Nature Moncton Nature
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Proofreading courtesy of
Louise Nichols at nicholsl@eastlink.ca
**Jane
LeBlanc was standing on her deck, aiming her camera at a goldfinch, when
something flew from behind her...very close. Birds scattered....it was the
sharp-shinned hawk, which didn't stay around.
Later in the
afternoon, Jane drove to Hampton, hoping to see something at the lagoons. They
were still mostly frozen, but there was a small patch of open water around the
corner. She found mallard ducks and a muskrat.
**Wendy
Rogers lives 15 km south of Fredericton, and Monday was her second visit from a
large flock (estimated 50-60) of common redpolls. They are very skittish.
**Jessica
Belanger-Mainville recently celebrated her birthday long weekend doing one of
her favourite pastimes -- birding!
On Friday,
she walked at the Irishtown Nature Park looking for the American three-toed
woodpecker that had been spotted there. Instead, she found a pileated
woodpecker that made her heart skip a beat because she saw some bark fall down
the tree (looking for the American three-toed woodpecker), and then a downy
woodpecker that was eating on the ground. She also saw common redpolls, brown
creepers, white and red-breasted nuthatch along with the other regular birds.
On Saturday,
Jessica went to Shediac to see her favourite bird on her birthday: the Barrow's
goldeneye! She also saw some common goldeneye, common mergansers, and a bald
eagle.
Jessica then
headed to Memramcook for a quick stop at some bird feeders, where she saw a big
flock of evening grosbeak, and a merlin flew over later.
After that, she headed to Sackville, where she found a sharp-shinned hawk eating something in a bush.
On Sunday,
Jessica headed to Sackville again, and the star of the day was a rusty
blackbird at the waterfowl park that was vocalizing.
(Editor’s
note: Jessica’s photos show the distinctive steep forehead of the Barrow’s
goldeneye in comparison to the sloping forehead of the common goldeneye. Also
take note of the bright orange legs/feet of the goldeneye and common merganser
that we don’t often see in photos.)
Nelson Poirier
Nature
Moncton
