NATURE
MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, 16 January 2021 (Saturday)
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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
Transcript
by: Catherine Clements
Info Line #: 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)
**Friday
morning was a frosty morning in Nelson-Miramichi as the sun rose. Verica
LeBlanc got some spectacular photos just as the sun rose, seeming to light up
the treetops. A striking scenario!
Verica commented it was so brief, that as soon
as she had captured the photos, it was gone, saying “Nature waits for no one.”
**Sue and
Fred Richards heard a vocalizing GREAT HORNED OWL [Grand-duc d'Amérique] in
woods near their Taylor Village home on Friday afternoon. One hour before, they
heard CROWS [Corneille] making a ruckus, so rather assumed it may have been the
owl they were harassing.
We also have heard a Great Horned Owl
vocalizing very near our urban backyard in early evening lately. We’ve heard it
several times, so wondering about a potential territory being claimed. Ross
Galbraith has reported to have seen and heard Great Horned Owls and BARRED OWLS
[Chouette rayée] in the past on nearby Milner Road. Seems urban for owls, but
they are repeatedly being heard there.
****Ray Gauvin
reports seals could still be seen on ice floes from the Pointe-du-Chene wharf
on Friday but were too distant for adequate photos.
Ray also points out a very interesting video on breeding period of the Harp
Seal with incredible photography by a National Geographic crew. Other northern
mammals and Snowy Owl are mentioned as well. Take a look at the action at the
video link below:
https://youtu.be/BF2TZq-ntRQ <https://youtu.be/BF2TZq-ntRQ
**Daryl
Doucet reports his NORTERN CARDINAL troupe has swollen to 3 with the addition
of a newly arrived male.
Am also
attaching a photo of Daryl’s EASTERN TOWHEE with the brown tertials pointed out
to indicate female. The tertials are white and shorter in a male.
**Anna Tucker was attracted to birdsong in a
small bush on Queen Street in Moncton. It was a male HOUSE SPARROW [Moineau
domestique]. The male of this species seems to vocalize all year, quite
different from most sparrows. The non-native House Sparrow numbers are down in
New Brunswick, which may be a good thing, as they have been a real threat to
TREE SWALLOWS [Hirondelle bicolore] and EASTERN BLUEBIRDS [Merlebleu de l'Est],
which seem to be doing much better with House Sparrow numbers down. Apart from
their misgivings, they do have a pleasant song. The literature does suggest
that the female House Sparrow does sometimes sing.
As a comment
to House Sparrow singing in cold periods, Pat Fox, Heather Silliker, and I were
in Churchill, Manitoba in early November some years ago, and got very
interested when we heard birds singing in a shrub, expecting to find something
different. It was House Sparrows, and believe me, it was cold!
**Pat Gibbs
is enjoying HOUSE FINCH [Roselin familier] starting to arrive to her Moncton
feeder yard, as well as RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH [Sittelle à poitrine rousse]
attracted to her seed bells.
**Georges Brun had a large COMMON REDPOLL
[Sizerin] flock surround him and perch in trees around Chateau Moncton on
Friday.
One of the
SHORT-EARED OWLS [Hibou des marais] was perched on an old tree stump on the
other side of the river, and later, one (perhaps two) were hunting over the
Chartersville pond area almost a kilometre away. Georges comments the CROWS
[Corneille] are quite consistent in harassing the owls, but not quite so brave
when the BALD EAGLES [Pygargue à tête blanche] show up.
*Annette and Brian Stone made a visit to
Bell/Wilson Marsh on Friday. The first bird they saw was a cooperative NORTHERN
SHRIKE [Pie-grièche grise]. The chest barring suggests it to be an immature
young-of-the-year bird.
There was a
flock of approximately 30 COMMON REDPOLLS [Sizerin flammé] circulating the
area. One photo shows them enjoying WHITE BIRCH [Bouleau blanc] with its
three-catkin clusters. GREY BIRCH [Bouleau gris] would have one catkin, not a
cluster.
Nelson Poirier, Nature Moncton
