Nature Moncton Nature News: Feb 22 2016

** Jean-Paul and Stella LeBlanc spotted a large flock of BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS [Jaseur boréal] north of Bouctouche on Route 11, estimating the number to be from 1500 to 2000 individuals. When they arrived home later, 150-200 were in their Bouctouche backyard. A flock of 25-30 CEDAR WAXWINGS [Jaseur d'Amérique] discovered the berries of their privet hedge, cleaning up the crop. Jean-Paul got a photo of the Cedar Waxwings accompanied by a DOWNY WOODPECKER [Pic mineur] and EUROPEAN STARLINGS [Étourneau sansonnet] perched in the same tree, as well as a nice close-up of a Cedar Waxwing enjoying a berry.

Stella also got a photo of a pair of PURPLE FINCHES [Roselin pourpré] at their feeders. They also noted an adult BALD EAGLE [Pygargue à tête blanche] near the nest located on Coates Mills Road, near Saint-Marie; it appeared to have repairs in mind. They also spotted a vireo nest in Cocagne, seemingly still very much intact from last year. Note the suspended pendulous character of the nest and the building materials, including birch bark strips, that suggest a vireo was the builder.

** Carol Steelcaptured a photo of a very unusual waxwing in her yard in Riverview. Dave Christie and Gilles Belliveau have offered opinions to make sense of the genetics of this bird. The consensus so far is that it is a leucistic/albinistic BOHEMIAN WAXWING [Jaseur boréal]. Albinism suggests no melanin production whereas leucism suggests that melanin is not produced normally. This bird has the normal wing markings of a Bohemian Waxwing, yet has the yellow belly blush of a Cedar Waxwing, and lacks the cinnamon undertail coverts of a Bohemian. Its size, from its position in the photo, suggests that it is larger than the Cedar Waxwings present. Lack of melanin production may have lead to the yellow being exhibited on the belly and the lack of undertail covert colour. A very confusing plumage and one that could lead to many interpretations.

** The ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER [Paruline verdâtre] that had been circulating between Bob and Shirley Childs’ and Cathie Smith’s feeders in Riverview had not been seen for several days. However, it re-appeared at Cathie’s feeder on Saturday evening, so it is still in its chosen territory and doing well.

** Looking at some of the recent gull photos from Brian Stone, one flight shot of an adult HERRING GULL [Goéland argenté] nicely shows the arrangement of the so-called windows, or mirrors, at the tip of the P9 and P10 primary feathers, to help identify this gull in flight. Also attached is a photo of a second-winter ICELAND GULL [Goéland arctique] and a side view of a MALLARD [Canard colvert] x AMERICAN BLACK DUCK [Canard noir] hybrid.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton