** Tomorrow, Jan. 20, is Nature Moncton members’ night at the Mapleton
Park pavilion at 7 p.m., with the opportunity for members to share short
vignettes of activities and events from 2014. The scope is very open and broad.
We have a group with diverse interests and lots to share. Presentations on
virtually any nature subject usually run 15-20 minutes. Let president John know
about anything you want to share, at 384-7212, or e-mail John at fosterjs@nb.sympatico.ca so he can
coordinate the evening’s events. Presentations lined up so far include local
orchids, bee-keeping convention coming up, the trailer park planned for the
Shediac area, Centennial Park bridge work and probably more.
** To update on a comment from yesterday, Carmella Melanson reports that
she did see LAPLAND LONGSPUR [Bruant lapon] among the HORNED LARKS [Alouette
hausse-col] around the Prescott farm at the Tantramar Marsh on Wednesday, Jan.
14, and got a nice photo, which is attached.
** Paula Lansdale reports that they had a large influx of finches in their
feeder yard near Alma on Sunday, when a flock of 100+ AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES
[Chardonneret jaune], PINE SISKINS [Tarin des pins] and COMMON REDPOLLS [Sizerin
flammé] arrived in late morning.
** Rosaire Richard updates on the male NORTHERN CARDINAL [Cardinal rouge]
that arrived at his Cocagne feeder in November; it continues to be a daily
regular.
** Bob Blake reports a flock of approximately 30 SNOW BUNTINGS [Bruant des
neiges], appearing to be interested in roadway salt and/or grit, in the Wheaton
Settlement area []on Sunday. [Transcriber’s note: Yesterday, I noticed COMMON
REDPOLLS [Sizerin flammé] apparently after the same materials. Besides visiting
my seed feeders, they would hop around under my car, where copious amounts of
salty, sandy slush had fallen from the wheel wells. — DSC]
** Jean-Paul and Stella LeBlanc in Bouctouche report that their finch
increase came as PINE SISKINS [Tarin des pins], with a flock of 30 arriving on
Sunday.
The finch winter has really taken off.
To view the photos mentioned in this edition go to http://nminfoline.blogspot.ca/.
Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton
Lapland Longspur 14jan2014.Carmella Melanson