NATURE MONCTON NATURE INFORMATION LINE
Dec 21, 2021 (Tuesday)
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Edited by:
Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
**We have not been hearing a whole lot about Common Redpolls so far this winter (yes,
official winter starts today).
Aldo Dorio came across a flock of 20 enjoying the seeds of birch catkins
at Hay Island on Tuesday.
**Tuesday was the Memramcook/Hillsborough Christmas Bird Count Day.
Fred Richards, Susan Richards and Roger Leblanc counted on Taylor Road in
Taylor Village/Memramcook section and leave a nice report of their day.
The day started off at 8:00 a.m. under partial cloudy skies and -2
degrees. The first stop was up on the dike at the Memramcook River, where
there were 35 Black Ducks and 33 Mallard ducks and a few gulls on and
above the water with the tide just starting to come in. After seeing a Ring-necked Pheasant and 16 Mourning Doves, there were stops along
Taylor Road and with the use of a mobbing tape attracted Black-capped Chickadees, numbering in the 40s, 33 Red-breasted Nuthatches. 3 Golden-crowned Kinglets, a few Dark-eyed Juncos, 8 Purple Finches (male and female)
showing their colours in the sunshine of the afternoon, 10 White-winged Crossbills,2 American
Goldfinches, and 4 Downy Woodpeckers.
Flying overhead in fields and woods were many American Crows, Blue Jays,
4 Common Ravens, a dozen European Starlings and 79 American Robins. At the furthest point
they travelled after a walk to the dike farther down, there were 2 Bald Eagles and a Sharp-shinned Hawk, 1 Ring-necked Pheasant, and 16 Mourning
Doves........22 species in all. Running across the road a few times were Red Squirrels and since there was 2 cm
of newly fallen snow there were many Coyote
tracks, Snowshoe Hare tracks, vole/mouse tracks and bird tracks esp.
along the river on rocks and around an aboiteau.
There was
much walking throughout the day with binoculars and cameras and a great show of
many birds and at 4:00 pm they agreed it was a day well spent!
Nelson Poirier
Nature Moncton
