Nature Moncton Nature News: Dec 22 2019

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, December 22, 2019 (Sunday)

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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)

** Yvette Richard captured a nice photo of 2 LONG-TAILED DUCKS [Harelde kakawi] near the Caissie Cape wharf on Saturday. They are both male. Both are showing the long, pointed tail and the pink band on the bill. Neither of these features is present on females.

** Gordon Rattray and Mitch Doucet did the Christmas Bird Count sector of Hillsborough for the Memramcook count on Saturday and tallied some nice observations. A highlight of the day was a flock of PINE SISKINS [Tarin des pins] in the upper part of the Gray Brook Marsh that numbered in the 150+ range. They sat in the trees, singing loudly and lifted once to re-land, making the sky black with their numbers. Great to hear that they’re moving in, in number.

Other birds were one female WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL [Bec-croisé bifascié] sampling the tree-top café, as well as a PINE WARBLER [Paruline des pins] and NORTHERN FLICKER [Pic flamboyant], which were in Gordon’s own yard at Weldon.

Two immature BALD EAGLES [Pygargue à tête blanche] were at Gray’s Island and two mature Bald Eagles over the adjacent marsh.

** On Friday afternoon, Suzanne and Yves Poussart drove along the coast from Shediac to Bouctouche to check for coastal birds. The ponds, bays and rivers are now frozen at several locations, but especially under the bridge in Shediac Bridge, Cocagne, and Bouctouche, large areas of open water are still available for different species to congregate. Nice groups of COMMON MERGANSERS [Grand Harle], COMMON GOLDENEYE [Garrot à oeil d’or], BARROW’S GOLDENEYE [Garrow d’Islande] and different species of gull [goélands] were present in good numbers. The large extent of open water areas at these times still keeps the birds at a good distance. As the winter progresses the distance will get smaller or even may disappear, as was the case last winter in Shediac. It is expected that the conditions of observation and photography will improve as the ice cover increases.

Yves’ photos show nicely the identifying features of the male goldeneyes. The male Barrow’s Goldeneyes show their half-moon white facial patch, piano-key line on their mantle and the sharp slope of their forehead, while the male Common Goldeneyes show their round white facial patch, lack of white piano-key marking, and more sloping forehead.

** It’s prime time to gull watch, as their moult into winter plumage is now complete. Jamie Burris came across an altered photo of some BEA-GULLS pronounced ‘beagle’ too good not to share. The brown mantle and vocalizations should give them away quickly!! One even shows the black tail-tip band that indicates immaturity. Oh well!

Nelson Poirier <nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com>

Nature Moncton