NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, November
22, 2020 (Sunday)
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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
Transcript by: Louise Nichols nicholsl@eastlink.ca
Info Line # 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)
** More RUSTY BLACKBIRD [Quiscale
rouilleux] reports
from feeder yards which is so great to hear this early in the season. Frank Branch has had one to his feeder yard
in Paquetville for 2 days now, and as an added bonus, one of his 2 male NORTHERN CARDINALS
[Cardinal rouge] is still
present. The Rusty Blackbird appears to
be a male from the plumage. Take note of
the rounded club-shaped tail compared to a RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD [Carouge à
épaulettes].
** Louise Nichols raises an interesting
comment I have not heard mentioned about the EURASIAN WIGEON [Canard siffleur] at the Hampton lagoon. Louise points out that the Sibley guide
mentions a narrow black border at the gape of the AMERICAN WIGEON [Canard
d'Amérique] which the
female Eurasian Wigeon does not have.
The Sibley guide shows that thin black line lacking in both the adult
and immature Eurasian female, but present in the American Wigeon adult and
non-breeding female. This may be an
additional clue to look for in building a case for a female Eurasian
Wigeon. Brian Stone’s photo of the American
and Eurasian female wigeons side by side shows that feature nicely. I am attaching those photos again today for perusal with an arrow
directed to the black line on the female American Wigeon.
** Mitch and Irene Doucet paid a visit
to the Hampton Lagoon as well and got a nice photo of the female Eurasian
Wigeon.
** Phil Riebel has a camera set trap
that he has designed himself that has netted him some surprises near his
Miramichi home. Last week he got a FISHER investigating the area. There
are woods behind his home suitable for a Fisher, but he was surprised to see one
so near neighbourhood houses. He has
reset two camera traps in hopes of getting more photos of the special mammal we
so seldom see due to its secretive nocturnal behaviour.
** Doreen Rossiter had two bright fresh
WHITE-THROATED
SPARROW [Bruant à gorge blanche] arrive to her Alma feeder yard early Saturday
morning. On Saturday, she had 3 NORTHERN CARDINALS
[Cardinal rouge], 2 female
and 1 male. The male was definitely
different from other males she has had this year. She noted it to have a bluish-mauve blush in
the mantle area, not red as her others had.
Doreen comments still no sign of DARK-EYED JUNCOS [Junco ardoisé] which are usually present now.
** The New Brunswick Environmental
Network is hosting a free webinar with Heather Loomer speaking on the
province’s effort to double the amount of protected natural areas and getting
nominations for potential protected sites.
This will take place on Dec. 2nd from 6:30 to 7:30 PM and
more details and registration information is attached at the link below. I will keep watch on these webinars coming up
to alert on subjects that would interest the group listening right from home.
Webinar:
Getting Involved in New Brunswick's Nature Legacy
Speaker: Heather Loomer (Department of Natural Resources and Energy
Development)
Date: December 2, 6:30 – 7:30 PM
Heather will be speaking about the province’s Pathway to 10% initiative – an
initiative aimed at doubling the amount of protected areas in the province –
and will also be giving a tutorial on how to use the province’s new public
website to nominate potential protected sites.
Click
here for more information and to register.
Or https://nben.ca/en/nb-wildlife-webinar-series
** Brian Stone’s Saturday started off
with a visit from two CANADA JAYS [Mésangeai du Canada] to a suet block while he was visiting in
Upham. He got several nice photos of one
of them feasting on the suet and nicely showing the white tips of the spread
tail as it fed heartily on the high energy diet.
** David Lilly like many in New
Brunswick continues to enjoy the EVENING GROSBEAK [Gros-bec errant]
visits to his Oromocto feeder
yard. He took the time to get some male
and female portraits on Saturday.
** Pat and I made a run to the
Tantramar Marsh area on Saturday, covering both sides of the marsh. The corn stubble fields on the west side did
not show any of the BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER [Pluvier argenté], AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER [Pluvier
bronzé] and PECTORAL SANDPIPERS
[Bécasseau à poitrine cendrée] that were
seen there earlier in the season, so they may have moved out. Over the round, two light-phase ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS [Buse
pattue] were seen
and two NORTHERN
HARRIERS [Busard Saint-Martin], but no RED-TAILED HAWKS [Buse à
queue rousse]. Only 4 raptors over the huge area we covered
would make one wonder about the vole population there this season.
Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton
