Nature Moncton Nature News: May 14 2015

** After being alerted by Connie Colpitts, Dave Miller headed out to Civic No. 172 Mullins Road to see and photograph a male SCARLET TANAGER [Tangara écarlate] that was visiting there. Birders are welcome to go to the area to see it if it may still in the area. Mullins Road is just South of the village of Salisbury.

** Louise Nichols reports the Sackville Waterfowl Park was alive with warblers on Wednesday, especially YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS [Paruline à croupion jaune] but also YELLOW WARBLER [Paruline jaune, MAGNOLIA WARBLER [Paruline à tête cendrée], NORTHERN PARULA [Paruline à collier], and BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLERS [Paruline noir et blanc]. A NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH [Paruline des ruisseaux was also reported. A flock of GREATER YELLOWLEGS [Grand Chevalier was seen passing through. The prize of the day for Louise was a BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER [Gobemoucheron gris-bleu] that was flitting about in one section. Louise was able to capture excellent photos of if. The GLOSSY IBIS [Ibis falcinelle] was seen on Wednesday morning but Louise did not see it during her visit there in the afternoon.

** Denise and Gerald Arsenault were pleased to have a very colourful BALTIMORE ORIOLE [Oriole de Baltimore] arrive to their Memramcook yard to a feeder on Wednesday but things got even more colourful when a male ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK [Cardinal à poitrine rose] arrived at the other feeder at the same time. Denise reports their yard is alive with PURPLE FINCH [Roselin pourpré, AMERICAN GOLDFINCH [Chardonneret jaune, and landlords and tenants are both very much appreciating spring!

** Dave Cannon comments on the significant number of WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS [Bruant à gorge blanche] that have come to their Ammon Road yard this week. They also have a male YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER [Pic maculé] that has no hesitation about getting the household going early by drumming on a wall outside the bedroom window. Unfortunately a NORTHERN PARULA [Paruline à collier] lethally hit a window pane. Dave got a close-up photo that shows the identification features of this warbler well.

**Annette Stone spotted their resident GROUNDHOG reaching up to sample some of his sweet sunflowers hearts at the feeder on Wednesday. It went through some interesting antics to get there but was successful.

** Kevin Renton reports they still have a few EVENING GROSBEAKS [Gros-bec errant] as regular patrons but a male ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK [Cardinal à poitrine rose] arrived to join them on Wednesday.

** Clarence Cormier reports he had 5 new arrivals on Wednesday, being a male NORTHERN PARULA [Paruline à collier], that seemed to be very much into the female pussy willow blooms, the first female YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER [Paruline à croupion jaune], a male ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK [Cardinal à poitrine rose], a PALM WARBLER [Paruline à couronne rousse, and a female PILEATED WOODPECKER [Grand pic].

** There were several reported ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS [Cardinal à poitrine rose] to their yards but John Foster had the chance to do a double take when 2 male ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS [Cardinal à poitrine rose] arrived to his Moncton yard.

** I had a visit from a LINCOLN’S SPARROW [Bruant de Lincoln] to my urban feeder yard on Wednesday. It appeared sporadically during the day to leftover on the found white millet. It was very cryptic and easy to miss. It was also wary about activity with a seeming aversion to binoculars and through the window camera however a few photos were achieved.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton