Nature Moncton Nature News: Nov 19 2015

**A FLYCATCHER Roger Burrows located on Whitehead Island off Grand Manan has received a lot of attention as to its identity with several great observations of it on Wednesday. David Miller shows photos he got to add to the many photos taken as the bird has been quite cooperative in showing itself.

**Dave Christie had a brief visit from an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER [Paruline verdâtre] to his Mary’s Point feeder yard on Wednesday morning. Dave suspects it moved on as he could not locate it after seeing it and confirming it.It is a good time to be watching for this warbler species passing through on its way South from its breeding grounds to the North of us. Also Dave notes the AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS [Bruant hudsonien] he has been seeing are now coming to the feeding area to feed. He has 4 or 5 of them at the moment.

** Brian Stone photographed a GREAT BLUE HERON [Grand Héron] at Mapleton Park on Wednesday that seems to be having second thoughts about being in NB in November. As well Brian noted red berried elder buds housed for winter and the pattern of ice in the pools doing their seasonal thing.

** A correction on yesterday’s edition, Aldo Dorio’s SEMIPALMATED PLOVER [Pluvier semipalmé was referred to as a SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER [Bécasseau semipalmé] in the text and correctly labelled in the photo. The correction has been made on the blogspot.

**Louise Nichols, chairperson of Nature Moncton’s Activities Committee has arranged for a Nature Moncton Workshop for Saturday, December 5th at the Tankville School. This Workshop, “Birds in Winter” is to prepare us for the winter birds that join us and those that are in and around the natives with us. The prepared announcement is attached.

Winter birds are coming!

News flash: winter is coming! But instead of getting depressed over something so natural that can’t be changed, a lot of bird watchers are looking forward to winter because the changing season will bring with it the chance to see some of those famous “winter birds” that seasoned birders talk about all the time. Which species are we talking about and why – and when are they coming?

These are the kinds of questions that will be addressed in the upcoming workshop offered by Nature Moncton on “winter birds.” Join Roger LeBlanc who has been watching and trying to understand the behaviors of these winter visitors for a long time. And if you by chance participated in the recent bird feeding workshop offered by Nature Moncton, this would be a very natural follow-up to help you recognize what you might be attracting to your backyard. Together we will try to work out some of the patterns that will help you know what is to be expected as well as when and where you should be looking. In addition, Roger will help you understand exactly what you are looking at on that snow-covered branch in a workshop that will combine bird photographs with a few video surprises.

So whether you are quite content with checking out the “winter birds” that will be invading your feeders or are ready to bundle up and head outside to search for them in the snow-covered landscape, this workshop aims to help you enjoy their presence even more. Roger will also talk about the annual Christmas Bird Counts that take place throughout the province. Roger is the organizer of the Moncton count and is always looking for eager participants – a chance to put your new knowledge of winter birds to work!

Saturday December 5^th , 1:00 to 4:00 pm

Tankville School, 1665 Elmwood Dr., Moncton

Registration with Judi Berry-Steeves at jbsteeve@nbnet.nb.ca or phone Judi at 387-4778.

$8 to cover costs payable at the door. All are welcome, Nature Moncton member or not.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton