Feb 23 2020

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, February 23, 2020 (Sunday) 

To view the photos mentioned in this edition, go to <http://nminfoline.blogspot.ca>.

One click on a photo brings it full screen

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Please advise the editor if any errors are noted in wording or photo labelling. Note that corrections, deletions, or delayed additions may not always appear on the Info Line and email transcript but will always appear on the BlogSpot. For this reason, it is recommended that those wishing to look at historical records use the BlogSpot rather than the email transcript. The BlogSpot can always be accessed from the website.

For more information on Nature Moncton, check the website at <http://naturemoncton.com>.

Edited by Nelson Poirier, <nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com>

Transcript by David Christie, <maryspt@mac.com>

Info Line #:  506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)

                                                      

** Bill Wood leaves a heads-up that a Land & Sea program will air at 11:30 a.m. today, Sunday morning, on a visit with a Christmas Bird Count crew. I think this was done in Sackville. Also, Bill suggests a display that is running at Resurgo Place, with mounted mammals and other wildlife, and also their vocalizations. Bill recommends it very highly.

** Nice to hear that the duo of CAROLINA WRENS [Troglodyte de Caroline] are still contentedly occupying a quite large area at Court Street, in Riverview. The les Amies de la Nature group saw both of them on their weekly outing on Friday, Feb. 21. They seem to be staying in close proximity to each other, popping in and out of cedar trees. Vocalization was active, as has been reported recently, as the days lengthen.

** Mac Wilmot came across a relatively comfortable looking snowbed of a WHITE-TAILED DEER [Cerf de Virginie] down the bank of the Petitcodiac River in front of his Lower Coverdale home. It rose from its night site to come up a 40-foot bank and promptly prepare its morning boudoir, leaving a calling card of scat. White-tailed Deer scat is easily recognized by the point at one end and depression at the other end of the pellet.

Mac also has a one-half mile loop on his property that he enjoys. There are two well-used BALD EAGLE [Pygargue à tête blanche] perches that monitor river activity from a large White Pine tree as well as a large aspen tree on the bank.

** In follow-up to recent comments on birds with deformed bills, for several weeks now in Sackville, Kathy Popma has been having an AMERICAN GOLDFINCH [Chardonneret jaune] visiting their feeders among a rather large flock, up to 70 some days, that has a rather long upper mandible, almost looking like a crossbill. She didn’t think it was going to manage, but watching it she sees that it has adapted its feeding behaviour by turning its head sidewise and scooping up the seed that way.

** Brian Stone and Carol Shea paid a visit to NORTHERN HAWK OWL [Chouette épervière] headquarters at Gagetown on Saturday. It was seen in that area on Friday, but was a no-show on Saturday, at least up until late afternoon. Other folks were scouting the area as well.

Brian did get interesting photos on his travels, of a TURKEY VULTURE [Urubu à tête rouge], perched and in flight, a distant NORTHERN SHRIKE [Pie-grièche grise], which seems to be present in low numbers this winter, some interesting HAIRY [Pic chevelu] and DOWNY WOODPECKER [Pic mineur] photos, and shrew [musaraigne] or MEADOW VOLE [Campagnol des champs] trails which have been very obvious this year, with low snow levels.

Nelson Poirier   <nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com>

Nature Moncton

AMERICAN GOLDFINCH WITH OVERGROWN UPPER MANDIBLE. FEB 2020. KATHY POPMA

SNOW BED (WHITE-TAILED DEER SUSPECTED). FEB 22, 2020. MAC WILMOT

WHITE-TAILED DEER SCAT. FEB 22, 2020. MAC WILMOT

WHITE-TAILED DEER SCAT. FEB 22, 2020. MAC WILMOT

NORTHERN SHRIKE. FEB. 22, 2020. BRIAN STONE

TURKEY VULTURE. FEB. 22, 2020.  BRIAN STONE

TURKEY VULTURE. FEB. 22, 2020.  BRIAN STONE

DOWNY WOODPECKER. FEB. 22, 2020. BRIAN STONE

HAIRY WOODPECKER. FEB. 22, 2020. BRIAN STONE

SHREW OR MEADOW VOLE TUNNELS. FEB. 22, 2020..  BRIAN STONE

SHREW OR MEADOW VOLE TUNNELS. FEB. 22, 2020..  BRIAN STONE

Feb 22 2020

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, 22 February 2020 (Saturday)

To view the photos mentioned in this edition go to

http://nminfoline.blogspot.ca

One click on the photos opens them full screen

To respond by email, please address your message to the information line editor, nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Please advise the editor at nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com if any errors are noted in wording or photo labelling. Note that corrections, deletions, or delayed additions may not always appear on the info line and email transcript but will always appear on the BlogSpot. For this reason, it is recommended that those wishing to look at historical records use the BlogSpot rather than the email transcript. The BlogSpot can always be accessed from the website.

For more information on Nature Moncton, check the website at www.naturemoncton.com

Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Transcript by: Catherine Clements

Info Line #: 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)

**A mature RED-TAILED HAWK [Buse à queue rousse] has John Inman very well trained at his 225 Mary’s Point Road feeder yard to place out pieces of meat for which the hawk is very appreciative, enjoying it very much, to allow some spectacular photos from all angles and give great open-wing photos John has been able to get. Note the patagial bar on the leading edge of the wing, which is a feature unique to the Red-tailed Hawk, mature and immature. The sharp rufous tail quickly identifies it as adult, even though the eye does not appear fully red as yet, which suggests a young adult.

**We have heard little from the normally active feeder yard of Jules Cormier in Memramcook. Jules reports, like many others, he had very little activity before Christmas, and in fact his first AMERICAN TREE SPARROW [Bruant hudsonien] did not appear until New Year’s Day. However, things have been getting more lively over the past few weeks. He now has 15 American Tree Sparrows, 1 SONG SPARROW [Bruant chanteur], 1 male HOUSE FINCH [Roselin familier], and very high numbers of AMERICAN GOLDFINCH [Chardonneret jaune] at approximately 100 and MOURNING DOVES [Tourterelle triste] at approximately 70. BLUE JAYS [Geai bleu] are few this year, with some HAIRY [Pic chevelu] and DOWNY WOODPECKERS [Pic mineur] but nothing unusual, as Jules often has. A MERLIN [Faucon émerillon] has come by to check out the menu as well.

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton

RED-TAILED HAWK. FEB 2020.  JOHN INMAN

RED-TAILED HAWK. FEB 2020.  JOHN INMAN

RED-TAILED HAWK. FEB 2020.  JOHN INMAN

RED-TAILED HAWK. FEB 2020.  JOHN INMAN

Feb 21 2020

 NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, February 21, 2020 (Friday)

To view the photos mentioned in this edition go to http://nminfoline.blogspot.ca

Please advise editor at nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com if any errors are noted in wording or photo labeling.

For more information on Nature Moncton, check into the website at www.naturemoncton.com

Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Transcript by: Louise Nichols nicholsl@eastlink.ca

Info Line # 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)

To respond by e-mail, please address your message to the information line editor nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com.

** Anna Tucker visited the High Marsh Rd. on the Tantramar Marsh on Thursday.  She noted the BALD EAGLES [Pygargue à tête blanche] pairing up which is to be expected at this time of year, and one adult was perched on the side of a nest, presumably checking out what reparations may be indicated.

** The Memramcook Winter Carnival is on this coming weekend, Feb. 21 to 23^rd.  Alain Clavette is offering two birding sessions, one indoor, one outdoor.  Alain is presenting a slide show at the Abby Landry School at 7:30 PM on Friday evening (tonight).  On Saturday morning, he will lead a caravan-style birding field trip in the Memramcook valley which will include a visit to his yard EASTERN BLUEBIRDS [Merlebleu de l'Est] still present, as well as a flock of about 60 SNOW BUNTINGS [Bruant des neiges] that are daily patrons recently to his feeder yard.  Alain comments that the reason we are tending to see more Snow Buntings at the moment could well be due to the marsh grasses being ice-coated, making feeder yards more attractive venues.  Alain also points out that there are lots of CROSSBILLS [Bec-croisé] in the Memramcook valley at the moment that are actively vocalizing and very likely nesting.

** Jane LeBlanc reports that DARK-EYED JUNCOS are one of the few species patronizing her St. Martins feeder yard at the moment.  Jane got a nice photo of a male posing in its grey business suit.  It’s been a quiet winter at many bird feeder yards with the mild winter we are experiencing so far.

** After the deformed bill comments of yesterday, Bob Blake reports that they had a RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH [Sittelle à poitrine rousse] in their yard several years ago with a bill over 2 cm long.  The BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE [Mésange à tête noire] seems to get reported with this condition more than most, but that could be simply due to more numbers of the species that are often so near at hand.

** It’s Friday, and this week’s Sky-at-a-Glance is included in this edition courtesy of sky guru Curt Nason.  Those minutes per day are swelling nicely.

This Week’s Sky at a Glance, 2020 February 22 – February 29
Let’s pay attention to the minority this week. By this I mean the Minor constellations: Ursa, Canis and Leo, all of which are now visible in the evening. Ursa Minor, the Little Bear, hosts the Little Dipper asterism and it has what is arguably the most important and famous star of the night sky – Polaris, the North Star – at the tip of its tail. Although smaller and less bright than the nearby Great Bear, Ursa Minor is at the centre of action in our night sky. How many have heard or even believe that Polaris is the brightest star in the night sky? It actually ranks at number 48.

Canis Minor, the Little Dog, is noted for having the eighth brightest star, Procyon. An imaginary arrowhead formed by Orion’s head and shoulder stars points eastward to the Little Dog. We usually see it as just two stars so it is probably a wiener dog. Despite the brilliance of its luminary, the Little Dog is just the opening act for Canis Major and its leading star, Sirius, the brightest one of the night sky. In early winter Procyon rises first to announce the impending arrival of Sirius, hence the name which means “before the dog.”

Leo Minor the Little Lion experiences difficulty in being noticed, and with good reason. It is one of those inconspicuous constellations created by the 17th century astronomer Johannes Hevelius to fill gaps in the sky. We see it as a triangle between the back of Leo and the feet of Ursa Major. To give it some distinction and pride we can imagine the lion cub nipping at the heels of the Great Bear to keep it from attacking Leo.

This Week in the Solar System    
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 7:11 am and sunset will occur at 5:54 pm, giving 10 hours, 43 minutes of daylight (7:15 am and 6:01 pm in Saint John).  Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 6:58 am and set at 6:04 pm, giving 11 hours, 6 minutes of daylight (7:03 am and 6:10 pm in Saint John).

The Moon is new this Sunday, and its crescent phase will make photogenic appearances below Venus on Wednesday and to its left on Thursday. Mercury is at inferior conjunction on Tuesday. Mars continues to sneak up on Jupiter in the morning sky, closing the gap by a third over the week. Next weekend Jupiter will be halfway between Mars and Saturn.

There will be public observing at the Kouchibouguac Park Visitor Centre this Saturday evening from 7-9 pm. Also this Saturday, the Saint John Astronomy Club will be offering solar observing and other activities as part of Winter Festival at the Rockwood Park Interpretation Centre from 3-6:30 pm.

Questions? Contact Curt Nason at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton

DARK_EYED JUNCO. FEB. 20, 2020. JANE LEBLANC

BALD EAGLE PAIR. FEB 19, 2020. ANNA TUCKER

BALD EAGLE. FEB 19, 2020. ANNA TUCKER

Minor Leo 2020

Feb 20 2020

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, February 20, 2020 (Thursday)

To view the photos mentioned in this edition go to http://nminfoline.blogspot.ca .

To respond by e-mail, please address your message to the information line editor,  nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com .

Please advise the editor at nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com  if any errors are noted in wording or photo labelling. Note that corrections, deletions, or delayed additions may not always appear on the Info Line and email transcript but will always appear on the BlogSpot. For this reason, it is recommended that those wishing to look at historical records use the BlogSpot rather than the email transcript. The BlogSpot can always be accessed from the website.

 For more information on Nature Moncton, check the website at www.naturemoncton.com .

Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Transcript by: Brian Stone bjpstone@gmail.com

Info Line # 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)

** Anna Tucker was in the Amherst area not far from the Nova Scotia Tourist Bureau to see several SNOW BUNTINGS [Bruant des neiges] perched on wires and trees. They appeared to be taking on the beginnings of breeding plumage, showing much more striking contrast of black and white. For some reason there seems to be a lot more Snow Bunting reports, possibly just because we are noticing them.

** Dale Gaskin got a photo of a WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL [Bec-croisé bifascié] with severe malalignment of the crossed bill that caused it to overgrow. The bills of birds grow continually and are kept filed down by foraging to keep them properly aligned. Dale Gaskin got a photo of a Crossbill with a maligned bill that allowed it to dramatically overgrow. Dale showed the photo to Alain Clavette. Alain does a weekly show on CBC Radio at 4:40 pm each Friday. This Friday, February the 21^st, Alain will do an interview with a specialist in keratin disorders in birds, Dr. Caroline Van Hemert with the Fish and Wildlife Division in Juneau, Alaska that resulted from Alain’s sleuthing effort on what happened to the White-winged Crossbill that Dale found. If you are not able to listen to this on Friday it will come up on the internet under CBC Podcasts under “Shift NB Bird Talk”. Many of Alain’s CBC commentaries are there to peruse as well.

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton

SNOW BUNTINGS. FEB 18, 2020.  ANNA TUCKER

SNOW BUNTINGS. FEB 18, 2020.  ANNA TUCKER

SNOW BUNTING. FEB 18, 2020.  ANNA TUCKER

Feb 19 2020

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, February 19, 2020 (Wednesday)

To view the photos mentioned in this edition go to http://nminfoline.blogspot.ca .

One click on the photos brings them full screen

To respond by e-mail, please address your message to the information line editor,  nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com .

Please advise the editor at nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com  if any errors are noted in wording or photo labelling. Note that corrections, deletions, or delayed additions may not always appear on the Info Line and email transcript but will always appear on the BlogSpot. For this reason, it is recommended that those wishing to look at historical records use the BlogSpot rather than the email transcript. The BlogSpot can always be accessed from the website.

 For more information on Nature Moncton, check the website at www.naturemoncton.com .

Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Transcript by: Brian Stone bjpstone@gmail.com

Info Line # 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)

** A big thank you to Gary Griffin for coming to Nature Moncton to share his experiences over the years with several factors that he has worked with to act in the interests of the integrity of the Petitcodiac River. Gary pointed out how important it is to care for the very large number of streams to create a watershed that will become the Petitcodiac River. Gary also stressed the unintended harm that resulted from closing off the community of life in that watershed by creating a barrier at the causeway which is now in the process of being remediated by many involved groups.

The second part of Tuesday evening’s meeting on methods to protect and rear Monarch Butterflies from egg to adult and to send them on their way to overwinter in Mexico is also hoped to encourage more folks to take on this very rewarding experience.

** The CEDAR WAXWING [Jaseur d'Amérique] numbers would appear to be increasing in the area but still with only a small smattering of BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS [Jaseur boréal]. Clarence Cormier reports that he had his Cedar Waxwing troupe increase to 7 on Tuesday, and 10 AMERICAN ROBINS [Merle d'Amérique] were about the site on Tuesday as well.

** On Monday, February 17^th, Suzanne and Yves Poussart drove along the coast to check for birds and the extent of ice. The first stop in Shediac allowed a side by side photograph of a male COMMON GOLDENEYE [Garrot à oeil d'or] and a male BARROW'S GOLDENEYE [Garrot d'Islande]. Later an interesting scene in Bouctouche Bay gave the opportunity to see the close interaction between a large group of Gulls and 2 fishermen collecting smelts at their fishing site. As the fishermen kept the smelts and discarded the fish that do not have a commercial value to them the Gulls were actively waiting and fighting for such gifts. Yves watched a GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL [Goéland marin] holding a good sized Flounder in its beak. It was then possible to get many photos illustrating the successive attempts lasting approximately 10 minutes that this Gull had to perform before it was finally able to swallow it completely head first. Yves comments that it is hard to believe that prey of that size can be swallowed whole.

** Yvette Richard comments that she wonders if the bright sun may be the important factor this time of year even if the temperature plummets. She photographed 3 ROCK PIGEONS [Pigeon biset] appearing to bask in the brilliant sunshine and seeming to not be concerned by the -20 °  Celsius temperature on Tuesday morning. That may have an interesting point to ponder … just fluff up and enjoy the sun’s warm rays.

** As my dog Sadie and I checked out the back yard predawn on Tuesday morning it was hard not to be awed by the only light in the sky, the waning crescent Moon. The 23.8 percent sunlit crescent was balanced by the rest of the Moon dimly lit by reflected “earthshine” to make a beautiful image. The day had to be starting right even though the evening sky was not as glowing on Tuesday night.

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton

COMMON GOLDENEYE (MALE ON LEFT) BARROW'S GOLDENEYE (MALE ON RIGHT). FEB 17, 2020. YVES POUSSART

GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL ENJOYING FLOUNDER DONATED BY SMELT FISHERMAN . FEB 17, 2020. YVES POUSSART

GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL ENJOYING FLOUNDER DONATED BY SMELT FISHERMAN WITH 1ST WINTER GBB GULL LOOKING ON. FEB 17, 2020. YVES POUSSART

GULLS ENJOYING FLOUNDER DONATED BY SMELT FISHERMAN. FEB 17, 2020. YVES POUSSART

MOON (WANING CRESCENT). FEB 18, 2020. NELSON POIRIER

ROCK PIGEONS FEB 18, 2020 YVETTE RICHARD

Feb 18 2020

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, 18 February 2020 (Tuesday)

To view the photos mentioned in this edition go to

http://nminfoline.blogspot.ca

One click on the photos brings them full screen

To respond by email, please address your message to the information line editor, nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Please advise the editor at nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com if any errors are noted in wording or photo labelling. Note that corrections, deletions, or delayed additions may not always appear on the info line and email transcript but will always appear on the BlogSpot. For this reason, it is recommended that those wishing to look at historical records use the BlogSpot rather than the email transcript. The BlogSpot can always be accessed from the website.

For more information on Nature Moncton, check the website at www.naturemoncton.com

Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Transcript by: Catherine Clements

Info Line #: 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)

**Nature Moncton’s monthly meeting is coming up tonight, Tuesday evening at 7:00 PM at the Mapleton Park Rotary Lodge. As a primer to the Petitcodiac River Appreciation Day planned for April 4th, Gary Griffin will give a presentation on the unintended complications that arose after construction of the Petitcodiac River causeway. Gary was one of the first to sound the alarm in followup to his constant monitoring of problems arising, and started a chain of reactions leading to the remediation effort we see today, 42 years later. The write-up is on the website, www.naturemoncton.com, under Upcoming Events.

The second part of the meeting, after break, will be a presentation by Nelson Poirier on the successes and mistakes in raising MONARCH BUTTERFLIES [Monarque] from the egg. It was a very rewarding experience, blended with a few now realized errors, which I look forward to sharing, to encourage more to partake in this rewarding activity without making a few now obvious errors.

**We are all very pleased with the increased number of breeding EASTERN BLUEBIRDS [Merlebleu de l'Est] in New Brunswick in recent summers, but it is also notable the numbers being observed overwintering in New Brunswick this winter. Jim Carroll found yet another pair on the West Quaco Road in St Martins and got great photos of both of the pair. They were in the company of AMERICAN GOLDFINCH [Chardonneret jaune] and a PURPLE FINCH [Roselin pourpré]. This adds to the Eastern Bluebirds overwintering in the Memramcook area and Lorneville. If they tarry for another month,

they will sure have a jump on summer housekeeping!

**Louise Nichols went to Johnson’s Mills on Monday morning and tried to do some birding along the Pink Rock Road. She was met by a MOOSE [Orignal] shortly after she began her walk. The Moose did not leave, but hung around just off the trail, then stood on the trail watching her. She took a couple of photos and then turned back, the Moose seemingly satisfied to have Louise on its day list! Louise drove through Johnson’s Mills, making a few stops, seeing the usual birds. One interesting observation was a flock of approximately 40 Robins [Merle d'Amérique] who were flying out to the ice and mudflats. The tide was low. She wondered if they were finding a food source out there. They were fairly far, and the sun was not in her favour, but Louise did get some documentary photos. I recall a few years ago Dave Christie going out on a beach to find out what was attracting so many Robins, to find that they were foraging on Polychaete Worms [Vers polychète]. Louise comments that Monday morning surely had the feeling of spring in the air.

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton

MOOSE. FEB. 17, 2020. LOUISE NICHOLS

MOOSE. FEB. 17, 2020. LOUISE NICHOLS

EASTERN BLUEBIRD (MALE).FEBRUARY 17, 2020. JIM CARROLL

EASTERN BLUEBIRD (FEMALE).FEBRUARY 17, 2020. JIM CARROLL

EASTERN BLUEBIRD (PAIR).FEBRUARY 17, 2020. JIM CARROLL

AMERICAN ROBIN. FEB. 17, 2020. LOUISE NICHOLS