Nature Moncton Nature News: Jan 24 2016

** Louise Nichols visited the Tantramar Marsh on Saturday, saw 4 ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS [Buse pattue] along the High Marsh Road, and got some awesome photos of one in action, taking a MEADOW VOLE [Campagnol des champs]. Louise also got photos of the SAVANNAH SPARROWS [Bruant des prés] that have been spotted near the Prescott barn. She found them on nearby Folkins Drive. They were almost mixing with the abundant SNOW BUNTINGS [Bruant des neiges] in that area.

** Brian Stone and I arrived at the Tantramar Marsh after Louise had the nice experience with the hunting ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK [Buse pattue] and the SAVANNAH SPARROWS [Bruant des prés]. We saw four of the hawks, one at close range, possibly the same one Louise photographed.

A flock of waxwings were seen at a distance near Memramcook and all appeared to be BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS [Jaseur boréal].

WHITE-TAILED DEER [Cerf de Virginie] are currently in low numbers, so it was good to see nine in one area near Jolicure, looking to be in excellent condition. RING-NECKED PHEASANT [Faisan de Colchide] numbers seem to be incredibly high in the whole Tantramar area. We noted one very dark-plumaged individual briefly. Late in the day a RUFFED GROUSE [Gélinotte huppée] put on a good show feeding on tree buds. It seemed to have a lot more red in its plumage than most, but not enough to consider it a red morph.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca
Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton