NATURE
MONCTON NATURE NEWS
Jan 25, 2022 (Tuesday)
To respond by e-mail, please address your message to the information line editor, nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com .
Please
advise the editor at nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
if any errors are noted in wording or photo labelling.
For more information on Nature Moncton, check the
website at www.naturemoncton.com
Edited by:
Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
** Ed and Jane LeBlanc in St. Martins still have 4 sparrow species in their yard. (Tree, Song, White-throated and Junco).
Jane leaves
a pleasant account of their day’s nature sleuthing on Monday.
“They
decided it was too nice a day to waste staying home, so they drove to the
Riverview Marsh, hoping to see.... something...anything.
A female
RING NECKED PHEASANT was the first to cross paths with them but didn't
stop for photos. Then, a flock of SNOW BUNTINGS flew over. Again, no
photo. Near the end of the trail near the outflow, they spotted a distant RED
FOX. Jane took photos, but none good enough to share. Ed saw a total of
3 Red Foxes with binoculars.
They then
drove to the parking lot next to Chateau Moncton and enjoyed their picnic lunch
sitting in the warm car. They took a short walk and spotted 2 Red Foxes across
the river hunting, but between the distance and direct sun in their eyes,
again, no photos.
They
stopped for a short walk on the Wilson marsh on their way home.
Not a
single photo on the day, but a beautiful day to be out none the less, with sun,
not terribly cold temperatures and no wind.
We need to
enjoy days like these, as who knows what Mother Nature will throw at us in
future!!”
**Georges
Brun spotted a large flock of Snow Buntings wheeling about the Riverview marsh
on Monday. He estimated 300+ birds and was able to capture some documentary
photos. A large flock of Snow Buntings in winter can be reminiscent of our
summer shorebird flocks. The Riverview March grasses must be laden with nutrition packed winter clinging seeds.
**
Brian and Annette Stone walked some trails in the White Rock
Recreational Area on Monday and Brian had a bit more luck with the birds
this time, mostly due to Annette's excellent spotting ability. A large
percentage of the trees in the park are very tall and so it meant that most of
the birds seen were quite high up in the tops but the bright, clear light
helped Brian get some decent images. His photographs shared include some of 8 PINE
SISKINS, approximately 26 AMERICAN ROBINS, 8 PURPLE FINCHES,
6 RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES, and 4 HAIRY WOODPECKERS.
Birds seen
but not photographed include several RAVENS and BLACK-CAPPED
CHICKADEES. Brian also photographed several sets of small tracks in the new
snow that might be Weasel\Mink and Shrew. Brian also includes a photo
of the park map with his route outlined in red.
On
his way to the White Rock area Brian had to stop short on the Hillsborough Rd.
(Route 114) as it entered the main section of Hillsborough at the top of a hill
to avoid a collision with one of the 8 WHITE-TAILED DEER that were
milling about in and beside the road. Road salt may have been the attraction.
Some plants were still showing a nice green under the
water at the edge of the brook in the park. Likely they were above water in the
summer. A consult with Gart Bishop gave the identity and some explanation as
quoted below:
“There are very few plants that plug up a water course
(usually ditch or slow-moving stream) as indicated in Brian's photo besides
Watercress (Nasturtium officinale). If you closely examine the photo,
you can see a few of the compound leaves exhibiting the large terminal leaflets
which get progressively smaller as you look down toward where it fastens to the
plant stem. This is an edible plant (doesn’t look appetizing in the photo at
this time of the year) which has been brought over from Europe.”
Nelson Poirier
Nature Moncton
