NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, Feb. 2, 2021 (Tuesday)
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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
Transcript by Susan Richards susan_richards@rogers.com
Info Line #: 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)
** Brian Coyle was out snowshoeing on Sunday January 30th and found a few interesting
things. First were the tracks of a
three-footed COYOTE [Coyote]. About a month ago he captured some video
footage of a Coyote missing its left hind foot and carrying the leg tucked up
under its belly crossing a BEAVER [Castor] dam. He found the fresh tracks of the same
Coyote crossing his snowshoe tracks from the day before. In every set of four tracks, the hind left
track is just a small round divot. It is
apparently walking on the stump and not just occasionally. Brian tracked it for some time, and it
continued to utilize the stump.
On the way back home, Brian spotted an
immature BALD EAGLE [Pygargue à tête blanche] in a large Pine tree. From the limited
evident yellow colour on the bill, this bird is potentially 2 years of age.
A male RING-NECKED PHEASANT
[Faisan de Colchide] was in a Crab Apple tree
precariously balancing to get at the frozen fruit. On Saturday Brian photographed a Solar
Halo.
It is notable that Brian Stone has us all looking up for Halos and Coronas now. Last evenings’ sunset was spectacular at Brian’s home, he included a photo of it out his front window. (Editor's note: we may not be seeing this again for few days!)
He also includes a couple of photos of a BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE
[Mésange à tête noire]
and a RED-BREASTED
NUTHATCH [Sittelle à poitrine rousse] at his second-story peanut butter feeder.
**Fred and Sue Richards were walking on their Taylor Village road and
there was an AMERICAN ROBIN [Merle d'Amérique] foraging in the ditch
where the sun had melted the snow. The
breast does not seem to be that bright so this may be a female or a
young-of-the-year male. The Evening
Grosbeaks were at their feeders on Friday in the sunshine. There were 4 that they saw this time although
they have had up to 12 males and females at the feeder yard. They grab some food and then they are gone
until they see them next time, unlike the Black-Capped Chickadees and Dark-eyed Juncos [Junco ardoisé] that are close by the feeders most of the day.
**I had a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK [Épervier brun] come to my yard and
perch in a leafless tree over the bird feeders.
It does not sound like a great tactic, but it allowed a few photos in
the not-so-great light. It was notably
small, so assume it to be a male. It had the reddish horizontal chest barring of
an adult but still the yellow eye had not changed to adult red, so apparently a
younger bird. The nape and crown showed the uniform colour
of a Sharp-shinned Hawk and the white at the apex of the tail is dull.
Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton
