Nature Moncton Nature News: January 30 2015

** Brian Stone had a great day in the brilliant sunshine of Thursday. He came across a crabapple tree on Sheraton Green St, just off Mountain Rd. near Mapleton Park that was hosting a mixed flock of 50 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS [Jaseur boreal] and 9 PINE GROSBEAKS [Durbec des sapins]. Some of the Bohemian Waxwings show beautifully the field marks of this bird compared to the Cedar Waxwings, as well as the Pine Grosbeaks. No adult males were among the Pine Grosbeaks.

In Mapleton Park, he came across the track of what appears to be a small mammal trail, probably vole or shrew, in the soft snow. Then it stops with a large disturbed area which was probably the site where a bird took the mammal as prey.

No flight feather imprints show as sometimes happens. Great materials for Sunday's track trail workshop. ** Brian watched a PILEATED WOODPECKER [Grand pic] very near the trail of Mapleton Park. He took two photos seven minutes apart to show the change in the wood chip pile of the tree being excavated. Quite striking.

** There was an asteroid that whizzed by the earth this past week. Sally Jackson shares a website that shows some photos that some amateur astronomers in Saskatchewan got that were lucky enough to get a photo of it. I did not mention it in last week's sky report as I thought it was beyond being seen by any amateur astronomer. Obviously that may not have been the case. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/saskatchewan-stargazers-capture-asteroid-videos-1.2936025

** PURPLE FINCH [Roselin pourpré] continue to be showing up much more frequently at feeders. Linda Leclerc had her first one appear at her Shediac Road feeder yard on Thursday morning

. ** Eric Wilson is a member who has recently moved to Moncton and is enjoying the patrons to his feeder yard that included PURPLE FINCH [Roselin pourpré], one male and one female, on Thursday that were the first Eric had in his yard in many years. He also is enjoying good numbers of the birds that have become expected regulars this year. A PILEATED WOODPECKER [Grand pic] also dropped by his Royal Estate Drive home. It's interesting to note the number of urban-appearing Pileated Woodpeckers recently.

** Louise Richard spotted a flock of about 40 AMERICAN CROWS [Corneille d'Amérique] still roosting in trees across the street from the Moncton Times & Transcript on early Thursday morning. ** With all the COMMON REDPOLLS [Sizerin flame] arriving to feeder yards, it's time to watch for the occasional HOARY REDPOLL [Sizerin blanchâtre] among them. It can sometimes be a tricky call, especially from photos, but we have some good candidates which we'll deal with over the next few days to get down just what to look for.

** The National Bee Keepers Convention is happening in Moncton this week. There will be a public session on tonight, Friday night, from 7:30 to 9:00 in the Shediac A room of the Delta Beausejour. The public presentation is entitled, "The Buzz on Pollinators" and has three speakers on three topics. Those three topics are "How Pollinators adapt to Human-dominated Landscapes," "Bee Health in Canada," and "The Importance of Pollinators for the Wild Blueberry Industry." The cost is $10 at the door. A nice opportunity to hear some experts on the topic share their thoughts.

Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton
nelson@nb.sympatico.ca