bird Alert
provided by
The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

To report your sightings phone
The Bird Alert at: 390-3029 or
The Store at: 390-3669
e-mail: thebackyard at shaw.ca
Please remember, when reporting a sighting, to leave your name and phone
number, along with the date and location of your sighting.

Sunday April 15 2007:
The Sunday Bird Walk went to Legacy Marsh in Upper Lantzville. Twenty-five
birders found the following thirty-six species: GREAT BLUE HERON, TURKEY
VULTURE, CANADA GOOSE, WOOD DUCK, MALLARD, HOODED MERGANGER, RING-BILLED
DUCK, BALD EAGLE, RED-TAILED HAWK, COOPER'S HAWK, GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL,
RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD, RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER, NORTHERN FLICKER, COMMON RAVEN,
VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW, TREE SWALLOW, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, BEWICK'S WREN,
WINTER WREN, MARSH WREN, AMERICAN ROBIN, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, EUROPEAN
STARLING, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, COMMON
YELLOWTHROAT, SPOTTED TOWHEE, SONG SPARROW, WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, DARK-EYED
JUNCO, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD, BUSHTIT, PURPLE FINCH, PINE SISKIN and HOUSE
FINCH.

Saturday April 14:
"RARE BIRD ALERT"
A SAGE THRASHER was photographed at the Nanaimo River Estuary in south
Nanaimo. The bird was singing from the crabapple shrub just at the outflow
creek. A SAY'S PHOEBE was also seen in with MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS near the
Viewing Tower at the Estuary. A WESTERN MEADOWLARK is also in the same
area.

Thursday April 12:
Two TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRES were seen along Rivers Edge Road in Parksville and
at the Evergreen's off Village Way in Qualicum Beach.
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS were seen in the 1700 block of Gerald Place in
Nanoose Bay.
A WHITE-TAILED PTARMIGAN was seen at the top of Mt. Washington near the Blue
Chair.

Wednesday April 11:
MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS were spotted near Silver Bay on Gabrolia Island.
ANNA'S and RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRDS were seen along Holyrood Drive in Nanaimo.
A slate colored DARK-EYED JUNCO was seen at feeders in the 200 block of
Dawkins Lane.
Two male AMERICAN GOLDFINCH were seen along Entwhistle Drive in Nanaimo.

The Wednesday Bird Walk went to Rathtrevor Provincial Park. The highlight
of the morning was the huge raft of at least 100,000 seabirds on the water.
Twelve birders found the following forty-two species:
CANADA GOOSE, BRANT, MALLARD, GREATER SCAUP, SURF SCOTER, WHITE-WINGED
SCOTER, BLACK SCOTER, LONG-TAILED DUCK, BUFFLEHEAD, COMMON GOLDENEYE,
BARROW'S GOLDENEYE, RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, PACIFIC LOON, COMMON LOON, GREAT
BLUE HERON, BALD EAGLE, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, DUNLIN, BONAPARTE'S GULL,
CALIFORNIA GULL, GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL, RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD, NORTHERN FLICKER,
PILEATED WOODPECKER, NORTHWESTERN CROW, CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE,
RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, BROWN CREEPER, WINTER WREN, GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET,
RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, AMERICAN ROBIN, VARIED THRUSH, EUROPEAN STARLING,
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, SPOTTED TOWHEE, SONG SPARROW, WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW,
DARK-EYED JUNCO, PURPLE FINCH, HOUSE FINCH, and PINE SISKIN .
Three TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRES and one SOOTY GROUSE were seen at the top of
Little Mountain in Parksville.

Tuesday April 10:
Four MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS and a TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE were seen off Mills Road
at the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville.
Three VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS were seen in the 4100 block of Gulfview Drive in
north Nanaimo.
A pod of KILLER WHALES were seen off shore in the Beachcomber area of
Nanoose Bay.

Monday April 09:
An ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, RED-TAILED HAWK and several WHITE-CROWNED
SPARROWS were seen at the Englishman River Estuary, Mills Road side, in
Parksville
Several thousand SURF SCOTERS, LONG-TAILED DUCKS, GREATER SCAUP, and
thousands of BONAPART'S GULLS were seen near the tideline at Columbia Beach.
THE BIG SIGHTING WAS TWO GRAY WHALES, NOT FAR OFF SHORE. THREE BIRDERS
WATCHED FOR ABOUT AN HOUR WHILE THE WHALES SURFACED EVERY FIVE MINUTES, BLEW
AND THEN SLIPPPED BACK INTO THE WATER. VERY EXCITING BIRDING!
AMERICAN GOLDFINCH and RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRDS were seen in the 3700 block of
Jungle Pot Road in Nanaimo.

Sunday April 08:
Nine MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS were seen at the Englishman River Estuary off Mills
Road in Parksville.
A OSPREY was seen diving and catching a fish at Diver Lake in Nanaimo. A
TRUMPETER SWAN was also seen at Divers Lake.
CANADA GOOSE, MUTE SWAN, AMERICAN WIGEON, MALLARD, NORTHERN PINTAIL,
GEEN-WINGED TEAL, SURF SCOTER, BUFFLEHEAD, COMMON MERGANSER, HORNED GREBE,
PELAGIC CORMORANT, GREAT BLUE HERON, TURKEY VULTURE, BALD EAGLE,
SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, MERLIN, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, BONAPARTE'S GULL, MEW GULL,
RING-BILLED GULL, THAYER'S GULL, GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL, DOWNY WOODPECKER,
NORTHERN FLICKER, STELLER'S JAY, NORTHWESTERN CROW, VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW,
CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE, BEWICK'S WREN, AMERICAN ROBIN, EUROPEAN STARLING,
SPOTTED TOWHEE, CHIPPING SPARROW, WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, DARK-EYED JUNCO,
HOUSE FINCH AND PINE SISKINS were seen at the Nanoose Bay Estuary.

Saturday April 07:
One female COMMON REDPOLL was seen and photographed in the Eaglecrest area
of Qualicum Beach.

For further information on these sightings or for help in identifying a
bird please call:The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store
at (250) 390-3669
Toll Free at 1-888-249-4145
e-mail: thebackyard at shaw.ca
**********************************
The Wednesday Bird Walk on April 18, 2007 will be going to Top of the Bridge
Park in Parksville, We will meet at the east parking lot of The Parksville
Civic and Technology Centre at Jensen Avenue and McCarter Street at 9:00
a.m. in Parksville or at the parking area at Tuan Road and Industrial Way,
off Highway 19A in Parksville, at about 9:10 a.m.
**********************************
The Sunday Bird Walk on April 22, 2007 will be going to the Nanaimo River
Estuary, weather permitting--winds, torrential rains and snow will deter us!
Meet at the Bird Store at 9:00 a.m. or at the end of Raines Road at about
9:30 am.
*****************************************
Good Birding!
Neil Robins
Nanaimo
British Columbia
*****************************************