Nature Moncton Nature News: Feb 20 2016

**Many thanks for the quickly-forwarded comments on the photo of the SWAMP SPARROW [Bruant des marais] distributed yesterday. It turns out to be a NELSON'S SPARROW [Bruant de Nelson], an excellent find in New Brunswick in February, that appeared to be doing well. This Sparrow is hard enough to get a photo of in the summer, so Dave Christie was fortunate to be able to get the photo of it that he did. The re-labelled photo is attached today. This species will be a new species to add to the New Brunswick winter list, thanks to Dave’s sleuthing.

**Brian Stone and I both were in the Halifax area on Thursday to see the COMMON GULL [Goéland cendré] in Lower Sackville, which was incredibly cooperative, enjoying some crushed unsalted crackers, along with a great display of different winter plumages of RING-BILLED GULLS [Goéland à bec cerclé] and HERRING GULLS [Goéland argenté]. Some LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS [Goéland brun] were also in the same area, which we did not see well. The REDWING [Grive mauvis] which had been seen earlier in nearby Pleasant Hill Cemetery was not seen.

On a tip from Diane LeBlanc, we very much enjoyed watching, listening to, and photographing approximately a dozen AMERICAN PIPITS [Pipit d'Amérique] foraging on KELP FLIES [famille Coelopidae] at one of the coves at Crystal Crescent Beach near Sambro. An overload of photos are attached.

Several lucky folk were able to get the Golden Eagle on the High Marsh Rd. on the Tantramar Marsh on the beautiful day of Friday. Louise Nichols saw it as well and got some nice photos of it perched on a pylon. This could be the target bird of the moment if it continues to put on such nice displays and find choice forage items on the Tantramar Marsh. Louise noted it being escorted by a few Rough-legged Hawks that appeared unimpressed with its presence.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton