NATURE MONCTON NATURE INFORMATION LINE
Dec 19, 2021 (Sunday)
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Edited by:
Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
** Gordon Rattray took a hike
into the Whiterock Recreation area on Saturday. He reports that with the
frozen ground walking is very good. Gordon observed some birds with the
Golden-crowned Kinglet being the prize for the day. The population of Black- capped Chickadees was very high
but the Red-breasted Nuthatches ran
a close second. Gordon did observe a single Dark-eyed Junco and several American
Goldfinch high in the trees.
**Georges Brun leaves a report of some of the action he has noted in the
local Moncton area. Three days before the
start of Moncton Christmas Bird Count, he saw a pair of Short-Eared Owls across from the Trans-Aqua outlet or known as the
Bis Marsh.
Also he saw 2 male Northern Harrier on
December 18 and a female Northern
Harrier flying over the Riverview Marsh.
He also saw 4 Bald Eagles in the
Lower Coverdale area.
Two Peregrine Falcons were on the
logo east-side of Assumption Building every day or other day.
On December 16 he counted 302 Canada Geese.
Perhaps 12 or so European Starlings used
the Chateau Moncton sign on the east side of the Hotel on December 18.
The early risers (the Crows) fly in from their night roost in the tree section
left after the clear cut between Northview and Cedar St. (also along forest
banks of Rabbit Brook). The Crows have also visited his Urban Forest (a treed lot aside his Churchill St. home) for
short stays but usually move before sunset. Georges would estimate their
numbers 75 to 100 but most likely higher numbers would be more accurate.
Georges counted 8 Rock Pigeons under
the McMonagle Bridge over Halls Creek. (Main Street east of Chateau
Moncton)
The number of Mallard Ducks downriver behind Shoppers Drug Mart and in the
Petitcodiac River were estimated at 200 plus birds. These flocks would have
some Black Ducks but too distant to
ascertain.
The gulls fly by early in the morning roosting mainly downriver of the
Trans-Aqua site and flying along the Riverview Marsh side. The last time
he saw a huge flock of gulls, they were in the Ballfields along Russ Howard Dr.
near the Four Plex Rinks.
The gulls use the new restored land on the northwest-side of the new
Petitcodiac River bridge. Numbers vary.
His neighbours feed birds and he noted 8 Blue Jays, 6-10 Black-Capped
Chickadees, a few House Finches, and the same Dark-eyed Juncos and
American Goldfinch.
**The Moncton
Christmas Bird Count went off very well on Saturday on the sunny cool day
as I’m sure many other counts in New Brunswick did as well. Roger LeBlanc, count
coordinator, will have a more complete tally next week. As with many other bird
counts, a tally at the end of the day did not occur due to Covid 19
restrictions. Early reports suggest species diversity in the field was good and
many birdfeeder participants will be submitting their tally. The star of the
show may have been the Western Tanager being
hosted by Kathie Carter that could not have performed better.
Brian Stone and I did zone 3. We did not get the
diversity some others did but a great day in the field. Some our finds are
attached, including A happy pair of White-winged Crossbills enjoyed.
American Robins and Black-capped Chickadees were surprisingly abundant.
It was a major surprise to get a call from Mitch Doucet
that a Snowy Owl was perched on a Pine tree just a few houses up from where I
live. Brian checked the site on our way home to find it still present and got a
photo. I was in a separate vehicle and arrived 2 minutes after Brian to find it
had departed.
Birding and fishing have their similarities! Being at
the right place at the right time can truly make a difference.
In the final moments of the count day Brian Stone
noticed the setting Sun creating a faint 22° SOLAR HALO with a bright
UPPER TANGENT ARC on top and an incomplete SUN PILLAR pointing up at
it at 4:00 pm. It wasn't a bird, but it was still worth a photo to finish off
the day as was the Snowy Owl.
Nelson Poirier
Nature Moncton
