Nature Moncton Nature News: Nov 10 2016

** Clarence Cormier is seeing a swelling in numbers of PINE GROSBEAKS [Durbec des sapins] and EVENING GROSBEAKS [Gros-bec errant] at his Grande-Digue site. On Wednesday seven Pine Grosbeaks appeared, two of which were in adult male rose red plumage. Three male Evening Grosbeaks joined a few females also at his feeder and the BOHEMIAN WAXWING [Jaseur boréal] flocks are now smaller, varying from ten to fifty, so it would seem that some spreading out is starting from the five hundred plus that he noted a few days ago.

** Jamie Burris shares some recent photos, including that valued over and under view of a MOCK OYSTER MUSHROOM that was fruiting on decayed Birch. Also an action photo of a GREATER YELLOWLEGS [Grand Chevalier] lifting off and a juvenile RED-TAILED HAWK [Buse à queue rousse]. Note the barred tail and yellow eye to make it a juvenile bird. The number of Red-tailed Hawks in the area would seem very significant this year and seems very widespread in the area.

** Jean Renton's family are spending time at their Canaan Forks camp at the moment where she maintains bird feeders and is getting a big guest response, including BLUE JAYS [Geai bleu], AMERICAN GOLDFINCH [Chardonneret jaune], and BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES [Mésange à tête noire] but also a notable number of RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES [Sittelle à poitrine rousse] and GRAY JAYS [Mésangeai du Canada]. Jean notes that there are two large flocks of SNOW BUNTINGS [Bruant des neiges] in blueberry fields near their site as well.

** John Filliter has had a very content AMERICAN CROW [Corneille d'Amérique] arrive to his Cap Brule yard to stake a claim over some very aged rock hard fruit bread.

** Aldo Dorio comments that the Winterberry Holly crop is almost completely harvested so we can expect that the large flock of BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS [Jaseur boréal] that he has noted there on Tuesday morning will be wandering to a new food supply.

** The shorebird season is surely not over yet. Danny Sullivan, Brian Stone and I paid a visit to the inner dune pools at Kelly’s Beach in Kouchibouguac National Park on Wednesday afternoon. There were at least fifty to seventy five shorebirds in the area and no reason to assume that there were not more at the opposite end from where we spent time. Their numbers seemed to be dominated by DUNLINS [Bécasseau variable]. We searched for White-rumped Sandpipers but could not be convinced we saw any. BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS [Pluvier argenté], SANDERLINGS [Bécasseau sanderling] and at least one GREATER YELLOWLEGS [Grand Chevalier] were present. The bird that consumed a lot of our attention was a Godwit. It was assumed by default to be a HUDSONIAN GODWIT [Barge hudsonienne] but the other much less likely possibilities were hard to rule out for certain.

A late in the day stop at Cap Lumiere wharf netted a pair of HARLEQUIN DUCKS [Arlequin plongeur], BLACK SCOTERS [Macreuse noire], several COMMON EIDERS [Eider à duvet], RED-NECKED GREBES [Grèbe jougris] and a lone SANDERLING [Bécasseau sanderling]. RED-TAILED HAWKS [Buse à queue rousse] were also noted roadside from route eleven on utility structures.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca