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 this 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.

Friday April 10:
An Eurasian Collared Dove was seen at the end of Kaye Road south of
Parksville.

An Osprey was spotted south of Highway 19 near Colliery Dam in Nanaimo.

Tuesday April 07:
Two Orange-crowned Warblers were seen in the Nanaimo River Bridge area of
the Island Highway south of Nanaimo.

A mixed flock of fifteen to twenty Violet-green Swallows and Tree Swallows
were seen at the Purple Martin colony site in Ladysmith Harbour in
Ladysmith.

A male Rufous Hummingbird has been visiting feeders along Eaglefield Place
in Nanoose Bay.

The Tuesday Bird Walk went to Springwood Park in Parksville. The morning was
sunny and the winds were calm. Seventeen birders saw and heard twenty-nine
species of birds. Among the highlights of the morning were two
Orange-crowned Warblers singing as we entered the trail. A Cooper's Hawk
flew by very quickly. We saw a female Pileated Woodpecker excavating a nest
cavity in a tall snag. Later we noticed a male Pileated Woodpecker near the
same nest cavity. The Orange-crowned Warblers put in an appearance for us
to see and hear them again at the end of the morning.
Seventeen birders saw and heard the following twenty-nine species of birds:
Ring-necked Pheasant, California Quail, Turkey Vulture, Bald Eagle, Cooper's
Hawk,
Rufous Hummingbird, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Northwestern Crow,
Common Raven, Violet-green Swallow, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Red-breasted
Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Bewick's Wren, Winter Wren, Golden-crowned Kinglet,
Ruby-crowned Kinglet, American Robin, Varied Thrush, European Starling,
Orange-crowned Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow,
White-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Purple Finch and Pine Siskin.

Monday April 06:
"Rare bird alert-Western Kingbird"
A Western Kingbird was seen in a garden along the beach at the end of
Tweedhope Road in Lantzville.

A Pine Grosbeak was seen along Lorne Place in Nanaimo.

A male Rufous Hummingbird is visiting a backyard feeder on Lantzville Road
in Lantzville.

Rufous Hummingbirds, Varied Thrush, Spotted Towhees, Chestnut-backed
Chickadees, Steller's Jays, Red-breasted Nuthatches and American Goldfinch
are visiting feeders in a backyard in Errington.

Both Rufous and Anna's Hummingbirds are visiting feeders and Violet-green
Swallows were seen overhead in the 4100 block of Gulfview Drive,.

Sunday April 05:
A Golden-crowned Kinglet was observed attacking a window in one of the
cottages at the Tigh Na Mara Resort in Parksville.

A male Rufous Hummingbird has been visiting a backyard feeder on Lantzville
Road in Lantzville.

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
Monday April 27, 2009 at 7:30 pm.
Speaker will be Dr. McAdie a wildlife veterinarian.
Topic: Vancouver Island marmot project update.
Springwood School
Parksville
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The Nanoose Naturalists
Thursday May 14, 2009 at 7:00 pm
Nanoose Library,
Nanoose Bay
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Everyone is welcome to join us for a 2-3 hour bird walk on 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 April 14, 2009 will be going to the Top Bridge
Trail in Parksville.
Meet at the Parksville Beach Community Park near the parking area at the
Lion's
Playground at 9:00 A.M. or at the parking area along Industrial Way near
Tuan Road (opposite Resort Way) in Parksville at about 9:15 A.M.
*******************************************************
The Sunday Bird Walk on April 19, will be going to Legacy Marsh in upper
Lantzville. Meet at the Bird Store at 9:00 A.M. or at the Hydro right of
way on Normarel Drive off Superior Road and Highway 19 at about 9:15 A.M.
*******************************************************
Good birding
Neil Robins
Nanaimo.