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 13, 2007:
Two WHRIMBREL were seen at the Cedar Playground at the highschool in Cedar.
The Sunday Bird walk went to Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo. Twenty-three
birders found the following thirty-eight species: PIED-BILLED GREBE, GREAT
BLUE HERON, TURKEY VULTURE,CANADA GOOSE, WOOD DUCK, MALLARD, OSPREY, BALD
EAGLE,GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL ROCK PIGEON, RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD, BELTED
KINGFISHER, NORTHERN FLICKER, NORTHWESTERN CROW, TREE SWALLOW,
VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW, BARN SWALLOW, CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE, BUSHTIT,
BEWICK'S WREN, MARSH WREN, AMERICAN ROBIN, EUROPEAN STARLING, YELLOW
WARBLER, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER,SPOTTED TOWHEE,
SAVANNAH SPARROW, SONG SPARROW, BULLOCK?S ORIOLE, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD,
BREWER'S BLACKBIRD, BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD, PINE SISKIN, HOUSE FINCH, AMERICAN
GOLDFINCH and HOUSE SPARROW

Saturday May 12:
A WESTERN MEADOWLARK was seen in the parking lot at Fairwinds Golf Course in
Nanoose Bay.
A BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK was seen in the 200 block of Dawkins Lane in Nanaimo
and along Corfield Street in Parksville.

Thursday May 10:
A BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK and a BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD were seen at feeders in a
yard at Lantzville Road and Superior Road in lower Lantzville.
A pair of EVENING GROSBEAKS were seen at feeders in the 5600 block of Big
Whale Lookout in Nanaimo.

Wednesday May 09:
Large flocks of VAUX'S SWIFTS were seen in Ladysmith, Port Alberni and
Royston.
In Port Alberni and Royston the swifts were seen flying into the chimneys of
houses!
A flock of about thirty GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were seen above Sunset
Beach in Nanoose Bay.
A CHIPPING SPARROW, a SAVANNAH SPARROW and a RUSTY BLACKBIRD was seen at
feeders in the 100 Block of Meridian Way in Parksville.
The Wednesday Bird Walk went to Springwood Park in Parksville. The
highlights included six species of warblers-- ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, YELLOW
WARBLER, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER, TOWNSEND'S
WARBLER, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT and WILSON'S WARBLER. We also observed a
SWAINSON'S THRUSH for about five minutes feeding just in front of us on a
path.
Fifteen birders heard and sometimes saw the following forty-three species:
MALLARD, RING-NECKED PHEASANT, CALIFORNIA QUAIL, TURKEY VULTURE, BALD EAGLE
, RED-TAILED HAWK, VAUX'S SWIFT, RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD, BELTED KINGFISHER,
HAIRY WOODPECKER, NORTHERN FLICKER, PILEATED WOODPECKER, PACIFIC-SLOPE
FLYCATCHER, WARBLING VIREO, NORTHWESTERN CROW, COMMON RAVEN, VIOLET-GREEN
SWALLOW, CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE, BUSHTIT, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, WINTER
WREN, SWAINSON'S THRUSH, HERMIT THRUSH, AMERICAN ROBIN, EUROPEAN STARLING,
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, YELLOW WARBLER, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER,
BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER, TOWNSEND'S WARBLER, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT,
WILSON'S WARBLER, WESTERN TANAGER, SPOTTED TOWHEE, CHIPPING SPARROW, SONG
SPARROW, WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW, DARK-EYED JUNCO,
RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD, PURPLE FINCH, PINE SISKIN, AMERICAN GOLDFINCH

Tuesday May 08:
Two VESPER SPARROWS were seen at the Cottonwood Golf Course near the Nanaimo
Airport in Cassidy in south Nanaimo.
A NORTHERN HARRIER was seen working the fields at the Ugly Dwarf Meadows
near the ESSO Gas Station along highway 19 in Nanoose Bay.
Two CASPIAN TERNS were seen at Pipers Lagoon in Nanaimo.
A MOURNING DOVE was seen along Uplands Crescent in nanaimo.

Monday May 07:
"RARE BIRD ALERT"
A RUSTY BLACKBIRD was seen at feeders in the 100 Block of Meridian Way in
Parksville.
The bird was sitting on the peak of a garden shed. As the bird was preening
his wings it was singing a soft gurgle much like a Brown-headed Cowbird. The
soft gurgle sound was followed by a high, thin whistle.
"RARE BIRD ALERT:
A WESTERN KINGBIRD was seen along Haslam Road near the Cottonwood Golf
Course near the Nanaimo Airport in south Nanaimo.
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS were seen in the 5300 block of Westdale Road and
along Leslie Crescent in Nanaimo.

Saturday May 05:
RED-NECKED PHALAROPE, SABINE'S, CALIFORNIA, AMERICAN HERRING and
GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS, TUFTED PUFFINS, SOOTY and PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATERS,
BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS and NORTHERN FULMAR were all seen from a boat
off-shore from Ucluelet and Tofino.
Seven WOOD DUCKS and a male BLUE-WINGED TEAL were seen at Brookwood Marsh in
north 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, May 28, 2007 at 7:30 pm.
Springwood School
Parksville
**********************************
The Nanoose Naturalists
Monthly Meeting
ThursdayJune 14, 2007 at 7:00 pm
Nanoose Library,
Nanoose Bay
***********************************
The Wednesday Bird Walk on May 16, 2007 will be going to Englishman River
Estuary, Plummer Road side. 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 corner of Plummer Road and Shorewood
Drive in Parksville at about 9:10 am
*************************************
The Sunday Bird Walk on May 20, 2007 will be going to the Beaver Ponds in
Nanoose Bay weather permitting--winds, torrential rains will deter us!
Meet at the Bird Store at 9:00 a.m. or at the parking area just past the
four way stop on Powder Point Road at about 9:20 am. (Turn onto Northwest
Bay Road off Highway 19 at the Petro-Can gas station, go across the railroad
tracks, up the hill and then turn right on to Powder Point Road. Follow
Powder Point Road to just past the four-way stop. Go about 150 meters and
park in the parking area on the left.)
*****************************************
Good Birding!
Neil Robins
Nanaimo