Nature Moncton Nature News: Sept 16 2017

NATURE MONCTON’S INFORMATION LINE – 16 September 2017 (Saturday)

To respond by email, please address your message to the Information Line Editor, nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Please advise the Editor if any errors are noted in wording or photo labelling.

For more information on Nature Moncton, check the website at www.naturemoncton.com

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

Transcript by: Catherine Clements

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

**Janet Cormier was travelling the back roads from the Murray Corner area to Shemogue, and spotted a group of four SANDHILL CRANES [Grue du Canada] in a field. Janet got an awesome video that shows the birds, which all seem adult. They seem to be doing some sort of display at one point. Check it all out at the attached link.

https://youtu.be/edv_ETfScmY

Janet comments there were a number of CANADA GEESE [Bernache du Canada] with them. They saw the birds near the corner of the Blacklock Road, not far from its juncture, and near the Thulium Farm.

**Dave Christie reports he did have another RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD [Colibri à gorge rubis] pop by his feeder on Friday, after not seeing any for a few days. A BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER [Gobemoucheron gris-bleu] was spotted by Matthew Vicruck, a Canadian Wildlife Service employee, at the Mary’s Point site. He saw it on the trail leading down to the beach on Friday. Dave comments the Canada Geese are forming larger flocks now, from the 10 to 30 he was used to seeing earlier. He spotted approximately 300 flying down the Shepody River and on out into Shepody Bay on Friday. On checking the Mary’s Point beach for shorebirds on Friday morning, there were only approximately 125 birds; however, on an evening check there were approximately 2,500 birds roosting, predominantly SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS [Pluvier semipalmé] and SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS [Bécasseau semipalmé], as well as a few SANDERLINGS [Bécasseau sanderling] and LEAST SANDPIPERS [Bécasseau minuscule]. The WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER [Bécasseau à croupion blanc] number had increased to at least 25. He saw one DUNLIN [Bécasseau variable], which was only the second one he has seen so far this year.

**Lots of us note the captive BLACK-NECKED SWANS on the man-made pond on the Hillsborough Road just outside of Riverview on Route 114 when passing the area. Fred Dubé points out it is more interesting to see them now, as they have four cygnets. It’s the first time that Fred has noted this pair with cygnets.

**Ray Gauvin was watching some OSPREYS [Balbuzard pêcheur] in the Cap-Brûlé area on Friday, to find one proudly displaying a nice-sized FLOUNDER in its talons.

**More on Mushrooms fruiting at the moment: Bob Blake comments they found a nice cache of FIELD MUSHROOMS to complement breakfast while camping along the Canaan River on Friday.

**Carol Shea got a photo of a ONCE-MARRIED UNDERWING MOTH, nicely showing its colourful underwing. Their host plants are POPLAR and WILLOW. A few new ones also showed up at my own moth light on Thursday night – the CHAIN-DOTTED GEOMETER is a common mid-sized moth that appears this time of year and later. Its host plants include a variety of trees and plants. Also a WHITE-MARKED TUSSOCK MOTH appeared. It’s a small to mid-sized moth, can have two broods per season, and its host plants are various deciduous trees.

**Aldo Dorio got some photos of a juvenile BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER [Pluvier argenté] at Hay Island on Friday. It’s at the point that it’s easy to confuse the Black-bellied Plovers and AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVERS [Pluvier bronzé]. Gilles Belliveau comments that with this plover, the bill is large for an American Golden-Plover, and does not seem to have yellow-gold tones in its plumage. The belly looks quite white, while it would be expected to be grey in the American Golden-Plover, and the crown and auriculars are not as prominent as would be expected for an American Golden-Plover. Aldo also got a photo of a deceased BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER [Paruline à gorge noire]. The thing of note in the photo is the bright yellow soles of the feet. We just don’t usually see birds this way. Searching the literature did not give a clear explanation of the yellow. Any comments would be welcome.

**On Friday, Brian Stone got a nice photo of an EASTERN PHOEBE [Moucherolle phébi] young of the year that shows the yellow on the breast/chest area that the adult does not have. He also got a photo of a female HOUSE SPARROW [Moineau domestique] and a RED ADMIRAL BUTTERFLY [Vulcain], a species we seem to have seen less than usual of this season.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton