Nature Moncton Nature News: Jan 16 2023

NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS

Jan 16, 2023

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Edited by Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Proofreading courtesy of Louise Nichols at nicholsl@eastlink.ca

**Tomorrow night’s Nature Moncton Member’s Night meeting is repeated at the end of this edition.

To join the meeting virtually go to the attached link

Join our Cloud HD Video Meeting

**Common Redpoll seems to be the word of the day with several birdfeeder yards enjoying a first-of-the-season appearance.

Sybil Wentzell had a small flock of Common Redpolls (4 or 5) arrive to her Harvey feeder yard on Sunday. Sybil comments “first of the year and what a delight to have them. It was a very messy day with a few breaks in the weather and these birds were the last to leave, eating heartily after most of the regulars departed at dusk. Pretty sure I’ll see them again in the morning!”

**Gordon Rattray had pleasant activity at his Weldon yard on Saturday. Two first-of-season Common Redpolls and a female Red-winged Blackbird were the main attraction. The regulars were there as well and several were photographed: American Goldfinch (25), Mourning Doves (approximately 25), Hairy Woodpeckers male and female, Black-capped Chickadees (8-10), and several Red-breasted Nuthatch.

Present but not allowing a photo were a Brown Creeper and a White-breasted Nuthatch which are daily visitors.

**Daryl Doucette also had his first arrivals of Common Redpolls on Sunday. It is interesting to note that there have been 4 reports of Common Redpolls arriving at feeder yards for first visits in the past 2 days. The onset of more serious snowfall and possibly their diminishing wild food supply which could be getting a coating of ice.

The assumed male in Daryl’s photo suggests it will be ready in lots of time with colourful breeding plumage.

Evening Grosbeaks seem to be in excellent number this year and a sizable flock chose the menu in Daryl’s yard on Sunday.

** Barb Curlew comments the Brown Creeper is a very irregular visitor to their Waterside yard. They have been lucky enough to have one visit twice in a week, and to get a photo.

The mature ridged bark on the tree in Barb’s photo is the perfect Brown Creeper foraging habitat.

**Brian Stone photographed Ring-billed Gulls foraging on prey that appeared to be reddish in colour nearshore in the area of the Cap Lumiere wharf.

In consultation with Alyre Chiasson, he felt it could be bloodworm. Bloodworms and leeches may look similar but Alyre points out leeches do not occur in salt water. An excellent reference on the bloodworm is cited in the link below. See https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://waves-vagues.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/Library/337307.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwiutuLBg8v8AhW_EVkFHf-mBg0QFnoECA8QAQ&usg=AOvVaw0gZLfweXo2CL2v7zAkccrC

**Tomorrow night, Tuesday, January 17 is Nature Moncton Member’s Night. This is an opportunity for members to share special nature moments in 2022 with the potential to touch on many different subjects which may be sharing your ten best photos of the year, birdfeeder highlights, special observations, or any topic you would be willing to share with the group.

The write-up for the evening is attached below:

NATURE MONCTON MEMBERS' NIGHT

TUESDAY JANUARY 17TH 2023, 7:00 PM

ROTARY PAVILION, MAPLETON PARK

Have you had an interesting encounter with nature in the past year? Have you taken some good photos of birds, insects, animals or anything else in the various habitats of New Brunswick? The January Nature Moncton meeting belongs to members like you who would like to share their photos and stories of that world in short 15-minute presentations.

If you have something you’d like to share, contact Fred Richards at fredrichards@rogers.com to put your name on the program.

Let’s start 2023 off the right way – by sharing with one another our positive experiences of the natural world around us!

To join the meeting virtually go to the attached link

Join our Cloud HD Video Meeting

Nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton