Nature Moncton Nature News: Nov 29 2016

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE - November 29, 2016 (Tuesday)

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Edited by : Nelson Poirier nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Transcript by : Louise Richard richlou@nbnet.nb.ca

Info Line # : 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)

** Stella LeBlanc spotted a female BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD [Vacher à tête brune] travelling with approximately 50 EUROPEAN STARLINGS [Étourneau sansonnet] at their Bouctouche home on Monday. A late sighting for Cowbirds. Jean-Paul and Stella also saw a BALTIMORE ORIOLE [Oriole de Baltimore] at feeders at Civic number 695 Route 475 in Bouctouche Bay area in front of the house, easily seen from the road. It was going to a suet feeder and sometimes going to berries in bushes nearby. The residents of the home said it had been present for approximately a week.

** The OAK [chêne] tree seems overly blessed with insect GALLS of different types — these galls usually do little damage to the tree. The galls are usually on the leaves. John Massey recently noted some on an oak leaf that we are labelling as the WOOLY OAK LEAF GALL. Stephen Heard with UNB Biology comments this one is made by a Gull Wasp in the family Cynipidae. A photo is attached.

** It’s that time of year to enjoy the LONG-TAILED DUCKS [Harelde kakawi] that have come from the north for their winter vacation in NB. Until freeze up; we can see them right offshore, and later on in the harbour areas that stay open. Aldo Dorio is enjoying the few off the Hay Island coast and shares a photo of one that would appear to be a winter plumage male.

** Brian Stone is visiting relatives in Perth, ON, and as expected is still taking photos. He was positioning to take a photo of a handsome Pileated Woodpecker on a tree when the subject took off to leave a nice look at the aftermath of a foraging session; also a RUFFED GROUSE [Gélinotte huppée], quite suspicious of the photographer, and a nice photo of an AMERICAN TREE SPARROW [Bruant hudsonien] to show several of its identification features. Brian also got some nice FROST formations, photos as the air cools to reach its dew point, not able to hold more moisture, to condense out as those striking frost formations.

** Normally we have lots of AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS [Bruant hudsonien] at our feeders by this date, however, the first one of the year put in an appearance on Monday. The NORTHERN/BALTIMORE ORIOLE [Oriole de Baltimore] continues to be a regular although erratic in visiting times. This bird is getting brighter as its stay continues, which makes we wonder if it isn’t a young of the year male that is taking on more plumage colour.

** A late addition: the American Tree Sparrow drought in our yard is over, they arrived with a vengeance early Tuesday morning!

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton