Nature Moncton Nature News: Nov 13 2018

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, November 13, 2018 (Tuesday)

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Transcript by: bjpstone@gmail.com

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

**A few feeder yard surprises for Marguerite and Bill Winsor came to their Salisbury feeder yard. A FOX SPARROW [Bruant fauve] arrived on Monday to cooperate for a photo. On October 29 a female PILEATED WOODPECKER [Grand pic] dropped by for a taste of suet and stayed long enough to be photographed. Note the lack of a red “moustache” and the red on the crown not extending right to the bill indicating a female. Marguerite also reports that the male NORTHERN CARDINAL [Cardinal rouge] that appeared four days ago has returned each day since.

** Audrey Goguen reports that she had a large flock of BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS [Jaseur boréal] arrive to her Moncton yard Flowering Crab tree on Monday. There is a great crop of Flowering Crab fruit around the city to welcome and keep them this winter.

** Kevin Renton reports that there is a flock of EVENING GROSBEAKS [Gros-bec errant] coming to their Stilesville feeder yard, however for a big surprise on Monday when they were joined by PINE GROSBEAKS [Durbec des sapins]. It is a very interesting combination of grosbeaks to a feeder yard.

** Doreen Rossiter had a lone, female PINE GROSBEAK [Durbec des sapins] drop by her Alma yard to forage on Highbush Cranberry fruit on Monday. Doreen comments that she has not had this species in her yard since November and December of 2012.

** Daryl Doucette shares an EVENING GROSBEAK [Gros-bec errant] tale that is too good not to share. I am quoting Daryl below with a few words altered for family consumption!

“Was reading about the Evening Grosbeaks, and took to reminiscing about back in the early '70's at 69 Mapleton Rd. where I grew up. I had a bird feeder (piece of plywood) attached to the outside sill of my bedroom window. I remember the grosbeaks were VERY plentiful...one day I slid open the bedroom window, put sunflower seeds on the window sill, on my bed and on my dresser...I sat in the corner and the next thing I knew I had grosbeaks IN THE BEDROOM feeding! Didn't bother them at all!! Kinda annoyed my mother though....she didn't appreciate bird poop in the bedroom....

and a foot note.. my 12 yr old friend ( at the time) actually grabbed one of them, and found out VERY QUICKLY the amazing strength of their big green bill....!”

** There are still PURPLE FINCHES [Roselin pourpré] in Tabusintac. Aldo Dorio photographed an adult male. Note the red crown and lack of bold belly stripes of the male House Finch that was featured yesterday. I have added a photo of a female Purple Finch, side by side, to note the white supercillium over the eye that is not present in the House Finch female and the notched tail of the Purple Finch vs the square tail of the House Finch.

** Brian Stone visited Mapleton Park on Monday to note that the ducks are beginning to converge at the bridge over Hall’s Creek at the Gorge Rd. end of the park. He photographed a GREAT BLUE HERON [Grand Héron] seemingly not amused with the colder weather; more trees damaged by the recent storm and a few Black/Mallard duck hybrids. Some frost formation photos are a sign of the season.

** I had the first AMERICAN TREE SPARROW [Bruant hudsonien] arrive to our Moncton feeder yard on Monday. The bi-colored bill shows up nicely. I had read that NORTHERN CARDINALS [Cardinal rouge] have a taste for Safflower seeds. I picked up a small bag of Safflower seeds on Monday. I was sure surprised to see the male right into it at dusk after I put it out and is back at it this morning.

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton