Nature Moncton Nature News: Nov 5 2018

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, Nov. 5, 2018 (Monday)

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Transcript by: David Christie maryspt@mac.com

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

** A very special sighting for Gary Dupuis when he spotted up to five SHORT-BEAKED COMMON DOLPHINS [Dauphin commun] off Cap Bimet, near Shediac, in late morning, Sunday. There may be lots of dolphins off the coast, but getting to see these energetic, leaping animals is always a treat, especially from shore. This species ranges through the western Atlantic from Newfoundland to Florida, but seeing any dolphin is a matter of being in the right place at the right time.

** Kevin Renton reports that they had their first ever visit of a NORTHERN CARDINAL [Cardinal rouge] to their Stilesville feeder yard on Sunday. It was a female and fed on black oil sunflower seeds. It’s high time that this species has expanded its range to Moncton from the Saint John to Sussex corridor where it has become quite comfortable.

** Some more lively bird feeder reports. Daryl Doucette continues to get a nice variety of patrons at his urban Moncton yard. A very colourful FOX SPARROW [Bruant fauve] continues to be a regular. Daryl captured a photo of the Fox Sparrow being joined at the same feeder by a WHITE-THROATED SPARROW [Bruant à gorge blanche], RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH [Sittelle à poitrine rousse] and a DARK-EYED JUNCO [Unco ardoisé].

** At my own Moncton feeder area, there is a good turnout of expected regulars. New the past few days have been a pair of PINE SISKINS [Tarin des pins]. Also new to the yard has been a WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH [Sittelle à poitrine blanche], but it is irregular, as well as a few RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH [Sittelle à potrine rousse], which is not commonly seen at our mid-town feeder. PURPLE FINCH [Roselin pourpré] and HOUSE FINCH [Roselin familier] are regulars.

** Nature Moncton’s visit to the ATLANTIC WILDLIFE INSTITUTE went off in awesome sunshine on Sunday afternoon. Barry Rothfus gave an introductory presentation on what the AWI is about, its goals for the future and what it has done in the past. Some of the animals and birds could not be visited to avoid potential stress to rehabilitation efforts, but many were able to be shown. The role of surrogate animals that are maintained to let orphaned animals have contact with their own species before release was very interesting. They were animals that could not be released for various reasons but served to help others be suitable for release.

Several scenarios of why animals or birds were there for rehabilitation in the first place made one reflect. Sometimes there was no explanation for being there, such as a recently fledged GREAT HORNED OWL [Grand-duc d’Amérique] or 8 SNOWY OWLS [Harfang des neiges] that were sent there during the spring flooding period on the Saint John River. Lots of information and observations to ruminate on.

Brian Stone got several photographs of some of the temporary/permanent residents, mostly at a distance through enclosures. Several CANADA JAYS [Mésangeai du Canada] were about, with stealing a bit of free food in mind. Carol Shea got a photo of a MERLIN [Faucon émerillon] on a quick pass through the Tantramar Marsh. Only one other raptor, of uncertain identity, was seen there.

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton