Nature Moncton Nature News: Sept 25 2017

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, for Sep. 25, 2017 (Monday)

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

Transcript by: David Christie maryspt@mac.com

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

** The bird excitement on Sunday was in the Hopewell Hill - Shepody area after Dave Christie relocated the CRESTED CARACARA [Caracara huppé] near civic number 5216 Route 114 in early morning. It was later seen by others near cattle on the marsh and back near civic number 5216 in mid-afternoon. The Loggerhead Shrike [Pie-grièche migratrice] was not relocated.

** As can occur when a group of birders are searching an area, other unexpected things can be found. Rose-Alma Mallet, Gilles Bourque and Gilles Belliveau located a SWAINSON’S HAWK [Buse de Swainson]. It was seen along Route 915, across from where the Midway Road turns off, which is approximately 2 km from the junction of 114 and 915. That juncture is by the Old Bank of New Brunswick.

** Louise Nichols did her shorebird survey at Ann’s Acres, near Cape Tormentine, and found good numbers of shorebirds still present on Sunday. She tallied 8 species, including nice photos of AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER [Pluvier bronzé] and BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER [Pluvier argenté], to compare fieldmarks. Note the smaller bill and darker crown more sharply delineated by the superciliary line on the Golden Plover. One plover photo shows a SANDERLING [Bécasseau sanderling] and DUNLIN [Bécassea variable] side by side, and the WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER [Bécasseau à croupion blanc] nicely shows the long primary projection of the wings past the tail in this species. There were still good numbers of SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS [Bécasseau semipalmé] and some SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS [Pluvier semipalmé].

** Chris Antle comments that not all the MONARCHS [Monarque] have passed through her milkweed patch yet. On Sunday she was harvesting pods for her mini monarch meadow for next year’s crop, when a Monarch landed beside her, on her blooming zinnia.

** Mac Wilmot shares a photo of a cluster of fresh mushrooms growing out of an apple tree, where a major limb was removed several years ago. They appear to be PHOLIOTA (Pholiota) mushrooms, but a spore print, which would be cigar brown, and a view of the underside and stalk would help confirm that. This is not a suggested edible species, but can look like Honey Mushrooms [Armillaire couleur de miel] if viewed from the top only.

** HARBOUR PORPOISES [Marsouin commun] were reported on two occasions recently near The Bend of the Petitcodiac and the old Moncton wharf. Two were seen by Gisèle Rushton Sept. 22 and six were seen by Dave LeBlanc and Pierre Vautour in another instance.

The porpoises may be very interested in the abundance of FISH [poissons] that Edmund Redfield and the Fort Folly group are counting in continually greater numbers in the river now.

** Georges Brun noted about 20 SANDERLINGS [Bécasseau sanderling] multiple times over the past week along the river. Georges notes that EUROPEAN STARLING [Étourneau sansonnet] flocks are foraging just behind the City of Moncton equipment building along the ballfields. Georges’ photo shows some taking on their non-breeding, winter plumage.

** With moose season coming soon a MOOSE [Orignal] that Jean-Paul Lebel spotted along Route 11 between Cocagne and Grande-Digue may want to be a bit more wary. It appears to be a young animal by the small antler rack.

** The number of HUDSONIAN GODWITS [Barge hudsonienne] jumped to six individuals at Hay Island on Sunday. Aldo Dorio photographed all six together in the pond adjacent to the lighthouse.

** Brian Stone and I cruised the Hopewell Hill - Shepody area on Sunday. We did not locate the Caracara but I’m certain it got us on its list, and we missed the Swainson’s Hawk by leaving too early. It’s never too late to learn a new lesson. When a keen group of birders are in one area, stay put. But all was not lost. We came across a supply of HONEY MUSHROOMS [Armillaire couleur de miel] and KING BOLETES [Bolet comestible], both of which came home to be savoured. Brian’s camera may have missed the birds, but certainly did not miss the mushrooms. Note the Elizabethan collar style, partial veil on the Honey Mushroom to help identify it.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton