NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS
Dec 25, 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 and proofreader Louise Nichols at Nicholsl@eastlink.ca if any
errors are noted in wording or photo labelling.
For more information on Nature Moncton, check the website at www.naturemoncton.com .
Proofreading
courtesy of Louise Nichols at nicholsl@eastlink.ca
**Peter and Deana Gadd were enjoying family
company Christmas Eve afternoon when the cry went out “hawk”. On the snow-covered
lawn below the living room window, a Cooper’s Hawk had snatched what
appeared to be a Mourning Dove that had been gleaning spillage from an elevated
feeder. After a few minutes, it flew off to a nearby tree with its prey and
then moved on a short time later. The ease with which it flew off with its
dinner suggested that it was not likely to have been a Sharp-shinned Hawk.
Peter had counted 15 Mourning Doves having a pre-dawn meal for the past
two mornings. The count on Christmas Day is expected to be 14! Size, tail shape,
and coloration, perhaps head shape, indicate a Cooper’s Hawk as opposed to a Sharp-shinned
Hawk.
**John and Shannon Inman experienced an
unusual scenario on Tuesday when their resident Cooper’s Hawk appeared
to take out the competition, a Sharp-shinned Hawk, as prey. John was
able to capture the moment with some photos that would certainly appear to
indicate it was indeed a Cooper’s Hawk taking a Sharp-shinned Hawk.
It would be assumed the Coopers Hawk is a
large female at 20 in. and the Sharp-shinned Hawk would be a small male at 10
in. which would make the scenario well in the realm of possibility. The pencil-thin
leg of the prey shown in one photo (arrowed) is consistent with the size of a
Sharp-shinned Hawk leg as is what can be seen of the tail.
John was surely in the right place at the
right time with a ready camera to photograph such an unexpected scenario!
John was hoping to find the remains when the
Cooper’s Hawk was finished, but a White-tailed Deer appeared and spooked the
hawk, and it left with its prey.
**Georges Brun found the weather too snowy to
see anything of the possible Short-eared Owl in the Riverview Marsh but was
able to see a Red Fox along the banks of the Petitcodiac River and
across from the Chateau Moncton.
On the
upper end of the Petitcodiac River, just past the new bridge and atop a hydro
tower, there was a Bald Eagle. Georges was taking photos from the
Chocolate River Station boardwalk, making it a documentary photo, but he has
been seeing a pair of Bald Eagles there for the last 10 years, which makes it a
lot easier to locate (next to 7th Day Adventist Church). He was almost
certain it was a female eagle.
**Brian Stone was looking out the window of
his sister's condo in Hampton on Tuesday morning when he saw a raptor fly past
their window twice and then land in a tree close by in the heavy snowfall that
was occurring at the time. He tried for a photo, but the Red-tailed Hawk
was obscured by the fat snowflakes and didn't show up well in the image. But it
was a nice Christmas Eve present regardless, and he observed the hawk for about
45 minutes before it flew off to other destinations. On the day before, Brian photographed
some clouds around the Sun that were displaying iridescence due to the
type of water droplets or ice crystals composing the clouds. Check out the link
below that explains what is occurring to create the colour show.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_iridescence
**As I’m sure many others did, Nelson Poirier
experienced a very lively day in the feeder yard on Monday. The Lincoln’s
sparrow is still present and regularly joining many of its sparrow kin.
Nelson normally has had Song Sparrows over the
years as they nest in the cedar hedge beside the feeders and normally a few
remain for the winter. A Song Sparrow had not appeared until Tuesday
when one suddenly joined the sparrow troupe. A photograph of this individual is
shared as it really shows the variation in this sparrow species. Note the very
bold dark markings to make one take a closer look!
**In the spirit of the season, Nelson and Fin
would like to extend the height of Season’s Greetings to all the contributors
that make Nature News every day into a pleasant field trip!
Nelson Poirier
Nature Moncton
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.jpg)
.jpg)
