Nature Moncton Nature News: Dec 7 2016

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE - December 07, 2016 (Wednesday)

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Edited by : Nelson Poirier nelson@nb.sympatico.ca
Transcript by : Catherine Johnson johnson2@xplornet.com
Info Line # : 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)

**Roger Leblanc visited the Tantramar marsh in the 3-4:30 time window on Tuesday and comments he has never seen so many raptors at that site, concluding there must be a very abundant supply of rodents. Over the hour and a half he tallied 50 raptors to include 22 ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS, 9 RED-TAILED HAWKS, 10 BALD EAGLES AND 9 NORTHERN HARRIERS, which is starting to get late for that number of northern harriers. An amazing place to visit at the moment.

As darkness set in at 4:30 Roger heard an OWL calling as well.

**To correct a report of Roger's from yesterday's edition, Roger reported 20 pairs of BARROW'S GOLDENEYE at the Saint Antoine lagoons, not 40 pairs as I had misunderstood him to say. So again, that was 20 pairs seen.

**Anna Tucker also visited the High Marsh Rd on the Tantarmar marsh on Tuesday morning to enjoy all the raptor action. Anna also comments on the large number of RING-NECKED PHEASANTS running about after the good winter they had last year. One would wonder why this does not attract the interests of NORTHERN GOSHAWKS which have few reports from that location so far.

**John Inman gets a lot of RING-NECKED PHEASANTS coming to his 221 Mary's Point Rd. yard which catches the attention of the Northern Goshawks. Am attaching 2 photos John shared of an immature goshawk as well as a Red-tailed Hawk that recently arrived to survey the yard.

John also had a RUSTY BLACKBIRD in November that he photographed enjoying a worm in his yard. Also John had 3 PINE WARBLERS arrive at once in November. They were attracted to the contents of a peanut butter and jam sandwich, which again John's camera recorded.

**Ray Gauvin took a video of the wild activity that a group of MALLARDS at Cook's Brook Pond on the Shediac Rd on Sunday having fun with "food to boot". He comments it was like a water slide amusement park. Take a look at Ray's videos at the attached URL.

https://youtu.be/6p6IJnzqgGs

**Aldo Dorio shares a few photos from the Neguac wharf area. A photo of a COMMON GOLDENEYE female nicely captures the orange front half of the bill. The BARROW'S GOLDENEYE kin female would have a complete orange bill. He also got a male WOOD DUCK that still appears to be in eclipse plumage. Most males would be taking on their brighter plumage by this time to wonder if it may have not be from a late nesting.

He also got a sundog from the wharf on Tuesday morning.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton