Nature Moncton Nature News: January 19 2024

NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS

January 19, 2024

Nature Moncton members as well as any naturalist in New Brunswick or beyond are invited to share their photos and descriptions of recent nature sightings to build a fresh (almost) daily edition of Nature News

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.

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Proofreading courtesy of Louise Nichols at nicholsl@eastlink.ca

** Louise Nichols reports that a Sharp-shinned Hawk has been showing up occasionally in their front yard where she has some feeders. On Thursday at lunch, Louise got a photo of the hawk through the front window.

Some of the characteristics of this hawk species as pointed out by Todd Watts on Tuesday night are visible in Louise's photo. The bird has the red eyes and rufous barring on the front that makes it an adult bird. It also shows a square tail rather than the rounded tail of a Cooper's Hawk. There is little contrast between the head and the nape. And finally, the forehead on this bird is quite steep, all of which suggests a Sharp-shinned Hawk.

Louise also attaches several photos she took last month while walking around the newly created retention ponds in Sackville which are extensions of the pond system that was created a few years ago. All of these ponds occupy quite a large area in the centre of town, and it will be interesting to see how they develop and what bird life they attract in the coming years.

**Nelson Poirier also had a visit to his feeder yard on Thursday and again found Todd Watts' comments from Tuesday night helpful to make an identification of a Cooper’s Hawk.

Even though the photos are ‘branch bombed’, they show rounded tail tip, the relatively large legs, a paler nape to give it a capped look, a slanted ‘Roman nose’ forehead, and the supraorbital ridge to give it that fierce look. The horizontal rufous chest barring and reddish eye make it an adult bird. This bird also appeared quite large so I suspect it may have been a female.

**Norbert Dupuis again shares pleasant photos of a female Northern Cardinal enjoying the menu on his Memramcook East deck.

The apparent swelling of the cardinal population in more of New Brunswick has more people enjoying this striking bird species.

**Debbie Batog has had an American Goldfinch showing albinism in the crown area appear among her patrons. This bird could be considered a partial albino. Occasionally an area that has been wounded will have the feathers regrow white in the damaged area; however, the partial albino scenario would be favoured.

Nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton