Sightings http://www.canadaeast.com/ en-us Copyright (c) 2007, CanadaEast.com My wife and I are wondering if you could identify the birds in the photo? – Jim Cooper, Saint JohnJim’s birds are mourning doves, smaller cousins of the more familiar rock pigeon. Fifty years ago mourning doves were a rare bird in New Brunswick but since then have gradually increased in numbers to the point where they are now widely established year-round residents. Like several other species these birds have extended their range to include the Maritimes because of the abundance of bird feeders and possibly, climatic changes. In the early years birds that tried to winter over often suffered frostbitten feet and it wasn’t unusual to see them with missing toes. However they seem to have adapted rather quickly and one seldom notices such injuries these days. – Jim Wilson 5f3b92ab40332eef8875afdd74920d3e Would you please identify these birds? I have been unable to find them in my book. – R.E. Boyer, Saint JohnOne bird is a northern flicker, one of our larger woodpeckers that spends a lot of time on the ground feeding on insects such as ants – they love ants! The second bird is a rock pigeon, commonly called a “pigeon.” Rock pigeons are native to Europe and were brought to North America by early settlers. Because of centuries of selective breeding, the species exhibits a wide variation of colour and even size and shape. This one appears typical in colouration, although on the darker side of the normal range. – Jim Wilson 384946040da3d3de43ab85e26425d5cd Would you please identify these birds? I have been unable to find them in my book. Perhaps you can suggest a good guide? – R.E. Boyer, Saint JohnOne bird is a northern Flicker, one of our larger woodpeckers that spends a lot of time on the ground feeding on insects such as ants (they love ants!). The second bird is a rock pigeon, commonly just called a “pigeon.” Rock pigeons are native to Europe and were brought to North America by early settlers. Because of centuries of selective breeding, the species exhibits a wide variation of colour and even size and shape. This one appears typical in colouration, although on the darker side of the normal range. – Jim Wilson acfe18b14f38511d5549767d284ebe8d These two beaver were trying to cross a busy highway. When I stopped the car, they disappeared into a stream. I thought they were long gone, then they turned around and swam back long enough for me to capture this shot. – Bill Gough, Saint John 6ab802eb020465ef143e9f862fd79fc4 Sparrow nest in our very thick cedar hedge every year. There were four eggs to begin with but there seems to be only two chicks. – Gerald Green, Grand Bay-Westfield bdb4578a1a64fdc204db3b8c45877e7b This hummer was sitting on a mat in our garage. I assume it was hurt as it did not try to fly. I nursed it for half-an-hour. It seemed to perk up a little, so I put it in a container on the deck hoping other birds would come along. I checked on it a few times but eventually it passed away. – Margaret Jensen. New Denmark d92be85df6498fb09d0db21754aba4a2 This chickadee was in the process of nest building. From observations of their nests in our birdhouse over the years we’ve noticed how well they like to employ dog hair in the area where the eggs are laid and the young raised. For some time now we’ve provided dog hair saved after brushing our dog then put it in a suet holder in an area that can readily be seen by the birds – and also where we have good observation so to enjoy the process. We usually put it out early in April. It’s so cute to see a chickadee with a “beard.” – Joanne and David Savage, Quispamsis c115f64d34926dc4228f796b981fa3b1 I found this luna moth on the side of a tree in the Irving Nature Park on the city’s west side on June 17. – Pat Driscoll, Saint John 95a30d63ce17d24294ae8c5bc560a6fa This handsome fellow stopped long enough for us to photograph him guarding "his" two feeders at our cottage on the Victoria Day weekend. St. Andrews is a paradise for birdwatchers. - David and Janice Hashey, Fredericton Male ruby-throated hummingbirds are well-named. The "ruby" throat shows up spectacularly when just the right light reflects from the feathers and it seems to actually glow. However, when there is little or no available light, the throat appears almost black. It's not always easy to catch the glow when taking a photograph of these birds. Females lack colour on the throat and show a continuous dull white from the belly to the chin. - Jim Wilson addf1831064467568eb36d612c591bac We believe the duck is a white-winged scoter. It stayed a couple of hours and then moved on. Canada geese, common mergansers, northern shoveller, mallards, black ducks and one pair of American wigeon are some of the other waterfowl nesting along the Petitcodiac River in Salisbury. In early June the mallards and Canada geese had hatchlings. The great-looking eastern kingbirds were gathering nesting material in our backyard. - Susan Kierstead and Alan Austin, Salisbury Yes, this duck is indeed a male white-winged scoter. It's a sea duck that nests in the Arctic in summer and spends most of the rest of the year on salt water along either the east or west coasts. As scoters migrate north along the Eastern Seaboard in spring many are naturally funnelled into the Bay of Fundy as they hug the coastline. At the head of the bay they must cross land for the first time since the previous fall; most fly up either the Petitcodiac or Memramcook rivers and cross the isthmus to the Northumberland Strait somewhere north of the bridge to P.E.I. From there, they continue their northward journey to their nesting grounds. Most don't stop to rest, so this bird was an exception and provided a good opportunity for a photograph. - Jim Wilson 47333facfcd82b4a5c4e0d0d777fd3ac We believe the duck is a white-winged scoter. It stayed a couple of hours and then moved on. Canada geese, common mergansers, northern shoveller, mallards, black ducks and one pair of American wigeon are some of the other waterfowl nesting along the Petitcodiac River in Salisbury. In early June the mallards and Canada geese had hatchlings. The great-looking eastern kingbirds were gathering nesting material in our backyard. - Susan Kierstead and Alan Austin, Salisbury Yes, this duck is indeed a male white-winged scoter. It's a sea duck that nests in the Arctic in summer and spends most of the rest of the year on salt water along either the east or west coasts. As scoters migrate north along the Eastern Seaboard in spring many are naturally funnelled into the Bay of Fundy as they hug the coastline. At the head of the bay they must cross land for the first time since the previous fall; most fly up either the Petitcodiac or Memramcook rivers and cross the isthmus to the Northumberland Strait somewhere north of the bridge to P.E.I. From there, they continue their northward journey to their nesting grounds. Most don't stop to rest, so this bird was an exception and provided a good opportunity for a photograph. - Jim Wilson 40ea2033938dbdda48a56574a2a721b3 We believe the duck is a white-winged scoter. It stayed a couple of hours and then moved on. Canada geese, common mergansers, northern shoveller, mallards, black ducks and one pair of American wigeon are some of the other waterfowl nesting along the Petitcodiac River in Salisbury. In early June the mallards and Canada geese had hatchlings. The great-looking eastern kingbirds were gathering nesting material in our backyard. - Susan Kierstead and Alan Austin, Salisbury Yes, this duck is indeed a male white-winged scoter. It's a sea duck that nests in the Arctic in summer and spends most of the rest of the year on salt water along either the east or west coasts. As scoters migrate north along the Eastern Seaboard in spring many are naturally funnelled into the Bay of Fundy as they hug the coastline. At the head of the bay they must cross land for the first time since the previous fall; most fly up either the Petitcodiac or Memramcook rivers and cross the isthmus to the Northumberland Strait somewhere north of the bridge to P.E.I. From there, they continue their northward journey to their nesting grounds. Most don't stop to rest, so this bird was an exception and provided a good opportunity for a photograph. - Jim Wilson 6730108ee43b63471e0e7134cf77508e I snapped a picture of one of two catbirds, hopping through the grass on the lawn looking for their breakfast on May 23. They were not close enough to get them both in the same picture. They went, one after the other, into the cedars, each with a mouthful of nest-building material. I snapped the goldfinch eating seeds from the dandelions on May 27. - Vera DeWitt, Mount Delight Photos of gray catbirds are usually quite hard to get, as this is a species that sticks to thick shrubbery most of the time. Obviously this pair felt comfortable out in the open. Catbirds can nest twice in a season, the first time often in an evergreen and the next time frequently in a deciduous shrub later in summer after the leaves have become well developed. They are "mimic thrushes," along with cousins the brown thrasher and the northern mockingbird. In New Brunswick, the gray catbird is the most widespread. The male goldfinch loves dandelion seeds. - Jim Wilson 06cf025722cd0ca838fc7496abcc510d I snapped a picture of one of two catbirds, hopping through the grass on the lawn looking for their breakfast on May 23. They were not close enough to get them both in the same picture. They went, one after the other, into the cedars, each with a mouthful of nest-building material. I snapped the goldfinch eating seeds from the dandelions on May 27. - Vera DeWitt, Mount Delight Photos of gray catbirds are usually quite hard to get, as this is a species that sticks to thick shrubbery most of the time. Obviously this pair felt comfortable out in the open. Catbirds can nest twice in a season, the first time often in an evergreen and the next time frequently in a deciduous shrub later in summer after the leaves have become well developed. They are "mimic thrushes," along with cousins the brown thrasher and the northern mockingbird. In New Brunswick, the gray catbird is the most widespread. The male goldfinch loves dandelion seeds. - Jim Wilson 242112732dacc42fd3002c22e2ea5935