Nature Moncton Nature News: Sept 13 2017

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, September 06, 2017 (Wednesday)

Please advise editor at nelson@nb.sympatico.ca if any errors are noted in wording or photo labeling.

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelson@nb.sympatico.ca
Transcript by: Catherine Johnson johnson2@xplornet.com
Info Line # 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)

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**Carmella and Leopold Melanson went for a drive into Albert County on Tuesday and found an immature DICKCISSEL on the Shepody Dam Rd. Always nice to find dickcissels in NB. These birds breed in the central area of the United States and is a rare migrant to both coasts but more on the east coast where a few overwinter. You can see the distinctive chestnut wing coverts in Carmella's photos.

**Aldo Dorio again found AMERICAN PIPITS at Hay Island on Tuesday. They have increased to 3 from 1 found the day before. He found them on the rocks from the bridge to the cross on the right side. It suggests numbers are building there and a great spot to check them out. He got some better frontal photos on Tuesday.

**Brian Stone visited Mapleton Park on Monday to photograph a COMMON WHITE-TAILED dragonfly, a WHITE-FACED MEADOWHAWK dragonfly, a nice frontal shot of a WHITE-THROATED SPARROW, an AUTUMN MEADOWHAWK dragonfly (note the brown legs as this species is the only MEADOWHAWK with completely brown legs), CANADA LILY gone to seed, a young ROBIN feasting on Choke cherries, an immature ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK, and a BLUE-HEADED VIREO showing the white spectacle.

Brian visited the Riverview marsh trail on Tuesday to note a significant number of BRONZE COPPER butterflies flitting along the trail. This seems to be a butterfly we have seen little of so far this summer. Brian did note the ponds filled with water on both sides of the trail, commenting that they were all dry the last time that he was there.

**We are seeing more and more LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS in NB and lots of folks are wondering if these birds may be breeding nearer at this point. Adults are easier to pick out but the immatures are a challenge. We were able to see one on the pelagic trip off Grand Manan on Saturday. It appears to be a bird going into its second winter (cycle) plumage, some photos are attached.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton