Nature Moncton Nature News: January 13 2015

** President John Foster advises the Nature Moncton members night is only 1 week away and asked to touch base with him a.s.a.p. to line up the evening’s presentations. Tuesday night, January 20th, is MEMBERS NIGHT, with the opportunity for members to share short vignettes of activities and events from 2014 with the group. The venue is very open and broad. We have a group with lots of diverse interest and a lot to share — presentations on virtually any Nature subject, usually around 15 minutes plus or minus — let President John know of anything anyone will share so that he can coordinate the evening’s event at 384-7212, or email fosterjs@nb.sympatico.ca

** Kelly Nelson is another who is very much enjoying EVENING GROSBEAKS [Gros-bec errant] to her Riverside Albert Feeder Yard. It appears there is very significantly greater numbers of this species in the area this winter.

** Dave Christie was able to capture a few close up photos of the FLYING SQUIRREL [Grand polatouche] that visited his window feeder a few nights ago. Dave was alerted to its presence by the feeder tapping on the window, with the flying squirrel paying no heed to it and continuing to chow down.

** Louise Richard came across lots of various tracks and trails at their Acadieville cabin after the recent snow. That soft fluffy snow made for blurred prints to identify with certainty. It is very helpful with track photos: take measurements of straddle, stride and paw print measurements. The small cloth reel measuring tapes are very helpful and easy to use. A picture is added today of that again. With that information it’s often easy to decide possibilities. The Nature Moncton Track & Trail workshop will explain that fully on Sunday January 25th at the Tankville School, 1 to 4 pm.

** The NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD [Moqueur polyglotte] has now become very regular at our own feeder yard, it was most interested in shelled peanuts at first, but now is almost always at one particular peanut-butter-filled feeder and enjoying the fresh water supply along with all the other patrons. We had 2 Mockingbirds as regulars as the season progressed last year, with a 3rd one arriving in early spring that was given the un-welcome mat by the 2 resident birds. There is a good turnout of the expected regulars: HOUSE FINCH [Roselin familier], 1 COMMON GRACKLE [Quiscale bronzé], an irregular NORTHERN FLICKER [Pic flamboyant], a WHITE-THROATED SPARROW [Bruant à gorge blanche] and SONG SPARROW [Bruant chanteur], with the AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS [Bruant hudsonien] and a handful of PINE SISKINS [Tarin des pins] with the AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES [Chardonneret jaune].

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

Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca