Nature Moncton Nature News: Oct 31 2018

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, October 31, 2018 ( Wednesday)

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Transcript by: Judy Marsh marshj@nbnet.nb.ca

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

** Sparrows seem to be a big highlight in feeder yards the past week as Jamie Burris comments, he and Karen are glad to join the club with SONG SPARROW [Bruant chanteur], WHITE-THROATED SPARROW [Bruant à gorge blanche], CHIPPING SPARROW [Bruant familier] and their first ever FOX SPARROW [Bruant fauve] which put on a great show as it enjoyed a bath in a small puddle in their yard. There are lots of expected regulars present as well and another first for their yard was a HERMIT THRUSH [Grive solitaire]. Karen and Jamie visited the Hillsborough Wetlands last week to get to get a nice image of a TURKEY VULTURE [Urubu à tête rouge] as it floated over as well as a GREAT BLUE HERON [Grand Héron] they accidently spooked rounding a blind corner. A special bird Jamie got a photo of in Salisbury as it was perched overlooking the Peticodiac River last week was an EASTERN WOOD-PEWEE [Pioui de l'Est] This is a hard little bird to identify without hearing the vocalization. Note the faint wing bars, narrow eye ring and short appearing legs. The lower mandible of the adult is yellow but not in this case as the young of the year bird, which this specimen probably, is as the adults of this species are sited as migrating significantly earlier than the juveniles. This is the case for most long distance migrants but some literature points out that the Pewee adults may do so earlier than most. Thanks to Gilles Belliveau for his additional advice on this interesting photo.

**Daryl Doucette, like many are reporting, is experiencing a very lively feeder yard at his urban Moncton home. He got an excellent photo of an adult PURPLE FINCH [Roselin pourpré] male and one in female plumage side by side joined by a male DARK-EYED JUNCO [Junco ardoisé] of which he has 6 in attendance. Of the 4 PURPLE FINCH [Roselin pourpré] he has coming regularly, 3 are in female plumage. SONG SPARROW [Bruant chanteur] are now up to to a half dozen and he is finding that the BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES [Mésange à tête noire] are very numerous this year.

**One of the more special patrons some fortunate bird feeder folk get at their feeders is the FLYING SQUIRREL [Grand polatouche]. Lois Budd has this little nocturnal visitor nightly for a fueling of peanuts and sunflower seeds. One has enjoyed a nesting box for fall and winter feedings since she put it up four years ago. Lois comments the small ears and teddy bear face melt her heart! She also comments that it does not seem to mind a headlamp or flash as it simply continues on feeding possibly used to the house lights anyway. It favours feeding from a modified nesting box. A photo of it is attached.

**The Hen of the Woods mushroom is normally a very late season choice edible even though there have been a few reports of it being found earlier this year. Garbriel Gallant found his first on Tuesday. It was growing under a huge oak tree which it is most often associated with. It weighed 7 pounds and Gabriel got photos of it over and under. It can be expected that there will be more specimens at the same location next year or even more this year if the moderate temperatures continue. This species is very resistent to cold temperatures seeming to favour such conditions.

**I noted a surprising number Fall Cankerworm Moths day flying about in the 6 degree C temperature of Tuesday. These are small to medium sized moths with a photo of one of Tuesdays troop attached. They will lay eggs on host trees and will hatch into larval caterpillars in late May next spring that will be sought after by arriving spring migrants as the leaves unfold.

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton