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18 Mar 2010 Young Ornithologists Workshop - call for applications ["Mike" ] 18 Mar St. Pats, Rufous here today ["canadianrobin2003" ] 16 Mar Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday Bird Walk, March 16, 2010 ["canadianrobin2003" ] 15 Mar New file uploaded to bcbirdingvanisland [] 14 Mar Nanaimo,Vancouver Island, bird alert--March 14, 2010, ["backyard_store" ] 14 Mar Nanaimo,Vancouver Island, bird alert--March 14, 2010, ["backyard_store" ] 14 Mar Sunday bird walk, Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, March 10, 2010 ["backyard_store" ] 12 Mar RBA Victoria, BC - March 12, 2010 ["Ann Nightingale" ] 12 Mar Glaucous Gull ["canadianrobin2003" ] 12 Mar Snow goose ["Jon" ] 11 Mar RBA Victoria, BC - March 10, 2010 ["Ann Nightingale" ] 10 Mar RBA Victoria, BC - March 9, 2010 ["Ann Nightingale" ] 10 Mar Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday Bird Walk, March 09, 2010 ["canadianrobin2003" ] 07 Mar Nanaimo,Vancouver Island, bird alert--March 07, 2010, ["backyard_store" ] 07 Mar Sunday bird walk, Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, March 07, 2010 ["backyard_store" ] 6 Mar RBA Victoria, BC - March 6, 2010 ["Ann Nightingale" ] 04 Mar Qualicum Beach Viewing Platform ["canadianrobin2003" ] 03 Mar Snow Goose ["cancoot" ] 3 Mar RBA Victoria, BC - March 2, 2010 ["Ann Nightingale" ] 03 Mar Parksville/ Qualicum Beach Tuesday Bird Walk, March 02, 2010 ["canadianrobin2003" ] 28 Feb Nanaimo,Vancouver Island, bird alert--February 28, 2010, ["backyard_store" ] 28 Feb Sunday bird walk, Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, February 28, 2010 ["backyard_store" ] 28 Feb Herring Spawn ["backyard_store" ] 23 Feb Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday Bird Walk, february 23, 2010 ["canadianrobin2003" ] 23 Feb RBA Victoria B.C. February 23rd 2010 ["Ed Pellizzon" ] 22 Feb Sunday Bird Walk, February 21, 2010 ["canadianrobin2003" ] 21 Feb Nanaimo,Vancouver Island, bird alert--February 21, 2010, ["backyard_store" ] 21 Feb Nanaimo,Vancouver Island, bird alert--February 21, 2010, ["backyard_store" ] 16 Feb Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday Bird Walk, February 16, 2010 ["canadianrobin2003" ] 14 Feb Turkey Vultures ["backyard_store" ] 14 Feb Nanaimo,Vancouver Island, bird alert--February 14, 2010, ["backyard_store" ] 14 Feb Sunday bird walk, Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, February 14, 2010 ["backyard_store" ] 12 Feb RBA Victoria, BC - February 12, 2010 ["Ed Pellizzon" ] 12 Feb Trumpeter Swans ["canadianrobin2003" ] 10 Feb Parksville \ Qualicum Beach Tuesday Bird Walk, February 09, 2010 ["canadianrobin2003" ] 08 Feb Snow goose ["Jon" ] 07 Feb Nanaimo,Vancouver Island, bird alert--February 07, 2010, ["backyard_store" ] 07 Feb Sunday bird walk, Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, February 07, 2010 ["backyard_store" ] 5 Feb No Subject ["Ed Pellizzon" ] 03 Feb Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday Bird Walk, February 02, 2010 ["canadianrobin2003" ] 01 Feb ANats February meeting date change ["saninerr" ] 01 Feb Bird Monitoring and Banding & Bird Identification Workshops ["derekjmatthews" ] 31 Jan Nanaimo,Vancouver Island, bird alert--January 31, 2010, ["backyard_store" ] 31 Jan Sunday bird walk, Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, January 31, 2010 ["backyard_store" ] 31 Jan Nanaimo River estuary ["Jon" ] 29 Jan Backyard birds ["canadianrobin2003" ] 29 Jan Re: I may need some help! ["canadianrobin2003" ] 29 Jan I may need some help! ["roy.atkins AT ymail.com" ] 28 Jan Vancouver Island birding sites [Brendan Graham ] 27 Jan Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday Bird Walk, January 26, 2010 ["canadianrobin2003" ] 26 Jan Re: RARE BIRD ALERT ["marven007ca" ] 24 Jan Nanaimo,Vancouver Island, bird alert--January 24, 2010, ["backyard_store" ] 24 Jan Sunday bird walk, Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, January 24, 2010 ["backyard_store" ] 24 Jan RARE BIRD ALERT ["backyard_store" ] 23 Jan RBA Victoria, BC - January 23, 2010 ["Ann Nightingale" ] 23 Jan RBA Victoria, BC - January 21, 2010 ["Ann Nightingale" ] 22 Jan Northern Shrike at Woodhus Slough ["Dave" ] 20 Jan Brant at Oyster River ["Dave" ] 20 Jan Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday Bird Walk, January 19, 2010 ["canadianrobin2003" ] 19 Jan Avian Monitoring and Bird Banding Workshop in Victoria Mar 19-21 ["Ann Nightingale" ] 18 Jan The Sunday bird walk went to El Charco del Ingenio, San Miguel de Allende, ["canadianrobin2003" ] 17 Jan Nanaimo,Vancouver Island, bird alert--January 17, 2010, ["backyard_store" ] 16 Jan White-throated sparrow ["Jon" ] 15 Jan Re: Nanaimo River sparrows ["empidonax307" ] 14 Jan Island Nature - request for birding articles and photographs ["Dave" ] 14 Jan Re: Cooper's Hawk ["canadianrobin2003" ] 13 Jan Cooper's Hawk ["Graham" ] 13 Jan Lil Q estuary birds ["saninerr" ] 13 Jan Parksville/Qualicum Beach, Tuesday Bird Walk, January 12, 2010 ["canadianrobin2003" ] 11 Jan New Victoria RBA phone number - 250-704-2555 ["Ann Nightingale" ] 11 Jan RBA Victoria, BC - January 10, 2010 ["Ann Nightingale" ] 10 Jan Nanaimo,Vancouver Island, bird alert--January 10, 2010, ["backyard_store" ] 10 Jan Sunday bird walk, Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, January 10, 2010 ["backyard_store" ] 10 Jan Nanaimo River sparrows ["Jon" ] 09 Jan White-throated sparrow ["Jon" ] 06 Jan ParksvilleéQualicum Beach Tuesday Bird Walk, January 05, 2010 ["canadianrobin2003" ] Subject: 2010 Young Ornithologists Workshop - call for applications From: "Mike" <michofski AT hotmail.com> Date: Thu, 18 Mar 2010 20:17:37 -0000 2010 Young Ornithologists Workshop The 2010 Doug Tarry Natural History Fund's Young Ornithologists' Workshop will be held at Long Point Bird Observatory near Port Rowan, Ontario, from Friday, July 30 to Sunday, August 8. Participants will receive hands-on field ornithology training, including bird banding, censusing, field identification, birding trips, preparing museum specimens, guest lectures, and more! Six of Canada's most promising ornithologists between the ages of 13-17 will be selected to attend, and will receive the Doug Tarry Bird Study Award to cover all on-site expenses. For those traveling long distances, special grants may also be available to help offset air travel costs. Applications are due April 30, 2010. For more information and an application form, contact our Landbird Programs Coordinator at lpbo AT birdscanada.org, or visit the Bird Studies Canada website ____________________________________ Mike Burrell Assistant Landbird Programs Coordinator Long Point Bird Observatory c/o Bird Studies Canada/Etudes d'Oiseaux Canada P.O. Box 160, 115 Front Rd. Port Rowan, ON. N0E 1M0 519 586 3531 ext. 162 BSC HQ 519 586 2885 Old Cut Field Station 519 586 3532 Fax e-mail:lpbo AT birdscanada.org Subject: St. Pats, Rufous here today From: "canadianrobin2003" <nmrobins AT telus.net> Date: Thu, 18 Mar 2010 01:31:57 -0000 Hi birders, We just saw a little guy at our feeder a few minutes ago. He had a drink and then hovered at the window to say "Hello--here I am!" We are in Parksville in the 100 block of Meridian Way. its great to have the Rufous Hummingbirds back early. Good birding Neil Robins Parksville British Columbia Subject: Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday Bird Walk, March 16, 2010 From: "canadianrobin2003" <nmrobins AT telus.net> Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 23:31:45 -0000 Hi birders, The Tuesday Bird Walk went to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. The morning was cloudy with light showers and calm winds. We heard and saw a Yellow-rumped Warbler. A Savannah Sparrow, the first of the season, was in with Dark-eyed Juncos, House Finch, White-crowned and Golden-crowned Sparrows that were feeding in a shrub along the trail. A Snow Goose was in with the Canada Geese along the Estuary. A raft of Common Murre and Pacific Loons were seen further offshore. There were about three hundred Brant Geese flying low, heading towards Parksville Bay. A Red-tailed Hawk was perched high up in a tall Fir Tree along the River. We had some great close looks at six Red Crossbills feeding under a big fallen snag along the Estuary near the viewing platform. Six birders saw and heard the following fifty-three species of birds: Snow Goose Canada Goose Brant American Wigeon Mallard Northern Pintail Green-winged Teal Surf Scoter Bufflehead Common Goldeneye Barrow's Goldeneye Hooded Merganser Common Merganser Red-breasted Merganser Pacific Loon Bald Eagle Northern Harrier Cooper's Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Merlin Black-bellied Plover Killdeer Black Oystercatcher Dunlin Mew Gull California Gull Thayer's Gull Glaucous-winged Gull Common Murre Belted Kingfisher Downy Woodpecker Northern Flicker Northwestern Crow Common Raven Chestnut-backed Chickadee Red-breasted Nuthatch Bewick's Wren Winter Wren American Robin Varied Thrush European Starling Yellow-rumped Warbler Spotted Towhee Savannah Sparrow Song Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow Golden-crowned Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco House Finch Red Crossbill Pine Siskin House Sparrow Good birding Neil Robins Parksville British Columbia Subject: New file uploaded to bcbirdingvanisland From: bcbirdingvanisland AT yahoogroups.com Date: 15 Mar 2010 16:12:57 -0000 Hello, This email message is a notification to let you know that a file has been uploaded to the Files area of the bcbirdingvanisland group. File : /100, 000 Gulls at parksville-JP -2010.jpg Uploaded by : canadianrobin2003 Description : Part of an an estimated 100,000 Gulls at parksville Bay on March 09, 2010 You can access this file at the URL: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bcbirdingvanisland/files/100%2C%20000%20Gulls%20at%20parksville-JP%20-2010.jpg To learn more about file sharing for your group, please visit: http://help.yahoo.com/l/us/yahoo/groups/original/members/forms/general.htmlfiles Regards, canadianrobin2003 Subject: Nanaimo,Vancouver Island, bird alert--March 14, 2010, From: "backyard_store" <backyard_store AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 21:40:43 -0000 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 March 14, 2010: The Sunday bird walk went to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo. The morning was cloudy and the winds were bitterly cold. Yellow-rumped Warblers and Ruby-crowned Kinglets caught our attention when they were singing at different times during the morning. A raft of Buffhead, Barrow's Goldeneye, Harlequin Duck, Red-breasted Merganser and Common Merganser were in the protection of the bay at Sunset Beach. A Glaucous Gull and a pair of Pigeon Guillemots were not far from shore. Small rafts of Pacific Loon, Common Loon and Common Murre were further offshore. Ten hardy birders found the following forty species of birds: Canada Geese, Mallard, Double-crested Cormorant, Brandt's Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Wood Duck, Buffhead, Barrow's Goldeneye, Harlequin Duck, Wood Duck, Red-breasted Merganser, Common Merganser, Bald Eagle, Mew Gulls, Thayer's Gull, Glaucous Gull, California Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Common Murre, Pigeon Guillemot, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Northwestern Crow, European Starling, American Robin, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Brown Creeper, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Winter Wren, Bewick's Wren, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, Red Crossbill, Pine Siskin and Dark-eyed Junco. Saturday March 13: Twelve Evening Grosbeaks are visiting feeders along Butler Road in Parksville. Friday March 12: A Glaucous Gull was again spotted among California Gulls, Thayer's Gulls and Glaucous-winged Gulls in the grassy area at the Community Park in Parksville. A Turkey Vulture was spotted above Sunshine Ridge in Nanaimo. Thursday March 11: Two Cackling Geese, eighteen Northern Shovelers and a Snow Goose were seen in with over seven hundred Canada Geese at Quennell Lake in Cedar. Wednesday March 10: A Glaucous Gull was seen in with a large flock of California Gulls,Thayer's Gulls and Glaucous-winged Gulls along the grass area at the Community Park in Parksville. Tuesday March 09: The first reported male Rufous Hummingbird of the season was spotted at feeders in the 4100 block of Gulfview Drive in Nanaimo. The Tuesday Bird Walk started in Rathtrevor Provincial Park but we were quickly convinced by the brisk winds to go to the more protected beach at Parksville Community Park. Before we left Rathtrevor we did spot twelve Trumpeter Swans. The morning was cloudy with a strong southeast wind. We were greeted at the Parksville Bay by an estimated one thousand Brant Geese and at least one hundred thousand gulls--Bonaparte's Gulls, Mew Gulls, California Gulls, Herring Gulls,Thayer's Gull, Western Gulls, Glaucous-winged Gulls. We had good close looks and were able to compare the yellow legs, black wingtips and short yellow bill of the Mew Gull with the deep yellow legs, black wingtips and bright yellow bill with a bright red and black marks of the larger California Gull who are in their clean crisp breeding plumage. Greater Scaup, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Barrow's Goldeneye and Red-breasted Merganser were seen further offshore. A flock of Black-bellied Plover and Dunlin left the gravel bar in a large cloud flew south down the Strait of Georgia. A Pigeon Guillemot, one Pacific Loon and one Common Loon were seen off the tip of the hovercraft landing pad at the north end of the Bay. We saw two male Yellow-rumped Warblers, one Song Sparrow and three White-crowned Sparrows on the bushes near the RV Park at the north end of the Bay. Eleven birders saw and heard the following thirty-five species of birds: Canada Goose, Brant, Trumpeter Swan, American Wigeon, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Greater Scaup, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Barrow's Goldeneye, Red-breasted Merganser, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Horned Grebe, Pelagic Cormorant, Bald Eagle, Black-bellied Plover, Black Oystercatcher, Dunlin, Bonaparte's Gull, Mew Gull, California Gull, Herring Gull, Thayer's Gull, Western Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Pigeon Guillemot, Northwestern Crow, American Robin, European Starling, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Song Sparrow and White-crowned Sparrow. Monday March 08: A Turkey Vulture was seen soaring over south 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-Colin Bartlett, topic Birds and Bees in the Backyard. Monday March 22, 2010 AT 7:30 pm. Springwood School Parksville ********************************** The Nanoose Naturalists Thursday April 08, 2010 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 March 09, 2010 will be going to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. We meet the Parksville Beach Community Park at the parking area near the Lions playground at 9 A.M. or at the end of Shelly Road (ocean side of highway 19a) at about 9:15 A.M. ***************************************************** The Sunday Bird Walk on March 21, 2010, 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 Subject: Nanaimo,Vancouver Island, bird alert--March 14, 2010, From: "backyard_store" <backyard_store AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 21:49:49 -0000 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 March 14, 2010: The Sunday bird walk went to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo. The morning was cloudy and the winds were bitterly cold. Yellow-rumped Warblers and Ruby-crowned Kinglets caught our attention when they were singing at different times during the morning. A raft of Buffhead, Barrow's Goldeneye, Harlequin Duck, Red-breasted Merganser and Common Merganser were in the protection of the bay at Sunset Beach. A Glaucous Gull and a pair of Pigeon Guillemots were not far from shore. Small rafts of Pacific Loon, Common Loon and Common Murre were further offshore. Ten hardy birders found the following forty species of birds: Canada Geese, Mallard, Double-crested Cormorant, Brandt's Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Wood Duck, Buffhead, Barrow's Goldeneye, Harlequin Duck, Wood Duck, Red-breasted Merganser, Common Merganser, Bald Eagle, Mew Gulls, Thayer's Gull, Glaucous Gull, California Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Common Murre, Pigeon Guillemot, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Northwestern Crow, European Starling, American Robin, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Brown Creeper, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Winter Wren, Bewick's Wren, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, Red Crossbill, Pine Siskin and Dark-eyed Junco. Saturday March 13: Twelve Evening Grosbeaks are visiting feeders along Butler Road in Parksville. Friday March 12: A Glaucous Gull was again spotted among California Gulls, Thayer's Gulls and Glaucous-winged Gulls in the grassy area at the Community Park in Parksville. A Turkey Vulture was spotted above Sunshine Ridge in Nanaimo. Thursday March 11: Two Cackling Geese, eighteen Northern Shovelers and a Snow Goose were seen in with over seven hundred Canada Geese at Quennell Lake in Cedar. Wednesday March 10: A Glaucous Gull was seen in with a large flock of California Gulls,Thayer's Gulls and Glaucous-winged Gulls along the grass area at the Community Park in Parksville. Tuesday March 09: The first reported male Rufous Hummingbird of the season was spotted at feeders in the 4100 block of Gulfview Drive in Nanaimo. The Tuesday Bird Walk started in Rathtrevor Provincial Park but we were quickly convinced by the brisk winds to go to the more protected beach at Parksville Community Park. Before we left Rathtrevor we did spot twelve Trumpeter Swans. The morning was cloudy with a strong southeast wind. We were greeted at the Parksville Bay by an estimated one thousand Brant Geese and at least one hundred thousand gulls--Bonaparte's Gulls, Mew Gulls, California Gulls, Herring Gulls,Thayer's Gull, Western Gulls, Glaucous-winged Gulls. We had good close looks and were able to compare the yellow legs, black wingtips and short yellow bill of the Mew Gull with the deep yellow legs, black wingtips and bright yellow bill with a bright red and black marks of the larger California Gull who are in their clean crisp breeding plumage. Greater Scaup, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Barrow's Goldeneye and Red-breasted Merganser were seen further offshore. A flock of Black-bellied Plover and Dunlin left the gravel bar in a large cloud flew south down the Strait of Georgia. A Pigeon Guillemot, one Pacific Loon and one Common Loon were seen off the tip of the hovercraft landing pad at the north end of the Bay. We saw two male Yellow-rumped Warblers, one Song Sparrow and three White-crowned Sparrows on the bushes near the RV Park at the north end of the Bay. Eleven birders saw and heard the following thirty-five species of birds: Canada Goose, Brant, Trumpeter Swan, American Wigeon, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Greater Scaup, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Barrow's Goldeneye, Red-breasted Merganser, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Horned Grebe, Pelagic Cormorant, Bald Eagle, Black-bellied Plover, Black Oystercatcher, Dunlin, Bonaparte's Gull, Mew Gull, California Gull, Herring Gull, Thayer's Gull, Western Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Pigeon Guillemot, Northwestern Crow, American Robin, European Starling, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Song Sparrow and White-crowned Sparrow. Monday March 08: A Turkey Vulture was seen soaring over south 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-Colin Bartlett, topic Birds and Bees in the Backyard. Monday March 22, 2010 AT 7:30 pm. Springwood School Parksville ********************************** The Nanoose Naturalists Thursday April 08, 2010 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 March 09, 2010 will be going to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. We meet the Parksville Beach Community Park at the parking area near the Lions playground at 9 A.M. or at the end of Shelly Road (ocean side of highway 19a) at about 9:15 A.M. ***************************************************** The Sunday Bird Walk on March 21, 2010, 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 Subject: Sunday bird walk, Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, March 10, 2010 From: "backyard_store" <backyard_store AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 20:40:04 -0000 Hi birders, The Sunday bird walk went to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo. The morning was cloudy, but winds were bitterly cold. The Yellow-rumped Warblers and the Ruby-crowned Kinglets caught our attention when they were singing at different times during the morning. A raft of Buffhead, Barrow's Goldeneye, Harlequin Duck, Red-breasted Merganser and Common Merganser were in the Bay at Sunset Beach. A Glaucous Gull and a pair of Pigeon Guillemots were not far from shore. Small rafts of Pacific Loon, Common Loon and Common Murre were further offshore. Ten birders found the following forty species of birds: Canada Geese, Mallard, Double-crested Cormorant, Brandt's Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Wood Duck, Buffhead, Barrow's Goldeneye, Harlequin Duck, Wood Duck, Red-breasted Merganser, Common Merganser, Bald Eagle, Mew Gulls, Thayer's Gull, Glaucous Gull, California Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Common Murre, Pigeon Guillemot, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Northwestern Crow, European Starling, American Robin, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Brown Creeper, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Winter Wren, Bewick's Wren, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, Red Crossbill, Pine Siskin and Dark-eyed Junco. Good birding Neil Robins Nanaimo British Columbia Subject: RBA Victoria, BC - March 12, 2010 From: "Ann Nightingale" <motmot AT shaw.ca> Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:16:41 -0800 RBA - 250-704-2555 * British Columbia * Greater Victoria and Southern Vancouver Is. * March 12, 2010 * BCVI100312 - Transcript This is the Victoria Natural History Society's Bird Alert for Friday, March 12, 3 pm update Wednesday. To report sightings of interest, please call 250-704-2555 and leave your name, message and phone number. To summon those that can confirm a rare bird, please call Barbara Begg at 250-656-5296 or Rick Schortinghuis at 250-885-2454. The Saturday Morning Birding Group will be birding Blenkinsop Lake and part of Mt Douglas. Meet at 8:00am at the south end of Blenkinsop Lake across from Don Mann Trucking. Bird sightings have been rather slow lately, so this may be an appropriate time to announce VNHS's new Invertebrate Alert. If you wish to report butterflies, dragonflies, unusual insects, or other terrestrial invertebrates, you may now do so by email to jtatum AT uvic.ca. Sightings and photos will be displayed on the VNHS website. If you wish to follow the sightings, bookmark vicnhs.bc.ca/invertalert.html or follow the link from the VNHS homepage. Feature Birds Possible SLATY-BACKED GULL BROWN PELICAN NORTHERN PYGMY OWL SNOW GOOSE Thursday, March 11 A possible 2nd year SLATY-BACKED GULL was seen just west of the viewing stand at Qualicum Beach. This is the same location that a SLATY-BACKED GULL was found last year about this time. Wednesday, March 10 A BROWN PELICAN was watched and photographed by many observers at Clover Point off Dallas Rd on Wednesday afternoon. Monday, March 8 BALD EAGLES are on nests around the area. There is a pair nesting near the Oak Bay Fire Hall. Two WESTERN MEADOWLARKS were on the hillside of the gravel pit south of the beach at Esquimalt Lagoon. Saturday, March 6 Two pairs of TREE SWALLOWS were perched on the nest boxes at Somenos Marsh in Duncan. A SNOW GOOSE was in the fields between Dooley and Martindale Roads in Central Saanich. Thursday, March 4 A NORTHERN PYGMY OWL was seen and heard at Bedrock at 4655 Kerryview Dr. Birders are welcome to walk the property, which always seems to turn up something interesting. Subject: Glaucous Gull From: "canadianrobin2003" <nmrobins AT telus.net> Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 23:08:08 -0000 Hi birders, I just got back from Parksville Bay, the Gulls we saw on the Tuesday Bird Walk, plus more are at on the bay and on the grass and vollyball court. I did see a Glaucous Gull in with the California Gulls, Thayer's Gulls and Glaucous-winged Gulls along the grass area at the Community Park. Good birding Neil Robins Parksville British Columbia Subject: Snow goose From: "Jon" <jon.carter AT fsmail.net> Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 03:45:58 -0000 Howdy A juv snow goose was amongst the 700+ Canadas at Quennell Lake this evening. A couple of cackling geese were also present, as were 18 northern shoveler. Further info and a really, really, really bad photo at my blog: http://britbirderinbc.blogspot.com Jon Carter Cedar Subject: RBA Victoria, BC - March 10, 2010 From: "Ann Nightingale" <motmot AT shaw.ca> Date: Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:48:06 -0800 RBA - 250-704-2555 * British Columbia * Greater Victoria and Southern Vancouver Is. * March 10, 2010 * BCVI100310 - Transcript This is the Victoria Natural History Society's Bird Alert for Wednesday, March 10, midnight update To report sightings of interest, please call 250-704-2555 and leave your name, message and phone number. To summon those that can confirm a rare bird, please call Barbara Begg at 250-656-5296 or Rick Schortinghuis at 250-885-2454. Bird sightings have been rather slow lately, so this may be an appropriate time to announce VNHS's new Invertebrate Alert. If you wish to report butterflies, dragonflies, unusual insects, or other terrestrial invertebrates, you may now do so by email to jtatum AT uvic.ca. Sightings and photos will be displayed on the VNHS website. If you wish to follow the sightings, bookmark vicnhs.bc.ca/invertalert.html or follow the link from the VNHS homepage. Feature Birds BROWN PELICAN NORTHERN PYGMY OWL SNOW GOOSE Wednesday, March 10 A BROWN PELICAN was seen by many observers at Clover Point off Dallas Rd on Wednesday afternoon. Monday, March 8 BALD EAGLES are on nests around the area. There is a pair nesting near the Oak Bay Fire Department. Two WESTERN MEADOWLARKS were on the hillside of the gravel pit south of the beach at Esquimalt Lagoon. Saturday, March 6 Two pairs of TREE SWALLOWS were perched on the nest boxes at Somenos Marsh in Duncan. A SNOW GOOSE was in the fields between Dooley and Martindale Roads in Central Saanich. Thursday, March 4 A NORTHERN PYGMY OWL was seen and heard at Bedrock at 4655 Kerryview Dr. Birders are welcome to walk the property, which always seems to turn up something interesting. Tuesday Mar 2 The Tuesday morning birding group headed out to Martindale Flats and Island View Beach today and found about 6 WESTERN MEADOWLARKS and one NORTHERN HARRIER in the fields around Puckle Road. Six BRANT were at Island View Beach. Subject: RBA Victoria, BC - March 9, 2010 From: "Ann Nightingale" <motmot AT shaw.ca> Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 02:59:23 -0800 RBA - 250-704-2555 * British Columbia * Greater Victoria and Southern Vancouver Is. * March 9, 2010 * BCVI100309 - Transcript This is the Victoria Natural History Society's Bird Alert for Tuesday, Mar 9, midnight update To report sightings of interest, please call 250-704-2555 and leave your name, message and phone number. To summon those that can confirm a rare bird, please call Barbara Begg at 250-656-5296 or Rick Schortinghuis at 250-885-2454. Bird sightings have been rather slow lately, so this may be an appropriate time to announce VNHS's new Invertebrate Alert. If you wish to report butterflies, dragonflies, unusual insects, or other terrestrial invertebrates, you may now do so by email to jtatum AT uvic.ca. Sightings and photos will be displayed on the VNHS website. If you wish to follow the sightings, bookmark vicnhs.bc.ca/invertalert.html or follow the link from the VNHS homepage. Feature Birds NORTHERN PYGMY OWL SNOW GOOSE Monday, March 8 BALD EAGLES are on nests around the area. There is a pair nesting near the Oak Bay Fire Department. Two WESTERN MEADOWLARKS were on the hillside of the gravel pit south of the beach at Esquimalt Lagoon. Saturday, March 6 Two pairs of TREE SWALLOWS were perched on the nest boxes at Somenos Marsh in Duncan. A SNOW GOOSE was in the fields between Dooley and Martindale Roads in Central Saanich. Thursday, March 4 A NORTHERN PYGMY OWL was seen and heard at Bedrock at 4655 Kerryview Dr. Birders are welcome to walk the property, which always seems to turn up something interesting. Tuesday Mar 2 The Tuesday morning birding group headed out to Martindale Flats and Island View Beach today and found about 6 WESTERN MEADOWLARKS and one NORTHERN HARRIER in the fields around Puckle Road. Six BRANT were at Island View Beach. Subject: Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday Bird Walk, March 09, 2010 From: "canadianrobin2003" <nmrobins AT telus.net> Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:05:38 -0000 Hi birders, The Tuesday Bird Walk started in Rathtrevor Provincial Park but we were quickly convinced by the brisk winds to go to the more protected beach at Parksville Community Park. Before we left Rathtrevor we did spot twelve Trumpeter Swans. The morning was cloudy with a strong southeast wind. We were greeted at the Parksville Bay by an estimated one thousand Brant Geese and at least one hundred thousand gulls--Bonaparte's Gulls, Mew Gulls, California Gulls, Herring Gulls,Thayer's Gull, Western Gulls, Glaucous-winged Gulls. We had good close looks and were able to compare the yellow legs, black wingtips and short yellow bill of the Mew Gull with the deep yellow legs, black wingtips and bright yellow bill with a bright red and black marks of the larger California Gull who are in their clean crisp breeding plummage. Greater Scaup, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Barrow's Goldeneye and Red-breasted Merganser were seen further offshore. A flock of Black-bellied Plover and Dunlin left the gravel bar in a large cloud flew south down the Strait of Georgia. A Pigeon Guillemot, one Pacific Loon and one Common Loon were seen off the tip of the hovercraft landing pad at the north end of the Bay. We saw two male Yellow-rumped Warblers, one Song Sparrow and three White-crowned Sparrows on the bushes near the RV Park at the north end of the Bay. Eleven birders saw and heard the following thirty-five species of birds: Canada Goose Brant Trumpeter Swan American Wigeon Mallard Northern Pintail Greater Scaup Surf Scoter White-winged Scoter Bufflehead Common Goldeneye Barrow's Goldeneye Red-breasted Merganser Pacific Loon Common Loon Horned Grebe Pelagic Cormorant Bald Eagle Black-bellied Plover Black Oystercatcher Dunlin Bonaparte's Gull Mew Gull California Gull Herring Gull Thayer's Gull Western Gull Glaucous-winged Gull Pigeon Guillemot Northwestern Crow American Robin European Starling Yellow-rumped Warbler Song Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow Good birding! Neil Robins Parksville British Columbia Subject: Nanaimo,Vancouver Island, bird alert--March 07, 2010, From: "backyard_store" <backyard_store AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 07 Mar 2010 22:51:46 -0000 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 March 07, 2010: The Sunday bird walk went to Buttertubs March in Nanaimo. The morning was cloudy, but winds were cold. We saw our first Yellow-rumped Warblers, Violet-green Swallows and Tree Swallows of the season--- spring is near! A Wilson's Snipe flushed out over the trail as we walked by. A Northern Shrike perched across the fields from us and eventually flew over and perched on a tall snag near the trail giving us close up views. We saw both the male and female Anna's Hummingbirds. The female was gleaning insects from the branch of a tree and the male was perched close to the trail, giving us great views of his colorful gorget. A pair of colorful Wood Ducks swam slowly past us. Eighteen birders found the following forty-five species of birds: Canada Goose, Great Blue Heron, Mallard, Pied-billed Grebe, Bufflehead, Wood Duck, Hooded Merganser, California Quail, Virginia Rail, Wilson's Snipe, Bald Eagle, Merlin, Northern Shrike, Glaucous-winged Gull, Rock Pigeon, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flicker, Downy Woodpecker, Common Raven, Northwestern Crow, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Bushtit, Brown Creeper, Bewick's Wren, Marsh Wren, Belted Kingfisher, Anna's Hummingbird, American Robin, Varied Thrush, European Starling, Violet-green Swallow, Tree Swallow, Red-winged Blackbird, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, House Finch, Pine Siskin, Purple Finch, Dark-eyed Junco and House Sparrows. Saturday March 06: Western Meadowlarks, Golden-crowned Sparrows, White-crowned Sparrows, White-throated Sparrow. Fox Sparrow,Red-tailed Hawk and Red Crossbills were seen at the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo. Twenty Trumpeter Swans were spotted flying north over the 2500 block of Glenayr Drive in Nanaimo. Anna's Hummingbird was feeding on hyacinth blooms in the same yard. Wednesday March 03: Two Tree Swallows were checking Purple Martin nest boxes at Cowichan Bay. Eight California Quail were feeding in a backyard in the 2500 block of Glenayr Drive in Nanaimo. The Wednesday Bird Walk this week visited Famosa Marsh and Mission Bay in San Diego, California. There were many highlights, pick a favorite. One exhausted (but ecstatic) birder saw the following 77 species: Pied-billed Grebe, Horned Grebe, Eared Grebe, Western Grebe, Clark's Grebe, Brown Pelican, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Little Blue Heron, Snowy Egret, Brant, American Wigeon, Gadwall, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Blue-winged Teal, Cinnamon Teal, Northern Shoveler, Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead, Ruddy Duck, Red-tailed Hawk, Clapper Rail, American Coot, Black-necked Stilt, American Avocet, Killdeer, Long-billed Dowitcher, Marbled Godwit, Whimbrel, Long-billed Curlew, Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs, Willet, Ruddy Turnstone, Black Turnstone, Sanderling, Western Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Dunlin, Heermann's Gull, Mew Gull, Ring-billed Gull, California Gull, Western Gull, Caspian Tern, Elegant Tern, Royal Tern, Forster's Tern, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Red-masked Parakeet, Anna's Hummingbird, Belted Kingfisher, Black Phoebe, Horned Lark, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Bewick's Wren, Marsh Wren, Northern Mockingbird, Bushtit, Western Scrub-Jay, American Crow, Common Raven, European Starling, House Sparrow, House Finch, Lesser Goldfinch, Orange-crowned Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Brewer's Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle. Cheers Graham Gillespie Tuesday March 02: The Tuesday Bird Walk went to the Little Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum Beach. The water was turquoise blue with the Herring spawn. A huge raft of thousands upon thousands of seabirds, including Brant Geese, Greater Scaup, Harlequin Duck, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Black Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye and Barrow's Goldeneye were offshore at the viewing platform in Qualicum Beach. Black-bellied Plovers, Black Oystercatchers, Black Turnstones and Dunlin along with Mew Gulls, California Gulls, one lone Herring Gull, Thayer's Gulls and Glaucous-winged Gulls were roosting along the shoreline. A pair of Bald Eagles appeared overhead and all the seabirds, shorebirds and gulls lifted in a spectacular display. We saw an Eurasian Wigeon and a Northern Shoveler in among American Wigeon feeding along the Little Qualicum River. Twenty-one Trumpeter Swans swam lazily in the Estuary. Thirteen birders saw and heard the following forty-eight species of birds: Canada Goose, Brant, Trumpeter Swan, Eurasian Wigeon, American Wigeon, Mallard, Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Greater Scaup, Harlequin Duck, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Black Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Barrow's Goldeneye, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Horned Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Bald Eagle , Black-bellied Plover, Killdeer, Black Oystercatcher, Black Turnstone, Dunlin, Bonaparte's Gull, Mew Gull, California Gull, Herring Gull, Thayer's Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flicker, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, American Robin, European Starling, Dark-eyed Junco, Red-winged Blackbird, Brewer's Blackbird and Red Crossbill. 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 March 11, 2010 AT 7:00 pm Guest Speaker, Guy Monty, topic Black Brant. Nanoose Library, Nanoose Bay ********************************** Arrowsmith Naturalists Guest Speaker-Colin Bartlett, topic--The Birds and Bees in the Backyard. Monday March 22, 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 March 09, 2010 will be going to Rathtrevor Provincal Park in Parksville. We meet the Parksville Beach Community Park at the parking area near the Lions playground at 9 A.M. or at the main parking area near the beach at Rathtrevor Park at about 9:15 A.M. Please note there is a parking fee at the park. ***************************************************** The Sunday Bird Walk on March 14, 2010, will be going to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo. Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 A.M. or at the parking lot off Hammond Bay Road at about 9: 20 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 Subject: Sunday bird walk, Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, March 07, 2010 From: "backyard_store" <backyard_store AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 07 Mar 2010 22:11:18 -0000 Hi birders, The Sunday bird walk went to Buttertubs March in Nanaimo. The morning was cloudy, but winds were cold. We saw our first Yellow-rumped Warblers, Violet-green Swallows and Tree Swallows of the season--- spring is near! A Wilson's Snipe flushed out over the trail as we walked by. A Northern Shrike perched across the fields from us and eventually flew over and perched on a tall snag near the trail giving us close up views. We saw both the male and female Anna's Hummingbirds. The female was gleaning insects from the branch of a tree and the male was perched close to the trail, giving us great views of his colorful gorget. A pair of colorful Wood Ducks swam slowly past us. Eighteen birders found the following forty-five species of birds: Canada Goose, Great Blue Heron, Mallard, Pied-billed Grebe, Bufflehead, Wood Duck, Hooded Merganser, California Quail, Virginia Rail, Wilson's Snipe, Bald Eagle, Merlin, Northern Shrike, Glaucous-winged Gull, Rock Pigeon, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flicker, Downy Woodpecker, Common Raven, Northwestern Crow, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Bushtit, Brown Creeper, Bewick's Wren, Marsh Wren, Belted Kingfisher, Anna's Hummingbird, American Robin, Varied Thrush, European Starling, Violet-green Swallow, Tree Swallow, Red-winged Blackbird, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, House Finch, Pine Siskin, Purple Finch, Dark-eyed Junco and House Sparrows. Good birding Neil Robins Nanaimo British Columbia Subject: RBA Victoria, BC - March 6, 2010 From: "Ann Nightingale" <motmot AT shaw.ca> Date: Sat, 6 Mar 2010 12:14:10 -0800 RBA - 250-704-2555 * British Columbia * Greater Victoria and Southern Vancouver Is. * March 6, 2010 * BCVI100306 - Transcript This is the Victoria Natural History Society's Bird Alert for Tuesday, Mar 2, 2pm update To report sightings of interest, please call 250-704-2555 and leave your name, message and phone number. To summon those that can confirm a rare bird, please call Barbara Begg at 250-656-5296 or Rick Schortinghuis at 250-885-2454. Bird sightings have been rather slow lately, so this may be an appropriate time to announce VNHS's new Invertebrate Alert. If you wish to report butterflies, dragonflies, unusual insects, or other terrestrial invertebrates, you may now do so by email to jtatum AT uvic.ca. Sightings and photos will be displayed on the VNHS website. If you wish to follow the sightings, bookmark vicnhs.bc.ca/invertalert.html or follow the link from the VNHS homepage. Feature Birds NORTHERN PYGMY OWL TREE SWALLOWS Saturday, March 6 Two pairs of TREE SWALLOWS were perched on the nest boxes at Somenos Marsh in Duncan. Thursday, March 4 A NORTHERN PYGMY OWL was seen and heard at Bedrock at 4655 Kerryview Dr. Birders are welcome to walk the property, which always seems to turn up something interesting. Tuesday Mar 2 The Tuesday morning birding group headed out to Martindale Flats and Island View Beach today and found about 6 WESTERN MEADOWLARKS and one NORTHERN HARRIER in the fields around Puckle Road. Six BRANT were at Island View Beach. Subject: Qualicum Beach Viewing Platform From: "canadianrobin2003" <nmrobins AT telus.net> Date: Thu, 04 Mar 2010 18:22:05 -0000 Hi birders, Marilynne and I stopped at the Qualicum Beach Viewing Platform just off Highway 19A in north Qualicum Beach yesterday March 03, at about 4:00 P.M.. There must have been over twenty thousand seabirds off shore including Brant, Greater Scaup, Harlequin Duck, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Black Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye and Barrow's Goldeneye. Black-bellied Plovers, Black Oystercatchers, Black Turnstones and Dunlin along with Mew Gulls, California Gulls, Herring Gull, Thayer's Gulls and Glaucous-winged Gulls were roosting along the shoreline. The Nature spectacle continues along the Strait of Georgia! Good birding Neil Robins Parksville British Columbia Subject: Snow Goose From: "cancoot" <cancoot AT yahoo.ca> Date: Wed, 03 Mar 2010 22:45:15 -0000 I saw a Snow goose at the River's Edge drainage ponds,early this afternoon. He was with some Canada Geese and,after awhile,he flew with a dozen or so Canadas in the direction of the Englishman River Estuary. Might be the same one Guy saw at the Englishman River this morning. Last week,Chris Stevens saw one across the road from the drainage ponds,at Rascal's pond. Cheers,Ralph Hocken Lantzville,BC Subject: RBA Victoria, BC - March 2, 2010 From: "Ann Nightingale" <motmot AT shaw.ca> Date: Wed, 3 Mar 2010 09:01:00 -0800 RBA - 250-704-2555 * British Columbia * Greater Victoria and Southern Vancouver Is. * March 2, 2010 * BCVI100302 - Transcript This is the Victoria Natural History Society's Bird Alert for Tuesday, Mar 2, 2pm update To report sightings of interest, please call 250-704-2555 and leave your name, message and phone number. To summon those that can confirm a rare bird, please call Barbara Begg at 250-656-5296 or Rick Schortinghuis at 250-885-2454. Feature Birds Brant Western Meadowlarks Northern Harrier Tuesday Mar 4 The Tuesday morning birding group headed out to Martindale Flats and Island View Beach today and found about 6 WESTERN MEADOWLARKS and one NORTHERN HARRIER in the fields around Puckle Road. Six BRANT were at Island View Beach. And speaking of Brant, the Brant Festival, more than a month of nature related activities begins this Friday March 5 in Parksville with a presentation by Maria Adair called Taking the Pulse of Nature. There is a VNHS field trip next Saturday, March 6, with car-pooling available. Contact Rick Schortinghuis at 250-885-2454 and meet at the Helmcken Park and Ride at 7 am. The Brant Festival Birding Big Day is on Saturday, April 10. For more details about the Brant Festival or to register for the Big Day, visit their website at brantfestival.bc.ca Subject: Parksville/ Qualicum Beach Tuesday Bird Walk, March 02, 2010 From: "canadianrobin2003" <nmrobins AT telus.net> Date: Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:51:16 -0000 Hi birders, The Tuesday Bird Walk went to the Little Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum Beach. The water was turquoise blue with the Herring spawn. A huge raft of thousands upon thousands of seabirds, including Brant Geese, Greater Scaup, Harlequin Duck, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Black Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye and Barrow's Goldeneye were offshore at the viewing platform in Qualicum Beach. Black-bellied Plovers, Black Oystercatchers, Black Turnstones and Dunlin along with Mew Gulls, California Gulls, one lone Herring Gull, Thayer's Gulls and Glaucous-winged Gulls were roosting along the shoreline. A pair of Bald Eagles appeared overhead and all the seabirds, shorebirds and gulls lifted in a spectacular display. We saw an Eurasian Wigeon and a Northern Shoveler in among American Wigeon feeding along the Little Qualicum River. Twenty-one Trumpeter Swans swam lazily in the Estuary. Thirteen birders saw and heard the following forty-eight species of birds: Canada Goose Brant Trumpeter Swan Eurasian Wigeon American Wigeon Mallard Northern Shoveler Northern Pintail Green-winged Teal Greater Scaup Harlequin Duck Surf Scoter White-winged Scoter Black Scoter Long-tailed Duck Bufflehead Common Goldeneye Barrow's Goldeneye Common Merganser Red-breasted Merganser Pacific Loon Common Loon Horned Grebe Double-crested Cormorant Pelagic Cormorant Great Blue Heron Bald Eagle Black-bellied Plover Killdeer Black Oystercatcher Black Turnstone Dunlin Bonaparte's Gull Mew Gull California Gull Herring Gull Thayer's Gull Glaucous-winged Gull Belted Kingfisher Northern Flicker Northwestern Crow Common Raven American Robin European Starling Dark-eyed Junco Red-winged Blackbird Brewer's Blackbird Red Crossbill Good birding Neil Robins Parksville British Columbia Subject: Nanaimo,Vancouver Island, bird alert--February 28, 2010, From: "backyard_store" <backyard_store AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 28 Feb 2010 22:30:57 -0000 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 February 28, 2010: The Sunday bird walk went to the Little Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum Beach. The morning was cloudy but winds were calm. We saw large rafts of Bufflehead, Greater Scaup, Harlequin Duck, Common Goldeneye, Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Black Scoter, Long-tailed Duck and Common Merganser offshore at the viewing platform. One Black-bellied Plover, six Dunlin and three Black Oystercatchers were along the tide line near the viewing platform. Hugh rafts of Pacific Loons, Common Loons and Red-breasted Mergansers were further offshore. Twelve birders found the following forty-eight species of birds: Trumpeter Swans, Canada Goose, Brant, Eurasian Wigeon, American Widgeon, Horned Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, Mallard, Bufflehead, Green-winged Teal, Greater Scaup, Harlequin Duck, Common Goldeneye, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Long-tailed Ducks, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Black Scoter, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Great Blue Heron, Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Bald Eagle, Black-bellied Plover, Black Oystercatcher, Killdeer, Dunlin, Mew Gull, Bonaparte's Gull, Thayer's Gull, Herring Gull, California Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Northern Flicker, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Belted Kingfisher, European Starling, Red-winged Blackbird, Brewer's Blackbird, Red-breasted Nuthatch, American Robin, House Finch, Song Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco and Red Crossbill. Over thirty Trumpeter Swans were seen in the fields at the Ugly Dwarf Meadows in Nanoose Bay. Saturday February 27: Six Band-tailed Pigeon have been visiting feeders all winter in the 1100 block of Stymie Close in the Eaglecrest area of Qualicum Beach. Tuesday February 23: The Tuesday Bird Walk went to Columbia Beach. The morning started off cloudy with calm winds and just a ripple on the Strait of Georgia. However, near the end of the walk it was raining. There was a Sharp-shinned Hawk perched in a tall fir tree at the beginning of the walk. The morning was filled with the sightings of seabirds on the water. There were rafts of Brant Geese, Harlequin Ducks, Surf Scoters, American Wigeons, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Barrow's Goldeneye, a lone Common Merganser and Red-breasted Mergansers. A White-winged Scoter flew by and three Long-tailed Ducks flew in and landed not far from shore. We saw a large raft of Pacific and Common Loons near the horizon. Many flocks of twenty and thirty Brant Geese flew up and down the Strait all morning. We saw Black-bellied Plovers, three Killdeer, Black Oystercatcher, one Greater Yellowlegs, Black Turnstones, a large cloud of Dunlin, one Bonaparte's Gull as well as several Mew Gulls, California Gull, Thayer's Gulls and Glaucous-winged Gulls at the gravel bar in front of the Pebble Beach townhouses. Sixteen birders saw and heard the following forty-six species of birds: Canada Goose, Brant, American Wigeon, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Harlequin Duck, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Barrow's Goldeneye, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Horned Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, Brandt's Cormorant, Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Bald Eagle, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Black-bellied Plover, Killdeer, Black Oystercatcher, Greater Yellowlegs, Black Turnstone, Dunlin, Bonaparte's Gull, Mew Gull, California Gull, Thayer's Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, European Starling, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, House Finch, Red Crossbill, Pine Siskin and House Sparrow. 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 March 11, 2010 AT 7:00 pm Guest Speaker, Guy Monty--topic Black Brant. Nanoose Library, Nanoose Bay ********************************** Arrowsmith Naturalists Guest Speaker-Colin Bartlett Monday March 22, 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 March 02, 2010 will be going to little Qualicum River Estuary. We meet the Parksville Beach Community Park at the parking area near the Lions playground at 9 A.M. or at the viewing platform near Highway 19a and Garrett Road at about 9:20 A.M. ***************************************************** The Sunday Bird Walk on March 07, 2010, will be going to Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo. Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 A.M. or at the parking area off Bowen Road near Buttertubs Marsh at about 9: 20 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 Subject: Sunday bird walk, Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, February 28, 2010 From: "backyard_store" <backyard_store AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 28 Feb 2010 21:47:50 -0000 Hi birders, The Sunday bird walk went to the Little Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum Beach. The morning was cloudy but winds were calm. We saw large rafts of Bufflehead, Greater Scaup, Harlequin Duck, Common Goldeneye, Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Black Scoter, Long-tailed Duck and Common Merganser offshore at the viewing platform. One Black-bellied Plover, six Dunlin and three Black Oystercatchers were along the tide line near the viewing platform. Hugh rafts of Pacific Loons, Common Loons and Red-breasted Mergansers were further offshore. Twelve birders found the following forty-eight species of birds: Trumpeter Swans, Canada Goose, Brant, Eurasian Wigeon, American Widgeon, Horned Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, Mallard, Bufflehead, Green-winged Teal, Greater Scaup, Harlequin Duck, Common Goldeneye, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Long-tailed Ducks, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Black Scoter, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Great Blue Heron, Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Bald Eagle, Black-bellied Plover, Black Oystercatcher, Killdeer, Dunlin, Mew Gull, Bonaparte's Gull, Thayer's Gull, Herring Gull, California Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Northern Flicker, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Belted Kingfisher, European Starling, Red-winged Blackbird, Brewer's Blackbird, Red-breasted Nuthatch, American Robin, House Finch, Song Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco and Red Crossbill. Good birding Neil Robins Nanaimo British Columbia Subject: Herring Spawn From: "backyard_store" <backyard_store AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 28 Feb 2010 21:38:57 -0000 Hi birders, The Herring Spawn was begun--there is a one at Neck Point in Nanaimo, one at Parksville Bay to French Creek. The Sunday bird walk went to The Little Qualicum River Estuary and at the viewing tower there was hugh rafts of seabirds offshore. good birding Neil Robins Nanaimo British Columbia Subject: Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday Bird Walk, february 23, 2010 From: "canadianrobin2003" <nmrobins AT telus.net> Date: Tue, 23 Feb 2010 23:02:39 -0000 Hi birders, The Tuesday Bird Walk went to Columbia Beach. The morning started off cloudy with calm winds and just a ripple on the Strait of Georgia. However, near the end of the walk it was raining. There was a Sharp-shinned Hawk perched in a tall fir tree at the beginning of the walk. The morning was filled with the sightings of seabirds on the water. There were rafts of Brant Geese, Harlequin Ducks, Surf Scoters, American Wigeons, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Barrow's Goldeneye, a lone Common Merganser and Red-breasted Mergansers. A White-winged Scoter flew by and three Long-tailed Ducks flew in and landed not far from shore. We saw a large raft of Pacific and Common Loons near the horizon. Many flocks of twenty and thirty Brant Geese flew up and down the Strait all morning. We saw Black-bellied Plovers, three Killdeer, Black Oystercatcher, one Greater Yellowlegs, Black Turnstones, a large cloud of Dunlin, one Bonaparte's Gull as well as several Mew Gulls, California Gull, Thayer's Gulls and Glaucous-winged Gulls at the gravel bar in front of the Pebble Beach townhouses. Sixteen birders saw and heard the following forty-six species of birds Canada Goose Brant American Wigeon Mallard Northern Pintail Harlequin Duck Surf Scoter White-winged Scoter Long-tailed Duck Bufflehead Common Goldeneye Barrow's Goldeneye Common Merganser Red-breasted Merganser Pacific Loon Common Loon Horned Grebe Red-necked Grebe Brandt's Cormorant Double-crested Cormorant Pelagic Cormorant Bald Eagle Sharp-shinned Hawk Black-bellied Plover Killdeer Black Oystercatcher Greater Yellowlegs Black Turnstone Dunlin Bonaparte's Gull Mew Gull California Gull Thayer's Gull Glaucous-winged Gull Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker Northwestern Crow Common Raven European Starling Spotted Towhee Song Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco House Finch Red Crossbill Pine Siskin House Sparrow Good birding Neil Robins Parksville British Columbia Subject: RBA Victoria B.C. February 23rd 2010 From: "Ed Pellizzon" <edlps AT telus.net> Date: Tue, 23 Feb 2010 11:45:36 -0800 RBA * British Columbia * Greater Victoria and Southern Vancouver Is. * February 23, 2010 * BCVI100123 - Transcript This is the Victoria Natural History Society's Bird Alert for Tuesday February 23rd noon update. To report sightings of interest, please press the pound key and leave your name, message, and phone number, or wait for the tone at the end of this report. To summon those that can confirm a rare bird, please call Barbara Begg at 250-656-5296 or Rick Schortinghuis at 250-885-2454. On Monday the 22nd a Townsends Solitaire was seen on Jocelyn Hill On the 18th a Western Tanager was on Taine Plc off Saanich Rd There are reports of Tree Swallows at Swan Lake and along the Cowichan Bay Dock Rd in Duncan Continuing birds around Victoria: At Swan Lake an American Bittern, Peregrine Falcon, Northern Harrier and overwintering Yellow-rumped Warblers can be found on a regular basis In the Martindale/Island View beach area there are Northern Shrike and Western Meadowlark At Bowker Creek there is still an overwintering Willet To report your sightings of interest, please leave your message after the tone. Subject: Sunday Bird Walk, February 21, 2010 From: "canadianrobin2003" <nmrobins AT telus.net> Date: Mon, 22 Feb 2010 03:18:01 -0000 Hi birders, The Sunday Bird Walk went to Nanoose Bay. The morning started off sunny and cool but soon became sunny and warm with calm winds and seas. Eight Red Crossbills came down to low bushes near us to give us close looks. A large raft of Greater Scaup, Common Goldeneye and Bufflehead were on the far side of the bay. A Gadwall and an Eurasian Wigeon were in with a large raft of Northern Pintails and American Widgeon on the estuary. We were able to make a good comparison as a California Gull roosted in with a flock of Mew Gulls. Sixteen birders found the following forty-three species of birds: Canada Goose, Eurasian Wigeon, American Widgeon, Horned Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Bufflehead, Green-winged Teal, Greater Scaup, Barrow's Goldeneye, Common Goldeneye, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Pelagic Cormorant, Surf Scoter, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Great Blue Heron, Bald Eagle, Mew Gull, Thayer's Gull, California Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Northern Flicker, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Northern Shrike, Belted Kingfisher, European Starling, Red-winged Blackbird, Bewick's Wren, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Golden-crowned Kinglet, American Robin, Spotted Towhee, House Finch, Song Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Red Crossbill and Pine Siskins. Good birding Neil Robins Nanaimo British Columbia Subject: Nanaimo,Vancouver Island, bird alert--February 21, 2010, From: "backyard_store" <backyard_store AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 21 Feb 2010 22:13:31 -0000 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 February 21, 2010: The Sunday Bird Walk went to Nanoose Bay. The morning started off sunny and cool but soon became sunny and warm with calm winds and seas. Eight Red Crossbills came down to low bushes near us to give us close looks. A large raft of Greater Scaup, Common Goldeneye and Bufflehead were on the far side of the bay. A Gadwall and an Eurasian Wigeon were in with a large raft of Northern Pintails and American Widgeon on the estuary. We were able to make a good comparison as a California Gull roosted in with a flock of Mew Gulls. Sixteen birders found the following forty-three species of birds: Canada Goose, Eurasian Wigeon, American Widgeon, Horned Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Bufflehead, Green-winged Teal, Greater Scaup, Barrow's Goldeneye, Common Goldeneye, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Pelagic Cormorant, Surf Scoter, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Great Blue Heron, Bald Eagle, Mew Gull, Thayer's Gull, California Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Northern Flicker, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Northern Shrike, Belted Kingfisher, European Starling, Red-winged Blackbird, Bewick's Wren, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Golden-crowned Kinglet, American Robin, Spotted Towhee, House Finch, Song Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Red Crossbill and Pine Siskins. Saturday February 20: A single Tree Swallow was spotted over the Dock Road at Cowichan Bay. Tuesday February 16: The Tuesday Bird Walk went to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. The morning was bright and sunny and the winds over the Strait of Georgia were calm. We heard Red Crossbills singing all morning. A Western Meadowlark was singing when we first arrived at the estuary. We heard a Townsend's Warbler and a Hutton's Vireo and saw a Warbling Vireo. Spring was in the air with the morning filled with song. The Peregrine Falcon was in it's usual perch on a snag. Brant Geese, Surf Scoters and White-winged Scoters were heading up the Strait of Georgia. A large raft of Mew, California, Thayer's and Glaucous-winged Gulls were just off the point. We saw eight Snow Geese, high above us, heading south. A Turkey Vulture, our first sighting of the year, was drifting above us at the end of the walk. Twenty-five birders saw and heard the following fifty-six species of birds: Snow Goose, Canada Goose, Brant, American Wigeon, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Barrow's Goldeneye, Hooded Merganser, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Turkey Vulture, Bald Eagle, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Peregrine Falcon, Killdeer, Dunlin, Mew Gull, California Gull, Thayer's Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Anna's Hummingbird, Belted Kingfisher, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Hutton's Vireo, Warbling Vireo, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Bushtit, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Bewick's Wren, Winter Wren, Golden-crowned Kinglet, American Robin, European Starling, Townsend's Warbler, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Western Meadowlark, House Finch, Red Crossbill and Pine Siskin. 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 March 11, 2010 AT 7:00 pm Nanoose Library, Nanoose Bay ********************************** Arrowsmith Naturalists Monday March 22, 2010 AT 7:30 pm. Guest Speaker-Colin Bartlett 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 February 23, 2010 will be going to Columbia Beach. We meet the Parksville Beach Community Park at the parking area near the Lions playground at 9 A.M. or at the parking area off Admiral Tyron Blvd. at about 9:15 A.M. ***************************************************** The Sunday Bird Walk on February 28, 2010, will be going to the little Qualicum River Estuary. Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 A.M. or at the viewing platform near highway 19A and Garrett 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 Subject: Nanaimo,Vancouver Island, bird alert--February 21, 2010, From: "backyard_store" <backyard_store AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 21 Feb 2010 21:06:49 -0000 Hi birders, The Sunday bird walk went to Nanoose Bay. The morning started sunny and cool but soon became sunny and warm, with calm winds and calm seas. Eight Red Crossbills came down close to low bushes near us. A large raft of Greater Scaup, Common Goldeneye and Bufflehead were on the far side of the bay. A Gadwall and a Eurasian Wigeon were in with a large raft of Northern Pintails and American Widgeon were on the estuary. A California Gull was roosting in with a flock of roosting Mew Gulls, making for a good comparison. Sixteen birders found the following forty-three species of birds: Canada Goose, Eurasian Wigeon, American Widgeon, Horned Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Bufflehead, Green-winged Teal, Greater Scaup, Barrow's Goldeneye, Common Goldeneye, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Pelagic Cormorant, Surf Scoter, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Great Blue Heron, Bald Eagle, Mew Gull, Thayer's Gull, California Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Northern Flicker, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Northern Shrike, Belted Kingfisher, European Starling, Red-winged Blackbird, Bewick's Wren, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Golden-crowned Kinglet, American Robin, Spotted Towhee, House Finch, Song Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Red Crossbill and Pine Siskins. Good birding Neil Robins Nanaimo, British Columbia Subject: Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday Bird Walk, February 16, 2010 From: "canadianrobin2003" <nmrobins AT telus.net> Date: Tue, 16 Feb 2010 21:36:14 -0000 Hi birders, The Tuesday Bird Walk went to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. The morning was bright and sunny and the winds over the Strait of Georgia were calm. We heard Red Crossbills singing all morning. A Western Meadowlark was singing when we first arrived at the estuary. We heard a Townsend's Warbler and a Hutton's Vireo and saw a Warbling Vireo. Spring was in the air with the morning filled with song. The Peregrine Falcon was in it's usual perch on a snag. Brant Geese, Surf Scoters and White-winged Scoters were heading up the Strait of Georgia. A large raft of Mew, California, Thayer's and Glaucous-winged Gulls were just off the point. We saw eight Snow Geese, high above us, heading south . A Turkey Vulture, our first sighting of the year, was drifting above us at the end of the walk. Twenty-five birders was and heard the following fifty-six species of birds: Snow Goose Canada Goose Brant American Wigeon Mallard Northern Pintail Green-winged Teal Surf Scoter White-winged Scoter Bufflehead Common Goldeneye Barrow's Goldeneye Hooded Merganser Common Merganser Red-breasted Merganser Pacific Loon Common Loon Double-crested Cormorant Pelagic Cormorant Great Blue Heron Turkey Vulture Bald Eagle Sharp-shinned Hawk Peregrine Falcon Killdeer Dunlin Mew Gull California Gull Thayer's Gull Glaucous-winged Gull Anna's Hummingbird Belted Kingfisher Downy Woodpecker Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker Hutton's Vireo Warbling Vireo Northwestern Crow Common Raven Chestnut-backed Chickadee Bushtit Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Bewick's Wren Winter Wren Golden-crowned Kinglet American Robin European Starling Townsend's Warbler Spotted Towhee Song Sparrow Golden-crowned Sparrow Western Meadowlark House Finch Red Crossbill Pine Siskin Good birding Neil Robins Parksville British Columbia Subject: Turkey Vultures From: "backyard_store" <backyard_store AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 14 Feb 2010 22:30:57 -0000 Hi birders, We received the following report of Turkey Vultures seen today. We saw a pair of Turkey Vultures over Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo, just before 2pm today - Feb 14th. The first we have spotted this year. Good birdeing! Neil Robins Nanaimo British Columbia Subject: Nanaimo,Vancouver Island, bird alert--February 14, 2010, From: "backyard_store" <backyard_store AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 14 Feb 2010 22:21:11 -0000 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 February 14, 2010: The Sunday bird walk went to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo. The morning started with rain but soon became sunny with calm winds and seas. Spring was in the air. We heard a Hutton's Vireo and Red Crossbills were singing overhead all morning. We watched a male Anna's Hummingbird displaying high up. Black-bellied Plovers, Black Turnstones, Dunlin and Black Oystercatchers were on the rocks near the point. We spotted a Pigeon Guillemot in the bay near the parking lot. Surf Scoters, Pelagic and Doubled-crested Cormorants, Common and Pacific Loons were out further on the Strait of Georgia. Twelve birders found the following forty species of birds: Canada Goose, Bufflehead, Harlequin Duck, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Surf Scoter, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Dunlin, Black Turnstone, Black Oystercatcher, Black-bellied Plover, Pigeon Guillemot, Bald Eagle, Mew Gull, Thayer's Gull, California Gull, Glaucous Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Northern Flicker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Anna's Hummingbird, Northwestern Crow, European Starling, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Winter Wren, Bewick's Wren, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Hutton's Vireo, American Robin, Spotted Towhee, House Finch, Song Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Red Crossbill and Pine Siskins. Friday February 12: A Peregrine Falcon was spotted swooping over Brewer's Blackbirds in the Country Club Mall parking lot. The Falcon made one fast pass and failed to flush any blackbirds who took refuge under cars. The Peregrine Falcon headed towards the forested area near Beban Park. Tuesday February 09: The Tuesday Bird Walk went to Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville. The morning was sunny at times and the winds over the Strait of Georgia were calm. A female Red Crossbill perched at the top of a Fir Tree just off the parking lot giving us great views and a great start to the morning. We watched a Ruby-crowned Kinglet feeding on a low bush near the trail. The Strait of Georgia was alive with seabirds. A large flock of over five hundred Dunlin, five Black Oystercatcher, Mew Gulls, Thayer's Gulls and Glaucous-winged Gulls were on the sandbars just offshore. Eight Brant Geese flew in and eventually landed offshore. Large flocks of Surf Scoters flew low over the water heading down the Strait of Georgia. Rafts of Mallards, Northern Pintail, Surf Scoter, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Barrow's Goldeneye, Common Mergansers, Red-breasted Mergansers, Pacific Loons, Common Loons, Horned Grebes, Red-necked Grebes and a Western Grebe were offshore all morning. We spotted a Pigeon Guillemot near the horizon. Sixteen birders was and heard the following forty-five species of birds: Greater White-fronted Goose, Canada Goose, Brant, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Surf Scoter, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Barrow's Goldeneye, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Horned Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, Western Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Bald Eagle, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Black Oystercatcher, Dunlin, Mew Gull, Thayer's Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Pigeon Guillemot, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Bewick's Wren, Winter Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, American Robin, Varied Thrush, European Starling, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, House Finch, Red Crossbill and Pine Siskin. February 08 A Rufous Hummingbird has been coming to feeders all winter between Walker and Neville in Ladysmith. February 07: Fourteen Common Ravens were spotted, foraging and playing around the head waters of Craig Creek outside Parksville. 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-Guy Monty Monday February 15, 2010 AT 7:30 pm. Springwood School Parksville ********************************** The Nanoose Naturalists Thursday March 11, 2010 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 February 16, 2010 will be going to The Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. We meet the Parksville Beach Community Park at the parking area near the Lions playground at 9 A.M. or at the end of Shelly Road at about 9:15 A.M. ***************************************************** The Sunday Bird Walk on February 21, 2010, will be going to Nanoose Bay. Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 A.M. or behind the Church Camp off Highway 19 and Arlington Road at about 9: 15 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 Subject: Sunday bird walk, Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, February 14, 2010 From: "backyard_store" <backyard_store AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 14 Feb 2010 21:24:46 -0000 Hi birders, The Sunday bird walk went to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo. The morning started with rain but soon became sunny with calm winds and calm seas. We heard a Hutton's Vireo. Red Crossbills were singing overhead all morning. We watched a male Anna's Hummingbird displaying from high up. Black-bellied Plovers, Black Turnstones, Dunlin and Black Oystercatchers were on the rocks near the point. We spotted a Pigeon Guillemot in the bay near the parking lot. Surf Scoters, Pelagic and Doubled-crested Cormorants, Common and Pacific Loons, were out further on the Strait of Georgia. Twelve birders found the following forty species of birds: Canada Goose, Bufflehead, Harlequin Duck, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Surf Scoter, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Dunlin, Black Turnstone, Black Oystercatcher, Black-bellied Plover, Pigeon Guillemot, Bald Eagle, Mew Gull, Thayer's Gull, California Gull, Glaucous Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Northern Flicker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Anna's Hummingbird, Northwestern Crow, European Starling, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Winter Wren, Bewick's Wren, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Hutton's Vireo, American Robin, Spotted Towhee, House Finch, Song Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Red Crossbill and Pine Siskins. Good birding Neil Robins Nanaimo British Columbia Subject: RBA Victoria, BC - February 12, 2010 From: "Ed Pellizzon" <edlps AT telus.net> Date: Fri, 12 Feb 2010 14:09:46 -0800 RBA * British Columbia * Greater Victoria and Southern Vancouver Is. * February 12, 2010 * BCVI100123 - Transcript This is the Victoria Natural History Society's Bird Alert for Friday February 12th noon update. To report sightings of interest, please press the pound key and leave your name, message, and phone number, or wait for the tone at the end of this report. To summon those that can confirm a rare bird, please call Barbara Begg at 250-656-5296 or Rick Schortinghuis at 250-885-2454. There have been very few reports of rare birds lately but i will update on the continuing species being seen around Victoria At Swan Lake an American Bittern, Peregrine Falcon, Northern Harrier and overwintering Yellow-rumped Warblers can be found on a regular basis At Quicks Bottom Virginia Rail can be heard calling In the Martindale/Island View beach area there are Northern Shrike, Brant, Western Meadowlark, Snow Geese and Dusky Geese Around the Maber Flats/Brentwood Bay area in the school and farmers fields there have been Greater White-fronted Geese At Bowker Creek there is still an overwintering Willet And there have been reports of calling Great Horned, Saw-Whet and Western Screech Owl around the capital region and up island To report your sightings of interest, please leave your message after the tone. Subject: Trumpeter Swans From: "canadianrobin2003" <nmrobins AT telus.net> Date: Fri, 12 Feb 2010 18:41:40 -0000 Hi birders, I went golfing on Monday February 08, I went to Arrowsmith Golf Course. There were over 100 Trumpeter Swans on the flooded potato fields behind the golf course. All during the eighteen holes I heard Red Crossbills and at least one White-winged Crossbill singing all of the time. On Wednesday February 10, I saw about twenty-five Trumpeter Swans in the fields behind the Ugly Dwarf st the ESSO Station in nanooose Bay. Good birding Neil Robins Parksville British Columbia Subject: Parksville \ Qualicum Beach Tuesday Bird Walk, February 09, 2010 From: "canadianrobin2003" <nmrobins AT telus.net> Date: Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:13:48 -0000 Hi birders, The Tuesday Bird Walk went to Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville. The morning was sunny at times and the winds over the Strait of Georgia were calm. A female Red Crossbill perched at the top of a Fir Tree just off the parking lot giving us great views and a great start to the morning. We watched a Ruby-crowned Kinglet feeding on a low bush near the trail. The Strait of Georgia was alive with seabirds. A large flock of over five hundred Dunlin, five Black Oystercatcher, Mew Gulls, Thayer's Gulls and Glaucous-winged Gulls were on the sandbars just offshore. Eight Brant Geese flew in and eventually landed offshore. Large flocks of Surf Scoters flew low over the water heading down the Strait of Georgia. Rafts of Mallards, Northern Pintail, Surf Scoter, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Barrow's Goldeneye, Common Mergansers, Red-breasted Mergansers, Pacific Loons, Common Loons, Horned Grebes, Red-necked Grebes and a Western Grebe were offshore all morning. We spotted a Pigeon Guillemot near the horizon. Sixteen birders was and heard the following forty-five species of birds: Greater White-fronted Goose Canada Goose Brant Mallard Northern Pintail Surf Scoter Bufflehead Common Goldeneye Barrow's Goldeneye Common Merganser Red-breasted Merganser Pacific Loon Common Loon Horned Grebe Red-necked Grebe Western Grebe Double-crested Cormorant Pelagic Cormorant Bald Eagle Sharp-shinned Hawk Black Oystercatcher Dunlin Mew Gull Thayer's Gull Glaucous-winged Gull Pigeon Guillemot Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker Northwestern Crow Common Raven Chestnut-backed Chickadee Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Bewick's Wren Winter Wren Ruby-crowned Kinglet American Robin Varied Thrush European Starling Spotted Towhee Song Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco House Finch Red Crossbill Pine Siskin Good birding Neil Robins Parksville British Columbia Subject: Snow goose From: "Jon" <jon.carter AT fsmail.net> Date: Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:56:37 -0000 A juv snow goose was on Westwood Lake, Nanaimo, this afternoon, roosting with a group of Canadas. Jon Carter Cedar Subject: Nanaimo,Vancouver Island, bird alert--February 07, 2010, From: "backyard_store" <backyard_store AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 07 Feb 2010 22:44:14 -0000 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 February 07, 2010: The Sunday bird walk went to the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo. The morning was mostly sunny and calm. Five Western Meadowlarks were singing from a small bush all morning. A Northern Shrike spent the morning on three perches close to us. A White-throated Sparrow and a Fox Sparrow put in a quick appearance near the viewing platform. A female Northern Harrier flew low over the estuary in search of prey. A Merlin and a Peregrine Falcon flew past us very fast. Seventeen birders found the following thirty-seven species of birds: Canada Goose, Trumpeter Swan, American Wigeon, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Bufflehead, Barrow's Goldeneye, Common Goldeneye, Common Merganser, Great Blue Heron, Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Red-tailed Hawk, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Northern Shrike, Glaucous-winged Gull, Northern Flicker, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Steller's Jay, Belted Kingfisher, American Robin, Western Meadowlark, European Starling, Bewick's Wren, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Spotted Towhee, Fox Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Golden-crowned Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Purple Finch, Red-winged Blackbird, House Finch and Pine Siskin. A juvenile Trumpeter Swan was seen swimming in Sunset Bay at Neck Point Park in Nanaimo. Tuesday February 02: The Tuesday, February 2nd Bird Walk went to Deep Bay. The morning was cloudy with fog and misty rain, but the winds were calm and the Strait of Georgia was like glass. The Black Scoters and Long-tailed Ducks were singing and diving just off shore. We spotted a Pigeon Guillemot near Denman Island. A huge raft of Greater Scaup, Harlequin Ducks, Surf Scoters, White-winged Scoters, Black Scoters, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Barrow's Goldeneye, Common Mergansers, Red-breasted Mergansers and Brant Geese were not far from shore. A flock of Brandt's Cormorants, Double-crested Cormorants and Pelagic Cormorants flew over the water, heading toward Denman Island. Fifteen birders saw and heard the following forty-five species of birds. Canada Goose, Brant, Mute Swan, Trumpeter Swan, American Wigeon, Mallard, Greater Scaup, Harlequin Duck, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Black Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Barrow's Goldeneye, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, California Quail, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Horned Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, Brandt's Cormorant, Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Bald Eagle, Black Oystercatcher, Black Turnstone, Dunlin, Mew Gull, Thayer's Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Pigeon Guillemot, Rock Pigeon, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flicker, Northwestern Crow, European Starling, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco and House Finch. Sunday January 31: Two Barred Owls were calling near the lower lake at Colliery Dam Park 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 ********************************** The Nanoose Naturalists Guest Speaker, Carolyn Masson. Her topic is The Status Of The Garry Oak Ecosystems. Thursday February 11, 2010 AT 7:00 pm Nanoose Library, Nanoose Bay ********************************** Arrowsmith Naturalists Guest Speaker Guy Monty Monday February 15, 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 February 09, 2010 will be going to Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville. We meet the Parksville Beach Community Park at the parking area near the Lions playground at 9 A.M. or at the main parking lot in Rathtrevor Provincial Park at about 9:15 A.M. Please note there is a parking fee at the Park. ***************************************************** The Sunday Bird Walk on February 14, 2010, will be going to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo. Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 A.M. or at the parking area in Neck Point off Hammond Bay Road at about 9:20 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 Subject: Sunday bird walk, Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, February 07, 2010 From: "backyard_store" <backyard_store AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 07 Feb 2010 21:49:25 -0000 Hi birders, The Sunday bird walk went to the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo. The morning was mostly sunny but calm. Five Western Meadowlarks were singing from a small bush all morning. A Northern Shrike spent the morning in three perches close to us. A White-throated Sparrow and a Fox Sparrow put in a quick appearance near the viewing platform. A female Northern Harrier flew low over the estuary in search of prey. A Merlin and a Peregrine Falcon flew past us very fast. Seventeen birders found the following thirty-seven species of birds: Canada Goose, Trumpeter Swan, American Wigeon, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Bufflehead, Barrow's Goldeneye, Common Goldeneye, Common Merganser, Great Blue Heron, Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Red-tailed Hawk, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Northern Shrike, Glaucous-winged Gull, Northern Flicker, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Steller's Jay, Belted Kingfisher, American Robin, Western Meadowlark, European Starling, Bewick's Wren, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Spotted Towhee, Fox Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Golden-crowned Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Purple Finch, Red-winged Blackbird, House Finch and Pine Siskin. Good birding Neil Robins Nanaimo British Columbia Subject: No Subject From: "Ed Pellizzon" <edlps AT telus.net> Date: Fri, 5 Feb 2010 09:11:01 -0800 RBA * British Columbia * Greater Victoria and Southern Vancouver Is. * February 3, 2010 * BCVI100123 - Transcript This is the Victoria Natural History Society's Bird Alert for Friday February 5th 9am update. To report sightings of interest, please press the pound key and leave your name, message, and phone number, or wait for the tone at the end of this report. To summon those that can confirm a rare bird, please call Barbara Begg at 250-656-5296 or Rick Schortinghuis at 250-885-2454. Feature Birds: Savannah and Lincolns Sparrow There have been several reports recently of good numbers of Savannahs and Lincolns Sparrows around the greater Victoria area. They are being seen at the corner of Island View Rd and Lochside Drive around the farmers market, and in the brush on the south slope of the hill on the NW side of Panama Flats. Canvasbacks are being seen in good numbers at the north end of Elk Lake Several birds which have been seen throughout the winter are still being seen around Victoria. The RUSTY BLACKBIRD continues at King's Pond on the Cedar Hill Golf Course. This pond is at the junction of Queensbury and Ascot. A report of other possible Rusty Blackbirds in a large flock of RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS have come from the 4100 block of Blenkinsop Road. Birders are asked to check the flocks in the area carefully and report other sightings of this unusual visitor. SNOW GEESE are being seen on the farm fields of the Saanich Peninsula, and occasionally with flocks of Canada Geese on school grounds and other open areas A WILLET continues at the foot of Bowker Ave. To report your sightings of interest, please leave your name, message and phone number after the tone. Subject: Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday Bird Walk, February 02, 2010 From: "canadianrobin2003" <nmrobins AT telus.net> Date: Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:34:36 -0000 Hi birders, The Tuesday, February 2nd Bird Walk went to Deep Bay. The morning was cloudy with fog and misty rain, but the winds were calm and the Strait of Georgia was like glass. The Black Scoters and Long-tailed Ducks were singing and diving just off shore. We spotted a Pigeon Guillemot near Denman Island. A huge raft of Greater Scaup, Harlequin Ducks, Surf Scoters, White-winged Scoters, Black Scoters, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Barrow's Goldeneye, Common Mergansers, Red-breasted Mergansers and Brant Geese were not far from shore. A flock of Brandt's Cormorants, Double-crested Cormorants and Pelagic Cormorants flew over the water, heading toward Denman Island. Long-tailed Duck: Ralph Hocken Photo. Fifteen birders saw and heard the following forty-five species of birds. Canada Goose Brant Mute Swan Trumpeter Swan American Wigeon Mallard Greater Scaup Harlequin Duck Surf Scoter White-winged Scoter Black Scoter Long-tailed Duck Bufflehead Common Goldeneye Barrow's Goldeneye Common Merganser Red-breasted Merganser California Quail Pacific Loon Common Loon Horned Grebe Red-necked Grebe Brandt's Cormorant Double-crested Cormorant Pelagic Cormorant Great Blue Heron Bald Eagle Black Oystercatcher Black Turnstone Dunlin Mew Gull Thayer's Gull Glaucous-winged Gull Pigeon Guillemot Rock Pigeon Belted Kingfisher Northern Flicker Northwestern Crow European Starling Spotted Towhee Song Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow Golden-crowned Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco House Finch Good birding Neil Robins Parksville British Columbia Subject: ANats February meeting date change From: "saninerr" <saninerr AT shaw.ca> Date: Mon, 01 Feb 2010 21:25:08 -0000 Mon. Feb. 15th– General Meeting at Springwood Middle School – 7:30 p.m. (Note the change from usual date.) Speaker: Guy Monty, our local expert birdman will share his knowledge of the Brant Geese, whose annual stopover in the Oceanside area and their migration north has been a fascinating field of study for several years. Just a correction Sandra Gray Errington Subject: Bird Monitoring and Banding & Bird Identification Workshops From: "derekjmatthews" <Derek AT birdvancouver.com> Date: Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:17:17 -0000 Hi Birders and Banders! The spring schedule dates for Bird Identification and Bird Monitoring and Banding Workshops has just been posted on the VARC website - Full details of the course schedules and content can be found online at: http://www.birdvancouver.com/workshops.html * Our Bird Identification Workshop – developed for birders who wish to participate in the BC Breeding Bird Atlas or similar programs or who just want to take their bird knowledge and identification skills to the next level. This course covers groups, topography, field marks, song, habitat, molt, ageing and more and includes a guided field session to a local birding area. Although developed for beginner and intermediate birders the ornithological aspects of the course benefit even the most experienced birders and the workshop is invaluable for birders traveling overseas. * Our Bird Monitoring and Banding Workshop – developed for people with little or no bird banding or bird in the hand experience provides a fantastic opportunity to see birds up close and personal, to learn about their plumage, molt sequences and life habits. Most of all, these workshops are designed to be a fun and interesting experience and a way to take your interest in birds and the environment to the next level. See what people who have attended our workshops have to say: http://www.birdvancouver.com/testimonials.html and why our average rating from course participants is 9.5 out of 10!! Thanks for your interest and if you would like to attend any of our spring courses please click on the workshop link and complete the registration form at the bottom of the page. Happy spring banding and birding! Derek Matthews Master Bander / Bander-in-Charge Vancouver Avian Research Centre www.birdvancouver.com Subject: Nanaimo,Vancouver Island, bird alert--January 31, 2010, From: "backyard_store" <backyard_store AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 31 Jan 2010 22:58:00 -0000 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 January 31, 2010: The Sunday bird walk went to Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo. The morning was cloudy but the winds were calm. We saw a Cooper's Hawk perched in a tall tree overlooking the marsh and another Cooper's Hawk circling above the marsh. There were Cedar Waxwings, American Goldfinch and Pine Siskins feeding on an Alder Tree. We spotted a young, very light coloured Northern Shrike on the Osprey Nest in the middle of the marsh. The Northern Shrike moved to three different perches before a Merlin spotted him and chased him away. We had close views of an male Anna's Hummingbird as he perched on the top of a low bush. A female Anna's Hummingbird joined the male and they both soured to about thirty feet in the air and disappeared. Mating time is here! Fifteen birders found the following forty-two species of birds: Greater White-fronted Geese, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Mallard, Pied-billed Grebe, Ring-necked Duck, Bufflehead, Wood Duck, Hooded Merganser, American Coot, California Quail, Glaucous-winged Gull, Bald Eagle, Cooper's Hawk, Merlin, Rock Pigeon, Anna's Hummingbird, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Shrike, Common Raven, Northwestern Crow, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Bushtit, Bewick's Wren, Marsh Wren, American Robin, Varied Thrush, European Starling, Cedar Waxwing, Red-winged Blackbird, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, House Finch, Pine Siskin, Dark-eyed Junco, American Goldfinch and House Sparrow. Saturday January 30: A White-throated Sparrow, a Lincoln's Sparrow, a Eurasian Wigeon, a Northern Harrier, a Western Meadowlark and a Short-eared Owl were seen at the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo. Thursday January 28: A Northern Saw-whet Owl is calling in the woods near the dairy farm fields in Cowichan Station, just South of Duncan. A pair of Great Horned Owls were seen nesting in a woods in Cowichan Station, south of Duncan. Wednesday January 27: A Trumpeter Swan with a white and gold collar was seen in a field near the TransCanada Highway and Mount Sicker Road. Two Snow Geese and three Cackling Geese were seen in with a flock of over 600 Canada Geese in a field off Cowichian Road south of Duncan. Tuesday January 26: The Tuesday Bird Walk went to the Little Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum Beach. The morning was sunny and warm with calm winds and sea. There were over twenty Black Turnstones on the rocks just off shore at the viewing platform and twelve Black Oystercatchers and one Black-bellied Plover on the gravel bar. A large raft of Black Scoters were singing offshore at the Little Qualicum Estuary near the parking area. Further offshore a huge flock of Pacific Loons along with Common Loons and Gulls were in a raft that stretched from the tip of Texada Island to Chrome Island. During the morning the Pacific and Common Loons flew from one end of the raft to other. We saw over forty Trumpeter Swans on the River. Eight birders saw the following thirty-five species of birds: Canada Goose, Trumpeter Swan, American Wigeon, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Greater Scaup, Harlequin Duck, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Black Scoter, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Horned Grebe, Western Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Bald Eagle, Black-bellied Plover, Black Oystercatcher, Black Turnstone, Mew Gull, California Gull, Western Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flicker, Northwestern Crow, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, European Starling, Dark-eyed Junco and Red-winged Blackbird. An American Kestrel was seen in a backyard near Hallberg and Timberlands Road in Ladysmith. Sunday January 24: A Merlin was seen hunting in a garden in the 5400 block of Altavista Drive 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 ********************************** The Nanoose Naturalists Guest Speaker, Carolyn Masson. Topic is The Status Of The Garry Oak Ecosystems. Thursday February 11, 2010 AT 7:00 pm Nanoose Library, Nanoose Bay ********************************** Arrowsmith Naturalists Monday February 22, 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 February 02, 2010 will be going to the Deep Bay. We meet the Parksville Beach Community Park at the parking area near the Lions playground at 9 A.M. or at the Deep Bay Marina parking lot at about 9:35 A.M. ***************************************************** The Sunday Bird Walk on February 07, 2010, 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 Subject: Sunday bird walk, Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, January 31, 2010 From: "backyard_store" <backyard_store AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 31 Jan 2010 22:26:01 -0000 Hi birders, The Sunday bird walk went to Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo. The morning was cloudy but the winds were calm. We saw a Cooper's Hawk perched in a tall tree overlooking the marsh and another Cooper's Hawk circling above the marsh. There were Cedar Waxwings, American Goldfinch and Pine Siskins feeding on an Alder Tree. We spotted a young, very light coloured Northern Shrike on the Osprey Nest in the middle of the marsh. The Northern Shrike moved to three different perches before a Merlin spotted him and chased him away. We had close views of an male Anna's Hummingbird as he perched on the top of a low bush. A female Anna's Hummingbird joined the male and they both soured to about thirty feet in the air and disappeared. Mating time is here! Fifteen birders found the following forty-two species of birds: Greater White-fronted Geese, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Mallard, Pied-billed Grebe, Ring-necked Duck, Bufflehead, Wood Duck, Hooded Merganser, American Coot, California Quail, Glaucous-winged Gull, Bald Eagle, Cooper's Hawk, Merlin, Rock Pigeon, Anna's Hummingbird, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Shrike, Common Raven, Northwestern Crow, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Bushtit, Bewick's Wren, Marsh Wren, American Robin, Varied Thrush, European Starling, Cedar Waxwing, Red-winged Blackbird, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, House Finch, Pine Siskin, Dark-eyed Junco, American Goldfinch and House Sparrow. Good birding Neil Robins Nanaimo British Columbia Subject: Nanaimo River estuary From: "Jon" <jon.carter AT fsmail.net> Date: Sun, 31 Jan 2010 02:56:03 -0000 Howdy White-throated sparrow, Lincoln's sparrow, Eurasian wigeon, northern harrier and short-eared owl were amongst the highlights from the estuary this morning. Further details and other sightings etc at: http://britbirderinbc.blogspot.com Jon Carter Cedar Subject: Backyard birds From: "canadianrobin2003" <nmrobins AT telus.net> Date: Fri, 29 Jan 2010 19:40:54 -0000 Hi birders, We had a Sharp-shinned Hawk on the fench, checking out the feeders and bushes. The Hawk left after a bit with no prey! In the backyard now we have lots of Pine Siskins, American Goldfinch, Darkeyed Juncos and a Song Sparrow. Neil Robins Meridian Way Parksville British Columbia Subject: Re: I may need some help! From: "canadianrobin2003" <nmrobins AT telus.net> Date: Fri, 29 Jan 2010 19:00:56 -0000 Hi Roy, You can check the Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store Blogsite at www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com for information of birding on central Vancluver Island. You can also check the birdingpal site at www.birdingpal.org for more infomation Good luck! Neil Robins Parksville British Columbia --- In bcbirdingvanisland AT yahoogroups.com, "roy.atkins AT ..." wrote: > > Hello everyone > I am new to this user-group and tried sedning this message yesterday but it doesn't seem to have appeared on the web site - so trying agin - appologies if it appears twice as a result. I am hoping you might be able to help me. My name is Roy Atkins and I work for a UK based wildlife watching holiday called Speyside Wildlife. Later in the year I will be bringing two groups to visit Vancouver Island and basically the person who originally sorted out the itinerary and was going to lead the trip has now left the company!! This means I have been left in the interesting position of bringing two groups to the island when my own last visit was about twenty years ago! > The trips don't happen until September (the first starts at the end of August) so there is plenty of time to sort out what I am doing but I don't know anyone who knows Vancouver Island so am trying to find anyone who might help me with info on the best palces to take people to see birds. > We will be visiting Tofino (incl 2 boat trips there - one for whales and another to search for black bears, Cambell River (including a day out to see Grizzlies) Zeballos (hoping to see Sea Otters if I can find out good watching places) and Port McNeill (including an Orca trip)so if anyone thinks they might be able to help with some birding sites in any of those places I would be really very grateful. > My e-mail address is roy AT ... if that helps at all. > I am really excited about the trip but will look forward to it a lot more when I feel more confident about exactly where I am going! > I will also be very interested to keep an eye on what is around nearer the time of course! > Many thanks in advance > Roy > Subject: I may need some help! From: "roy.atkins AT ymail.com" <roy.atkins@ymail.com> Date: Fri, 29 Jan 2010 10:50:04 -0000 Hello everyone I am new to this user-group and tried sedning this message yesterday but it doesn't seem to have appeared on the web site - so trying agin - appologies if it appears twice as a result. I am hoping you might be able to help me. My name is Roy Atkins and I work for a UK based wildlife watching holiday called Speyside Wildlife. Later in the year I will be bringing two groups to visit Vancouver Island and basically the person who originally sorted out the itinerary and was going to lead the trip has now left the company!! This means I have been left in the interesting position of bringing two groups to the island when my own last visit was about twenty years ago! The trips don't happen until September (the first starts at the end of August) so there is plenty of time to sort out what I am doing but I don't know anyone who knows Vancouver Island so am trying to find anyone who might help me with info on the best palces to take people to see birds. We will be visiting Tofino (incl 2 boat trips there - one for whales and another to search for black bears, Cambell River (including a day out to see Grizzlies) Zeballos (hoping to see Sea Otters if I can find out good watching places) and Port McNeill (including an Orca trip)so if anyone thinks they might be able to help with some birding sites in any of those places I would be really very grateful. My e-mail address is roy AT speysidewildlife.co.uk if that helps at all. I am really excited about the trip but will look forward to it a lot more when I feel more confident about exactly where I am going! I will also be very interested to keep an eye on what is around nearer the time of course! Many thanks in advance Roy Subject: Vancouver Island birding sites From: Brendan Graham <alan2 AT sasktel.net> Date: Thu, 28 Jan 2010 14:19:04 -0600 Hi my name is Brendan Graham and I am a graduate student at the University of Lethbridge. I am currently working on my MSc studying Hairy Woodpeckers. This summer I am going to be on Vancouver Island for around two to three weeks starting in the middle of April and I am contacting you to ask for assistance in finding places to catch Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers, Red-breasted Sapsuckers and Gray Jays. We are going to be banding on the northern part of the Island around Strathcona and as far south as Nanaimo. Last summer through the help of project feederwatch we were able to get names of local birders and people with bird feeders who allowed us to come to their houses and catch birds at their feeders and I am hoping for similar success this year. We use mist-nets to catch the birds and take small blood samples (only a few drops of blood). We had really good experiences with everyone last summer and it was a good opportunity for people to see the local birds up close. I was wondering if members of this group might be able to help me out either with information on where to find the birds...(help with Gray Jays would be greatly appreciated as they can be tricky to catch) or know of people with feeders who would interested in letting us band at their feeders as this is the fastest way to catch woodpeckers....which also pose challenges with regards to catching. Any help would be greatly appreciated and thank you all for your time. Thanks Brendan Lethbridge, AB Subject: Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday Bird Walk, January 26, 2010 From: "canadianrobin2003" <nmrobins AT telus.net> Date: Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:28:32 -0000 Hi birders, The Tuesday Bird Walk went to the Little Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum Beach. The morning was sunny and warm with calm winds and sea. There were over twenty Black Turnstones on the rocks just off shore at the viewing platform and twelve Black Oystercatchers and one Black-bellied Plover on the gravel bar. A large raft of Black Scoters were singing offshore at the Little Qualicum Estuary near the parking area. Further offshore a huge flock of Pacific Loons along with Common Loons and Gulls were in a raft that stretched from the tip of Texada Island to Chrome Island. During the morning the Pacific and Common Loons flew from one end of the raft to other. We saw over forty Trumpeter Swans on the River. Eight birders saw the following thirty-five species of birds: Canada Goose Trumpeter Swan American Wigeon Mallard Northern Pintail Greater Scaup Harlequin Duck Surf Scoter White-winged Scoter Black Scoter Bufflehead Common Goldeneye Common Merganser Red-breasted Merganser Pacific Loon Common Loon Horned Grebe Western Grebe Double-crested Cormorant Great Blue Heron Bald Eagle Black-bellied Plover Black Oystercatcher Black Turnstone Mew Gull California Gull Western Gull Glaucous-winged Gull Belted Kingfisher Northern Flicker Northwestern Crow Chestnut-backed Chickadee European Starling Dark-eyed Junco Red-winged Blackbird Good birding Neil Robins Parksville British Columbia Subject: Re: RARE BIRD ALERT From: "marven007ca" <marven007ca AT yahoo.ca> Date: Tue, 26 Jan 2010 21:03:40 -0000 Hi Birders I do hope that these birds could be photographed or confirmed by other competent birders as they represent a first for Canada if confirmed. I have received a few calls from birders wanting to know if these birds are for real? Let's hope so. One would be a major rareity, seven would be incredible. A proper posted address would help visiting birders find these birds whatever they be. Derrick Marven North Cowichan, BC --- In bcbirdingvanisland AT yahoogroups.com, "backyard_store" wrote: > > Hi birders, > > "Rare bird alert- Tricolored Blackbirds" > > Seven Tricolored Blackbirds were seen at and around a bird feeder in Quathaski Cove on Quadra Island. They flew off to the north-west after about ten minutes at the feeder. The birds were seen by a birder from California who is familiar with this species. > > Good birding > Neil Robins > Nanaimo > British Columbia > Subject: Nanaimo,Vancouver Island, bird alert--January 24, 2010, From: "backyard_store" <backyard_store AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 24 Jan 2010 22:39:08 -0000 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 January 24, 2010: The Sunday bird walk went to Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary. It was a windy, dull morning, but pleasant enough for birding. The highlights included seeing a Merlin perched in a tall Alder Tree at the start of the walk. A Red-tailed Hawk was perched all morning overlooking the estuary. We watched as a Peregrine Falcon flew in and circled to land in it's usual perch. We noticed another Peregrine Falcon circling above the first perching Falcon. Twelve birders found the following thirty-seven species of birds: Canada Goose, Brant, American Wigeon, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Gadwall, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Surf Scoter, Hooded Merganser, Common Merganser, Common Loon, Pacific Loon, Pelagic Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Mew Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Northern Flicker, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Bewick's Wren, Winter Wren, Golden-crowned Kinglet, American Robin, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Purple Finch, Red Crossbill, House Finch and Pine Siskin. Saturday January 23: "Rare bird alert- Tricolored Blackbirds" Seven Tricolored Blackbirds were seen by a well experienced birder at and around a bird feeder in Quathaski Cove on Quadra Island. Friday January 22: A Varied Thrush was seen in a backyard in the 2500 block of Glenayr Drive in Nanaimo. Thursday January 21: A Merlin was spotted in the 2500 block of Glenayr Drive in Nanaimo. Wednesday January 20: A Cooper's Hawk was seen in the 2500 block of Glenayr Drive in Nanaimo. Tuesday January 19: The Tuesday Bird Walk went to Columbia Beach. The morning was cloudy with a stiff wind off the Strait of Georgia, but the rain held off until near the end of the morning. Among the highlights were the sighting of six Common Murres and several flocks of Pacific Loons heading down the Strait of Georgia. We saw a flock of Dunlin and Black Turnstones and one Greater Yellowlegs along French Creek . Eight birders saw and heard the following forty-one species of birds: Canada Goose, American Wigeon, Mallard, Greater Scaup, Harlequin Duck, Surf Scoter, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Hooded Merganser , Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Bald Eagle, Black Oystercatcher, Greater Yellowlegs, Black Turnstone, Dunlin, Mew Gull, Thayer's Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Common Murre, Rock Pigeon, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flicker, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, American Robin, Varied Thrush, European Starling, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Red-winged Blackbird, Purple Finch, House Finch, Pine Siskin and House Sparrow. Sunday January 17: The Sunday bird walk went to El Charco del Ingenio, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. The day started chilly but sunny. sweater weather, but by noon it was very warm, shirt sleeve weather. I saw various wonderous birds. One birder found the following forty seven species of birds: Cactus wren, Curved Bill Thrasher, Brown Towhee, Scott's Oriole, Clay Coloured Sparrow, Broad Billed Hummingbird, Inca Dove, Cassins Kingbird. Caracaras (many), Great Kiskadee, Long Tailed Gracle, House Sparrow, Vermillion Flycatcher (very common), Turkey Vulture, Cattle egret, Snowy Egret, Great Egret, Rock Pigeon, Raven, Loggerhead Shrike, Ruby Crowned Kinglet, Lesser Gold Finch, Killdeer, House Finch, Ruddy Duck, Green Winged Teal, Gadwall, Northern Shoveller, Mexican Duck, Ring Necked Duck, American Widgeon, Lesser Scaup, White Faced Ibis, Black Necked Stilt, American Avocet, Spotted Sandpiper, American Coot, Black Phoebe, Say's Phoebe, Chipping Sparrow, Lark Sparrow, White Collared Seed Eater, Yellow Rumped Warbler, Western Sandpiper, Long Billed Dowitcher, American Kestrel, and White Tipped Dove. Happy Birding! John Coulson 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 Monday January 25, 2010 AT 7:30 pm. Springwood School Parksville ********************************** The Nanoose Naturalists Thursday February 11, 2010 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 January 26, 2010 will be going to the Little Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum Beach. We meet the Parksville Beach Community Park at the parking area near the Lions playground at 9 A.M. or at the Viewing Platform at Highway 19A and Garrett Road in Qualicum Beach at about 9:20 A.M. ***************************************************** The Sunday Bird Walk on January 31, 2010, will be going to Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo. Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 A.M. or at the parking lot at Buttertubs (Bowen Road entrance) at 9:20 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 Subject: Sunday bird walk, Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, January 24, 2010 From: "backyard_store" <backyard_store AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 24 Jan 2010 21:50:31 -0000 Hi birders, The Sunday bird walk went to Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary. It was a windy, dull morning, but pleasant enough for birding. The highlights included seeing a Merlin perched in a tall Alder Tree at the start of the walk. A Red-tailed Hawk was perched all morning overlooking the estuary. We watched as a Peregrine Falcon flew in and circled to land in it's usual perch. We noticed another Peregrine Falcon circling above the first perching Falcon. Twelve birders found the following forty species of birds: Canada Goose, Brant, American Wigeon, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Gadwall, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Surf Scoter, Hooded Merganser, Common Merganser, Common Loon, Pacific Loon, Pelagic Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Mew Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Northern Flicker, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Bewick's Wren, Winter Wren, Golden-crowned Kinglet, American Robin, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Purple Finch, Red Crossbill, House Finch and Pine Siskin. Good birding Neil Robins Nanaimo British Columbia Subject: RARE BIRD ALERT From: "backyard_store" <backyard_store AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 24 Jan 2010 21:17:04 -0000 Hi birders, "Rare bird alert- Tricolored Blackbirds" Seven Tricolored Blackbirds were seen at and around a bird feeder in Quathaski Cove on Quadra Island. They flew off to the north-west after about ten minutes at the feeder. The birds were seen by a birder from California who is familiar with this species. Good birding Neil Robins Nanaimo British Columbia Subject: RBA Victoria, BC - January 23, 2010 From: "Ann Nightingale" <motmot AT shaw.ca> Date: Sat, 23 Jan 2010 12:30:15 -0800 RBA * British Columbia * Greater Victoria and Southern Vancouver Is. * January 23, 2010 * BCVI100123 - Transcript The Victoria Natural History Society's Rare Bird Alert phone number has been changed. The new number is 250-704-2555. This is the Victoria Natural History Society's Bird Alert for Saturday, January 23, 11 am update To report sightings of interest, please press the pound key and leave your name, message and phone number, or wait for the tone at the end of this report. To summon those that can confirm a rare bird, please call Barbara Begg at 250-656-5296 or myself Rick Schortinghuis at 250-885-2454. Several birds which have been seen throughout the winter are still being seen around Victoria. The RUSTY BLACKBIRD continues at King's Pond on the Cedar Hill Golf Course. This pond is at the junction of Queensbury and Ascot. A report of other possible Rusty Blackbirds in a large flock of RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS have come from the 4100 block of Blenkinsop Road. Birders are asked to check the flocks in the area carefully and report other sightings of this unusual visitor. SNOW GEESE are being seen on the farm fields of the Saanich Peninsula, and occasionally with flocks of Canada Geese on school grounds and other open areas A WILLET continues at the foot of Bowker Ave. Friday, Jan 22 A TOWNSEND'S WARBLER was seen in the Douglas-firs at the parking lots at Aylard Farm in East Sooke Park. Wednesday, Jan 20 A NORTHERN SHRIKE, 4 WESTERN MEADOWLARKS, and a PEREGRINE FALCON were on Saanichton Spit. Also there were a variety of shorebirds. Tuesday, Jan 19 A PEREGRINE FALCON and a NORTHERN SHRIKE were seen at Swan Lake in Saanich. Sunday, Jan 17 10 BAND-TAILED PIGEONS flew over the Beaver Lake area. This is a species that was once common in the Victoria area, but whose numbers have decreased dramatically. Saturday, January 16 35 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were on the Journey Middle School grounds in Sooke. Subject: RBA Victoria, BC - January 21, 2010 From: "Ann Nightingale" <motmot AT shaw.ca> Date: Sat, 23 Jan 2010 12:29:30 -0800 RBA * British Columbia * Greater Victoria and Southern Vancouver Is. * January 21, 2010 * BCVI100121 - Transcript The Victoria Natural History Society's Rare Bird Alert phone number has been changed. The new number is 250-704-2555. This is the Victoria Natural History Society's Bird Alert for Saturday, January 23, 11 am update To report sightings of interest, please press the pound key and leave your name, message and phone number, or wait for the tone at the end of this report. To summon those that can confirm a rare bird, please call Barbara Begg at 250-656-5296 or myself Rick Schortinghuis at 250-885-2454. Several birds which have been seen throughout the winter are still being seen around Victoria. The RUSTY BLACKBIRD continues at King's Pond on the Cedar Hill Golf Course. This pond is at the junction of Queensbury and Ascot. A report of other possible Rusty Blackbirds in a large flock of RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS have come from the 4100 block of Blenkinsop Road. Birders are asked to check the flocks in the area carefully and report other sightings of this unusual visitor. SNOW GEESE are being seen on the farm fields of the Saanich Peninsula, and occasionally with flocks of Canada Geese on school grounds and other open areas A WILLET continues at the foot of Bowker Ave. Friday, Jan 22 A TOWNSEND'S WARBLER was seen in the Douglas-firs at the parking lots at Aylard Farm in East Sooke Park. Wednesday, Jan 20 A NORTHERN SHRIKE, 4 WESTERN MEADOWLARKS, and a PEREGRINE FALCON were on Saanichton Spit. Also there were a variety of shorebirds. Tuesday, Jan 19 A PEREGRINE FALCON and a NORTHERN SHRIKE were seen at Swan Lake in Saanich. Sunday, Jan 17 10 BAND-TAILED PIGEONS flew over the Beaver Lake area. This is a species that was once common in the Victoria area, but whose numbers have decreased dramatically. Saturday, January 16 35 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were on the Journey Middle School grounds in Sooke. Subject: Northern Shrike at Woodhus Slough From: "Dave" <jdavidingram AT gmail.com> Date: Fri, 22 Jan 2010 07:32:21 -0000 Nice look at a Northern Shrike at Woodhus Slough (access from Salmon Point Pub just north of the Oyster River on the old Island Highway). Fields and slough are flooded, ocean water flowed over the dyke during the last big storm (but didn't breach it) so the slough is very full. Lots of ducks on the water (mainly American Wigeon, Mallard, and some Pintail, at least one Eurasian Wigeon in the group) and about a dozen Trumpeter Swans. Cheers, Dave Ingram Courtenay, BC Subject: Brant at Oyster River From: "Dave" <jdavidingram AT gmail.com> Date: Wed, 20 Jan 2010 18:33:24 -0000 Hello all, 5 Brant at the mouth of the Oyster River on Monday, January 18. Cheers, Dave Ingram Courtenay, BC Subject: Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday Bird Walk, January 19, 2010 From: "canadianrobin2003" <nmrobins AT telus.net> Date: Wed, 20 Jan 2010 17:40:09 -0000 Hi birders, The Tuesday Bird Walk went to Columbia Beach. The morning was cloudy with a stiff wind off the Strait of Georgia, but the rain held off until near the end of the morning. Among the highlights were the sighting of six Common Murres and several flocks of Pacific Loons heading down the Strait of Georgia. We saw a flock of Dunlin and Black Turnstones and one Greater Yellowlegs along French Creek . Eight birders saw and heard the following forty-one species of birds: Canada Goose American Wigeon Mallard Greater Scaup Harlequin Duck Surf Scoter Bufflehead Common Goldeneye Hooded Merganser Common Merganser Red-breasted Merganser Pacific Loon Common Loon Double-crested Cormorant Pelagic Cormorant Bald Eagle Black Oystercatcher Greater Yellowlegs Black Turnstone Dunlin Mew Gull Thayer's Gull Glaucous-winged Gull Common Murre Rock Dove Belted Kingfisher Northern Flicker Northwestern Crow Common Raven Chestnut-backed Chickadee American Robin Varied Thrush European Starling Spotted Towhee Song Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco Red-winged Blackbird Purple Finch House Finch Pine Siskin House Sparrow Neil Robins Parksville British Columbia Subject: Avian Monitoring and Bird Banding Workshop in Victoria Mar 19-21 From: "Ann Nightingale" <motmot AT shaw.ca> Date: Tue, 19 Jan 2010 08:21:47 -0000 Hi everyone, Rocky Point Bird Observatory is offering a bird monitoring and banding workshop at Royal Roads University in Victoria, BC, on March 19-21, 2010. The 3-day workshop will focus on bird identification, monitoring procedures and techniques, sexing and ageing. Components this year will include owl monitoring and banding demo and an optional session on study skin preparation. The program has been developed for people with little or no bird handling and/or banding experience, but those with intermediate skills will also find the workshop a good way to build knowledge. This is an excellent opportunity for undergraduates, graduate students, bird observatory volunteers and naturalists to explore aspects of the operation of an avian monitoring project, including bird safety, mistnetting, data collection, bird banding, identification, sexing and ageing. This is an introductory course and participants should not expect to emerge from this short workshop as qualified banders. Much of the work will be with frozen and dried bird specimens although there will be some opportunities to work with live birds to learn safe bird handling and basic banding techniques. Skills practiced in this workshop will be beneficial for a variety of projects including productivity, survivorship and migration monitoring field work. For more information and registration, please visit http://rpbo.org/rpboworkshop10.htm Ann Nightingale Rocky Point Bird Observatory Victoria, BC Subject: The Sunday bird walk went to El Charco del Ingenio, San Miguel de Allende, From: "canadianrobin2003" <nmrobins AT telus.net> Date: Mon, 18 Jan 2010 22:38:44 -0000 Hi birders, John Coulson sent along the following results of a Sunday bird walk... Good birding Neil Robins Parksville British Columbia Hello Nanaimo Birders > Sunday January 17, 2010: > The Sunday bird walk went to El Charco del Ingenio, San Miguel de Allende, > Mexico. The day started chill but sunny. Sweater weather, but by noon it > was very warm, shirt sleave weather. I saw various wonderous birds. > One birder found the following forty seven species of birds: > Cactus wren, Curved Bill Thrasher, Brown Towhee, Scott's Oriole, Clay > Coloured Sparrow, Broad Billed Hummingbird, Inca Dove, Cassins Kingbird. > Caracaras (many), Great Kiskadee, Long Tailed Gracle, House Sparrow, > Vermillion Flycatcher (very common), Turkey Vulture, Cattle egret, Snowy > egret, Great Egret, Rock Dove, Raven, Loggerhead Shrike, Ruby Crowned > Kinglet, Lesser Gold Finch, Kildeer, House Finch, Ruddy Duck, Green Winged > Teal, Gadwell, Northern Shoveller, Mexican Duck, Ring Necked Duck, American > Widgen, Lesser Scaup, White Faced Ibis, Black Necked Stilt, American > Avocet, Spotted Sandpiper, American Coot, Black Phoebe, Say's Phoebe, > Chipping Sparrow, Lark Sparrow, White Collarded Seed Eater, Yellow Rumped > Warbler, Western Sandpiper, Long Billed Dowitcher, American Kestrel, and > White Tipped Dove. > Happy Birding > John Coulson Subject: Nanaimo,Vancouver Island, bird alert--January 17, 2010, From: "backyard_store" <backyard_store AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 17 Jan 2010 23:28:21 -0000 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 January 17, 2010: The Sunday bird walk went to Nanoose Bay. The morning was very windy and the Strait of Georgia was very rough. We saw seven Bald Eagles and a Red-tailed Hawk was perched on the tall perching snag. A large flock of handsome Northern Pintails were seen in the tall grasses on the estuary. A small flock of Mew Gulls gathered on the estuary. Eight birders found the following twenty-eight species of birds: Common Loon, Great Blue Heron, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Horned Grebe, American Wigeon, Red-breasted Mergansers, Common Merganser, Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, Merlin, Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Mew Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Northern Flicker, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, European Starling, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, and Dark-eyed Junco. Saturday January 16: A Northern Goshawk was spotted flying across the Englishman River in Parksville. A Northern Harrier was seen flying low over the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. A male Anna's Hummingbird was seen in courtship behavior over a little marsh behind Longwood Station in north Nanaimo. He would climb to about 35 feet in altitude, pause, then dive and give a loud 'ping' call as he ended the descent. He then rose to about 15 feet and hovered while calling three repeats of the typical 'zinc-zinc' call. He repeated this about a half dozen times. A White-throated Sparrow, five Golden-crowned, a Northern Harrier, a Short-eared Owl and a Sharp-shinned Hawk were seen at the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo. Over seventy Dark-eyed Juncos, several pairs of Anna's Hummingbirds (the females are gathering nesting material in the area) and a Varied Thrush are visiting feeders along Hammond Bay Road in Nanaimo. A flock of about 40 Trumpeter Swans flew east along the Millstone River, over Buttertubs Marsh, and disappeared, going towards Gabriola Island. Friday January 15: A Rufous Hummingbird was spotted in the 600 block of Beaconsfield Road in Nanaimo. Thursday January 14: Three American Tree Sparrows were seen along the hedgerow to the right of the Oak tree at the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo. Wednesday January 13: A large flock of Pine Siskins and eighteen House and Purple Finch were seen in a back yard along Dawkins Lane in Nanaimo. Tuesday January 12: The Tuesday Bird Walk went to the Shelley Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. The 12º morning was partly cloudy with calm winds--a great morning to be birding. The highlights of the morning included seeing a Peregrine Falcon looking down at us from a high perch on a snag as he preened himself. As we watched, he was joined by another Peregrine Falcon on a nearby snag. We spotted four mature Bald Eagles along the Estuary. A Sharp-shinned Hawk flew to a perch high up in a Fir Tree. A Red-tailed Hawk was perched on a snag overlooking the Estuary. A small flock of Golden-crowned Kinglets and Ruby-crowned Kinglets gave us spectacular views as they gleaned insects from some low small shrubs about four feet from us. A Merlin made a quick appearance, while we doing the tally at the end of the walk, making the total predators of the morning five. Eleven birders saw and heard the following forty-three species of birds: Canada Goose, Trumpeter Swan, American Wigeon, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Greater Scaup, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Hooded Merganser, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Pacific Loon, Pelagic Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Bald Eagle, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Black Turnstone, Mew Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Belted Kingfisher, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven , Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Bushtit, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Bewick's Wren, Winter Wren, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, American Robin, Cedar Waxwing, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Purple Finch, Red Crossbill and Pine Siskin. Sunday January 10: A Cooper's Hawk and a Downy Woodpecker were seen at Buttertub's Marsh 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 ********************************** The Nanoose Naturalists Thursday January 14, 2010 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 January 19, 2010 will be going to the Columbia Beach. We meet the Parksville Beach Community Park at the parking area near the Lions playground at 9 A.M. or at the parking area off Admiral Tyron Bld. at about 9:15 A.M. ***************************************************** The Sunday Bird Walk on January 24, 2010, will be going to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville. Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 A.M. or at the end of Shelly Road in Parksville 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 Subject: White-throated sparrow From: "Jon" <jon.carter AT fsmail.net> Date: Sat, 16 Jan 2010 21:25:55 -0000 White-throated sparrow again present at Nanaimo River Estuary this morning. Also northern harrier and short-eared owl. Further details and sightings at: http://britbirderinbc.blogspot.com Jon Carter Cedar Subject: Re: Nanaimo River sparrows From: "empidonax307" <mnc.stephens AT shaw.ca> Date: Fri, 15 Jan 2010 00:24:38 -0000 Having seen this report of American Tree Sparrows at the Nanaimo River Estuary, I went to look for them this afternoon. I was delighted to find 3 of them along the hedgerow that starts on the right of the Yellow gate at the end of Raines Road. I found the sparrows a little ways down, near where the hedgerow intersects with a short hedgerow at right angles bridging it with the next hedgerow. The birds were rather shy, but I was able to get good closup veiws of them, noting the overall tan color, "scalloped" feathers on the back and wings, well defined dark central breast spot, rufous crown, and white wingbar. One of the birds raised it's crown feathers, creating a crested look that was quite comical. The birds vocalized with a "tsip" sort of call. This is the first time I have seen a Tree Sparrow, a bird I have been wanting to see for some time now. Christopher Stephens, Parksville, BC --- In bcbirdingvanisland AT yahoogroups.com, "Jon" wrote: > > 2 American tree sparrows with the big junco flock in the long hedgerow this morning. No sign of yesterday's white-throated by 12.30pm. > > Jon Carter > Cedar > Subject: Island Nature - request for birding articles and photographs From: "Dave" <jdavidingram AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 14 Jan 2010 05:19:29 -0000 Hello folks, Just a quick note to let you know about a project I'm working on. I'm in the process of starting up an on-line nature magazine focusing on nature activities on Vancouver Island and am looking for contributors who are interested in submitting both articles and/or images. The purpose of the web site is to provide people interested in nature (either locals or visitors) with a resource that would help them learn about nature on Vancouver Island and inform them about where and when to see it. The web site has four categories that all fit with bird watching related activities: Birding (i.e. anything about birdwatching - equipment reviews, where to find them, trip reports, etc.) Nature Notes (i.e. bird species profiles, habitat related articles, etc.); Photography (i.e. challenges of photographing birds, a bird photostory, etc); Explore Nature (i.e. where to go to see birds and what can be seen there). Note that the articles don't have to be about birding but since this is a birding forum... The web site is located at http://IslandNature.ca - right now there is a holding page at this address while I'm working on the layout and look of the web site and organizing contributors. If you're interested in contributing an article or images to this project I'd be happy to link back to your website and give you credit for your work. Contact me directly at jdavidingram AT gmail.com for more information. Thanks, Dave Ingram Subject: Re: Cooper's Hawk From: "canadianrobin2003" <nmrobins AT telus.net> Date: Thu, 14 Jan 2010 01:00:44 -0000 Hi birders, Graham, we had a Cooper's Hawk in our backyard earlier today, it was feeding on a California Quail. We now have lost of feathers and bones to clean up..ah the joys of nature. We live in the 100 block of Meridian Way in Parksville. Good birding Neil Robins Parksville British Columbia --- In bcbirdingvanisland AT yahoogroups.com, "Graham" wrote: > > Hi Birder's > > Had a dry visit to Buttertubs Marsh yesterday and observed > ring necked ducks > hooded merganser > mallard > canada goose > song sparrow > white-crowned sparrow > golden-crowned sparrow > dark eyed junco > american robin > varied thrush > cedar waxwing > bewicks wren > chestnut-backed chickadee > red-winged blackbird > nothing unusual for the area but I did enjoy watching a cooper's hawk on the dyke side chasing a group of flickers for several minutes with no success. > > Cheers, > Graham Ford > Subject: Cooper's Hawk From: "Graham" <f.firstnamegraham AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 13 Jan 2010 20:46:37 -0000 Hi Birder's Had a dry visit to Buttertubs Marsh yesterday and observed ring necked ducks hooded merganser mallard canada goose song sparrow white-crowned sparrow golden-crowned sparrow dark eyed junco american robin varied thrush cedar waxwing bewicks wren chestnut-backed chickadee red-winged blackbird nothing unusual for the area but I did enjoy watching a cooper's hawk on the dyke side chasing a group of flickers for several minutes with no success. Cheers, Graham Ford Subject: Lil Q estuary birds From: "saninerr" <saninerr AT shaw.ca> Date: Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:59:02 -0000 Just back from the Little Qualicum River estuary ... a quick couple of hours with partly blue skies, calm seas & a high tide, just low enough to make it around the rocks but no sandflats showing. 60+ Trumpeters; 18 GBHerons; one gregarious mixed scoter flock staying quite close to shore ~10 Surf, 160 White wing, 120 Black; one very noisy Black Turnstone; one Killdeer calling; a few Canadas; ~150 Mallard scattered in the grassy upstream areas; a few Bufflehead, goldeneye, Commom Mergs; very few gulls; deep water had some active Pacific Loon flocks, scattered COLO & a one small group of Common Murres diving/feeding with ~15 Mews; 8 sea lions lolling about in shallow water with flippers up; 5 eagle pairs perched near their nest trees were visible (only if you know where to look!) Quiet overall but always a beautiful site. The Trumpeters were moving around in small groups from the mouth of the river to a few points upstream that were not clearly visible from the foreshore. When we left a quick stop at the LQriver bridge to look downstream revealed a thick concentration of Trumpeters. The eroding bank upstream of the bridge was interesting to see also ... some new rock and fill has been added recently. On the way home a surprise view in the fields south of and visible from the Ring Rd/Rupert/Laburnum route there was a very large flock of Canadas, a solid 500+ spread about the one field just west of Granden Creek. cheers Sandra Gray Errington Subject: Parksville/Qualicum Beach, Tuesday Bird Walk, January 12, 2010 From: "canadianrobin2003" <nmrobins AT telus.net> Date: Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:28:01 -0000 Hi birders, The Tuesday Bird Walk went to the Shelley Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. The 12º morning was partly cloudy with calm winds--a great morning to be birding. The highlights of the morning included seeing a Peregrine Falcon looking down at us from a high perch on a snag as he preened himself. As we watched, he was joined by another Peregrine Falcon on a nearby snag. We spotted four mature Bald Eagles along the Estuary. A Sharp-shinned Hawk flew to a perch high up in a Fir Tree. A Red-tailed Hawk was perched on a snag overlooking the Estuary. A small flock of Golden-crowned Kinglets and Ruby-crowned Kinglets gave us spectacular views as they gleaned insects from some low small shrubs about four feet from us. A Merlin made a quick appearance, while we doing the tally at the end of the walk, making the total predators of the morning five! Eleven birders saw and heard the following forty-three species of birds: Canada Goose Trumpeter Swan American Wigeon Mallard Northern Pintail Greater Scaup Bufflehead Common Goldeneye Hooded Merganser Common Merganser Red-breasted Merganser Pacific Loon Pelagic Cormorant Great Blue Heron Bald Eagle Sharp-shinned Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Merlin Peregrine Falcon Black Turnstone Mew Gull Glaucous-winged Gull Belted Kingfisher Downy Woodpecker Northern Flicker Northwestern Crow Common Raven Chestnut-backed Chickadee Bushtit Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Bewick's Wren Winter Wren Golden-crowned Kinglet Ruby-crowned Kinglet American Robin Cedar Waxwing Spotted Towhee Song Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco Purple Finch Red Crossbill Pine Siskin Good birding Neil Robins Parksville British Columbia Subject: New Victoria RBA phone number - 250-704-2555 From: "Ann Nightingale" <motmot AT shaw.ca> Date: Mon, 11 Jan 2010 09:11:44 -0000 Hi Everyone, VNHS has transferred the RBA to a new voicemail system. The new number is 250-704-2555. As of February 1, the old number will be a thing of the past. Update your speed dial numbers and address books! Ann Nightingale Victoria, BC Subject: RBA Victoria, BC - January 10, 2010 From: "Ann Nightingale" <motmot AT shaw.ca> Date: Mon, 11 Jan 2010 01:04:57 -0800 RBA * British Columbia * Greater Victoria and Southern Vancouver Is. * January 10, 2010 * BCVI100110 - Transcript This is the Victoria Natural History Society's Bird Alert for Sunday, January 10, 11 pm update. To report sightings of interest, please press the pound key and leave your name, message and phone number, or wait for the tone at the end of this report. To summon those that can confirm a rare bird, please call Barbara Begg at 250-656-5296 or Rick Schortinghuis at 250-885-2454. The old VNHS RBA line will be discontinued on February 1. The new number, 250-704-2555, is active now. Feature Birds: ROCK SANDPIPER RUSTY BLACKBIRD BRANT Sunday, January 10 SNOW GEESE were seen on the Cedar Hill Golf course and at Martindale Flats on Sunday. 14 WESTERN MEADOWLARKS were also at Martindale. The RUSTY BLACKBIRD continues with BREWER'S BLACKBIRDS at King's Pond on the Cedar Hill Golf Course. Saturday, January 9 Three ROCK SANDPIPERS were at Cattle Point in Oak Bay. TRUMPETER SWANS, SNOW GEESE, MOURNING DOVES were among birds found at Martindale Flats on Saturday. Friday, January 8 12 EURASIAN COLLARED DOVES were on wires above Deerlepe Rd on Whiffen Spit in Sooke. Wednesday, Jan 6 A SNOW GOOSE and a NORTHERN HARRIER were at Martindale Flats. Tuesday, Jan 5 The WILLET continues at the foot of Bowker Ave. Monday, Jan 4 A WHITE-THROATED SPARROW was seen at Swan Lake. Sunday, Jan 3 12 BRANT flew past the Ogden Point Breakwater today. Also at the breakwater were 9 SANDERLING. A WHITE-THROATED SPARROW was at Bow Park. Subject: Nanaimo,Vancouver Island, bird alert--January 10, 2010, From: "backyard_store" <backyard_store AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 10 Jan 2010 22:33:35 -0000 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 January 10, 2010: The Sunday Bird Walk went to Neck Point in Nanaimo. The wind was strong at the first of the morning but calmed considerably as the morning progressed. The highlights of the walk included seeing an male Anna's Hummingbird perched in a tree not far from us. Several flocks of Pacific Loons were spotted heading down the Strait of Georgia. A Fox Sparrow caught our attention as it sang from a perch on the low shrubs. A large flock of Ruby-crowned Kinglets and Golden-crowned Kinglets were feeding on shrubs close to the ground. A large flock of Pine Siskins were feeding in the Alder Trees near the parking lot. Nineteen birders found the following forty species of birds: Canada Geese, Mallard, Bufflehead, Harlequin Duck, Common Goldeneye, Barrow's Goldeneye, Red-breasted Mergansers, Common Merganser, Bald Eagle, Black Oystercatcher, Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Brandt's Cormorant, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Mew Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, California Quail, Anna's Hummingbird, Northern Flicker, Downy Woodpecker, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Brown Creeper, Bushtits, Winter Wren, Bewick's Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Varied Thrush, American Robin, European Starling, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, House Finch, Pine Siskin and Red Crossbill. Two American Tree Sparrows were seen in with a large flock of Dark-eyed Juncos along the long Hedgerow at the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo. Saturday January 09: A White-throated Sparrow was spotted in with over a dozen Golden-crowned Sparrows in the area between the large Oak Tree and the River at the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo. A Northern Pygmy Owl was heard calling near a backyard in the 2100 block of Lancashire Avenue in Nanaimo. Friday January 08: A Northern Saw-Whet Owl was seen perched in a tree in a yard on Riverbend Road along the Nanaimo River in Cassidy. Thursday January 07: Two pair of Red-breasted Mergansers were doing courtship displays on Sunset Beach and two immature Bald Eagles, a Pileated Woodpecker, two Harlequin Ducks, two Common Goldeneye, two Pacific Loons and a Winter Wren were all seen at Neck Point Park in Nanaimo. A Great Horned Owl was seen in the 3400 block of Stevenson Point Road in Nanaimo. Tuesday January 05: The Tuesday Bird Walk went to Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville. The morning was cloudy with fog over the water. The highlights included being greeted at the start of the walk by a large number of Bushtits, Dark-eyed Juncos and Golden-crowned Sparrows moving through the small bushes near the parking lot. Two Western Grebes, a very large raft of Surf Scoters and over two hundred Common Murres were observed offshore. Several small flocks of Pacific Loons were seen heading down the Strait of Georgia. There were several Seals and Sea-lions resting not far from the shoreline Fourteen Birders saw and heard the following thirty-seven species of birds. Mallard, Harlequin Duck, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Barrow's Goldeneye, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Horned Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, Western Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Bald Eagle, Black-bellied Plover, Black Oystercatcher, Black Turnstone, Dunlin, Mew Gull, Thayer's Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Common Murre, Northern Flicker, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Bushtit, Red-breasted Nuthatch, American Robin, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco and Red Crossbill. A Merlin was seen visiting a backyard in the 2500 block of Glenayr Drive in Nanaimo. A Townsend's Warbler was seen visiting a suet feeder in a backyard in the 6200 block of Rose Place in Nanaimo. Tuesday December 29, 2009: A Pine Grosbeak was seen visiting feeders along Scarsdale Road 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 ********************************** The Nanoose Naturalists Thursday January 14, 2010 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 January 12, 2010 will be going to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. We meet the Parksville Beach Community Park at the parking area near the Lions playground at 9 A.M. or at the end of Shelly Road at about 9:10 A.M. ***************************************************** The Sunday Bird Walk on January 17, 2010 will be going to Nanoose Bay. Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 A.M. or at the parking lot at behind the Church Camp off Highway 19 and Arlington Road at about 9:20 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 Subject: Sunday bird walk, Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, January 10, 2010 From: "backyard_store" <backyard_store AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 10 Jan 2010 21:54:38 -0000 Hi birders, The Sunday Bird Walk went to Neck Point in Nanaimo. The wind was strong at the first of the morning but calmed considerably as the morning progressed. The highlights of the walk included seeing an male Anna's Hummingbird perched in a tree not far from us. Several flocks of Pacific Loons were spotted heading down the Strait of Georgia. A Fox Sparrow caught our attention as it sang from a perch on the low shrubs. A large flock of Ruby-crowned Kinglets and Golden-crowned Kinglets were feeding on shrubs close to the ground. A large flock of Pine Siskins were feeding in the Alder Trees near the parking lot. Nineteen birders found the following forty species of birds: Canada Geese, Mallard, Bufflehead, Harlequin Duck, Common Goldeneye, Barrow's Goldeneye, Red-breasted Mergansers, Common Merganser, Bald Eagle, Black Oystercatcher, Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Brandt's Cormorant, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Mew Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, California Quail, Anna's Hummingbird, Northern Flicker, Downy Woodpecker, Northerwestern Crow, Common Raven, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Brown Creeper, Bushtits, Winter Wren, Bewick's Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Varied Thrush, American Robin, European Starling, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, House Finch, Pine Siskin and Red Crossbill. Good birding! Neil Robins Nanaimo British Columbia Subject: Nanaimo River sparrows From: "Jon" <jon.carter AT fsmail.net> Date: Sun, 10 Jan 2010 20:53:44 -0000 2 American tree sparrows with the big junco flock in the long hedgerow this morning. No sign of yesterday's white-throated by 12.30pm. Jon Carter Cedar Subject: White-throated sparrow From: "Jon" <jon.carter AT fsmail.net> Date: Sat, 09 Jan 2010 21:07:46 -0000 A white-throated sparrow was with approx 12 golden-crowned sparrows at the the Nanaimo River Estuary this morning, in the area between the large oak and the river. Other sightings and such at: http://britbirderinbc.blogspot.com/ Jon Carter Cedar Subject: ParksvilleéQualicum Beach Tuesday Bird Walk, January 05, 2010 From: "canadianrobin2003" <nmrobins AT telus.net> Date: Wed, 06 Jan 2010 04:18:27 -0000 Hi birders, The Tuesday Bird Walk went to Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville. The morning was cloudy with fog over the water. The highlights included being greeted at the start of the walk by a large number of Bushtits, Dark-eyed Juncos and Golden-crowned Sparrows moving through the small bushes near the parking lot. Two Western Grebes, a very large raft of Surf Scoters and over two hundred Common Murres were observed offshore. Several small flocks of Pacific Loons were seen heading down the Strait of Georgia. There were several Seals and Sea-lions resting not far from the shoreline. Fourteen Birders saw and heard the following thirty-seven species of birds. Mallard Harlequin Duck Surf Scoter White-winged Scoter Bufflehead Common Goldeneye Barrow's Goldeneye Common Merganser Red-breasted Merganser Pacific Loon Common Loon Horned Grebe Red-necked Grebe Western Grebe Double-crested Cormorant Pelagic Cormorant Bald Eagle Black-bellied Plover Black Oystercatcher Black Turnstone Dunlin Mew Gull Thayer's Gull Glaucous-winged Gull Common Murre Northern Flicker Northwestern Crow Common Raven Chestnut-backed Chickadee Bushtit Red-breasted Nuthatch American Robin Spotted Towhee Song Sparrow Golden-crowned Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco Red Crossbill Good birding Neil Robins Parksville British Columbia