Nature Moncton Nature News: May 21 2015

** We don’t get to see many shorebirds on their route North in New Brunswick in spring however Aldo Dorio photographed some SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS [Bécassin roux] on Wednesday at Hay Island Nature Park.

** Louise Nichols visited the White Birch Road near Sackville on Wednesday. She saw no BLACK TERNS [Guifette noire] there as yet but some observations of warblers, some with photos that include BLACKPOLL WARBLER [Paruline rayée], male and female BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER [Paruline noir et blanc], YELLOW WARBLER [Paruline jaune ,WILSON’S WARBLER [Paruline à calotte noire], AMERICAN REDSTART [Paruline flamboyante] and NORTHERN PARULA [Paruline à collier] warblers. She also saw GRAY CATBIRD [Moqueur chat] NORTHERN HARRIER [Busard Saint-Martin],BOBOLINKS [Goglu des prés], and many RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS [Carouge à épaulettes as well as hearing a SORA [Marouette de Caroline].

** Attila Fust had a visit from a male RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER to his Saint-Marie de Kent feeder yard on Wednesday evening.

** Bob Blake seems to have taken control of the ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK [Cardinal à poitrine rose] market at his Second North River yard with now 4 male ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS, and several females in attendance.

**Dave Christie comments on the scenario he saw on the Shepody River that surprised him. HERRING GULLS [Goéland argenté] are often robbing fish from other birds however he was surprised to see a Herring Gull flying with what appeared to be a gaspereau and suddenly a GREAT BLUE HERON [Grand Héron] went after it with the gull dropping the fish when it turned to go after the HERON. The GREAT BLUE HERON immediately dropped to the water, plunged for the prize and downed it. The Gull’s protest was short-lived. Dave comments it is the reversal of the robber and the robbed he had not seen before. Dave also comments on the aspen and birch trees greening the landscape so quickly now and also the serviceberry shrub coming into their early abundant bloom at the moment, ahead of the leaves.

** John Massey comments he continues to have several PINE SISKINS [Tarin des pins] as regulars. Several others are finding the same. I personally have a few Siskins only but a surprisingly number of female RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS [Carouge à épaulettes] and AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES [Chardonneret jaune . The GRAY CATBIRD [Moqueur chat] continues to enjoy grape jelly putting the run to the female RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton