Nature Moncton Nature News: April 10 2019

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, April 10,2019 (Wednesday)

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Transcript by: Judy Marsh marshj@nbnet.nb.ca

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

**Yvette Richard shares some nice SEA DUCK photos from Monday, April 8. WHITE-WINGED SCOTER [Macreuse brune] are the least common of the three SCOTERS we get a chance to see this time of year in this area. But, Yvette came across a flock of 8 to 12 at the Cape Tormentine Wharf on Monday. RED-BREASTED MERGANSER [Harle huppé] were putting on a show noting 6 to 9 of that species, one LONG-TAILED DUCK [Harelde kakawi] and 6 BLACK SCOTER [Macreuse noire] topped the performance at the wharf. COMMON EIDER [Eider à duvet] were under the bridge at Cape Jourimain and EIDERS and SCOTERS dotted the waters among the ice floes . On Tuesday, Yvette got a very interesting photo of a HORNED GREBE [Grèbe esclavon], showing it starting to moult into it's spring plumage. An adult male SURF SCOTER [Macreuse à front blanc], also made a nice swim by photo. These April 9 photos were taken at the Grande Digue wharf.

**John Massey heard a BARRED OWL [Chouette rayée] vocalizing near his Dieppe home and suspects he heard a second one answering. The local AMERICAN CROW [Corneille d'Amérique] were making a ruckus in a certain area so John checked out the reason to find the source. John comments that he has always seen or heard these OWLS in that area, day and night.

**The recent snowfall brought some new patrons to Jane LeBlanc's, St. Martin's yard, that included 6 to 8 PURPLE FINCH [Roselin pourpré]. It is great to get reports of this species popping back in. A flock of 50+ of the BLACKBIRD clan arrived at the height of the storm. Jane also had an AMERICAN ROBIN [Merle d'Amérique] enjoying still intact Staghorn Sumac berries and she still has at least 6 FOX SPARROWS [Bruant fauve] in her feeder yard . Lucky landlady!

**Daryl Doucet got a humerous photo of a SONG SPARROW [Bruant chanteur], pretending to be a trapeze artist as it deceided which feeder it would dine at.

**Bob Blake comments that Sharon spotted their first EASTERN CHIPMUNK [Suisse] in their Second North River driveway on Saturday, April 6. They comment that going over their records from past years, that it has always been within a few days of either side of that date, that they first see CHIPMUNKS. Bob comments that it was obviously not deterred by the at least 2 feet of snow in the front yard and 3-4 feet in the back yard. Down in the « lowlands » most yards are bare in the Moncton area.

**Brian Stone took note of a swarming group of insects in Schubie Park in Dartmouth on April 7. They turned out to be MIDGES. I have never personally seen these insects swarming like this, but it is interesting to see this at such an early date. Apparently they are called LAKEFLIES in some areas. They varied from 5-9 mm in length. Brian took a close up photo of one of them, which happens to be a male with the feathery antenna.

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton