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.

Sunday September 20, 2009:
The Sunday Bird Walk went to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River
Estuary in Parksville..
The morning was sunny with light winds--a great morning for birding.
Thirteen birders heard and saw the following thirty-three species of birds:
Canada Goose, American Wigeon, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Green-winged
Teal, Northern Shoveler, Surf Scoter, Hooded Merganser, Common Merganser,
Red-necked Grebe, Pelagic Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Turkey Vulture,
Killdeer, California Quail, California Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Anna's
Hummingbird, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flicker, Northwestern Crow,
Common Raven, Red-breasted Nuthatch, American Robin, Cedar Waxwing,
European Starling, Bushtit, Lincoln's Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Brewer's
Blackbird, Purple Finch, House Finch, Pine Siskin.

Saturday September 19:
A large flock of Sandhill Cranes was heard over Spider Lake.

Thursday September 17:
"Rare bird alert-Red-Shouldered Hawk"
An adult Red-Shouldered Hawk was seen along Gillespie Road and Seedtree Road
in East Sooke. The Red-shouldered Hawk is usually found along the west coast
of the United States and in the eastern States.

Wednesday September 16:
Thirty Great Blue Herons were seen flying over the Englishman Falls
Provincial Park.

Tuesday September 15:
The Tuesday Bird Walk went to Columbia Beach this week. The tide was very
low exposing the far reaching rocky beach. The winds were strong, but the
sun came out as the morning progressed. The highlights of the morning
included seeing a total of fifty-three Black Oystercatchers feeding and
resting along the tideline. Flocks of American Wigeon, Northern Pintail,
Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Common Merganser and American Wigeon flew
passed us over the water. The seabirds are beginning to return for the
winter!
Ten birders saw the following twenty-two species of birds:
American Wigeon, Northern Pintail, Surf Scoter , White-winged Scoter, Black
Scoter, Common Merganser, Common Loon, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue
Heron, Turkey Vulture, Black Oystercatcher, Black Turnstone, Western
Sandpiper, Mew Gull, California Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Rock Pigeon,
Northern Flicker, Northwestern Crow, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow,
House Finch.

Sunday September 13:
A Northern Pygmy Owl was observed hunting in a back yard in the 900 block of
Nanaimo River Road in south Nanaimo. The Owl picked up an American Goldfinch
from a feeder and as he flew away he hit the side of the house. He came back
to sit in a near-by tree to catch his breath after "the snatch and crash".

Pileated Woodpeckers are visiting suet feeder along Harlequin Crescent in
Nanoose.

A Trumpeter Swan, two Northern Harriers, Savannah Sparrows, Lincoln's
Sparrows and Golden-crowned Sparrows were seen at the Nanaimo River Estuary
in south Nanaimo.

Saturday September 12:
A Wandering Tattler was seen on Ballenas Island.

Pink-footed Shearwaters, Flesh-footed Shearwaters and Sooty Shearwaters were
seen at Swiftsure Bank off Bamfield.

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-- Bruce Whittington, will be presenting a slide show on the
beautiful Haida Gwai.
Monday September 28, 2009 at 7:30 pm.
Springwood School
Parksville
**********************************
The Nanoose Naturalists
Thursday October 08, 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 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 September 22, 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 lot Rathtrevor Provincial
Park at about 9:20 A.M. ( there is a parking fee at the Park)
*****************************************************
The Sunday Bird Walk on September 27 will be going to the Nanaimo River
Estuary.
Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 A.M. or at the end of Raines Road at about
9:30 A.M.
*******************************************************
Regards,
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