Nature Moncton Nature News: May 27 2015

** Always nice to hear from Irene LeBlanc in Richibucto - Irene was at Kouchibouguac National Park on Monday and spotted a REDHEAD DUCK [Fuligule à tête rouge] there to make her day.

** Dave Miller was on Grand Manan recently to share a few photos of rarities spotted there - he got some nice close up photos of a YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON [Bihoreau violacé] and a MARBLED GODWIT [Barge marbrée]. The Godwit had to be photographed at a considerable distance but the photograph is documentary.

** Another RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER [Pic à ventre roux] reporting in - Dale Gaskin reports he saw one at feeders at the Chocolate River Motel on Route 114 - It was feeding with a troop of BLUE JAYS [Geai bleu] and very much protecting its space from them.

** More migrating shorebirds at Hay Island Nature Park - Aldo Dorio spotted SEMIPALMATED PLOVER [Pluvier semipalmé]. He also photographed an EASTERN BLUEBIRD [Merlebleu de l’Est], a species that seems to be moving in to NB nicely at the moment. These were taken on Sunday, and on Monday Aldo got yet another shorebird: a BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER [Pluvier argenté] and COMMON TERN [Sterne pierregarin] coming in. The Black-bellied Plovers are not in full breeding plumage for a few potential reasons. I understand this plover can take two years to take on adult breeding plumage . As well, some birds may still be going into breeding plumage as they make their migratory journey north.

** A nice learning experience on the Oriole posted yesterday from Donat Robichaud - Several folks wondered if it was not a female Baltimore Oriole and several gave reasons why. I had darkened the photos a bit as they were quite light and was afraid I had made the bird look orange instead of yellow in the original photos which may have led to Baltimore Oriole thoughts; however will share Dave Christie’s comments which summarize the response best, and am resending out the photos today corrected. Not being able to appreciate size in a photo can call for some closer study.

These are Dave’s comments with similar thoughts shared from others:Quoting Dave

"OK Nelson,

I have studied the photo carefully and compared it with reliably identified Orchard Orioles at <http://www.briansmallphoto.com/orchard_oriole.html>.

To me, it is definitely orange on the underparts, not yellow. I doubt that you edited it enough to make that much difference.

The back is dark-spotted, more heavily marked than the minor streaking sometimes noticeable on an Orchard.

Orange extends onto the median coverts above the white tips; yellow not seen there on the Orchard photos I consulted.

The beak seems longer than normal for an Orchard, and the lower mandible is entirely pale gray, not dark-tipped as seen on virtually every Orchard. The culmen seems straighter than on most Orchards.

A size difference, of course, is not discernible.

So, that summarizes my second-thought opinion. I say it’s a Baltimore Oriole, likely a second-year female, because a male would be likely to have at least some black on the face/throat.

Dave"

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton