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 October 11, 2009:
The Sunday Bird Walk went to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo.
The morning was sunny but a strong cool wind from the east kept us moving to
find shelter. The highlights of the morning included seeing two small flock
of Pacific Loons. Their silver heads and necks caught and held our
attention for the morning. A large number of Double-crested Cormorants,
Pelagic Cormorants and a few Brant's Cormorants flew down the Strait of
Georgia. An Eurasian Collared Dover flew past and over the tops of the tall
trees heading east. We watched a flock of Red Crossbills singing and eating
at the top of a tall fir tree.
Nine birders heard and saw the following twenty-nine species of birds:
Canada Geese, Mallard, Surf Scoter, Common Loon, Pacific Loon,
Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Brant's Cormorant, Bald
Eagle, Mew Gull, California Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Thayer's Gull,
Pigeon Guillemot, Common Murre, Northern Flicker, Eurasian Collared Dove,
Bewick's Wren, Winter Wren, Bushtit, Chestnut-backed Chickadee,
Red-breasted Nuthatch, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Ruby-crowned Kinglet,
American Robin, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco and Red
Crossbills.

A Northern Harrier, an immature Northern Shrike and two Western Meadowlarks
were seen at the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo.

Friday October 09:
A juvenile Rough-legged Hawk was seen along Rena Road in Nanoose Bay

Thursday October 08:
A White-throated Sparrow was seen at French Creek from the Columbia Beach
side.

Tuesday October 06:
The Tuesday bird walk went to the Little Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum
Beach.
The morning was sunny and warm--a perfect day for birding. The highlights
included the sighting of a Common Murre, five species of Gulls--Bonaparte's
Gulls, Mew Gulls, California Gulls, Thayer's Gulls and Glaucous-winged
Gulls. Harlequin Ducks entertained us not far from shore. A raft of Pacific
Loons, a
Western Grebe, Horned Grebes and Red-necked Grebes were spotted offshore
Sixteen birders saw and heard the following thirty-eight species of birds.
Canada Goose, American Wigeon, Mallard, Green-winged Teal, Harlequin Duck,
Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Common Merganser,
Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Horned Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, Western Grebe,
Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Bald Eagle,
Merlin, Killdeer, Black Oystercatcher, Black Turnstone, Bonaparte's Gull,
Mew Gull, California Gull, Thayer's Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Common
Murre, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flicker, Northwestern Crow, American
Robin, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, Golden-crowned
Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco and House Finch.

Seven Pectoral Sandpipers and over one hundred Wood Ducks were seen at
Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo.

Over two hundred Pacific Loons were seen on Northwest Bay.

Sunday October 04:
A Northern Harrier being harassed by a Raven was seen over Wren Place 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
**********************************
Arrowsmith Naturalists
Guest speaker, Michele Deakin, local biologist, will give an update on
eelgrass beds.
Monday October 26, 2009 at 7:30 pm.
Springwood School
Parksville
**********************************
The Nanoose Naturalists
Thursday November 12, 2009 at 7:00 pm
Nanoose Library,
Nanoose Bay
**********************************
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 October 13, 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 the end of Shelly Road at about 9:10 A.M.
*****************************************************
The Sunday Bird Walk on October 18 will be going to the Shelly Road side of
the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville.
Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 A.M. or the end of Shelly Road at about
9:30A.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