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.

Sunday November 29, 2009:
Three male Red-winged Blackbirds, Dark-eyed Juncos, Northern Flickers,
Chestnut-backed Chickadees, Red-breasted Nuthatch, California Quail and
Anna's Hummingbirds are visiting feeders in the 2500 block of Lyburn
Crescent in Nanaimo.

The Sunday Bird Walk went to Rathrevor Provincial Park in Parksville.
We had a morning with a stiff wind off the water but sunny periods making it
rather pleasant.
The big surprise of the morning was when we heard and saw an American
Kestrel fly from the top of a tall Fir tree. It is unusual to see an
American Kestrel in forested areas. We saw eight Brant Geese near the
tideline and Black Oystercatchers, Black-bellied Plovers and Black
Turnstones on a narrow gravel bar. There was a Red-throated Loon on the surf
not far offshore. A flock of Red-crossbills kept us looking upwards all
morning.
Fourteen birders saw and heard the following thirty-two species of birds:
Brant, American Wigeon, Mallard, Surf Scoter, Black Scoter, Bufflehead,
Common Merganser, Pacific Loon, Red-throated Loon, Horned Grebe,
Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Bald Eagle, American Kestrel,
Black Oystercatcher, Black-bellied Plover, Black Turnstones, Thayer's Gull,
Glaucous-winged Gull, Northern Flicker, Common Raven, Chestnut-backed
Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Bewick's Wren, Winter Wren, Golden-crowned
Kinglet, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Varied Thrush, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow,
Dark-eyed Junco and Red Crossbill.

Thursday November 26:
A Nashville Warbler was seen in a backyard in Columbia Beach.

Hundreds of Barrow's Goldeneye were seen along the Nanaimo River.
Four Short-eared Owls and several Western Meadowlarks were seen on the
Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo.

Wednesday November 25:
A Palm Warbler was seen with a Yellow-rumped Warbler at the Nanaimo River
Estuary in south Nanaimo. The Palm Warbler was seen along the long Hawthorn
hedgerow to the right of the tall Oak Tree.

Tuesday November 24:
The Tuesday Bird Walk went to Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville. The
morning was cloudy and the winds off the water were brisk. The highlights of
the morning included watching three flocks of Greater White-fronted Geese
and one flock of Snow Geese as they flew high overhead heading down the
Island. We saw one lone Brant Goose in with a flock of Mallards near the
shoreline and two other larger flocks over the water. Bufflehead, Horned
Grebes, Common Goldeneye, Common Mergansers, Red-breasted Mergansers,
Pacific Loons and Common Loons were further offshore. We watched as eight
male and female Purple Finch and three Varied Thrush ate the berries on a
low bush near the marsh area.
Nine birders saw and head the following forty-three species of birds:
Greater White-fronted Goose, Snow Goose, Brant, American Wigeon, Mallard,
Harlequin Duck, Surf Scoter, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Common Merganser,
Red-breasted Merganser, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Horned Grebe, Red-necked
Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Bald Eagle, Black
Oystercatcher, Mew Gull, Ring-billed Gull, California Gull, Thayer's Gull,
Western Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker,
Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Bushtit,
Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Bewick's Wren, Golden-crowned Kinglet,
Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Varied Thrush, Spotted Towhee, Fox Sparrow, Song
Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Purple Finch and Red Crossbill.

Christmas Bird Counts, 2009:

Volunteers are needed to help with the Bird Studies Canada annual Christmas
bird count in
all areas. Count birds at your home feeders or join a small team in the
field.
All levels of experience are welcome.


Friday, December 18, 2009: Nanoose/Lantzville CBC
Contact Rhys Harrison--rhysharrison at shaw.ca or (250) 468-5466.

Sunday, December 20, 2009: Parksville / Qualicum Beach CBC:
Contact Sandra Gray--saninerr at shaw.ca

Sunday, December 27, 2009: Nanaimo CBC:
Contact Carlo Pavan--nanaimoite at gmail.com

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
Thursday December 10, 2009 at 7:00 pm
Nanoose Library,
Nanoose Bay
**********************************
Arrowsmith Naturalists
Monday January 25, 2010 at 7:30 pm.
Springwood School
Parksville
**********************************
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 December 01, 2009 will be going to the Shelly Road
side of the Englishman River Estuary 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 Oceanside end of Shelly Road at
about 9:10 A.M.
*****************************************************
The Sunday Bird Walk on December 06 will be going to the Nanaimo River
Estuary in south Nanaimo.
Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 A.M. or at the end of Raines Road at about
9:30 A.M. .
*******************************************************
Good birding
Neil Robins

THE BACKYARD
Wildbird & Nature Store
6314 Metral Drive, Nanaimo, BC V9T 2L8
250.390.3669
250.390.1633 fax
thebackyard at shaw.ca
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG---> www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com