NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS
Dec 28, 2024
Nature
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**Each year, as the year draws to a close, Jim Wilson writes a column for the Telegraph Journal of 10 bird highlights of the past year. That column was recently published and if you did not see it in the newspaper, check it out at the link below. It is beautifully done in true Jim Wilson fashion:
Ten great
New Brunswick birds in 2024 | Telegraph-Journal
**On Thursday, Norbert Dupuis looked outside and to his surprise, saw a male Ring-necked Pheasant fly and settle on his yard crab apple tree.
Norbert has had daily visits from his resident Pine Warbler. He has seen it take nyger and black oil sunflower seed and it also goes for suet.
Norbert had a flock of Evening
Grosbeaks arrive to his feeder yard on Thursday morning.
**Mac and Brenda Wilmot have had a
Carolina Wren (s) around their Lower Coverdale home since spring. It has proven
very difficult to photograph; however, that sure changed when they put their
Christmas present, a Blink camera, in place, and the Carolina Wren promptly came
to check it out.
Now that’s performance! Take a look at the
link below:
**Sam LeGresley spotted a Cecropia Moth cocoon on Friday on a tree
branch on a trail at Mapleton Park. We are fortunate that Sam’s sharp eye noted
this cocoon as they are not often found being easily missed.
The Cecropia moth is one of the most beautiful
and colourful of the giant silkworm moths. We are also very fortunate that Sam
photographed his find from two different angles; he also got a short video
that can be seen at the link below:
Rheal Vienneau confirmed the cocoon as that of
the Cecropia moth with helpful comments quoted below:
“This is definitely a Cecropia Moth cocoon based on
the shape (pointed at one end, which is the valve) and rounded at the opposite
end.
Also, the colour (greyish/blackish) and the
sheer size (large) is a clue. In addition, the way it is attached to the
branch as long solid silk that is difficult to tear off.
The similar cocoons of Polyphemus moths are loosely
attached to leaves, are much smaller, are barrel-shaped with no valve showing,
and the color is very light to beige.”
(Editors note: I'm including a photo of the
adult Cecropia Moth to remind us what could emerge from that cocoon in spring if it is not parasitized)
**John Inman has had a Red-tailed Hawk coming
to his Harvey yard for 15 winters to feast on pieces of meat that John puts out
on a certain table.
John feels certain it is the same hawk. The
hawk first arrived in February 2009 and was fed as it did not look that good, due
to winter conditions that year. It has been back every winter since. If they see
it somewhere, they go out and whistle or wave its feed bag, and if no other hawks
are present, it comes right over and sometimes perches and chatters with
Shannon when she talks to it. If other hawks are present, it will run them
first so as not to give away its food table. (An amazing scenario!)
John got some spectacular spread-wing photos
as a hawk flew in for a landing to retrieve the booty on Friday. John’s photo
beautifully shows the signature field marks of the belly band, carpal “comma”,
and patagial bar on the leading edge of the wing near the body (arrowed in one
photo).
**Jane LeBlanc in St. Martins has had two busy
days at her feeder. Thursday afternoon, she glanced out to see a small hawk
take a small bird (either junco or chickadee). It had a brown back, with the
rest hidden behind a shrub. It flew off with its prey before a photo was taken.
It came back Friday morning, this time unsuccessful. It flew through the yard
erratically, and again, no photo. Jane saw only the brown back with a lighter
tail as it flew into the woods. Merlin, maybe?
She did get some photos from inside the
window, namely the Golden-crowned Kinglet . Then a neighbour in St.
Martins emailed to say the male Red Bellied Woodpecker and Pine
Warbler both continued to be in his yard. Jane went down to see if she
could photograph them, having to stop on the way when she noticed the pair of Bald
Eagles in a tree beside the road.
All this before noon!!
Later, Jane and Ed took a short drive along
the coast and found a small flock of Snow Buntings. Jane got a distant
photo.
**We have not been seeing flocks of Bohemian
waxwings so far this winter as the berry crop was prolific in Northern Ontario
and Québec to keep this nomadic species there. However, as the berry supply gets
consumed in those areas, this species may join us to partake of the plentiful
crop of berries here in New Brunswick.
Kevin Renton in Stilesville reports they had a
large flock arrive in their yard to feast on a loaded Highbush Cranberry shrub
on Friday.
Could this be an advance guard of more to
come?
**David Lilly shares a link to his gallery of
Northern Flicker photos that he has taken over many years.
(Editor’s note: David’s photo gallery is
indeed impressive, and clicking on each photo brings it to full screen.)
https://www.davidlillyphotography.com/northern_flicker_gallery
**Brian Stone took a few photos of some birds
in the Hampton area on Friday, including a Fox Sparrow that was foraging on the side of a
roadway.
(Editor’s note: we can often quickly identify
the American Tree Sparrow, which is common at feeders in winter, by its bright
yellow lower mandible, but note in Brian’s photo that the more uncommonly seen
Fox Sparrow also has a yellow lower mandible; however, the rest of the plumage
is distinctly different.)
Nelson Poirier
Nature Moncton
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