Nature Miramichi:

From: Phil Riebel <no-reply@smugmug.com>
Sent: Thursday, November 26, 2020 10:16 AM
Subject: Correction – That was a Fisher!

Correction – That was a Fisher! Hi all, Last week I sent out a photo labelled "Pine Marten" taken a few hundred meters behind our place in the woods (Miramichi). A few experts corrected me – it was actually a Fisher. I always wanted to get a photo of one but never imagined it would be right behind my house! They are typically quite elusive and rarely seen + I always assumed they did not get very close to human activity (i.e. more in the deep woods). They are larger than a Pine Marten – you can find our more here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fisher_(animal) Here is also a close up of his head and face: https://philriebel.smugmug.com/Camera-Trap/Fisher/n-SHS85c/ See more photos from this SmugMug site. SmugMug Inc., www.smugmug.com, sent you this email. Your privacy matters to us. View our policy about how we strive to respect it—always. You can always reach us at SmugMug, P.O. Box 390123, Mountain View, CA 94039.

From: Phil Riebel <no-reply@smugmug.com>
Sent: Saturday, November 21, 2020 3:05 PM
Subject: Pine Marten – a few 100 meters behind our house!

Pine Marten – a few 100 meters behind our house! Hi all, Last week I got a photo of a Pine Marten on my camera trap a few 100 meters behind our house, in the woods. The photos are not great quality – but today I have re-set 2 camera traps hoping to get better ones. It was surprising to see a Pine Marten so close to a residential area. There is a large wooded area behind us – clearly enough habitat for such species. This photo is from my DSLR trap and the one in the gallery is from the trailcam. See: https://philriebel.smugmug.com/Camera-Trap/Pine-Marten/n-HfR952/ See more photos from this SmugMug site. SmugMug Inc., www.smugmug.com, sent you this email. Your privacy matters to us. View our policy about how we strive to respect it—always. You can always reach us at SmugMug, P.O. Box 390123, Mountain View, CA 94039.

Perhaps you have seen them? Melanie reported them in the county some weeks ago. I finally saw them in town! I do hope they are not just passing through. My favourite bird of winter. REDPOLLS!

I met a flock of about 70 today at Miramichi Marsh gobbling away on the catkins of Silver Birch along the middle causeway.

Peter

Hi All,

An early notice regarding our Tuesday December 1 meeting at the Sr. Citizens’ Hall, 26 Sutton Rd. 6:30 pm. Other years we have enjoyed a Christmas pot-luck supper but alas not this year. We usually have a program of mini-presentations by members and we can do that this year. Perhaps it is can be a little like a “show and tell”.

We are having a fairly short presentation from Alberta via Zoom from club member Sonya Hinds who is there to spend the winter with her Dad. Peter King is going to share some of his photos from his trip last year to the very geologically interesting country of Iceland. We will still have perhaps half an hour or so for any other member presentations, even if only 5 minutes if you like. Perhaps you have an item you found while “out in nature” that you would like to share, perhaps an experience, perhaps some photos, perhaps a sighting. We will “play it by ear” and keep it very informal of course. I am sending out this early notice so that you have some time to think about what you might like to contribute.

We will of course be following provincial pandemic guidelines.

Please find attached the most recent bird list for Miramichi Marsh which was brought up to date just the other day. This list has been compiled by Dave M. over the years, since 2007, when the marsh took the form that we are familiar with today thanks to Ducks Unlimited Canada. The list stands at 154 species. The reason for the latest update is that just last Wednesday two new species were added by first time visitors to the marsh, Snow Bunting and Ring-necked Pheasant! The two birders are recent arrivals to Miramichi, Kiirsti Owen and Colin MacFarlane. Colin just started working at DFO in South Esk, and Kiirsti is a PhD student at UNB & Acadia studying wetlands and waterfowl of Atlantic Canada. They have expressed an interest in participating in the Christmas Bird Counts in the area. On behalf of the club I would like to welcome them to Miramichi and they are now members of our email list.

Peter
Secretary
Nature Miramichi

Bird Checklist for Miramichi Marsh updated Nov. 15 2020 2.pdf

From: verpep@bellaliant.net <verpep@bellaliant.net>
Sent: Saturday, November 14, 2020 10:04 AM
Subject: Escuminac

Hello,

Yesterday at Escuminac, we came upon a large flock of Snow Buntings in a feeding frenzy. One could miss them as they can be well camouflaged but visible in this picture.1763

This little guy seemed to be feeling somewhat warm, maybe molting its feathers.1786

You can see the well covered legs in winter fluff also note to the left of the picture , someone seems to have lost a foot. 1798

Besides these there was a large flock of Sanderlings with one lone Purple Sandpiper among them. 1883

Have a great day.

Verica

Hi All,

Deana and I have been hoping for a couple of years for a visit from the considerably rare in NB, Red-bellied Woodpecker. In fact it is rare even in Maine and southern Quebec but quite common in eastern USA and southern Ontario. It is essentially a non-migratory bird that does come to feeders. We have had brief visits for the last two days at about 7:40 a.m., about five minutes before sunrise. It came back twice this afternoon briefly. There is competition at our feeders and its favourite food seems to be the popular shelled un-salted peanuts although it did seem to snatch a sunflower seed or two as well. It apparently won’t hold its own against Blue Jays of which we have quite a number. It did also seem to give way to a Hairy Woodpecker but aggressively replied to what seemed to be a threat from a European Starling. This is a bird that neither of us has seen before. Nelson Poirier commented that there is a chance it will continue to visit through the winter although perhaps it is early yet for such a pattern to develop. We are hoping though.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-bellied_Woodpecker/id

Peter