Subject: [Tweeters] Nanaimo bird alert
Date: May 27 14:25:20 2007
From: The Backyard - thebackyard at shaw.ca


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 27, 2007:
The Sunday Bird Walk went to Morden Colliery Provincial Park in south
Nanaimo. The highlight of the morning was the sighting of a RED-EYED VIREO.
The VIREO sang his song for a long time as we searched up high in the trees
for him. One of the birders finally spotted him high in the Alder Trees and
many of us got to observe him. Twenty birders birders found the following
thirty-five species:
COMMON MERGANGER, TURKEY VULTURE, COOPER'S HAWK, BALD EAGLE, RED-BREASTED
SAPSUCKER, DOWNY WOODPECKER, NORTHERN FLICKER, PILEATED WOODPECKER, CEDAR
WAXWING, BELTED KINGFISHER, PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER, RED-EYED VIREO,
CASSIN'S VIREO, WARBLING VIREO, COMMON RAVEN, BAND-TAILED PIGEON,
VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW, BARN SWALLOW,NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS,
CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, BROWN CREEPER, WINTER
WREN, SWAINSON'S THRUSH, AMERICAN ROBIN, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, YELLOW
WARBLER, BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER, COMMON YELLOW-THROAT, SPOTTED TOWHEE,
SONG SPARROW, CHIPPING SPARROW, FOX SPARROW, BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK and
PURPLE FINCH.

Saturday May 26:
A pair of NORTHERN ORIOLES was seen at the marsh in Port Alberni.
Ninteen BAND-TAILED PIGEONS were seen visiting feeders along Southwind Drive
in upper Lantzville.

Friday May 25:
A female LAZULI BUNTING was seen at the Carmanah Point lighthouse on the
west coast of Vancouver Island.
A COMMON GRACKLE was spotted in Tofino.


Thursday May 24:
WILSON'S WARBLER, CHIPPING SPARROW, BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK and a large flock
of PINE SISKINS were seen in the 100 block of Cathmount Place in Nanaimo.
A BULLOCK'S ORIOLE was spotted at Ucluelet on the west coast.
A RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER was seen poking holes in an Eucalyptus Tree in a
yard at Deep Bay.

Wednesday May 23:
The Wednesday Bird Walk went to the Top Bridge Trail in Parksville. The big
highlight of the morning was the sighting of a different seabird that we
were able to identify as a MASKED BOOBY. An amazing sighting for this area!
Following is a brief description of the bird:
We saw a large, very long winged mainly white bird fly right overhead in the
direction of the Georgia Strait. The wings were very long, slender and
pointed at the tips. The head was all white with a yellow bill and some
black at the base of the bill. The head and neck stuck well out in front and
the tail projected well out the back so that the wings appeared to be
positioned about halfway along the body. It was clearly not a gull or tern
and seemed at least as big as a Glaucous-winged Gull, likely bigger. The
under sides of the wings were mainly white with some duskiness along the
trailing edge and out towards the tips. The flight was strong and direct.
It was also not very high, perhaps twice treetop height. Eight or ten flaps
and it was out of sight. .
Fourteen birders found the following forty-three species:
MALLARD, CALIFORNIA QUAIL, MASKED BOOBY, TURKEY VULTURE, BALD EAGLE,
COOPER'S HAWK, KILLDEER, SEMI-PALMATED SANDPIPER, GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL,
RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD, HAIRY WOODPECKER, NORTHERN FLICKER, PILEATED WOODPECKER,
PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER, CASSIN'S VIREO, WARBLING VIREO, NORTHWESTERN CROW,
COMMON RAVEN, VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW, NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW,
CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE, BEWICK'S WREN, WINTER WREN, AMERICAN DIPPER,
HERMIT THRUSH, SWAINSON'S THRUSH, AMERICAN ROBIN, EUROPEAN STARLING,
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, YELLOW WARBLER, TOWNSEND'S WARBLER, YELLOW-RUMPED
WARBLER, WILSON'S WARBLER, SPOTTED TOWHEE, CHIPPING SPARROW, SONG
SPARROW, WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, DARK-EYED JUNCO, BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK,
BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD, PURPLE FINCH, PINE SISKIN, AMERICAN GOLDFINCH.
VESPER SPARROWS were seen singing from the southern most perimeter fence
which can be viewed from the dirt road south of the Nanaimo Airport in
Cassidy.
A NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD was seen near the Nanaimo Airport in Cassidy at the
southern perimeter fenceline.
A pair of AMERICAN GOLDFINCH are visiting feeders along Kilpatrick Road in
the Junglepot area of Nanaimo.

Monday May 21:
Sixteen RED-THROATED LOONS were seen landing at Parksville Bay in
Parksville.
WILSON'S and YELLOW WARBLERS were seen in a back yard along Heather Place in
Parksville.

Sunday May 20:
A SOLITARY SANDPIPER was seen on the north shore of Long Lake in Nanaimo.
A WESTERN TANAGER was seen along West Crescent in Qualicum Beach.

Saturday May 19:
Twelve BAND-TAILED PIGEONS were visiting ground feeder and a NORTHERN
FLICKER is visiting the suet feeder in the 100 block of Meridian Way in
Parksville.

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
Thursday June 14, 2007 at 7:00 pm
Nanoose Library,
Nanoose Bay
***********************************
The Wednesday Bird Walk on May 30, 2007 will be going to Legacy Marsh in
Upper Lantzville. 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 under the Hydro lines on Normarel Drive at about
9:30am. To get to Legacy Marsh from Parksville follow Highway 19 and turn
right onto Superior Road follow Superior Road to Normarel Drive turn left
and go down to the Hydro Lines and park.
*************************************
The Sunday Bird Walk on June 03, 2007 will be going to Springwood Park (the
woods at the end of Despard Avenue, across from Chestnut Street). We will
meet at the Bird Store at 9:00 a.m.or at the parking area near Despard
Avenue (turn left off Highway 4A going into Parksville) and Chestnut Street
at about 9:30 a.m.
Coming from Nanaimo take the # 51 exit off the Inland Island Highway and
head into Parksville along highway 4A. Turn left at the first set of
lights(Despard Avenue) and go to the end of Despard Avenue, just past
Chestnut Street.
*****************************************
Good Birding!
Neil Robins
Nanaimo