Nature Moncton Nature News: Jan 23 2016

**Janet Cormier had a visit from a PINE WARBLER [Paruline des pins] on Friday to her Salisbury Road feeder yard. Janet’s photo suggests it to be an immature bird. Note the very large bill for a Warbler and the white eye-ring. It was attracted to peanut butter.

**Susan Atkinson’s 29 Courtney Avenue yard fruit-laden CRABTREE [Pommetier] has been quiet until Thursday, when she spotted a single AMERICAN ROBIN [Merle d'Amérique] on Friday that swelled to approximately ten. The feeder yard in general is much busier, with expected regulars. This fruit tree in past years has attracted large numbers of fruit connoisseur birds.

**Jean-Paul LeBlanc advises the female NORTHERN CARDINAL [Cardinal rouge] and the PINE WARBLER [Paruline des pins] continue to be daily patrons to their Bouctouche feeder yard; however, the WHITE-WINGED DOVE [Tourterelle à ailes blanches] has not been seen since Friday, January 15^th.

**The WAXWING [Jaseur] show continued at the University of Moncton courtyard near the Arts Building on Thursday. Louise Nichols caught lots of action of the birds contentedly flipping berries into the air and catching them. The ratio continues to be predominantly CEDAR WAXWINGS [Jaseur d'Amérique] with some BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS [Jaseur boreal], a few AMERICAN ROBINS [Merle d'Amérique], and the immature WHITE-THROATED SPARROW [Bruant à gorge blanche] was also present again.

**Kevin Renton reports they had a flock of 70+ BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS [Jaseur boreal] arrive to their Stilesville feeder yard on Friday for a first appearance. Also, a first lone SNOW BUNTING [Plectrophane des neiges] came by, which probably means it will soon bring friends.

**We labelled a Hawk [Épervier] photo from Ryan Jewkes yesterday as a SHARP-SHINNED [Épervier brun], wondering about the possibility of it being a COOPER'S HAWK [Épervier de Cooper]. Jim Wilson, who has had experience with this species, comments in his opinion it is a Cooper's Hawk. He points out the head is large and flat-topped, with a distinctly darker crown, and the bird appears sufficiently muscular and bulky to satisfy a Cooper's Hawk identification. Todd Watts also has extensive experience with Raptors [Rapace]. His comments almost mirrored Jim Wilson’s, commenting the clear contrast between the cap and the nape, as well as the stout appearance, would incline him to call it a Cooper's Hawk as well. This Hawk was photographed on Glenmoor Dr. in the former Lewisville area of Moncton.

**Brian Stone and I made a run from Salisbury to Cape Tormentine on Friday. The BROWN THRASHER [Moqueur roux] had been seen earlier in the day in the front yard of Vicky Beckwith, the first house on the left on the Taylor Road off Route 112 (not far from the Homestead Road intersection). It has been there for a few weeks. EVENING GROSBEAKS [Gros-bec errant] were feeding with other expected regulars. Two RED-TAILED HAWKS [Buse à queue rousse] were seen along Route 15, an immature at a long distance off perched, and an adult circling. Brian got a flight photo that shows the patagial line, the mark on the front of the underwing near the body that is unique to the Red-tailed Hawk. A very light-plumaged, nearly white SNOWY OWL [Harfang des neiges] was seen briefly at Cape Tormentine Wharf, where CROWS [Corneille] were harassing it, and SNOW BUNTINGS [Plectrophane des neiges] were also around the Cape Tormentine campground.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton