Editor & Proofreader

Editor: Nelson Poirier    Proofreader: Louise Nichols

Sunday, 13 December 2020

Dec 13 2020

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, December 13, 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)

 

** Jamie Burris comments he had not seen many BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS [Jaseur boréal] of late.  That all changed on Friday when he saw 150+ Bohemian Waxwings in Riverview in Flowering Crab apple trees.  He laments leaving his camera at home as they were completely surrounded by feeding birds.

 

** Looking forward to enjoying the Saturday morning sun, Suzanne and Yves Poussart drove along the coast from Shediac to Cocagne.  The first part of the drive in the vicinity of Shediac was especially rewarding with several interesting photos.  The first highlight was at Pointe-du-Chêne wharf where Yves spotted a group of HARLEQUIN DUCKS [Arlequin plongeur] in the marina area.  Initially facing the sun, Yves was able to slowly move around to get a better light of these small ducks which tend to stay close to each other.  This species was a lifer for Yves.  Note the blend of genders and the stage of maturity in Yves’ photos.  It was also possible to get nice photos of a RED-BREASTED MERGANSER [Harle huppé], flocks of COMMON EIDERS [Eider à duvet] in flight and a DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT [Cormoran à aigrettes].  At the Cormierville wharf and Saint Thomas wharf, BLACK SCOTERS [Macreuse noire] were present in good numbers, but generally quite far out.  Yves comments that it was a very satisfying day out.

 

** Wayne Corcoran was in the woods just behind his Chelmsford home in Miramichi and came across 5 CANADA JAYS [Mésangeai du Canada] at once.  It’s the most that he has seen in a while.  The feeders in his yard are very quiet with EVENING GROSBEAKS [Gros-bec errant] predominating.  He did have PINE SISKINS [Tarin des pins] and AMERICAN GOLDFINCH [Chardonneret jaune] but they all left last week.  As he started into the woods, he came across a flock of COMMON REDPOLLS [Sizerin flammé] foraging on birch catkins.  There were 50+ in the flock, but he hasn’t seen them since.  This happens to be several kms from where I saw 8 to 10 Canada Jays on Friday, so things are sure looking good for Canada Jays in that area.

Louise Nichols also mentions she is seeing more CANADA JAYS in the wooded area near their Aulac home than usual.

 

** Doreen Rossiter reports that it has been a month since she has had NORTHERN CARDINALS [Cardinal rouge] to her Alma yard when one appeared on Saturday.  It was very different plumage to the others that she has had this season, showing a bright red head with black, but the rest of it was brownish grey with bits of red in the head and wings.  I rather wonder if this maybe is a first-season male bird just moulting.  Doreen suspects this to be cardinal # 11 to have dropped by, but most do not stay more than a day.  AMERICAN TREE SPARROW [Bruant hudsonien] numbers have swollen, but still no DARK-EYED JUNCOS [Junco ardoisé] which Doreen is quite surprised at.

 

** Gordon Rattray leaves a feeder report from his Weldon feeder yard.  Generally, numbers are low for most birds with AMERICAN GOLDFINCH [Chardonneret jaune] at about 10, but they had been as high as 50 a few weeks ago.  MOURNING DOVES [Tourterelle triste] are fairly constant at 14 early morning.  Three RING-NECKED PHEASANTS [Faisan de Colchide] appear on a regular basis.  He has several RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH [Sittelle à poitrine rousse] every day and 2 WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH [Sittelle à poitrine blanche] most days.  PINE SISKINS [Tarin des pins] are about 12, but irregular, and EVENING GROSBEAKS [Gros-bec errant] are at 12, but again irregular.  Gordon had a COMMON REDPOLL [Sizerin flammé] for the first time this year on Saturday.  This could be the start of an onslaught.  Gordon has had no woodpeckers in the last 2 weeks.  He comments that the Pine Siskins and American Goldfinch fed together on Saturday.  The Common Redpoll was with the Pine Siskins.

