NATURE MONCTON NATURE INFORMATION LINE,
Nov 27, 2021 (Saturday)
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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
**On Friday, Fred and Sue
Richards had a
small group of about 5 Dark-eyed Juncos flying
around landing in the Spruce trees and watching the many Black-capped Chickadees
going about getting their sunflower seeds and suet. The juncos never did
land on any of the feeders, then they were gone. The Richards have been
looking for them but have not seen them again. There are 20 or more American Robins on the ground, 8 Blue
Jays bothering the feeders, 2 Northern
Flickers on the ground, a Red-Breasted
Nuthatch going to the sunflower seeds,
Mourning Doves on the ground or at the water dish (they are the ones who
will be seen at the heated water dish in the winter the most), 2 Hairy Woodpeckers loving the suet, but
no one has found the peanut butter/lard with dried insects yet, which they put
out because there neighbour said he saw 5 Eastern
Bluebirds in his yard plus he heard a Northern
Parula Warbler. The Richards hosted a small group of Eastern bluebirds
all last winter at the peanut butter\lard\dried insect mix.
**Desperate to get out despite
the rain, Louise Nichols visited the Port Elgin lagoon to find still about 80
to 100 Bufflehead present.
Mixed in with the Bufflehead were some Lesser Scaup and both Common and Barrow's Goldeneye.
She did not see a male Common Goldeneye, but a female (with a darker bill) was
present along with a female Barrow's (with a mostly yellow and slightly smaller
bill). A male Barrow's Goldeneye was also present, and Louise was able to
get a photo. Most of the ducks were -- of course -- on the far side of
the lagoon and very sensitive to her presence.
This lagoon appears to be a
productive destination for waterfowl with a nice diversity of species.
**Brian Stone ignored the rain and
mist on Friday and drove out to the coast along the Cap Pele to Cassie Cape
areas. At the Rue Niles wharf the 3 LONG-TAILED DUCKS ( 2 males and 1
female) were still present but too far out for a photo in the poor weather
conditions. Several BONAPARTE'S GULLS were also there as usual but not
many other gulls were around. A group of 17 SANDERLINGS were foraging
among the rocks along the far edge and some of them grouped together for a
photo.
At Pointe-du-Chene Brian imaged a
pair of female COMMON EIDER DUCKS hanging out with a an adult winter HERRING GULL. The
water was calm and flat with no significant wind. Heavy mist mixed with rain
showers was constant. Brian finished his outing at the Cassie Cape and
Grande-Digue wharves. Not many sea birds were visible but RED-THROATED LOONS
were present at every stop Brian made. At the marina at the
Grande-Digue wharf the platforms were covered with GULLS.
**Nelson Poirier started and
ended a coastal visit on Friday at the Caissie Cape wharf. It was obviously not a day
for coastal birding! A raptor bonus was perched atop a utility pole which took
a little study to be certain of but photos indicated it to be a juvenile Red-tailed Hawk appearing to be not
particularly impressed with the weather conditions.
Nelson
Poirier
Nature
Moncton
