Nature Moncton Nature News: Dec 7 2022

NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS

Dec 7, 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

**As a heads-up note of thanks, Louise Nichols (retiring English professor) reviews Nature News each morning to make grammar and other corrections.

** A late Great Egret has been hanging about the Sackville Retention Pond for the last 4 or 5 days. Louise Nichols was able to observe it on Tuesday morning and get photos. The bird started out on one side of the pond where it spent much time preening and then flew to the south end where there was still some open water. At that spot, Louise was able to observe it fishing for food for quite a while. It seemed to be catching lots of fish, so perhaps with the warmer weather in the next couple of days, it will be in no hurry to leave.

(Editor‘s note: In consult with Alyre Chaisson, he identified the fish prey in Louise’s photo as a Mummichog, pointing out the thin and light bars on a dark background. The similar Banded Killifish has thicker dark bands on a light background. Mummichog tends to have a more rounded tail and greater fan-spread. The peduncle in the Mummichog is also less tapered than in the killifish. Alyre sends a nice photo to compare the two).

A Great Blue Heron was also on the Retention Pond when Louise arrived. It flew off eventually toward the Sackville train station. Louise was able to get a photo as it flew overhead.

**John Inman noted in a recent post about the red pelage in a Coyote that Shannon Inman photographed a Coyote in Albert County near Riverside-Albert in 2018 that had a similar pelage and that photo is shared today.

John also had a Orange-crowned Warbler appear to their feeder yard and got a quick photo on Monday.

John also leaves an interesting comment that his Red-bellied Woodpecker patron now seems to really enjoy whole corn kernels. John also noted that a Red-headed Woodpecker he had visiting in the past also had a taste for whole corn kernels. Something to consider for birdfeeder yards.

**On Monday, Deana and Peter Gadd travelled out to Escuminac Point over a very sloppy and rutted road. Not a pleasant drive. At the point, they saw nothing of interest.

However, halfway along the muddy track from the peat moss plant, they spotted a Red-tailed Hawk circling. At the Escuminac Wharf, they saw 3 Long-tailed Ducks, A Black Guillemot in winter plumage (prey uncertain but dismembered mussel suspected) and a female Barrow’s Goldeneye.

It was only the second time they had seen a Red-tailed Hawk, the first many years ago.

On Monday, they went out to the Sunny Corner area and travelled the Mullin Stream roads hoping for crossbills, Purple Finch and the like. No Luck. But then they drove up Rte. 420 past Harris Brook Settlement. There perched on a branch was a Red-tailed Hawk! #3. Both hawks appeared to be juvenile.

**Like many of us, Aldo Dorio is enjoying the Long-tailed Ducks in the ice-free water off the Neguac wharf. Aldo photographed the adult winter plumage of both genders.

**Daryl Doucette is sure on a roll with just having set up his birdfeeders 3 days ago: Northern Cardinal the first day, Evening Grosbeaks the second day, and an adult male Pine Grosbeak the third day.

Nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton