Nature Moncton Nature News: Nov 6 2016

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE - November 6, 2016 (Sunday)

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

Transcript by : David Christie maryspt@mac.com

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

** It sure is great to hear of all the BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS [Jaseur boréal] and now PINE GROSBEAKS [Durbec des sapins] starting. Clarence Cormier reports 500+ Bohemian Waxwings visiting the abundant mountain-ash crop around his Grande-Digue site. The first two Pine Grosbeaks he has seen appeared on Saturday as well. He also had 6 AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS [Bruant hudsonien], 2 RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS [Roitelet à couronne rubis] along with expected species.

** PINE GROSBEAKS [Durbec des sapins] north and south; Aldo Dorio spotted three enjoying the Winterberry holly crop on Hay Island. It would appear that berry crop is getting a serious harvest. Aldo also noted 20 SNOW BUNTINGS [Bruant des neiges] along the shoreline on Saturday.

** Dave Christie leaves some interesting observations from the Harvey area in Albert County. John Inman had two juvenile BALTIMORE ORIOLES [Oriole de Baltimore] at his 225 Mary's Point Road location on Saturday, as well as 3 PINE WARBLERS [Paruline des pins] that oddly enough were interested in a past-due-date sandwich. He’s not sure whether they were attractedto the bread or the jam interior or seeds in the jam. John also saw a hawk that he is suspicious was a COOPER'S HAWK [Épervier de Cooper] but could not get good enough observations to be confident of it.

Dave has been watching Mary's Point beach to see see some interesting shorebird action, noting 250 to 400 during the past week. They were predominantly DUNLIN [Bécasseau variable] and SANDERLING [Bécasseau sanderling] but one day he had approximately 60 WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS [Bécasseau à croupion blanc]. BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS [Pluvier argenté] were present each day, and GREATER YELLOWLEGS [Grand Chevalier] in the salt marsh ponds. On Monday Dave had a flock of 63 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS [Pluvier semipalmé] as well.

On Friday morning, Dave watched a male NORTHERN HARRIER [Busard Saint-Martin] doing some interesting up-and-down diving antics and found that its objective was to send an adult NORTHERN GOSHAWK [Autour des palombes], perched in a tree, on its way. The Goshawk did not fly until after the Harrier moved on.

** The Nature Moncton lagoon field trip on Saturday turned out to be a full-day event that provided many highlight moments for a big group of participants who very much appreciated Roger LeBlanc for arranging it. Stops at coastal sites and wharves also gave rewarding results. The bird tally was long; highlights included HARLEQUIN DUCK [Arlequin plongeur], RED-NECKED GREBE [Grèbe jougris], HORNED GREBE [Grèbe esclavon], RED-THROATED LOON [Plongeon catmarin], AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER [Pluvier bronzé], a cooperative WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH [Sittelle à poitrine blanche], BARROW'S GOLDENEYE [Garrot d’Islande], BUFFLEHEAD [Petit Garrot], RAZORBILL [Petit Pingouin], SANDERLING [Bécasseau sanderling], LONG-TAILED DUCK [Harelde kakawi], many BONAPARTE'S GULLS [Mouette de Bonaparte] and lots more.

The timing seemed right to enjoy new arrivals and waterfowl that have not left us yet. A very special day with some very keen birders. We also learned that NATURE SUD-EST had a great day on a field trip that included an EASTERN MEADOWLARK [Sturnelle des prés] and a PURPLE SANDPIPER [Bécasseau violet], neither of which we saw, but were in the same areas.

A major load of photographs were taken and some are attached today. One bird that had us all scratching our heads turned out to be a first-winter RAZORBILL [Petit Pingouin]. The bill just didn’t seem right, but we are now aware that the first-winter bird has a smaller, all dark bill and that Razorbills lose a portion of their massive bill in winter plumage. It was difficult to photograph, but Dave Cannon did get a documentary photo. Brian Stone captured lots of action from the day, including a bright solar halo, a morning sun dog, a GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL [Goéland marin] in first-winter plumage, SHAGGY MANE mushrooms [Coprin chevelu] and more. Many of the observations needed a viewing scope and were too distant to photograph, especially the 5 HARLEQUIN DUCKS [Arlequin plongeur] in the same location where Carmella Melanson saw 6 of this species earlier in the week at Cap-Pelé wharf, off rue Niles. The composition was slightly different, as one first-winter male was seen that was not among Carmella’s group, suggesting that at least seven are in that area. It’s a great opportunity to see this duck species.

Dave and Bonnie Miller share a written list of the birds observed, which Dave points out is a guesstimate in many cases, due to distance. The list is attached, and appreciation to Dave and Bonnie for providing it.

1. Ring-billed gulls 75
2. Herring gulls 125
3. Crows 80
4. Great-black backed gulls 47
5. Raven 6
6. Canada Geese 240
7. Rock Pigeon 18
8. Starling 9
9. Hairy Woodpecker 1
10. Blue jay 7
11. Black ducks 89
12. Northern Shovelers 68
13. Double-crested Cormorants 7
14. Greater scaup 57
15. Lesser scaup 3
16. Mallards 37
17. Ring-necked Ducks 2
18. Green wing teal ducks 22
19. Barrows golden-eye 2
20. Common golden-eye 80 plus
21.   Northern Pintail duck 3
22. Bufflehead 6
23. American Goldfinch 6
24. Song sparrows 2
25. Semipalmated plover 1
26. Black- bellied plover 3
27.   Chickadee 1
28. Greater Yellowlegs 4
29. Red-throated loon 6
30. Bald eagle 2
31.   Red-tail hawk 6
32.   Iceland gull 2
33.   Black scoter 43
34.   Red-breasted merganser 24
35.   Surf scoter 15
36.   White wing scoter 1
37. Common eider 75
38. Horned Grebe 1
39. Common merganser 1
40. Long-tailed ducks 18
41. Great blue herons 3
42. Pheasant 1
43. Red-winged blackbird 1
44. American Golden plover 4
45. Northern flicker 1
46. Bonaparte’s Gulls 75
47. Amer. wigeon 6
48. Red-necked grebe 4
49. Gadwall. 12
50. Sanderling 18
51. Mourning dove 1
52. Downy Woodpecker 1
53. White-breasted nuthatch 1
54.   Golden-crowned kinglet 2
55.   Ruddy turnstone 1
56. Razorbill 1
57. Harlequin ducks 5
58. Common loon 1

** I had a RED-THROATED LOON [Plongeon catmarin] come by, in sight on Long Marsh Creek [Waterside area] on Thursday, very actively fishing the creek. There was a gray spot on the neck and a black bill tip, which I assume are remnants from breeding plumage that will change when winter plumage is complete.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton