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
www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com

Please remember, when reporting a sighting, to leave your name and phone
number, along with the date and location of your sighting.

Sunday May 06, 2007:
The Sunday Bird Walk went to Beck Creek and Chase River Estuary in Nanaimo.
The highlight of the walk was over twenty noisey WHIMBREL flying over us.
Six GREATER YELLOWLEGS were feeding on the mud flats.
Ten birders found the following forty-four species:
GREAT BLUE HERON, CANADA GOOSE, MALLARD, BUFFLEHEAD, COMMON MERGANSER,
RING-NECKED PHEASANT, CALIFORNIA QUAIL, WHIMBREL, GREATER YELLOWLEGS,
GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL, BAND-TAILED PIGEON, ROCK PIGEON, RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD,
BELTED KINGFISHER, NORTHERN FLICKER, PILEATED WOODPECKER, NORTHWESTERN CROW,
COMMON RAVEN, PURPLE MARTIN, TREE SWALLOW, VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW,
CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE, BROWN CREEPER, BEWICK'S WREN, GOLDEN-CROWNED
KINGLET, HERMIT THRUSH, VARIED THRUSH, AMERICAN ROBIN, EUROPEAN STARLING,
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, YELLOW WARBLER, COMMON YELLOW-THROAT, YELLOW-RUMPED
WARBLER, SPOTTED TOWHEE, SONG SPARROW, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD, BROWN-HEADED
COWBIRD, PURPLE FINCH, HOUSE FINCH, AMERICAN GOLDFINCH, PINE SISKINS,
DARK-EYED JUNCOS, HOUSE SPARROW and WINTER WREN.
A YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD was seen at the end of Tweedshope Road in Lower
Lantzville.

Friday May 04:
Four AMERICAN GOLDFINCH were seen at feeders at Lantzville Road and Superior
Roads in Lantzville.
A SILVER PHEASANT was at feeders in the 5100 block of Lauguna Way in
Nanaimo.

Thursday May 03:
A YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD in with a flock of BREWERS BLACKBIRDS were seen
perched on a fence on the south side of Northwest Bay Road just to the east
of Wallbeach Road in Nanoose Bay.
A LESSER CANADA GOOSE was seen in with five CANADA GEESE at Cowichan Bay.
Two ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS, four CHIPPING SPARROWS, three YELLOW WARBLERS and
a PURPLE MARTIN were seen at Somenos Marsh in Duncan.

Wednesday May 02:
The Wednesday bird walk went to the Beaver Ponds at Nanoose Bay.
Among the highlights was the song of a "CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER" singing near
the first pond and several sightings of BLACK-THROATED GRAY and TOWNSEND'S
WARBLERS. The bird of the day, a WESTERN TANAGER was seen near the big pond.
He was perched high in an Arbutus Tree giving all of us a great sighting.
Seventeen birders found the following thirty-nine species:
CANADA GOOSE, MUTE SWAN, WOOD DUCK, MALLARD, BUFFLEHEAD, CALIFORNIA QUAIL,
TURKEY VULTURE, OSPREY, COOPER'S HAWK, GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL, BARRED OWL,
RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD, DOWNY WOODPECKER, NORTHERN FLICKER, PACIFIC-SLOPE
FLYCATCHER, CASSIN'S VIREO, COMMON RAVEN, VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW,
CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE, BUSHTIT, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, RUBY-CROWNED
KINGLET
HERMIT THRUSH, AMERICAN ROBIN, VARIED THRUSH, EUROPEAN STARLING,
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, YELLOW WARBLER, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER,
BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER, CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER
TOWNSEND'S WARBLER, WESTERN TANAGER, SPOTTED TOWHEE, SONG SPARROW, DARK-EYED
JUNCO, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD, PURPLE FINCH and
PINE SISKINS
A BULLOCK'S ORIOLE was seen at his usual summer location, near the old
foundation at Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo.

Tuesday May 01:
A BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK was seen visiting feeders at Qualicum Village north
and west of Qualicum Beach.
A WESTERN TANAGER was seen on Gabrolia Island.
A NORTHERN FLICKER was seen along Seablush Road in Nanoose Bay.
An AMERICAN DIPPER was seen at Colliery Dam Park in Nanaimo.

Monday April 30:
GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS and AMERICAN GOLDFINCH were seen in the 4300 block
of Shell Beach Road in Ladysmith.
EVENING GROSBEAKS and AMERICAN GOLDFINCH were spotted in the 500 block of
Spirting Road in Nanaimo.
Six EVENING GROSBEAKS were seen in the 800 block of Middlescot Road in
Errington.

Sunday April 29:
Three LESSER YELLOWLEGS, CASSIN'S VIREO, CHIPPING SPARROWS, YELLOW-RUMPED,
ORANGE-CROWNED, TOWNSEND'S and WILSON'S WARBLERS were seen on the Top
Bridge Trail in Parksville.
AMERICAN GOLDFINCH were spotted in the 400 block of Millstone 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

The Wednesday Bird Walk on May 9, 2007 will be going to Springwood Park (the
woods at the end of Despard Avenue, across from Chestnut Street). 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 near Despard Avenue (turn left off Highway 4A going into
Parksville) and Chestnut Street.

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The Sunday Bird Walk on May 13, 2007 will be going to Buttertubs Marsh in
Nanaimo, weather permitting--winds, torrential rains will deter us!
Meet at the Bird Store at 9:00 a.m. or at the parking area on Bowen Road
side of Buttertubs Marsh at about 9: 20 am.

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Good Birding!
Neil Robins
Nanaimo