NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, Dec.29,
2020 (Tuesday)
Please advise editor at nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com if any errors are noted in wording or
photo labeling.
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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
Transcript by: Susan Richards susan_richards@rogers.com
Info Line # 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)
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**Louise Nichols did a trip along the High
Marsh Road on Monday morning stopping at various spots to scan with a
scope. She ended up with 6 ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK [Buse
pattue], 2 NORTHERN HARRIER [Busard
Saint-Martin] and 5 BALD EAGLE [Pygargue à
tête blanche] along with a
large flock of 100+ of SNOW BUNTING [Bruant des neiges] in flight. Many of
the raptors were distant making a scope necessary. She saw also a couple of very far-off hawks
that she thought were Rough-Legged Hawks, but couldn’t be sure. Not many opportunities for photos but Louise
attaches one of a Rough-Legged Hawk that was on top of one of the pylons but
not too far from the road.
**We keep hearing of large COMMON REDPOLL [Sizerin flammé] flocks about with small groups coming to feeders. Jules Cormier reports he saw a flock he estimates at 300+ in the Memramcook Marsh.
I saw a flock of approximately 50 on
Monday at the Cormierville Wharf and at my own feeder yard my ‘flock’ has
swollen to 2 from 1.
**Brian Stone went to Wilson (Bell Marsh)
on Sunday for a short walk. He saw a few
birds near the entrance that he thought were female HOUSE
FINCH [Roselin familier] and PURPLE FINCH [Roselin
pourpré]. They were high and silhouetted and hard to
get clear photos. The female Purple Finch
was chewing on old apples. Some
colourful males were present in the distance but was not sure if they were
House or Purple Finch males and they flew before a picture was possible. Also 1 female NORTHERN CARDINAL [Cardinal rouge]
flew in and out before a
picture was possible. Down along the
trail groups of Common Redpolls were zooming about. Brian saw 2 groups that he felt had to add up
to at 200+ birds, with a couple of photos when they landed in a birch tree
close by. He found a small nest about
two feet off the ground in bushes. It
was indeed small and considering the nest and location, a COMMON YELLOWTHROAT
[Paruline masquée] would have
to be a rule-out. He also noticed an
animal den in a small dirt hill which could have several possibilities.
**Sometimes gulls at this time of year can
be challenging and some quite easy. Am
adding some photos of two, I mused over at Cocagne on Monday and comments
otherwise are welcome, but are to learn from.
I suspect one to be a 1st winter GLAUCOUS GULL [Goéland
bourgmestre] over an ICELAND GULL [Goéland
arctique] as there appears to
be a combo of a black-billed hip and dark eye.
Glaucous and Iceland Gulls usually take on the yellow eye in the 2nd
winter. I am assuming the second gull to
be a 3rd winter HERRING GULL [Goéland argenté] as the black smudge on the bill does not seem to be in the same
position as a RING-BILLED GULL [Goéland à bec cerclé] would be and seeing a bit of brown in the
rear of the grey mantle. Not a good day
for distant photos but the challenge was there.
nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton
