Editor & Proofreader

Editor: Nelson Poirier    Proofreader: Louise Nichols

Wednesday, 13 December 2023

December 13 2023

 

            NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS

December 13, 2023

 

 

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www.naturemoncton.com .

 

Edited by Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

 

Proofreading courtesy of Louise Nichols at nicholsl@eastlink.ca

 

 

**The Nature Moncton December meeting on Tuesday night was a special event remembering Roger Leblanc and many of the important things he did for nature and naturalists with clips from some of the special documentaries of nature he completed. The timing was excellent to fondly remember his days with us while not in the moment of sudden grief.
 
Alain Clavette did an outstanding job with his commentary of Roger's life work and the impact he had. The room was full, and many joined in virtually with several spontaneous moments shared of life with Roger. The presence of Rogers's partner Dyane was special!
 
Break time was also a pleasurable social time with participants mingling around a special treat table that included a sampling of contributed homemade jellies and jams.
 
**The Moncton Christmas Bird Count is about to happen this coming Saturday, December 16 with Mitch Doucet as chief coordinator. Mitch has done an excellent job of lining up sectors of the count area and assigning folks to take care of each.
However, the count period includes 3 days before and 3 days after count day, meaning it starts today, Wednesday, when we watch closely for any unexpected species that may not be seen on count day.
Be on the watch Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday of this week and Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday of next week in the Moncton count area for unexpected species.
Susan Atkinson at susandatkinson@hotmail.com is taking care of the tally of bird feeder observations from folks watching at home. This is a very important part of the count and the tick-off list is attached at the end of this edition so it can be copied and reported back to Susan.
FOR FEEDER OBSERVERS: It is more important than ever to stress the importance of the participation of all of you who watch your feeders within the count circle. 

1.Please count the maximum number of birds of each species seen at one time during the “count day”, on Dec. 16th. 

2. Please record the names of those birds (without numbers) that are seen on any other day during the ‘Count Week’ from Dec. 13th to Dec. 19th  that are not reported on count day. Please indicate the date seen.

They will be reported to Birds Canada. Please include your civic address to avoid double counts as Field Observers may also report from your location.

3. Please record the names of those birds (without numbers) that are seen on any other day during the ‘count period,’ Dec. 14th to January 5th inclusive, that are not reported on Count Day or during Count Week. They will be reported to Birds Canada. Please indicate the date seen.

 
 
**It has not been what many of us term a ‘redpoll year’ when many redpolls join us from the north for the winter. However, reports suggest a contingent will indeed arrive.
On Tuesday, Aldo Dorio spotted a flock of 25 Common Redpolls near the Neguac wharf enjoying their favourite menu, the seed catkins of birch. They usually do not join us at birdfeeders until that crop of birch catkins diminishes by late December into January.
 
**Crossbills have not been in great numbers either this season as the cone crop has been spotty.
Rhonda and Paul Langelaan spotted some White-winged Crossbills on a very cold morning on December 6 in the Forkstream Road area and got some nice photographs.
 


 
 

                                          Nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton

 

Bird Feeder Form

Nature Moncton Bird Feeder Christmas Bird Count, December 16, 2023

 

Return to: Susan Atkinson at: susandatkinson@hotmail.com

 

 

Observer Name

Address

Telephone

email

Hrs observing: 

Approx times of the day:

# Species:

Total # birds:     

Bird Count List

DECEMBER 16, 2023

 

NUMBERS SEEN

 

 

American Black Duck

Evening Grosbeak  

Northern Shrike...……

American Crow

Glaucous Gull

Pileated Woodpecker

American Goldfinch

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Pine Grosbeak

American Robin

Gray Jay    

Pine Siskin

American Tree Sparrow

Great Black-backed Gull

Pine Warbler …

Bald Eagle…

Great Horned Owl

Purple Finch …

Barred Owl

Hairy Woodpecker

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Black-backed Woodpecker

Herring Gull

Red-tailed Hawk …

Black-capped Chickadee …

Hooded Merganser  

Red-winged Blackbird

Blue Jay …      

Horned Lark …

Ring-billed Gull …

Bohemian Waxwing ……  

House Finch…

Ring-necked Pheasant … 

Boreal Chickadee ……

House Sparrow …

Rock Pigeon

Brown Creeper………  

Iceland Gull

Rough-legged Hawk

Brown-headed Cowbird…

Lapland Longspur

Ruffed Grouse

Canada Goose…

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Chipping Sparrow …

Mallard   

Short-eared Owl

Common Grackle

Merlin

Snow Bunting ……

Common Merganser

Mourning Dove   

Song Sparrow

Common Raven

Northern Cardinal

Swamp Sparrow

Common Redpoll

Northern Flicker …

White-breasted Nuthatch

Dark-eyed Junco …

Northern Goshawk

White-throated Sparrow

Downy Woodpecker

Northern Harrier

White-winged Crossbill

European Starling

Northern Mockingbird …

 Others

Cedar Waxwing

 

 

 

 


WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS. DEC 6, 2023. RHONDA LANGELAAN


WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS. DEC 6, 2023. RHONDA LANGELAAN




COMMON REDPOLLS. DEC 12, 2023. ALDO DORIO


COMMON REDPOLLS. DEC 12, 2023. ALDO DORIO


COMMON REDPOLLS. DEC 12, 2023. ALDO DORIO


JAM JELLY SELECTION. DEC 12, 2023. NELSON POIRIER