Nature Moncton Nature News: Feb 26 2018

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, Feb. 26, 2018 (Monday)

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Transcript by: David Christie maryspt@mac.com

Info Line # 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)

** Bob Childs got a photo of two male RING-NECKED PHEASANTS [Faisan de Colchide] seriously duelling, a sure sign of approaching spring with territorial battles. They seemed more interested in dominance than in the presence of Bob’s neighbourhood COOPER’S HAWK [Épervier de Cooper]. Take a look at the action at the attached link.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/r722dr3osl4so5y/COCK%20PHEASANTS%20DUELING.MOV?dl=0

** Peter Gadd is yet another who has experienced the lone PINE SISKIN [Tarin des pins] scenario. He has had one bird coming to his feeder yard the past week, joining the AMERICAN GOLDFINCH [Chardonneret jaune] at the nyjer seed feeder. Peter got a nice side-view photo of the siskin to show its forcep-like bill, heavy chest-belly barring and the splash of yellow, compared to the Goldfinch at its side. Both species tend to be small birds in comparison to most of the sparrows and other finches.

** Susan Linkletter shares some LADY BEETLE [coccinelle] activity in her greenhouse during February. One photo shows a lady beetle larva just emerging, while another shows one emerged and enjoying an aphid, just what Susan wants them to do. It is the larvae of the lady beetle species that are significant foragers of aphids, not the adult beetles. Susan gathers any lady beetle adults that she finds over-wintering in her home and takes them to the greenhouse where the warmth sets them in reproductive mode to produce the aphid-loving larvae.

Susan also took a close-up photo of snowflakes as they piled up in their unique, all different shapes as they fell in a recent snowfall. Susan was also in the Toronto airport recently and came across some HOUSE SPARROWS [Moineau domestique] that had flown into the terminal. They were glad to accept food handouts from her.

** John Inman watched a different scenario unfold, when a RED-TAILED HAWK [Buse à queue rousse] dropped onto an AM. BLACK DUCK [Canard noir] on the shore of the Shepody River near his Mary’s Point Road home. The duck struggled and was able to get into a nearby creek and escape, leaving the mud-spattered hawk to fly off, I suspect unamused.

Both John Inman and Dave Christie have had the first PURPLE FINCH [Roselin pourpré] arrive at their Mary’s Point feeder yards, the first they have had since last fall. This seems the traditional time, when the first wave of Purple Finches start re-appearing at feeders.

Dave comments that he drove past the Cardwell Farms composting operation in Penobsquis on Sunday and saw the usual gathering of BALD EAGLES [Pygargue à tête blanche] and COMMON RAVENS [Grand Corbeau], attracted to that site.

** Brian Stone stopped at the Falconer Road feeders near Notre-Dame, that have been hosting a surprising number of RUSTY BLACKBIRDS [Quiscale rouilleux]. Many of us visited earlier in the winter. They are still present, with Brian tallying a total of 12 Rusty Blackbirds. There is still a female RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD [Carouge à épaulettes] with them. Brian got several photos which show the plumage variability of genders, and probably age.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton