NATURE
MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, 12 December 2020 (Saturday)
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Edited by:
Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
Transcript by: Catherine Clements
Info Line #:
506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)
**On Friday afternoon Yves Poussart visited
the marsh between Moncton and Riverview, hoping to see the SHORT-EARED OWLS
[Hibou des marais] that have been reported in that area. Not knowing at first
where they may come, he decided to go to the Hawthorne Drive area, which is
along the marsh on the Riverview side, via Point Park Drive. Being at the site
at 3:30 PM, Yves saw two Owls arriving together at 3:55 PM, and they were
observed flying over the marsh for the next eight minutes. They flew back and
forth over the first 100 metres along the border of the marsh on the Riverview
side. They finally flew westward and were not spotted afterwards. Yves was able
to get some fantastic photos of two of them, showing their field marks with
crystal clarity in up and down wing position. This species was a lifer for
Yves.
**Peter Gadd
was able to capture a photo of 8 of his ‘flock’ of 9 NORTHERN CARDINALS
[Cardinal rouge] feeding on the ground at the same time at his Miramichi feeder
yard. I suspect this may be a difficult feat to match. Do the count – there
really are eight in that photo!
**AMERICAN
GOLDFINCH [Chardonneret jaune] seem to be building up at feeders, as the
weather cools and we get some snow. Aldo Dorio got a pleasant photo of one
enjoying a feeder visit.
**Jane
LeBlanc caught a photo of the WANING CRESCENT MOON from her St. Martins home at
7:23 AM this morning, Saturday. The planet VENUS is pecking through the bushes
below (arrowed).
Jane also has
both genders of her NORTERN CARDINAL duo present as regular patrons.
**The photo
of the strange mammal on the Riverview Marsh got quite a reaction. Some are not
suitable for family viewing, but Mr. Stone’s comment is too good not to be
shared. It is quoted below, as the editor cannot pronounce the scientific name
suggested!
“I looked
up the strange mammal from today's blog .. it appears that it may be the rare
and misunderstood " Nelseeingus tri-owlinflightus".
Not a first for N.B., it is seen
frequently searching for its favorite prey .. owls. Often in remarkably strange
plumage, especially in cold and winter months, it is a sight that often gives
naturalists pause as they struggle to classify this strange creature.”
The photo is re-posted today in case there may
be more enlightened guesses. The editor also mentioned Daryl Doucet’s nice
AMERICAN TREE SPARROW [Bruant hudsonien] photo yesterday, but did not include
it. It is attached today.
**I do not
see CANADA JAYS [Mésangeai du Canada] all that often, so Friday was a special
day. I was driving along the route between Quarryville and Barnaby, and noted 2
or 3 Canada Jays, to get binocular views but no photos. Approximately five
kilometres further down the road, I spotted a Canada Jay on a tree in a
person’s yard and stopped to get a look and photo from the road. The homeowner,
Romeo Doucette, noted me and invited me to come in. To my surprise, he had 8
Canada Jays coming to a feeder box that contained the “sawdust” that drops from
meat cutting at a local butcher shop. It seemed like two would stay together
and make vocalizations to each other that I had not heard before. Mr. Doucet
said the birds come to his hand and shoulder, and notes that some do not get
along, so assume he has pairs coming. Canada Jays would be defending a
territory now/soon, so that may be the reason. I thought I got some fantastic
photos, but when I got home, I found only one turned out, due to a camera
misfunction or else a photographer malfunction!
Nelson
Poirier, Nature Moncton
