Nature Moncton Nature News: Feb 12 2020

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, February 12, 2020 (Wednesday)

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Transcript by: Brian Stone bjpstone@gmail.com

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

** The orange variant of the HOUSE FINCH [Roselin familier] is not commonly encountered but it surely stands out when seen, and it can make one wonder if it may be some other species. Daryl Doucet has had an onslaught of House Finches to his Moncton yard recently and a male variant was among the troupe on Monday and Daryl got some nice photos.

** Jim Carroll heard the distinct chattering rattle call of a BELTED KINGFISHER [Martin-pêcheur d'Amérique] at Marble Cove in Saint John on Tuesday. By following the sound he spotted it, a male, doing what a Kingfisher would be doing on a summer day … perching and flying, finding an ice free section, before it disappeared downriver. It provided a pleasant February photo op!

** Doreen Rossiter reports on the activity in her Alma feeder yard since the weekend storm. 13 MOURNING DOVES [Tourterelle triste] arrived, which was new as she had none visiting previously. Also the AMERICAN ROBIN [Merle d'Amérique] numbers jumped to 30 from the 6 to 8 that she had working the yard Mountain Ash crop for the past few weeks. Also 21 CEDAR WAXWINGS [Jaseur d'Amérique] joined them. No Bohemian Waxwings were among them.

Brian Stone was visiting Mapleton Park on Tuesday and joined up with fellow nature photographer John Goobie to get some very pleasant photos including a WHITE-THROATED SPARROW [Bruant à gorge blanche] tarrying for the winter in the park and a handsome male PILEATED WOODPECKER [Grand pic], both photographed nicely by John, as well as its female partner that would appear to have an established territory in the park. On Tuesday the BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES [Mésange à tête noire] were working the pine cone galls that Brian saw American Goldfinch working on a few days earlier. Brian also saw a group of approximately a dozen CEDAR WAXWINGS [Jaseur d'Amérique], one of which was drinking from a small stream. Brian also got a photo of a 22° SOLAR HALO that his camera and eye seldom misses.

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton