Subject: [Tweeters] Nanaimo bird report
Date: Jan 3 09:42:55 2011
From: The Backyard - thebackyard at shaw.ca
NANAIMO BIRD REPORT
To report your sightings
phone the Store at 250-390-3669
e-mail us at thebackyard at shaw.ca
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
Birding in Central and South America:
www.wildbirdtours.ca
Identify backyard birds:
National Geographic Bird Identifier Site
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birding/backyard-bird-identifier/
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, the species and location of your sighting.
Sunday January 02, 2011:
The Rough-legged Hawk is still in the same area as reported on January 01.
The Hawk was seen this morning just off Corfield Avenue & south of Despard
perched in a tall tree.
The Northern Mockingbird is still along Dumond Road near Eyelash Road in
Nanaimo.
Saturday January 01:
A Rough-legged Hawk landed on the top of a snag-topped tree along Corfield
Avenue, just off Despard in Parksville.
Evening Grosbeaks are visiting backyard feeders at Butler and Corfield in
Parksville.
A Varied Thrush, an American Goldfinch, a large number of Dark-eyed Juncos,
Northern Flickers, European Starlings, Spotted Towhees, a large flock of
Bushtits, a Song Sparrow and a Fox Sparrow are daily visitors at feeders in
the 100 block of Meridian Way in Parksville.
Friday December 31:
Downy Woodpeckers, Hairy Woodpeckers, Northern Flicker, Pileated
Woodpeckers, Chestnut-backed Chickadees, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Bushtits and
a Townsend?s Warbler are visiting feeders along Garry Oaks in Nanoose Bay
for the past week.
Over thirty Evening Grosbeaks are visiting feeders in a back yard along Loat
Street in Nanaimo.
Wednesday December 29:
Fourteen Evening Grosbeaks, three Varied Thrush, one Golden-crowned Kinglet,
Anna's Hummingbird and a Cooper's Hawk are visiting a backyard along Doehle
Avenue in Parksville.
Eight California Quail, six Varied Thrush, many Dark-eyed Junco, Spotted
Towhees, six Northern Flickers, ten Stellar Jays and two Chestnut-backed
Chickadees are visiting feeders in the 1300 block of Lanyon Drive in
Parksville.
One Greater White-fronted Goose was spotted in with about 500 Canada Geese,
browsing at the Nanaimo Cemetery near Howard Avenue and Bowen Road in
Nanaimo.
An Anna's hummingbird has been visiting feeders along Newdale Place in
Nanaimo.
Nanaimo Christmas Bird Count
The Nanaimo Christmas Bird Count took place on Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2010
under sunny skies with very low temperatures and high winds.
Overall, the count was very successful, although, many individual teams felt
as
though there was a large drop in numbers in their area due to the severe
winds
and bitter cold. Graeme Ellis et al. from Protection Island did head out in
their small boat to survey the harbour but the Pacific Traveler skippered by
Doug Henderson, unfortunately yet understandably, never left the dock. Doug
and
his wife Eveline Stokkink take birders out every year to survey the waters
of
Georgia Strait, for which we are always hugely grateful, but this year it
simply
wasn't safe. Hopefully next year we will get out again and pick up some of
those
alcids we missed this year.
The most noticeable change this year, I would have to say, was the absolute
dearth of finches. Very low numbers of even the usually abundant House Finch
and Pine Siskin were recorded, and Red Crossbill and American Goldfinch were
absent altogether. The wind can be blamed for the low numbers of House
Finches
perhaps, but the total lack of crossbills must have to do with some larger
trend. They must be following the cone crops to some other locale this
winter.
Making comment about other trends with birds this year is difficult due to
the
very high winds on count day. Most passerine species were keeping an
extremely low profile so as not to be swept away. The only Great Blue Heron
observed in my count area of Nanaimo Harbour/Chase River Estuary, where
there are usually at least half a dozen, was holding on to a log for dear
life near the west arm of the Nanaimo River and visibly leaning into the
wind, beak first. It was rather comical. And viewing seabirds was made
tremendously difficult by the very choppy waters and whipping wind that
threatened to smash scopes on the ground if you didn't hold on!
TOWNSEND'S WARBLERS were observed on Gabriola Island and at Bruce Cousens
and Charlene Lee's feeder on Hammond Bay Road. Bruce had an exceptional
feeder count submission, adding two new species to the count: LINCOLN'S
SPARROW and WHITE-THROATED SPARROW. Well done, Bruce!
Margie Bryant et al. who surveyed the area around Brannen Lake had staked
out a NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD along Dumont Road near Eyelash Road. Apparently,
the bird has been frequenting that area for about a month. Northern
Mockingbirds are known to set up shop for the winter and stay a while, but I
think this is firstone, or at least the first in a long time, to be recorded
on the Nanaimo Christmas Bird Count. Thanks for keeping your eye on this
character and bagging another species for the count, Margie and team!
Karl Ricker and Jim Wisnia turned up a couple interesting species around
Piper's
Lagoon, as they often do, again this year. Karl managed to spot a dark phase
PARASITIC JAEGER flying by the beach, and when Jim noticed a flock of
shorebirds the lagoon later in the day and went in for closer inspection
they found what they believe to be a PACIFIC GOLDEN PLOVER among a flock of
Dunlin. If anyone is in the area please have a look for these birds. Further
confirmation would be greatly appreciated!
Other interesting sightings include: a RUDDY DUCK spotted by Steve Baillie,
Kim
Goldberg, and Karen Mullen at Quennell Lake; Neil Bourne, Ann Thompson, and
Eric Grundman spotted the only SURFBIRDS seen this year on Brandon Island
(or was it Jesse?) and the only YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER recorded at the
Nanaimo Golf Course.
EVENING GROSBEAKS continue to be spotted at feeders throughout the count
circle, which is a special treat for many backyard birders this year.
TOTAL SPECIES RECORDED ON COUNT DAY: 113
Thanks again to everyone who participated with a special thanks to Brian
Simmons and Ann Thompson for stepping up to take over organizing duties next
year. It's been a rewarding 5 years for me as compiler and now I'm off to
start some new adventures as a teacher!
Cheers!
Carlo Pavan
Tuesday December 28:
An American Coot was seen at Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo.
A Snow Bunting was seen at the point at Deep Bay.
Seven Trumpeter Swans were spotted flying over Meridian Way in Parksville.
A Varied Thrush is visiting suet feeders on an apartment balcony along
Boundary Crescent in Nanaimo.
Monday December 27:
A Belted Kingfisher was seen at Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo.
A female Yellow-rumped Warbler was seen in a backyard in the 2500 block of
Glenayr Drive in Nanaimo and four Trumpeter Swans and a Bald Eagle were seen
flying over the yard.
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
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Nanoose Field Naturalists Meeting.
Thursday, January 13th, 7 pm in the Library on Northwest Bay Road,
AGM & Members Night.
Keynote presentation by Don Lawseth and Kari Nelson: "Wildlife in Various
Biogeoclimatic Zones of Australia"
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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.
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The Tuesday Bird Walk on January 04, 2011 will be going to Rathtrevor
Provincial Park. We will meet at the Parksville Beach Community Park, at the
parking area in front of the Lions Playground at 9 A.M. or at the main
parking area at Rathtrevor Provincial Park at about 9: 15 A.M.--"Please note
there is a parking fee at Rathtrevor Park"!
*******************************************************
The Sunday Bird Walks will be going to Nanoose Bay on January 09, 2011,
We will meet at the Backyard Store at 9:00A.M. or the parking area behind
the Church Camp (off Nanoose Beach Road and Highway 19) at about 9:20 A.M.
*******************************************************
Good birding
Neil Robins
THE BACKYARD
Wildbird & Nature Store
6314 Metral Drive, Nanaimo, BC V9T 2L8
250.390.36621
250.390.1633 fax
thebackyard at shaw.ca
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG---> www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com