NATURE
MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, October 05, 2019 (Tuesday)
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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
Info Line # 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)
** Lynda LeClerc suggests a local spot
for folks to check out. On Saturday she went for a walk to Meadow Lake, a
man-made pond beside the Harrisville Dr. entrance to the Humphrey Brook trail.
There were many male and female MALLARD DUCKS [Canard colvert] on the lake. It
was the first time she had seen male ducks acting so animatedly with splashing
and fluttering their wings, flying up just above the water then splashing back
down and chasing fellow male ducks away from presumably their female choices.
Lynda wonders if this is a normal phenomenon at this time of year. She comments
that it was really a treat to watch their antics.
** Dale Gaskin still has at least 2 EASTERN
BLUEBIRDS [Merlebleu de l'Est] remaining around his Dawson Settlement Rd. as of
November 04. They seem to be interested in picking at clinging ash seeds but he
did not see them actually eating them so there were possibly some insects of
interest among the seeds. Dale also has CEDAR WAXWINGS [Jaseur d'Amérique]
enjoying the abundant Mountain Ash crop as well as AMERICAN CROWS [Corneille
d'Amérique] foraging on the berries.
Dale reminds folks who wish to reserve
sunflower seeds for delivery by New Brunswick farmer Mike Dickinson to the
November 19 Nature Moncton meeting to call Dale at 734-2197. Leave your name and the number of bags you would
like if you get his voice mail. Mike’s price is $15.00 for a 15 Kg bag, the
same as it has been for some years now.
** Georges Brun got an excellent photo
of an AMERICAN CROW [Corneille d'Amérique] harassing a NORTHERN HARRIER [Busard
des marais] across from Hall’s Creek at the Riverview Marsh. It certainly came
close with its claws seriously out. It is HOUSE FINCH day in this edition.
Georges got 2 nice photos of HOUSE FINCHES [Roselin familier] in his Moncton
yard. One is a male with reddish areas just seeming to develop to suspect this
to be a young of the year male with another photo clearly showing a female
bird. These birds at Georges’ seem to take an interest in ripe apples,
unexpected finch behavior.
Georges advises that the walking bridge
over Hall’s Creek is nearly finished with its makeover. The metal roof arrived
on Monday and within a week or so should be installed. The structure has been
closed to pedestrian and bicycle traffic since August 13. The new flooring and
paint job will give it another couple of decades of giving access between
Moncton and Dieppe.
Brian Stone came across a bit of greenery
Jack Frost had visited early Tuesday morning in a low lying area. He probably
will get much more serious very soon about venturing farther afield!
** Even though it may be a bit on the
slow side it is nice to get reports from folks who are enjoying their feeder
yards. The few feeders that I have up at the moment have been dripping with AMERICAN
GOLDFINCH [Chardonneret jaune] along with the expected BLUE JAYS [Geai bleu],
WOODPECKERS [Pic], BLACK-CAPPED
CHICKADEES [Mésange à tête noire], and MOURNING DOVES [Tourterelle triste], but
no sparrows. The cool start to Monday morning sure got an onslaught of several HOUSE
FINCHES [Roselin familier] seemingly interested in checking out our new teapot
feeder filled with coarse sunflower chips. The variable plumage of the male
house finch never fails to surprise while the very conservatively attired
females are consistently drab, as in Georges Brun’s photo. The odd RED-WINGED
BLACKBIRD [Carouge à épaulettes] still drops by for white millet.
Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton
NORTHERN HARRIER WITH HARASSING CROW. NOV 4, 2019. GEORGES BRUN
JACK FROST. NOV 5, 2019. (7:50 AM) BRIAN STONE
HOUSE FINCH. NOV 4, 2019. NELSON POIRIER
HOUSE FINCH. NOV 4, 2019. NELSON POIRIER
HOUSE FINCH (YOUNG-OF-THE-YEAR MALE SUSPECTED) NOV 4, 2019. GEORGES BRUN
HOUSE FINCH (FEMALE) NOV 4, 2019. GEORGES BRUN
HOUSE FINCH. NOV 4, 2019. GEORGES BRUN
