Nature Moncton Nature News: February 12 2024

NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS

February 12, 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

**John Inman comments he has not seen many Lady Beetles in the fall but came across a Multicoloured Asian Lady Beetle in the house.

(Editor's note: this non-native lady beetle is the one most commonly found wintering in homes.)

John adds that between the Sharp-shinned Hawk and Cooper’s Hawk the resident birds are only showing briefly. Also, the high winds they have had left the windows caked with salt but he was able to clean them for some photos. The Red-tailed Hawk is still getting a handout, but John thinks it will leave before too long as it has in the past.

**Shannon Inman shares a few tree photos that caught her attention.

One shows a very twisted growing Fir tree covered with Usnea (Old Man’s Beard) lichen. Another shows a dying Aspen tree laden with a mushroom species recycling it.

**Daryl Doucet reports that he observed an adult Bald Eagle carrying sticks in the Memramcook area on Sunday with apparent nest reparations on its mind.

**Brian Stone comments that while driving between Hillsborough and Riverview on Sunday, the present New Moon tide was so high that it was lapping against the side of the road in some areas.

**The Chipping Sparrow is not commonly seen in New Brunswick in winter, and its bland winter non-breeding plumage can easily cause identification challenges.

Yolande LeBlanc in Memramcook had a winter plumage Chipping Sparrow arrive at her Memramcook feeder yard this past week. Yolande and Nelson Poirier made efforts on Sunday to get photographs to show the plumage difference from its summer bright plumage. The black eye line extending right to the bill is a key feature to confirm its identity from similar sparrows (arrowed). The lower mandible of the bill is pale in the winter plumage while it is black in summer breeding plumage. Several photos are attached to show this uncommon winter visitor from different angles.

Yolande also had a duo of Song Sparrows arrive recently which allowed photos. Some fast-moving, White-breasted Nuthatches also briefly cooperated but a Brown Creeper would not cooperate for a photo despite being seen on its mission several times. Northern Cardinals and other expected species were in surprising abundance in Yolande's bird oasis.