NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS
Dec 10, 2024
Nature
Moncton members as well as any naturalist in New Brunswick or beyond are invited to share their photos and
descriptions of recent nature sightings to build a fresh (almost) daily edition
of Nature News
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** The December Nature Moncton meeting is tonight,
Tuesday evening, December 10.
The greeting cards and membership forms will
be available at the meeting.
Alain Clavette will give the monthly
presentation with the write-up below:
NATURE
MONCTON DECEMBER MONTHLY MEETING PRESENTATION
Tuesday,
December 10, 2024, at 7 PM
Mapleton Park
Rotary Lodge
Presenter: Alain Clavette
Topic: “The
‘Ducks Unlimited Effect’ and the Importance of their Treasured Wetland Program”
Naturalists
don’t need to be convinced that wetlands are important, but it is surprising to
learn just how important they are! This
presentation will look at data that will show how over 50 years of work
conserving wetlands has made a crucial difference, not only in terms of species
abundance but also through the contribution made by wetlands to carbon
sequestration. The Ducks Unlimited
“Treasured Wetland Program” is directed toward people who might not otherwise
be inclined to protect nature, and Alain will explain elements of the program
which are geared to bring people on board in an understanding of how wetlands
work.
As Outreach
Coordinator for Ducks Unlimited Canada, Alain has been able to share his
lifelong passion for birds with others.
Familiar to many through his weekly birding column on CBC radio, Alain
studied Biology at the Université de Moncton and taught the
ornithology course there in the winter sessions from 2017 to 2021. Throughout the years, Alain has inspired
others with his love of birds through field outings, presentations, and annual pelagic
excursions in the Bay of Fundy off Grand Manan.
Come out and enjoy Alain’s enthusiasm
as he shares with us his knowledge of wetlands. This will be an in-person
presentation at the Rotary Lodge, but anyone can join via Zoom at the following
link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81499074961?pwd=z6BmYCjeA9az8sE7ASlP2J7WWIOozZ.1
All are welcome, Nature Moncton
member or not.
**John Inman’s eight Rusty Blackbirds continue to be patrons of his Harvey yard but are hesitant to come down to feed due
to the presence of another yard patron, an immature Cooper’s Hawk, which John was able to photograph with hind and
front views.
(Editor’s note: the plumage of winter
Rusty Blackbirds will usually denote gender. The female has a broad, buffy
eyebrow (supercilium) outlined at the bottom by broad dark lores, buffy
underparts, and grey rump. Some of these features show well in the arrowed bird
in John’s photo. The other bird may be female as well, but these features are
not as convincing.)
Shannon Inman was able to get
photographs of a juvenile Red-tailed Hawk she spotted in their
neighbourhood. The striped tail of the juvenile shows enough to distinguish it
from the adult’s cinnamon-red tail.
**With the Moncton Christmas Bird
Count happening this coming Saturday, December 14, Susan Atkinson provides three links to facilitate birdfeeder counts that will apply to anyone doing a
birdfeeder count as part of the many Christmas Bird Counts taking place
throughout the province.
Link number one below is a helpful commentary
put out by the Canadian Wildlife Federation on bird feeding in general:
Link number two gives the tally sheet which can
be printed to record birdfeeder patrons:
Link number three below gives the specific
reporting details for the Moncton count:
Nelson
Poirier
Nature Moncton
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