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 March 18, 2007:
The Sunday Bird Walk went to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo. We had some great
long looks at a male ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD perched on top of an Alder Tree and
a MERLIN flew over us at the end of the walk.
Sixteen birders found the following forty-six species: PACIFIC LOONS, COMMON
LOON, PIED-BILLED GREBE, DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT, PELAGIC CORMORANT,
BRANDTS CORMORANT, CANADA GOOSE, MALLARD, HARLEQUIN DUCK, SURF SCOTER,
WHITE-WINGED SCOTER, BUFFLEHEAD, BARROW'S GOLDENEYE, COMMON GOLDEN-EYE,
COMMON MERGANSER, RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, BALD EAGLE, MERLIN, BLACK
OYSTERCATCHER, MEW GULL, CALIFORNIA GULL, THAYER'S GULL, GLAUCOUS-WINGED
GULL, ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD, DOWNY WOODPECKER, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, NORTHERN
FLICKER, NORTHWESTERN CROW, COMMON RAVE, CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE, BUSHTIT,
WINTER WREN, GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, AMERICAN ROBIN,
EUROPEAN STARLING, SPOTTED TOWHEE, SONG SPARROW, FOX SPARROW, DARK-EYED
JUNCO, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD, HOUSE FINCH and PINE SISKINS.

Saturday March 17:
Over fifty TRUMPETER SWANS were seen in the far fields of the Ugly Dwarf
Meadows at the Esso Gas Station near Nanoose Bay.

Thursday March 15:
A TURKEY VULTURE was spotted above the Cottonwood Golf Course in south
Nanaimo.
An adult GLAUCOUS GULL was spotted at the Secondary School playing fields in
Duncan.
80 BALD EAGLES were seen from Cedar by the Sea looking towards Mudge Island.
One GLAUCOUS GULL, one SLATY-BACKED GULL, one RING-BILLED GULL, twelve
BONAPARTE'S GULL, two WESTERN GULLS, six "KUMLIEN'S" ICELAND GULLS, HERRING
GULLS, CALIFORNIA GULLS, MEW GULLS, GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS and THAYER'S
GULLS were seen near the Viewing tower at Quacilum Beach.

Wednesday March 14:
Four VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS were seen at the Cottonwood Golf Course in south
Nanaimo.
An ALBINO AMERCAN ROBIN was seen along East Wellington Road in Nanaimo.
The Wednesday bird walk went to Columbia Beach near French Creek.
Among the highlights were a COMMON LOON in breeding plumage. three GREATER
YELLOWLEGS,four BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS, fifty DUNLIN, CALIFORNIA GULLS,
THAYERS GULLS and lots of MEW GULLS.
Fourteen birders found the following thirty-six species:
BRANT, GADWALL, AMERICAN WIGEON, MALLARD, GREATER SCAUP, SURF SCOTER,
WHITE-WINGED SCOTER, BLACK SCOTER, LONG-TAILED DUCK, COMMON
GOLDEN-EYE,RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, COMMON LOON, HORNED GREBE, RED-NECKED
GREBE, DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT, BALD EAGLE, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, KILLDEER,
BLACK OYSTERCATCHER, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, BLACK TURNSTONE, DUNLIN, MEW GULL,
CALIFORNIA GULL, THAYER'S GULL, GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL, GLAUCOUS GULL, ROCK
PIGEON, NORTHERN FLICKER, NORTHWESTERN CROW, COMMON RAVEN, AMERICAN ROBIN,
EUROPEAN STARLING, BREWER'S BLACKBIRD, HOUSE FINCH and HOUSE SPARROW.

Tuesday March 13:
A SLATY-BACKED GULL was seen at Qualicum Bay.

Thursday March 8:
Several VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS were seen in the 3700 block of Jinglepot Road
in Nanaimo.
A RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD was spotted along Stewart Avenue in Nanaimo.

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
*********************************
Arrowsmith Naturalists
Monthly Meeting,
Monday, March 26, 2007 at 7:30 pm.
Guest speaker "Dr. Thomas Reimchen, University of Victoria Instructor"
will speak on "The Ecological Genetics and Future of the Spirit Bear".
Springwood Middle School,
Parksville
**********************************
The Nanoose Naturalists
Monthly Meeting
Thursday, April 12, 2007 at 7:00 pm
Nanoose Library,
Nanoose Bay
**********************************
EVERYONE IS WELCOME ON THE WEDNESDAY MORNING BIRD WALK, sponsored by the
BACKYARD WILDBIRD AND NATURE STORE. We will be ?Fair Weather Birders? for
the winter--snow, rain and/or heavy winds will deter us. We will leave The
Parksville Civic and Technology Centre on Jensen Avenue and McCarter Street
at 9 a.m. every Wednesday, and go to a different area in and around
Parksville/Qualicum Beach each week. BRING YOUR BINOCULARS AND JOIN US FOR
A MORNING OF BIRDING.
**********************************
The Wednesday Bird Walk on March 21, 2007 will be going to the Little
Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum Beach.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 viewing tower near
Highway 19A and Garrett Road at about 9:20 a.m.
**********************************
EVERYONE IS WELCOME ON THE SUNDAY MORNING BIRD WALK, sponsored by the
BACKYARD WILDBIRD AND NATURE STORE. We leave the store at 9 a.m. and go to
a different area in and around Nanaimo each week. BRING YOUR BINOCULARS AND
JOIN US FOR A MORNING OF BIRDING.
*************************************
The Sunday Bird Walk on March 25, 2007 will be going to Buttertubs Marsh in
Nanaimo--weather permitting. Winds, torrential rains and snow will deter
us!
Meet at the Bird Store at 9:00 a.m. or at the parking lot on Bowen Road side
of Buttertubs Marsh at about 9:20 a.m.
*****************************************
Good Birding!
Neil Robins
Nanaimo
British Columbia
*****************************************