The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store
Nanaimo Bird Alert

To report your sightings
phone the Store at 250-390-3669
e-mail us at thebackyard at shaw.ca
call the Bird Alert at 250-390-3029
or www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com

Also check the birdstore blog for the latest bird alerts and updates:
www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com

Post your sightings on these site:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bcbirdingvanisland/messages

Birds of British Columbia:
http://www.geog.ubc.ca/biodiversity/efauna/SpeciesChecklists.html

International Birdwatching Guides
http://www.guidedbirdwatching.com

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

Sunday, June 29, 2008:
The Sunday Bird Walk went to the Linley Valley in Nanaimo. Among the
highlights were the sighting of several
Western Tanagers with two of them frolicking--obviously youngsters--on the
bushes not far from us. On Cottle Lake we saw a female Wood Duck with eight
small chicks sitting on a log. When she left the log and swam away all the
chicks followed in single file. We heard many Orange-crowned Warblers
singing and we observed one gleaning insects high up in the trees. We saw a
flock of Cedar Waxwings flying out from their perches and hawking insects
over Cottle Lake. We were entertained by three Rufous Hummingbirds flying
above us and chasing each other and then perching and then chase each other
again over and over again--youngsters again, we thought!
Fifteen birders found the following thirty-five species of birds:
Canada Goose,Wood Duck, Hooded Merganser, Mallard, Turkey Vulture, Bald
Eagle, Rufous Hummingbird, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Pileated
Woodpecker, Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Willow Flycatcher, Cassin's Vireo,
Common Raven, Violet-green Swallow, Northern Rough-winged Swallow,
Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Bewick's Wren,
Golden-crowned Kinglet, Swainson's Thrush, American Robin, Cedar Waxwing,
Orange-crowned Warbler, Black-throated Gray Warbler,Townsend's Warbler,
Western Tanager, Spotted Towhee, Black-headed Grosbeak, Brown-headed
Cowbird, Song Sparrow, Purple Finch, Red Crossbills, American Goldfinch
and Pine Siskins

Saturday, June 28:
A Northern Mockingbird was seen at the Carmanah Point Light Station on the
west side of Vancouver Island. Two Tufted Puffins, Rhinoceros Auklets,
Marbled Murrelets, Common Murres and seven Caspian Terns were seen at
Botanical Beach near Port Renfrew on the west coast side of Vancouver
Island.
Five male Black-headed Grosbeaks have been visiting feeders in Cinnabar
Valley in south Nanaimo.

Friday, June 27:
Two Caspian Terns were seen at Eaglecrest Beach in Qualicum Beach.

Wednesday, June 25:
A Great Horned Owl was seen at the end of River's Edge Drive, off Kaye Road,
behind the Government Weigh Scales at Parksville.

Tuesday, June 24:
A Caspian Tern was seen off Duke Point near Jack Point in south Nanaimo.
A Green Heron was spotted at Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo.

Monday, June 23:
A Virginia Rail was heard at the beaver dam in Morrell Wildlife Sanctuary in
Nanaimo.

Sunday, June 22:
Four Band-tailed Pigeons were seen at feeders in the Fairwinds area of
Nanoose Bay.

Friday, June 20:
A Eastern Kingbird was seen at Pachena Point on the west coast of Vancouver
Island.

Wednesday, June 18:
Ten Brown Pelicans were seen flying northwest from Pachena Point on the
west coast of Vancouver Island.

Monday, June 02:
A Scissor-tailed Flycatcher was seen on Nootka Island on the west coast of
Vancouver Island-- west of Campbell River.

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 Nanoose Naturalists
Monthly Meeting
Thursday July 10, 2008 at 7:00 pm
Nanoose Library,
Nanoose Bay
**********************************
Arrowsmith Naturalists
Annual Picnic--July 28, 2008.
Monthly Meeting,
Monday September 22, 2008 at 7:30 pm.
Springwood School
Parksville
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Everyone is welcome to join us for a 2-3 hour bird walk on the Sunday and
Wednesday mornings. We leave from the Store at 9 A.M. Sunday Mornings and
go to a different location in and around Nanaimo and from the Parksville
Visitor Centre in Parksville at 9 A.M. Wednesdays and go to different areas
in and around the Oceanside area.
-----------------------------------------------
The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store's weekly bird walk in the
Parksville/Qualicum Beach area on Wednesday mornings will not be held during
the summer months. We will resume the Wednesday bird walks in
the fall.
*****************************************
The Sunday Bird Walk on July 06, 2008, will be going to Legacy Marsh in
upper Lantzville.
Meet at the Bird Store at 9:00 A.M. or under the Hydro line along Normarel
Drive off Superior Road in Upper Lantzville at about 9:15 A.M.
**************************************

Good birding
Neil Robins
Nanaimo
British Columbia