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 30, 2008:
The Sunday Bird Walk went to the Nanaimo River Estuary in Nanaimo.
Among the highlights were the sightings of a Wilson's Snipe, a Downy
Woodpecker that was feeding on a small bush close to the trail, a Red-tailed
Hawk who was perched in a tree for most of the morning, a Northern Harrier
flying low over the estuary looking for prey and a Short-eared Owl hunting
over the estuary.

Eight hardy birders found the following twenty-eight species of birds on a
foggy November morning:
Great Blue Heron, Trumpeter Swan, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Barrow's
Goldeneye, Bufflehead, Common Merganser, Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier,
Red-tailed Hawk, Short-eared Owl, Killdeer, Wilson's Snipe, Glaucous-winged
Gull, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flicker, Downy Woodpecker, Steller's Jay,
Common Raven, Bushtit, American Robin, European Starling, Spotted Towhee,
Savannah Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, House Finch and
Golden-crowned Sparrow.

Friday November 29:
Over thirty-five Purple Finch were seen at feeders in the 1000 block of
Dunsmuir Crescent in Ladysmith.

Thursday November 27:
A Eurasian Wigeon and a Eurasian by American Wigeon hybrid and more than a
thousand American Wigeon were seen near the end of the Cowichan Bay dock
road in Cowichan Bay.

Tuesday November 18:
The Tuesday Bird Walk went to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River
Estuary in Parksville.
Highlights of the morning that caught our attention included a large flock
of feisty Dark-eyed Juncos flitting in and out of the small bushes just
after we started the walk. A Peregrine Falcon was perched in his usual spot
high up in a Fir Tree on the northwest trail of the estuary. A mixed flock
of Song Sparrows, a Lincoln's Sparrow and several Golden-crowned Sparrows
kept us entertained on the path and in the small bushes just off the trail.
We saw three pairs of Eurasian Wigeon close to shore in the estuary.
Further out on the ocean there were large flocks of Harlequin Ducks, Surf
Scoters, White-winged Scoters, Black Scoters, Buffleheads and a lone Pacific
Loon bobbing on the choppy seas. On the way out of the estuary we came upon
a flock of Golden-crowned Kinglets displaying their Golden crowns.
Fourteen birders found the following forty-nine species of birds.
Canada Goose, Eurasian Wigeon, American Wigeon, Mallard, Northern Pintail,
Harlequin Duck, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Black Scoter, Bufflehead,
Common Goldeneye, Barrow's Goldeneye, Hooded Merganser, Common Merganser,
Red-breasted Merganser, Pacific Loon, Brandt's Cormorant, Double-crested
Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk,
Peregrine Falcon, Black Turnstone, Wilson's Snipe, Mew Gull, Ring-billed
Gull, California Gull, Herring Gull, Thayer's Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull,
Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flicker, Steller's Jay, Northwestern Crow,
Common Raven, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch,
Golden-crowned Kinglet, American Robin, European Starling, Spotted Towhee,
Song Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco,
Brewer's Blackbird, House Finch and Pine Siskin.

Monday November 24:
A Golden-crowned Kinglet was spotted in Nanoose Bay.

Sunday November 23:
Ten California quail and one male Anna's hummingbird are visiting feeders in
the 2500 Block Glenayr Drive in Nanaimo.

Seventy Greater White-fronted Geese were seen on the grass at the south end
of the runway at the Tofino Airport .

Saturday November 22:
A Barred Owl was spotted sitting on the signpost on the corner of Sundown
and Oakridge Drives 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
Thursday December 11, 2008 at 7:00 pm
Nanoose Library,
Nanoose Bay
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Arrowsmith Naturalists
Monday December 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
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 December 02 will be going to Rathtrevor
Provincial Park.
Meet at the Parksville Community Park at the parking area in front of the
playground area at 9:00 a.m. or at the last parking area before the camping
area at Rathtrevor Provincial Park at about 9:10 a.m. Please note there is a
parking fee in effect for the park.
***************************************
The Sunday Bird Walk on December 07, 2008 will be going to the Plummer Road
side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville.
Meet at the Bird Store at 9:00 A.M. or the parking area at the corner of
Plummer Road and Shorewood Drive at about 9:30 a.m.
***************************************
Good birding
Neil Robins
Nanaimo