NATURE
MONCTON NATURE NEWS
Dec 10,
2022
To respond
by e-mail, please address your message to the information line editor, nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com .
Please
advise the editor at nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
if any errors are noted in wording or photo labelling.
For more information on Nature Moncton, check the website at www.naturemoncton.com .
Edited by
Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
**On Friday morning a friend called Jane LeBlanc in St.
Martins to say there was a White-tailed Deer carcass on the marsh and
there were 9 Bald Eagles on it. Jane arrived to count 7 but they all
flew as she approached. She went back several times and found a closer spot to
get a still very distant photo.
**Georges Brun photographed an American
Crow with an odd expression of albinism near Château Moncton on Friday. One
feather, which appears to be a tail feather (rectrice) is appearing mostly white.
Sibley points out the American Crow will
show the inner portion of the primary and secondary wing feathers with a band
of white that is considered rare but regular but no mention of that occurring
in a tail feather. Therefore, it would be assumed this is a very individual
genetic quirk. Occasionally, if a feather shaft is damaged, it will regrow as
white which would have to be considered as a possibility as well.
Whichever is the case, this all-black bird
sporting a white tail feather will be an easy one to spot.
**Aldo Dorio came across a group of 10 American
Robins at Hay Island on Friday.
It will be interesting to see how many
American Robins will stay with us for the winter once the snow arrives. There is
lots for them to eat right now with the open ground but the fruit crop this year, in
general, has not been good to provide winter fruit connoisseur birds
with forage opportunities once winter arrives.
**Fred Dube and Nelson Poirier checked
out 10 Nature Moncton nest boxes on Friday that had been erected around
a pond at Mapleton Park in Moncton.
Of the 10 boxes, 6 had been occupied by
Black-capped Chickadee, one by a Tree Swallow, two by wasps, and one unoccupied.
A typical nest of a Black-capped Chickadee with moss
predominating in construction was photographed and is attached.
The two lads got quite a surprise (as well as
the winter occupants) to find when one box, that had been occupied in the
summer by a Black-capped Chickadee family, was opened, it was being used as a winter nest by 5 Deer
Mice that allowed some photographs before the box was closed to leave them
be in their cozy nest, and both parties recovered from a few startled moments!
**Brian Stone photographed the first visit
this season of Evening Grosbeaks to his sister's feeders in her Upham,
N.B. yard. They came for three 15-minute visits over the afternoon period about
40 minutes apart each time. Brian also noticed a small Nest high in a
sapling tree that was about the size of one of the smaller clementine-type
oranges. (Editor’s note: A guess on this nest would have to include the
possibility of an American Redstart summer cottage. Other thoughts would be
welcomed).
Nelson Poirier
Nature
Moncton
.%20DEC.%2009,%202022.%20BRIAN%20STONE.JPG)
.%20DEC.%2009,%202022.%20BRIAN%20STONE.JPG)
.JPG)
.jpg)
