Nature Moncton Nature News: Jan 17 2017

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE - January 17, 2017 (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)

** Tonight, Tuesday night, is Nature Moncton meeting night at the Mapleton Park Rotary Lodge at 7 pm, with the annual MEMBERS’ NIGHT. Nature Moncton group is a group of very diversified interest and skills and a great time to share short 15 to 20 minute vignettes of activities of the past year, special events, or any nature related topic. There are several presentations scheduled but still room for more. If you have something, advise President Susan at susand@nbnet.nb.ca or simply respond to this email.

** Pat Muirhead in Anagance is enjoying 3 and possibly more GRAY JAYS [Mésangeai du Canada] coming to enjoy bread pieces she tosses out the window to them. Always nice to hear from Canada’s national bird elect.

** Ted Currie on the Ammon Rd has a flock of MALLARD [Canard colvert] ducks that visit his yard each morning for a snack. Occasionally a AMERICAN BLACK DUCK [Canard noir] joins them, but a real surprise on Monday morning was a male NORTHERN PINTAIL [Canard pilet]. One would wonder if this may be the same bird Jamie Burris photographed in Mapleton Park recently that has not been reported since that I am aware of.

** Jean-Paul LeBlanc reports the lone CANADA GOOSE [Bernache du Canada] has been joined by another at the Bouctouche lagoon, to make a duo overwintering there now. On Sunday they were in the small pond just before the lagoon with another special guest — a male NORTHERN PINTAIL [Canard pilet] along with the MALLARDS [Canard colvert] and AMERICAN BLACK DUCKS [Canard noir]. We now have 2 Northern Pintails reporting in on the same day in mid-January.

** Alex Gagne spotted a piebald WHITE-TAILED DEER [Cerf de Virginie] in the area of 70 Painsec Junction in the Lakeville area of Moncton on Monday. The animal appears small in Alex’s photo so assume that this is a young of the year. This piebald feature colouration results from a rare genetic variation that affects less than 1% of the White-Tailed Deer population. Always interesting animals as each one is a unique one-time copy.

** Mac Wilmot comments he heard for the first time this season on Monday BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES [Mésange à tote noire] calling their fee-bee song. This is so nice to start hearing as the days get longer. That must be giving them thoughts of spring.

Am adding one more photo of the LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL (1ST WINTER) that was seen in Halifax on Saturday.

** Re-adjust your calendar, the Nature Moncton Bird Feeder Tour announced yesterday is to happen on February 18 (not February 28th as announced yesterday).

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton