NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, Dec. 3, 2017 (Sunday)
To respond by e-mail, please address your message to the information line
editor nelson@nb.sympatico.ca
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labeling.
For more information on Nature Moncton, check the website at www.naturemoncton.com
Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelson@nb.sympatico.ca
Transcript by: David Christie maryspt@mac.com
Info Line # 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)
** There will be a potentially spectacular moonrise tonight [the closest
full moon of 2017], about 5:06 p.m. in the Moncton area. It doesn’t look good
for a cloudless sky at the moment but just in case the sky opens, be on the
watch.
** There are a significant number of BALD EAGLES [Pygargue à tête
blanche], especially juveniles and subadults, on the Tantramar Marsh. I’m
attaching a few photos that Brian Stone got on Thursday. The tail band on one of
them would seem unexpected, however, Dave Christie comments that this tail
pattern is frequently seen on juveniles and year-old birds, and occasionally in
older birds. Dave suggests that both birds shown, with their dark breast and
bellies, are most likely first-year birds. A curious goat caught Brian’s
attention as well!
** Bob Blake maintains daily WEATHER STATISTICS at his Second North River
home. I’m attaching Bob’s comparison of November 2016 to November 2017, as he
submitted them. Any queries can be directed to Bob at booby@nbnet.nb.ca.
2016
+9-1
day
+8-1
+7-3
+6-2
+5-4
+3-1
+2-3
+1-2
0-3
-1-5
-2-3
-4-1
Hi’s
+16-1
+15-1
+13-1
+12-1
+11-1
+10-1
53mm.
rain
37cm.
snow
2017
+16-1
+15-1
+6-3
+4-1
+3-2
+2-1
+1-2
0-3
-1-2
-2-2
-3-4
-4-1
-5-2
-6-1
-7-1
-8-1
-9-1
-10-1
Hi’s
+18-1
+14-2
+13-1
+10-4
164mm.
rain
4cm.
snow
Bob Blake
Second North River NB
E4J 3B8
Second North River NB
E4J 3B8
** The Nature Moncton SWALLOW BOX PROJECT in the summer of 2017 proved to
be successful. Louise Nichols has compiled a summary of results, as she was able
to obtain them. That summary is attached below and is self-explanatory. It’s
been an interesting exercise and encourage other groups to consider a similar
project. The project is being repeated for the 2018 season, with most nest boxes
already completed in Fred Richards’ workshop. There are still some boxes waiting
for landlords. If you would like to reserve some, e-mail your request to Louise
Nichols at nicholsl@eastlink.ca or
respond to this mail-out and it will be forwarded to Louise.
SWALLOW NEST BOXES –
REPORT OF RESULTS
SUCCESSFUL NESTS:
# 18 – placed on Shediac Rd where the Trans
Canada crosses – nailed to a tennis court fence.
# 25 – placed in Turtle Creek
Marsh
# 20 – placed on O’Neill Rd near pond –
two nestings observed
# 11 – placed next to pond on Elmwood Dr. –
possibly successful
# 38, 35 and 29 – placed on posts around
perimeter of lawn
#44, #12 – placed at cottage in
Beresford
# 17, #3, #7, #40 – placed on hydro poles
in open area
# 21 -- placed on Rte 112, Second North
River on hydro poles.
# 9 and 16 – placed on White Birch
impoundments
# 41, # 42, # 14, #39, #23 – placed on pond and inaccessible until
freeze-up, but birds were seen at all boxes, so probably successful.
# 19 – placed on Boundary Creek alongside
Petitcodiac River
ATTEMPTED NESTINGS THAT WERE PARTLY
SUCCESSFUL OR UNSUCCESSFUL (ONE OR MORE EGGS UNHATCHED)
# 48 – a nest with broken eggs – placed on
Shediac Rd where it crosses the Trans Canada – nailed to a tree.
# 28 – one unhatched egg – placed on Rte
112, Second North River on hydro poles.
# 15, # 4, # 22 -- # 15 and # 4 had one egg
each remaining; # 22 had two eggs remaining – placed in White Birch
impoundments
# 46 – two eggs left -- placed in Boundary
Creek alongside Petitcodiac River.
UNSUCCESSFUL BOXES OR BOXES NOT YET
INSTALLED
# 10, # 45 – both empty – placed in
Scoudouc yard
# 47 – Chickadees started but then left –
placed in Riverview yard on clothesline pole, bushes nearby, no
water.
# 50 – empty box – placed on Woods
Beach
# 30 – no activity – placed on O’Neill Rd.
near pond
# 13 – empty – placed beside one-acre field
at 1091, Rte 114, west side
# 26 – empty – placed on 2+ acre field at
963, rte 114, on south side
# 49, # 36 – boxes not yet put
up
# 43 – Box empty. Location not obtained.
# 27, # 34 – nothing in NM boxes but other
boxes in area had birds. Placed in
Dieppe backyard on Amirault St.
# 24, # 6 – both empty. Placed in a field.
# 32, # 33 – both empty. Placed off Indian Mountain Rd.,
Stilesville.
# 51 – box not put up in time for last
year. It is now placed in an area facing
east near a marsh.
# 37 – empty box -- placed in Boundary
Creek alongside Petitcodiac River.
BOXES OCCUPIED BY SOMETHING OTHER THAN
SWALLOWS
# 31, # 5 – occupied by Flying Squirrels –
placed on one-acre field at 1091, rte 114, north and south side.
# 2 – occupied by Chickadees – placed on 2+
acre field at 963, rte 114, west side.
# 8 – occupied by Chickadees – placed in
Dieppe yard.
SUMMARY
Successful or Probably Successful Boxes
(including boxes with one or two eggs remaining when opened):
27
Unsuccessful Boxes (with more than two eggs
remaining, or empty, or no activity):
16
Boxes that were not yet
Installed:
3
Boxes Occupied by Something Other than
Swallows:
4
The Activities Committee would like to thank everyone
who took part in this project by taking one or more boxes:
Norm Belliveau, Lois Budd, Jamie Burris,
Georges Brun, Mitch Doucet, John Filliter, Aerolynn Greene, Diane Hebert, Dan
Hicks, Annegret Lamure, Rose Alma Mallet, Judy Marsh, Margaret Murray, Louise
Nichols, Matt Poirier, Nelson Poirier, Fred Richards, Vanessa Stiles, Wendy
Sullivan, Rheal Vienneau, Mac Wilmot.
Special thanks go to the following:
Nelson Poirier for spearheading the
endeavour; Fred Richards and Roger Leblanc for acquiring the materials and
building the boxes; and Louise Richard for obtaining the grant from Imperial Oil
via Louise Richard which funded the project.
Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton
BALD EAGLE . NOV. 30, 2017._ BRIAN STONE
BALD EAGLE . NOV. 30, 2017._ BRIAN STONE
GOAT. NOV. 30, 2017. BRIAN STONE
