NATURE
MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, October 17, 2019 (Thursday)
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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
Info Line # 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)
** White-nose syndrome surely has made
a change in our flying bat night life. Chris Antle reports that a small bat
flew across her line of vision from her Maquapit Lake deck at sunset on October
13. It was 17° Celsius at the time with a high of 19° Celsius earlier that day
with lots of Woolly Alder Aphids and a few mosquitoes flying so lots of
potential fodder. Chris comments “what a pleasant surprise”. Several years ago
a warm evening in habitat like this would have had lots of bats. White-nose
syndrome surely has been a cave bat disaster.
David Lilly had approximately 100 COMMON
GRACKLES visit his Oromocto area yard on Wednesday. Three birds travelling with
them caught his eye that stood out from the group to get nice photos that
nicely show why he noted them. These are indeed Common Grackles but in a moult
stage to really stand out among their kin. I at first thought they were
young-of-the-year birds in moult but on consulting with Gilles Belliveau, he
commented he felt he did not see indications of a juvenile bird but more likely
adult birds in moult also showing a shorter tail which would be consistent as
well with a moult. David’s photos will have some of us looking more closely at
Common Grackle flocks we often do not do.
** The Nature Moncton nest box program
has been aimed at providing Tree Swallow housing with a hole opening diameter of
1½ inches but others use them such as Flying Squirrels and Eastern Bluebirds,
but the Black-capped Chickadee seems to be a modestly frequent user as well.
Gordon Rattray had a BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE [Mésange à tête noire] use his box
in his yard. A photo shows the Black-capped Chickadee’s favoured building
material as moss with a random bit of extras. An assumed broken unhatched egg
shows nicely the brown speckling on the white background of the Black-capped Chickadee
egg.
** The pendulant nests of the BALD-FACED
HORNET [frelon chauve] are now at their largest and will soon be vacated.
Verica Leblanc came across one in French Fort Cove, Miramichi to be amazed at
the intricate weaving and apparent side chambers but found the main opening as
shown on the other side of the nest with 1 hornet on its way out on its
mission.
** Dale Gaskin has spoken with farmer
Mike Dickinson who comes to a Nature Moncton meeting each year with a truckload
of New Brunswick grown Black Oil Sunflower seeds. Delivery this year is
scheduled to be at the November 19 meeting. For those who wish to reserve bags
call Dale at 734-2197 and leave a message if necessary with your name and the
number of bags you would like. Mike is usually able to supply all that is
requested. This is not a Nature Moncton fund raiser but is in support of New
Brunswick grown Black Oil Sunflower
seeds.
Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton
BALD-FACED HORNET NEST. OCT 14.2019. VERICA LeBLANC
BALD-FACED HORNET NEST. OCT 14.2019. VERICA LeBLANC
BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE NEST. OCTOBER 16, 2019. GORDON RATTRAY
COMMON GRACKLE. OCT 16, 2019. DAVID LILLY
COMMON GRACKLE. OCT 16, 2019. DAVID LILLY
COMMON GRACKLE. OCT 16, 2019. DAVID LILLY
