Nature Moncton Nature News: Dec 20 2015

** The Moncton Christmas Bird Count took place under clear skies, with a full slate of volunteers covering the entire area on Saturday. Most groups commented on many bird species being hard to find, suspecting the very open water and light snow cover to be factors in making many birds more widespread.

The open water made for lots of CANADA GEESE [Bernache du Canada], MALLARDS [Canard colvert] and AMERICAN BLACK DUCKS [Canard noir] in high numbers but being seen in different areas from most years.

Some special birds tallied were a male EASTERN TOWHEE [Tohi à flancs roux] and a WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW [Bruant à couronne blanche]. Ten COMMON REDPOLLS [Sizerin flammé] were found at one feeder. The number of BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS [Jaseur boréal] was similar to last year but seemed to be in the Dieppe area at the moment. Three CEDAR WAXWINGS [Jaseur d'Amérique] were seen with one flock.

ICELAND GULLS [Goéland arctique] seemed concentrated around Chateau Moncton and the nearby Superstore. A RED-TAILED HAWK [Buse à queue rousse] seems to be hunting a territory where the old CN shops were removed between Millenium Drive and Collishaw St.

Dave Christie spotted a bird in flight over West Riverview that remains unidentified at the moment but had features of a SWALLOW-TAILED KITE [Milan à queue fourchue], which no doubt will be searched for today. [Transcriber’s note: I was the only one of my party who saw (c. 15 seconds through binoculars) this large white and black bird flying fairly high over Coverdale Road and the south shore of the Petitcodiac, roughly between Royal Court (Parkland Riverview) and Patricia Drive, which was far from us on the opposite side of the river. It was around 11 a.m.]

** Wendy Sullivan got a photo of a RED SQUIRREL [Écureuil roux] trying out a squirrel-resistant feeder. Brian Stone kept an eye to the sky and took several random photos that included a SUN PILLAR [colonne solaire] late in the day as the sun was setting, and the MOON [lune] overhead at mid-day.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton