Mild weather keeping birds in New Brunswick around longer

Mild temperatures and a lack of snow are keeping some migratory birds in southern New Brunswick longer than usual this year.

Birder Paul Mansz is among those who has spotted birds not commonly seen this time of year in New Brunswick.

"Oddly enough, one bird that we saw within the past week was the red-winged blackbird, which for anyone who knows
red-winged blackbirds, would say that's a very common bird, especially in the summer, almost a nuisance bird," he said.

"But not very common this time of year and certainly not common when there's a lot of snow around."

Naturalist and birder Jim Wilson participated in a bird count on Grand Manan recently and also saw some birds not typically seen in December.

"I found an indigo bunting, which normally I would expect to be long gone, but it's still hanging around," said Wilson. "Not at an obvious feeder, but
just in a shrubbery on a lawn in the village."

Wilson said when more seasonable weather returns, it could cause some trouble for birds that are still sticking around New Brunswick.

"The chances of a bird over-wintering right through to spring that relies on insects is really not good," he said.

Wilson says unless the birds leave on their own, there's not too much people can do for those which stay too long, aside from putting out suet and seeds for them.