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 October 25, 2009:
The Sunday Bird Walk went to the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo. The
morning was cloudy but the winds were calm. It did start to rain at the end
of the morning. The highlights included seeing a Northern Shrike pursuing a
Northern Flicker. There were at least two Northern Shrikes perched on a
snag, giving us good views. We were fascinated as we observed Shrike
chasing prey unsuccessfully three times. We watched a Juvenile Northern
Harrier hunting as it flew low over the estuary. A Common Raven gave chase
to the Harrier and the Harrier went right back after the Raven until the
Raven flew away. The Northern Harrier perched for a long time giving us
great views. We could see his mostly rufous coloured body with black wings
and disc like face of a owl. There were at least ten Western Meadowlarks
perched on trees and flying overhead all through the morning.
Fourteen birders heard and saw the following thirty-two species of birds:
Canada Goose, Trumpeter Swan, Great Blue Heron, Mallard, Northern Pintail,
American Wigeon, Barrow's Goldeneye, Common Merganser, Bald
Eagle,Sharp-shinned Hawk, Northern Harrier, Northern Shrike, California
Gull, Thayer's Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Belted Kingfisher, Northern
Flicker, Steller's Jay, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Western
Meadowlark, Red-winged Blackbird, Eurasian Starling, American Robin,
Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Ruby-crowned Kinglet,
Bewick's Wren, Purple Finch, House Finch and Red Crossbills.

Twelve Long-billed Dowitchers were seen at Holden Creek in south Nanaimo.

A Varied Thrush was seen visiting feeders along Boundary Crescent in
Nanaimo.

Saturday October 24:
Twenty-two Pacific Loons were seen off shore off Yellowpoint Road in Cedar.

Friday October 23:A Short-eared Owl was seen near the Point at Neck Point
Park in Nanaimo.

Tuesday October 20:
The Tuesday Bird Walk went to Columbia Beach. The morning was cloudy but the
wind was calm and the water on the Strait of Georgia was like a mirror.
Among the highlights of the morning was a very large feeding ball of gulls
and seabirds near the horizon. A raft of Greater Scaup, Surf Scoters and
White-winged Scoters were seen not far from shore. Three flocks of Northern
Pintail flew high overhead heading down the Strait. A large mixed flock of
Gulls
including Bonaparte's, Mew, a Ring-billed, California, a Herring, Thayer's
and Glaucous-winged Gulls, along with Black Turnstones and Black-bellied
Plovers were on the gravel bar near the Pebble Beach Townhouses. Four small
noisy flocks of Black Oystercatchers flew past us just above the water.
Eighteen birders saw and heard the following forty-six species of birds:
Canada Goose, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Greater Scaup, Harlequin Duck, Surf
Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Common Goldeneye, Common
Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Horned Grebe,
Red-necked Grebe, Western Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic
Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Bald Eagle, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Merlin,
Black-bellied Plover, Black Oystercatcher, Black Turnstone, Bonaparte's
Gull, Mew Gull, Ring-billed Gull, California Gull, Herring Gull, Thayer's
Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Pigeon Guillemot, Rock Pigeon, Belted
Kingfisher,
Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Common Raven, European Starling,
Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow,
Dark-eyed Junco, House Finch and Red Crossbill.

Sunday October 18:
Two Anna's Hummingbirds are visiting feeders near Cathers Lake in Nanaimo.

A Peregrine Falcon, an American Kestrel and a Bald Eagle were seen at the
Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville.

Male and female King Parrots and a family of Grey Butcherbirds have been
visiting backyard feeders for the past week, along Edith Street North Haven
in New South Wales, Australia.

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
Guest Speaker Entemologist Evelyn Stokkink will talk about the life of the
Ambrosia Beetle.
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 27, 2009 will be going to Rathtrevor
Provincial Park 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 main parking area at Rathtrevor
Provincial Park.
Please note--there is a parking fee at the Park.
*****************************************************
The Sunday Bird Walk on November 01 will be going to the Nanoose Estuary in
Nanoose Bay.
Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 A.M. or behind the Church Camp off Arlington
Road and highway 19, at about 9:15A.M.
Please note--daylight savings time ends on November 01 and the clock falls
back one hour.
*******************************************************
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