NATURE
MONCTON NATURE INFORMATION LINE, Oct. 27, 2021 (Wednesday)
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Edited by:
Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
**Richard Blacquiere comments you never know
what will pop up at the Hampton Lagoon. Tuesday morning it was an American Wigeon
with unusually white neck and cheeks. It was the 1st time Richard
had ever seen anything like this. An Internet search revealed it’s a fairly rare
variant occasionally seen and photographed. They are, apparently, also known to
hunters as the ‘White-cheeked Wigeon’ or ‘Storm Wigeon’. No one
has an explanation of why ‘Storm’ can be used.
**Jim
Johnson in Scotch Settlement saw the article on swallow mortality in nest boxes being checked. He checked his 14
boxes and there were 2 dead young nestlings only.
Jim also
comments on the photo of a Raven
with the white chest patch in a recent edition. Jim comments a similar Raven
followed him around while plowing a field last week.
**Attractive
flower heads can surely change as Mother Nature advises them to set seed to
procreate. Pat Gibbs photographed the attached photo of a matured seed head. On
consultation with Gart Bishop, he felt it to be the Bull Thistle. This species has a two-year cycle only producing
seeds in the 2nd year. The seeds of thistles are very sought after
by some birds, especially the American Goldfinch.
**Debbie Batog’s
daughter got quite a shock when a Ruffed
Grouse hit a window. She thought it was a gunshot commenting she had never
heard of a grouse flying that fast that it could do so much damage. There was
another bird (grouse) close by calling to the deceased bird.
I have had
several reports over the years of grouse window strikes creating this
substantial damage. They are very fast flyers and heavyset birds.
**Louise
Nichols checked her swallow boxes Tuesday, and it wasn’t encouraging. She
checked 4 of her 5 boxes because one box she has not been able to open since
she got it. Of the 4 checked only one appeared to be successful. Two of the
boxes had dead swallows in them much like has been found elsewhere this year.
The 4th box had a nest which seemed more like a chickadee nest than
a swallows; it was made primarily from moss. Louise thought she saw only
swallow activity at that box and didn’t notice any chickadee activity there,
but maybe she missed something. There were 4 unhatched Black-capped Chickadee eggs
in the box. (Swallow eggs are pure white. Black- capped Chickadee eggs have
pale brown speckling) There was also the remnants of a wasp nest, so Louise
wasn’t sure if the wasps may have invaded the box which is what stopped the
eggs from hatching. Louise attaches 2 photos of this last nest; one the way she
found it when she opened the box with the wasp nest. The other shows the eggs
that were underneath the wasp nest remnants.
Sad to see.
Louise wonders what happened to the swallows she.
Some (but
not all) recent reports coming in is suggesting Tree Swallow boxes did not have
a good year the year. The cold period In the spring when nesting usually starts
may have been a factor. However, this is simply a potential suggestion.
**Aldo Dorio
photographed 2 Red Knots that seem
to be lingering at Hay Island. This is not a shorebird that we see that often
so nice to be able to share a photo of them in their winter plumage.
Aldo also photographed a Dunlin which is much more expected shorebird to linger with us late in the
season.
**Anna
Tucker enjoyed walking the Riverfront Trail
on Tuesday. She noted male Ring-necked
Pheasants as expected enjoying this particular habitat. There were many Mallard Ducks, with males now in full
breeding plumage, in the pond behind the stores on Main Street.
Anna also
noted many fresh Shaggy Mane mushrooms
popping up in the mulch behind the A&W location.
Nelson Poirier
Nature Moncton
That samee shop