 

** Jean Renton commented a few days ago how fascinated they were watching a pair of crows frolicking with each other in the snow.  They now realize they are actually a pair of COMMON RAVENS [Grand Corbeau], and they tend to show up between 9:00 and 10:00 AM.  They roll in the snow and grab each other’s legs as in play.  As Jean comments, this probably is common with Ravens, but it is very special being able to watch the show from the window.

 

** Brian Stone was in the coastal area of Caissie Cape on Saturday.  He also got the HARLEQUIN DUCKS [Arlequin plongeur] at the Pointe-du-Chêne marina area.  Brian also got nice photos of an adult RING-BILLED GULL [Goéland à bec cerclé] and HERRING GULL [Goéland argenté], both showing the streaked heads of winter plumage.  Brian also got a photo of the waning crescent moon in company with the planet Venus early on Saturday morning.

 

** With the dusting of snow starting, it is a great time to watch for wildlife tracks and scat.  Louise Richard comments on noting tracks around their Acadieville cabin.  Some almost necessary information to have with track photos is the width or length of the track which sure can change if not fresh, the distance between the tracks from side to side (straddle), and the distance between the tracks from tip to tip (stride).  The perfect measuring tape to take these measurements is the light inexpensive cloth tape.  A photo of one is attached.  They are available at Fabricville in Moncton and easy to carry at all times.  The same applies to scat as to diameter and length.

 

**Brian Coyle was out checking his trail cameras when he came across some fresh BOBCAT tracks and sends some photos with measurements.

He also came upon some SKUNK tracks that measured1/2 “ wide and ¾ “ long.

 

 nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton




 

HARLEQUIN DUCKS (MALE,FEMALE, AND IMMATURE MALE). DEC 12, 2020.  YVES POUSSART

HARLEQUIN DUCKS (MALE,FEMALE, AND IMMATURE MALE). DEC 12, 2020.  YVES POUSSART

HARLEQUIN DUCKS. DEC. 12, 2020. BRIAN STONE

HARLEQUIN DUCKS (1ST WINTER MALES). DEC. 12, 2020.. BRIAN STONE

HARLEQUIN DUCK (1st WINTER MALE). DEC. 12, 2020.. BRIAN STONE

HARLEQUIN DUCK (ADULT MALE). DEC. 12, 2020. BRIAN STONE

COMMON EIDER FLOCK. DEC 12, 2020. YVES POUSSART

DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT. DEC 12, 2020. YVES POUSSART

RED-BREASTED MERGANSER(MALE). DEC 12, 2020. YVES POUSSART

RING-BILLED GULL. DEC. 12, 2020. BRIAN STONE

HERRING GULL. DEC. 12, 2020. BRIAN STONE

COMMON REDPOLL. DEC 12, 2020. GORDON RATTRAY

COMMON REDPOLL AND PINE SISKINS. DEC 12, 2020. GORDON RATTRAY
AMERICAN GOLDFINCH , PINE SISKIN. DEC 12, 2020. GORDON RATTRAY


PINE SISKIN. DEC 12, 2020. GORDON RATTRAY

RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH. DEC 12, 2020. GORDON RATTRAY

WANING CRESCENT MOON AND VENUS. DEC. 12, 2020. BRIAN STONE

TRACKS IN SNOW. DEC. 12, 2020. LOUISE RICHARD

TAPE MEASURE SUGGESTION FOR TRACKS, TRAILS, SCATS

TRACK MEASURING(STRIDE)

FOX TRAIL (STRIDE). NOV. 18, 2018...BRIAN STONE

BOBCAT PAW PRINT.DEC 12, 2020. BRIAN COYLE

BOBCAT TRAIL (10-16 IN. STRIDE).DEC 12, 2020. BRIAN COYLE

SKUNK PAW PRINT.DEC 12, 2020. BRIAN COYLE