NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS
January 5, 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
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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
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**
Barb Curlew was successful in locating American Pipits at the Waterside Beach/Marsh. One was flushed, and one remained close by in the
grass to be photographed.
(Editor’s note: This is a nice find.
Most American Pipits have already migrated along a coastline.)
**Georges Brun spotted a Short-eared
Owl flying and hunting for prey in the Dieppe/Chartersville Marsh on
Saturday. He was only able to get documentary photos due to the distance of 1.5
km or more. The owl was able to stay aloft on point for more time than a
Northern Harrier.
(Editor’s note: even though the
photos are distant and documentary, the dihedral flight pattern and wing shape
are very consistent with a Short-eared Owl.)
**Brian Coyle shares some animal
track photos from a hike to his trail cameras on Saturday. Two photos show River
Otter tracks on a Beaver pond.
Two more show Coyote track
photos. The single print measured approximately 2"x3", keeping in
mind that this is the hind print right on top of the front print. The gait
measured approximately 18" between prints, and is in a fairly straight
line, deviating no more than 2" from the centerline of travel.
Two more photos show Bobcat tracks.
Brian includes one that shows claw marks, which you don't normally see unless
the Bobcat slips on ice or is doing a stretch.
These tracks measured approximately 1
3/4" and were almost perfectly round, with a gait of approximately 12",
which tells Brian that this is a small Bobcat.
Brian also sends a video of the leucistic
Black-capped Chickadee from his backyard. Brian noticed that in addition to
the white head feathers and almost white beak, its legs and feet are also
almost white. View the bird at the link below:
**Lynn Dube contributes photos of some
of their feeder birds on Saturday. They had both male and female Pileated Woodpeckers
but only managed a photo of the female. Also, both male and female Hairy Woodpeckers and Downy Woodpeckers
were present. They don’t have as many American Goldfinches as they usually do.
Two Brown Creepers were present at the same time but were so quick it was hard to get clear photos of them. It has only been the past couple of days that
a Grey Squirrel has been present since late summer. It definitely enjoys
the suet like the rest of the wildlife.
Nelson Poirier
Nature Moncton
