Nature Moncton Nature News: May 12 2015

** Jean Paul and Stella LeBlanc share some interesting activity from the weekend and Monday. Sometimes swimming pools are a real magnet for amphibians. They report their grandchildren had a great time seeing some FROGS (grenouilles) and a BLUE-SPOTTED SALAMANDER [Salamandre à points bleus] that ended up in a swimming pool. They collected them all and took them back to the woods. I can’t tell from the photo what species the frogs are. (JP just sent a closer photo and they appear to be wood frogs) They also have a FOX [renard] den near their home in Buctouche and they are being entertained by 6 Fox pups. The photos show them as good sized pups already. They also had 4 BOBOLINK [Goglu des prés] visit a neighbour’s yard on Sunday. They got some photos, all were male birds.

** Mac Wilmot spotted 2 HARBOUR PORPOISE [Marsouin commun] in the Petitcodiac River at 10:30 am on Monday morning, appearing to be fishing very possibly after GASPEREAU. They stayed in one location rolling about feeding for some time to get nice observations. There were approximately 200 yards above the Gunningsville Bridge, and the tide was low but coming in. Mac suggests there’s a good possibility they could be at the same site an hour later on Tuesday.

** Janet Cormier reports she noted 4 occupied OSPREY [Balbuzard pêcheur] nests on Monday - one not far from Buctouche, and 3 of the 4 nests in the Grand Balachois area were occupied. Janet also was in the Richibucto Village area to get nice portrait photos of WHITE-THROATED SPARROW [Bruant à gorge blanche], CHIPPING SPARROW [Bruant familier], also GREATER YELLOWLEGS [Grand Chevalier], and BELTED KINGFISHER [Martin-pêcheur d’Amérique]. She comments the WHITE-THROATED SPARROW [Bruant à gorge blanche] were in quite significant numbers.

** Doreen Rossiter reports her new addition for her Alma yard on Monday was one of her favourite birds, the GRAY CATBIRD [Moqueur chat].

** Clarence Cormier had what appeared to be a pair of WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW [Bruant à couronne blanche] arrive to his Grand Digue yard on Monday. They stayed close together all day. The white crown on one seemed more fluorescent than the other. Their arrival date was the same as last year, May 11. Also, a WILSON’S SNIPE [Bécassine de Wilson] appeared again, the same date as last year to a wet area behind his home. Clarence is suspecting a wave of arrivals of new species this week as over the years May 11 to May 18 has been the most active time and it seems to be getting underway just as it always has.

** Carol Christopher got a surprise on Monday at her Miramichi feeder yard when a PINE SISKIN [Tarin des pins] appeared with its kin with a bare white area on the head. A photo shows it beside a normal Pine Siskin, I’m not sure if this is a partial albino or possible plumage damage from an injury of some type.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton