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

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

Birdwatching contacts and information find a local birder to go birdwatching
with:
http://www.birdingpal.org/

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

Sunday, November 16, 2008:
The Sunday Bird Walk went to the Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo.
Among the highlights were the sightings of a female Wilson's Warbler and a
Barred Owl, sleeping on a branch not far off the ground. A large flock of
Pine Siskins and American Goldfinch landed in the top of the tall bush near
the trail. We spotted two Black Bears near the River sitting in a tree
looking us over. We watched a River Otter catch an American Coot and then
scurry off into the reeds near the shore, with the American Coot in it's
mouth.
Thirty-one birders found the following thirty-four species of birds.
Canada Goose, Ring-necked Duck, Mallard, Hooded Merganser, American Wigeon,
American Coot, Pied-billed Grebe, Bald Eagle, Cooper's Hawk, Barred Owl,
Glaucous-winged Gull, Northern Flicker, Downy Woodpecker, Rock Pigeon,
Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Steller's Jay, Red-winged Blackbird,
Varied Thrush, American Robin, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Chestnut-backed
Chickadee, Wilson's Warbler, European Starling, Spotted Towhee, Fox Sparrow,
Song Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, American Goldfinch, Pine Siskin,
Dark-eyed Junco, Purple Finch, House Finch and House Sparrows

Saturday November 15:
The little Gull was seen again near the large Gravel Bar at the Little
Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum Beach.

Friday November 14:
An American Dipper was seen at Skutz falls.

Wednesday November 12:
A Rufous Hummingbird is coming to feeders along Denver Way in Crestview
Modular Home Park in north Nanaimo.

Tuesday November 11:
The Tuesday Bird Walk went to the Little Qualicum River Estuary, in Qualicum
Beach.
Highlights of the morning included the sighting of over two hundred Bald
Eagles
perched in the conifer trees around the Estuary and along the River. We saw
at
least one hundred Trumpeter Swans near the mouth of the Little Qualicum
River.
Throughout the morning, the Swans left in groups of six or eight and flew
right over us as they left the Estuary. We spotted a rare Little Gull among
the Bonaparte's, Mew and Thayer's Gulls near the mouth of the River. Further
out on the water were large flocks of Black, Surf and White-winged Scoters,
Common Mergansers and Harlequin Ducks. Dozens of Harbour Seals and Sea
Lions were resting in the water past the Gravel Bar--likely after having a
grand feast on the abundant Chum Salmon in the Strait.
Eight birders found the following forty-four species of birds.
Canada Goose, Trumpeter Swan, American Wigeon, Mallard, Northern Pintail,
Green-winged Teal, Harlequin Duck, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Black
Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Barrow's Goldeneye,
Common Merganser, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Horned Grebe, Red-necked Grebe,
Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Bald Eagle,
Cooper's Hawk, Black-bellied Plover, Black Oystercatcher, Black Turnstone,
Dunlin, Little Gull, Bonaparte's Gull, Mew Gull, California Gull, Thayer's
Gull,
Glaucous-winged Gull, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flicker, Northwestern
Crow,
Common Raven, European Starling, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, Dark-eyed
Junco, Red-winged Blackbird and House Finch.

Rare Bird Alert "Little Gull"
A Little Gull was seen with Bonaparte's and Thayer's Gulls at the mouth of
the Little Qualicum River on the Tuesday bird walk.

Monday November 10:
A Peregrine Falcon and a Northern Shrike were seen at the Cowichan Bay Dock
Road in Cowichan Bay.
A Varied Thrush was seen at Boat Harbour in south Nanaimo.

Sunday November 09:
Anna's hummingbirds are coming to feeders in the 700 Block of Doehle Street
in Parksville.

A Brown Creeper was seen on Lundgren Road in the Diver Lake area of Nanaimo.

Saturday November 08:
Twenty-five Snow Geese were spotted flying over Buttertubs Marsh 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
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The Nanoose Naturalists
Ross Peterson will present an update on the Enos Lake Project.
Thursday November 13, 2008 at 7:00 pm
Nanoose Library,
Nanoose Bay
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Arrowsmith Naturalists
Guess Speaker " Chris Czajkowski," naturalist and author, will speak on "The
plants of Tweedsmuir Provincial Park".
Monday November 24, 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
Tuesday 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 Beach
Community Park at 9 A.M. on Tuesdays and go to different areas in and around
the Oceanside area.
*****************************************
The Tuesday Bird Walk on Tuesday November 18 will be going to the Deep Bay.
Meet at the Parksville Beach Community Park, in the parking area in front of
the
playground at 9 A.M. or at the parking area at the Marina at Deep Bay at
about 9:35 A.M.
***************************************
The Sunday Bird Walk on November 23, 2008 will be going to Neck Point in
Nanaimo.
Meet at the Bird Store at 9:00 A.M. or the parking area at Neck Point off
Hammond Bay Road at about 9:20 A.M.
***************************************
Good birding
Neil Robins
Nanaimo