Nature Moncton Nature News: August 19 2017

NATURE MONCTON’S INFORMATION LINE – 19 August 2017 (Saturday)

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Transcript by: Catherine Clements

Info Line #: 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)

**Lois Budd got a great photo of an EASTERN KINGBIRD [Tyran tritri] on Friday evening, as it rested from hawking insects. The gleaming white chest and white tail tip show nicely.

**Hilary Reeves has a pond on the Scotch Settlement Road that hosts GREEN FROGS [Grenouille verte], BULLFROGS [Ouaouaron], and LEOPARD FROGS [Grenouille léopard] at the moment. She has noted that three of the Green Frogs noted have varied amounts of distinct blue pigment. We’ve had photos of blue Frogs from Nova Scotia and Ontario, but seemingly few from New Brunswick. Amphibian-reptile guru John Gilhen from the Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History comments that blue Frogs are popping up in lots of places in Nova Scotia. Steve Hecnar in Ontario is compiling all reports of blue Green Frogs in Canada. Hilary’s observations will be forwarded to Steve Hecnar, as John suspects that he has had few reports from New Brunswick, and we’ll hopefully get some comments back as to the meaning of these blue Frog observations.

**Brian Stone and Pat Ford visited the Riverview Marsh on Friday. They found a heavy concentration of shorebirds there. Lots of both YELLOWLEGS [Chevalier] and SEMIPALMATED [Bécasseau semipalmé] and LEAST SANDPIPERS [Bécasseau minuscule] were predominant. This is becoming a very popular shorebird site, with the change to the impoundment and dry area this year. They also noted a healthy stand of COMMON MILKWEED [Herbe à coton], but noted no activity around it while they were there. Brian also photographed a Common Wood-nymph butterfly, a Slender Meadow Katydid, and the day flying moth Virginia Ctenucha

**I was in the Neguac area on Friday to take in some of the bird activity there. A juvenile BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON [Bihoreau gris] was in the area of the main Neguac wharf, moving about and foraging. Interesting to see BONAPARTE'S GULLS [Mouette de Bonaparte] and GREATER YELLOWLEGS [Grand Chevalier] side by side. Several shorebirds were at Hay Island, to include both YELLOWLEGS [Chevalier], a SEMIPALMATED PLOVER [Pluvier semipalmé] juvenile (noting the dark bill and scaling of the feathers), and LEAST SANDPIPERS [Bécasseau minuscule].

One of the Greater Yellowlegs appeared so different from its surrounding kin due to its much lighter plumage and erratic behaviour. A photo is attached showing it with its dark kin. I am assuming this may be a young-of-the-year bird to really show the plumage variability with age.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton