NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS
February 20, 2025
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
**Daryl Doucette phoned early Wednesday morning to say that a
small owl was perched on an upper beam under his deck in urban Moncton.
Nelson Poirier aimed the F-150 in Daryl’s direction (possibly
faster than the law would allow) to confirm it was indeed a northern
saw-whet owl. Both Daryl and Nelson were able to get photographs at a
respectful distance before a grey squirrel came along and spooked it. It
appeared to be in very good condition and, hopefully, was able to get a nocturnal
rodent lunch at Daryl’s birdfeeder yard before its possible plan to roost for
the day.
**Frank Branch in Paquetville continues to have an adult
American goshawk monitor his bird feeder yard. It always perches on the
same branch of the same tree to do its watch. Frank shares a photograph of it at
its favoured perch during the recent storm day as well as a photo from a few
weeks ago to show the difference in snow level in Frank’s yard after a 30 cm
snow drop.
**American robins seem to have made a rather
sudden move to urban areas in the past weeks, suggesting the rural areas of
dense mountain ash trees have been stripped of their berries to make flowering
crab fruit an attractive alternative.
Another alternative is the rosehips of the invasive plant
multiflora rose, which can be popular as well.
Lisa Morris gathered some multiflora rose that was berry laden
and had robins coming to it quite quickly. Lisa also noticed the mourning
doves did not seem impressed with the cold days earlier in the week.
**Brian and Annette Stone went for an outing in Mill
Creek Park in Riverview on Wednesday afternoon and walked out on one of the
back trails that leads out of the park and passes three nice beaver dams. On the
way they were checked out by a pair of Canada jays that came in close to
inspect them and stayed long enough for a few photos. They also came across a
male pileated woodpecker working diligently to find insects under the
bark and in the trunk of a tree. A pair of white-tailed deer were
exploring a snowmobile trail beside the park and stood long enough to join the
photo lineup. Other photos to come later.
Nelson Poirier
Nature Moncton