Nature Moncton Nature News: Feb 14 2023

NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS

Feb 14, 2023

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Edited by Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Proofreading courtesy of Louise Nichols at nicholsl@eastlink.ca

**A very pleasant report and photographs from Rhonda and Paul Langelaan.

They have had a flock of Snow Buntings coming to their Second North River Yard since Saturday afternoon. There were 50 + present Monday afternoon. They are enjoying mixed seed that includes cracked corn tossed on the ground.

Great to hear about Snow Buntings that do not seem to be in high numbers this season. (Editor’s note: all the flock appears very brightly plumaged, getting ready for the upcoming season).

**Ron Arsenault, who is very current on duck genetics, leaves some very interesting comments on Ted Currie’s find of an unusually plumaged duck with Mallard ducks at Mapleton Park on Monday. I’m going to share Ron’s comments by quoting Ron directly:

“An interesting duck, for sure. To me, this bird is almost certainly of domestic origin, although it does not look like any breed with which I am familiar. I rather doubt that it is a hybrid, although a cross between different domestic breeds or even with a free-flying mallard is certainly possible. (Note that I reserve the term "hybrid" as the progeny of a mating between two different biological species and use the term "cross" for the progeny of different breeds of the same species. Given that domestic ducks (with the exception of the Muscovy) are descended from Mallards, I use the term "cross" to designate the progeny of a mating between a wild Mallard and a domestic duck.)

Another possibility is that the bird is a genetic mutant of some type and thus looks different from others of the same species.

An even more remote possibility is that of a genetic throwback. Given that domesticated animals are typically more varied than their wild ancestors, perhaps some long suppressed gene has managed to express itself in this individual? Note that this could be from either a recently escaped or released domestic duck or from the feral Mallard population.

Note that I consider the free-flying Mallard as feral and as much of an exotic invasive as the Rock Pigeon. My reasons for this are as follows:

1. The Mallard was not found in the Maritimes until quite recently. The 1966 edition of the Birds of Canada by Earl Godfrey does not include the Maritimes in the range map of the species and in the written section on its range he describes its occurrence as a "scarce transient" in eastern Québec and the Atlantic Provinces.

2. In the last century, Mallards were raised and released to enhance hunting opportunities. These farm-raised birds were of European origin and were released to the tune of up to 500,000 birds per year in the eastern US (perhaps in Canada as well?).

3. A 2019 DNA study concluded that Mallards east of the Mississippi were genetically distinct from the native Mallards found in western North America.

Thus, like the Rock Dove, I consider the Mallard an invasive exotic.

Let me know if you think I have missed or misinterpreted something.

Ron”

(Editor’s note: I would also like to throw in another wildcard with suggesting the possibility of leucism).

**Brian Stone visited Mapleton Park to see if he could relocate the interesting duck reported in the previous edition but had no luck finding it amongst the huge group resting at the Hall's Creek bridge. He did have more luck finding one of the often reported Pileated Woodpeckers, the male one, gently pecking away at the huge hole they have created in a tree further up the trail.

One possibly new member of the resident Red Squirrel population appeared to be a much lighter, almost golden-coloured specimen that was very photogenic. (Editor’s note: a very interesting colour variation which I suspect has some name attributed to it).

Brian also photographed more examples of the ongoing Beaver constructions and activity, including chewed trees of various sizes and some added branches to the large lodge. Many trees have been chewed down, and many others are in the process of being harvested.

Brian noted Winter Stoneflies actively moving about on some of the snow and ice surfaces.

**Nelson Poirier has 2 female Red-winged Blackbirds coming to his feeder yard that appear to be overwintering. The close proximity these 2 birds maintain is very noticeable, seemingly always watching out for each other and feeding together.

**Heads up to slot off this coming Saturday on your calendar!

Seedy Saturday is a nation-wide event promoted by Seeds of Diversity.

Nature Moncton will be attending the Seedy Saturday event on Saturday, February 18, 2023, 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM at the Old Church Farmers Market, 2807 Main St., Hillsborough, NB, Canada E4H2X5. We plan to have a table to promote our club and maybe give some seeds away and get some as well. If anyone has collected some seeds to give away, please feel free to join us or let me know, and we will try to pick them up.

Feel free to come and check it out. Thanks

Fred Richards

President Nature Moncton

Nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton