NATURE
MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, January 22, 2019 (Tuesday)
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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
Info Line # 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)
** We are going to have to designate
Monday, January 21st as “Redpoll Day” to feeder yards.
Rick Elliot and Barb Curlew report that
first of the year birds that appeared to their Waterside feeder yard with the
storm were one AMERICAN TREE SPARROW [Bruant hudsonien] and one COMMON REDPOLL
[Sizerin flammé].
The American Tree Sparrows are usually
in good numbers at feeders in winter, spending their southerly vacations in our
area, but many feeders are reporting that their numbers are not as high as
usual. I usually have eight to ten but this year the number is lower at four
while the WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS [Bruant à gorge blanche] and DARK-EYED JUNCOS
[Junco ardoisé] are up in number.
** Lois Budd reports that her COMMON
REDPOLL [Sizerin flammé] flock has gone from three to fifteen and is increasing
at her Salisbury feeder yard. My flock of one went to three and possibly more.
My own feeder yard was inundated with PINE SISKINS [Tarin des pins] at forty
plus. The AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES [Chardonneret jaune] don’t seem impressed and
tend to get bullied a bit by the Siskins.
** The winter storm really seems to
have convinced COMMON REDPOLLS [Sizerin flammé] that bird feeders are the place
to be. Clarence Cormier had a lone one show up for breakfast on Monday morning to
his Grande Digue yard. Fred and Lynn Dube had six show up to their feeders in
the afternoon at their Niagara Rd. feeders.
** Gordon Rattray also had his first
two COMMON REDPOLLS [Sizerin flammé] arrive to his Weldon feeder yard on Saturday
afternoon. Gordon comments that eleven expected regulars, plus the Redpolls,
seemed very hungry, coming very close to the house to eat and stayed steadily
all day until dusk. Gordon’s photo of his WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH [Sittelle à
poitrine blanche] nicely shows the cinnamon under tail patch. The
White-breasted Nuthatch is near twice the size of the Red-breasted Nuthatch.
** Dale Gaskin was yet another that had
his first COMMON REDPOLLS [Sizerin flammé] arrive to his Dawson Settlement Rd. feeder
yard on Monday with about a half dozen arrivals.
** David Christie had an interesting
storm day feeder troupe and yes, it did include his first COMMON REDPOLL
[Sizerin flammé] that actually came to his feeder area in his Mary’s Point
yard. David was surprised that he did not have any American Goldfinch or Pine
Siskins visit on Monday, however the SPARROWS and BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES
[Mésange à tête noire] were abundant. He was also surprised to have ten AMERICAN
CROWS [Corneille d'Amérique] arrive on Monday morning and stay for some time in
his yard, hacking at areas where crusted snow had covered bird food on the
ground. He seldom has any Crows come to the feeder yard. Obviously many wild
birds were having a problem on Monday to forage on wild food freshly covered in
crusty snow.
Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton
AMERICAN TREE SPARROW. JAN 21, 2019. RICK ELLIOT
COMMON REDPOLL. JAN 21, 2019. GORDON RATTRAY
COMMON REDPOLL. JAN 21, 2019. RICK ELLIOT
COMMON REDPOLLS. JAN 21, 2019. GORDON RATTRAY
WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH. JAN 21, 2019. GORDON RATTRAY
