Editor & Proofreader

Editor: Nelson Poirier    Proofreader: Louise Nichols

Monday 2 April 2018

April 2 2018

 
 
NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, Apr. 2, 2018 (Monday)
 
To respond by e-mail, please address your message to the information line editor nelson@nb.sympatico.ca
   Please advise if any errors are noted in wording or photo 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)
 
 
**    Ron Steeves made a second run to Cape Enrage and New Horton to monitor seabird and raptor movement on Sunday morning for four hours. Things were really quite quiet for the first one and a half hours, with only 11 COMMON EIDER [Eider à duvet] being spotted, and going the wrong direction. When the tide started to change, winds increased to nearly intolerable levels and birds started to move, but nothing like he reported on Saturday. In an estimated 907 BLACK SCOTERS [Macreuse à bec jaune], it was hard to be certain whether there were no other scoters with them because of the wind and the chop on the water. Ron estimated 1225 Common Eiders, moving in flocks, with the largest approximately 300 birds.
 
     Two large flocks of AMERICAN ROBINS [Merle d'Amérique], of about 75 and 50, headed across towards Nova Scotia, but gaining altitude, not close to the water like the ducks. There was also a flyby of some PURPLE SANDPIPERS [Bécasseau violet] and a GLAUCOUS GULL [Goéland bourgmestre].
 
    Two hours at the New Horton church produced no observations of raptors or ducks. There seemed to be more ROBINS than BLACKBIRDS moving. Most of the CANADA GEESE [Bernache du Canada] on the marsh beside Riverside-Albert were not present there on Sunday, but a local resident reported that there were approximately a thousand geese there a few days ago.
 
    Ron Comments that he has not seen any Canada geese or GREAT CORMORANTS [Grand Cormoran] in his Saturday and Sunday visits to Cape Enrage, which seemed odd to him. There were large rafts of SCOTERS [macreuses] on the bay at Waterside but they were not possible to count in the rough water, so Ron did not include them in his counts.
 
   Ron is to be commended for his monitoring of sea duck and raptor movement this past weekend. With the weather conditions it would have to be for the more hardy with no nice warm hut to watch from.
 
**   Gordon Rattray reports that he had a flock of COMMON GRACKLES [Quiscale bronzé] arrive in his Weldon yard on Saturday, but there was no sign of them on Sunday. He now has 3 PINE SISKINS [Tarin des pins] that are regular patrons. On Sunday, he had his first visit of two male DARK-EYED JUNCOS [Junco ardoisé] and 2 SONG SPARROWS [Bruant chanteur]. Gordon’s photo of the Song Sparrow nicely shows its distinctive markings. This common sparrow, of which the vast majority leave us for the winter, are returning in large numbers the last few days.  Gordon also notes that the MOURNING DOVES [Tourterelle triste] are showing brighter breeding plumage.
 
**   As seems to be happening in so many yards, Clarence Cormier had about 20 COMMON GRACKLES [Quiscale bronzé] arrive in his yard. The remnants of his mountain-ash fruits attracted a flock of approximately 200 EUROPEAN STARLINGS [Étourneau sansonnet]. he noted  small flocks of CANADA GEESE [Bernache du Canada] flying over his Grand-Digue site. AMERICAN ROBINS [Merle d'Amérique] were coming and going all day Sunday, and one RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD [Carouge à épaulettes] and one SONG SPARROW [Bruant chanteur] arrived.
 
 
Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton
 
 
DARK-EYED JUNCO (MALE) JUNCO. APRIL 1, 2018. GORDON RATTRAY

MOURNING DOVE . APRIL 1, 2018. GORDON RATTRAY

SONG SPARROW. APRIL 1, 2018. GORDON RATTRAY