Field Trip Report:

BCFO 15th Conference - Parksville 2005

Nanaimo area field trip led by Guy Monty on 27 Aug 2005 (13 participants)

Birders lead by Guy Monty
Photo: Andy Stewart

A total of 74 species were observed on the August 27 trip led by local birding expert Guy Monty.

 

First stop was at Dumont Marsh, a small wetland located between Parksville and Nanaimo. The following species were recorded: Northern Flicker, Wilson’s Warbler, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Swainson’s Thrush, Hammond’s Flycatcher, Band-tailed Pigeon, Wood Duck, Green-winged Teal, American Wigeon, Common Raven, Mallard, American Coot, Cedar Waxwing, Great Blue Heron, Pied-billed Grebe, Barn Swallow, Marsh Wren, Dark-eyed Junco, Downy Woodpecker, and Steller’s Jay.

At Buttertubs Marsh we recorded Rock Pigeon, Band-tailed Pigeon, Pied-billed Grebe, European Starling, Mallard, Wood Duck, Red-winged Blackbird, House Sparrow, Osprey, Least Sandpiper, Green Heron, American Robin, House Finch, Bewick’s Wren, Song Sparrow, Warbling Vireo, Marsh Wren, Great Blue Heron, Violet-green Swallow, Barn Swallow, Common Yellowthroat, Canada Goose, Brown-headed Cowbird, Common Raven, Purple Finch, Orange-crowned Warbler, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Pine Siskin, Pacific-slope Flycatcher, and Virginia Rail.

At Cedar near the Crow & Gate Pub we saw Black Duck, Yellow Warbler, House Sparrow, Barn Swallow, Cliff Swallow, Turkey Vulture, Merlin, Rough-winged Swallow, and Sharp-shinned Hawk.

At the Nanaimo estuary area we saw Belted Kingfisher, European Starling, Green-winged Teal, Savannah Sparrow, Glaucus-winged Gull, Barn Swallow, Least Sandpiper, Pine Siskin, Western Sandpiper, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Greater Yellowlegs, Double-crested Cormorant, Common Merganser, Great Blue Heron, Common Raven, Cliff Swallow, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Northwestern Crow, White-crowned Sparrow, Brewer’s Blackbird, American Goldfinch, Canada Goose, Cooper’s Hawk, Steller’s Jay, Mallard, Peregrine Falcon, Red-tailed Hawk, Turkey Vulture, Spotted Towhee, Bewick’s Wren, California Gull, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Bald Eagle, Mew Gull, and Killdeer.

At “Rock City” in Nanaimo we recorded California Quail, House Finch, Steller’s Jay, Bald Eagle, Turkey Vulture and Anna’s Hummingbird.

For a trip total of 74 bird species.

Qualicum - Deep Bay field trip led by Jamie Fenneman on 28 Aug 2005 (14 participants)

At Columbia Beach we recorded Glaucus-winged Gull, Black Oystercatcher, Black-bellied Plover, Northwestern Crow, Bonaparte’s Gull, Great Blue Heron, Mew Gull, Black Turnstone, Mallard, Green-winged Teal, Marbled Murrelet, Surf Scoter, Belted Kingfisher, Common Raven, Western Sandpiper, Northern Flicker, Lark Sparrow, Lincoln’s Sparrow, Merlin, Rock Pigeon, Savannah Sparrow, House Finch, Bewick’s Wren, and Red-breasted Nuthatch.

At the Big Qualicum Hatchery site we recorded Red-breasted Sapsucker, Song Sparrow, Bewick’s Wren, Cedar Waxwing, Great Blue Heron, American Robin, Hairy Woodpecker, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Winter Wren, Belted Kingfisher, Brown Creeper, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, House Finch, European Starling, Barred Owl, White-crowned Sparrow, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Band-tailed Pigeon, Steller’s Jay, Spotted Towhee, Common Yellowthroat, Black Swift, Hammond’s Flycatcher, and Pacific-sloped Flycatcher.

At Deep Bay we recorded Double-crested Cormorant, Northwestern Crow, Red-necked Grebe, White-winged Scoter, Common Murre, Pelagic Cormorant, Common Tern, Turkey Vulture, Pacific Loon, Pigeon Guillemot, Bonaparte’s Gull, White-crowned Sparrow, Rock Pigeon, Horned Grebe, Red-necked Phalarope, Black Turnstone, Great Blue Heron, Purple Martin, Franklin’s Gull, Brown Creeper, Marbled Murrelet, Common Loon, Black Oystercatcher, European Starling, Canada Goose, Common Yellowthroat, and House Sparrow.

For a trip total of 56 species

  

Lark sparrow
Photo: Marika Ainley

Everyone on the August 28th field trip got an excellent view of the Lark Sparrow.