Nature Moncton Nature News: Nov 16 2015

** Louise Nichols paid a visit to the yard of Andrew MacFarlane at 19 Jolicure Road in Jolicure on Sunday, where Andrew had spotted a female SUMMER TANAGER [Tangara vermillon] foraging for mountain-ash berries for a few days. Louise was successful in seeing it and got a few photos nicely showing the huge bill of a Summer Tanager. This bird is still happily enjoying Andrew’s hospitality on Monday.

** Elaine Gallant has had a special visitor, a BROWN CREEPER [Grimpereau brun] at a suet feeder outside her Parlee Beach window on Saturday and Sunday.

** Three new NORTHERN CARDINALS [Cardinal rouge] in a week is nice to hear about. Dale Gaskin reports that a person in the Turtle Creek area has had a male visiting their feeder area for several days. Dale is not aware of the civic number.

** Dale also advises that the sunflower seed supply arriving before tomorrow’s Nature Moncton meeting seems to be oversold, so get there early to get your order. I suspect that Dale will be sure that earlier reservations for bags will be met first.

** Dave Christie leaves several observations from the Mary's Point area. John Inman had two RUSTY BLACKBIRDS [Quiscale rouilleux], in their warm winter plumage, arrive at his feeder yard on Saturday. Dave saw them on Sunday, perched in trees across the road from John’s. Nice to hear recent reports of Rusty Blackbirds, as their numbers have been reported as dropping drastically.

Dave has noted a few AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS [Bruant hudsonien] appearing at the edge of his yard but not at the feeders as yet. He had 2 EVENING GROSBEAKS [Gros-bec errant] on Sunday and a small flock of AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES [Chardonneret jaune] appeared back at the feeders after a month and a half absence. Dave is also hearing small numbers of PINE GROSBEAKS [Durbec des sapins] in trees around his place.

Dave comments that the lingering shorebird group that had been on the Mary's Point beach may have moved on, as he did not see them on the weekend. A flock of 100 to 300 CANADA GEESE [Bernache du Canada] have been using the beach at high tide.

** Brian Stone and Anne Marsch visited FRANKLIN'S GULL [Mouette de Franklin] headquarters at Saint-Marie-de-Kent on Sunday. The gull was very much present with its RING-BILLED GULL [Goéland à bec cerclé] chums. Brian got some very distant photos when it cooperatively landed briefly. Matt and I checked the site in late afternoon and it was still present. There were lots of CANADA GEESE [Bernache du Canada] at the back of the same field, but no apparent tagalongs yet.

Brian and Anne also came across a GREAT BLUE HERON [Grand Héron] high in a tree, watching a group of goats. They also saw some SNOW BUNTINGS [Bruant des neiges] in flight on the Victoria Road, and an AM. PORCUPINE [Porc-épic d'Amérique] cooperated for a photo.

** Susan Richards shares some photos of what Johnson’s Mills looked like at high tide on Sunday, with DUCKS [canards] in the area.

** It’s NATURE MONCTON MEETING night tomorrow, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 7 p.m. at Mapleton Park Rotary Lodge, across from Cabela’s. The special guest will be Tony Diamond, on CHANGES IN WILDLIFE ON THE BAY OF FUNDY. Tony is an excellent, knowledgeable speaker with up-to-date information to share. This promises to be a don’t-miss presentation on the life and times of this famous bay in our midst.

Also be sure to arrive early if you’re picking up black oil sunflower seeds.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton