Nature Moncton Nature News: April 21 2019

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, April 21, 2019 (Sunday)

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Edited by Nelson Poirier <nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com>

Transcript by David Christie, <maryspt@mac.com>

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

** It’s super to hear of EASTERN BLUEBIRDS [Merlebleu de l’Est] arriving. Jim Johnson had a pair of them arrive at his Scotch Settlement yard on Friday and they immediately started checking the nest boxes. With 14 boxes ready and waiting, hopefully they will firm up a decision before the TREE SWALLOWS [Hirondelle bicolore] arrive en masse.

** The Arthur Street lagoon in Memramcook is coming alive with action as it often does. Mitch Doucet saw two male EURASIAN WIGEON [Canard siffleur] there on Friday and reports that they were still there on Saturday, along with dozens of AMERICAN WIGEON [Canard d’Amérique]. There were also approximately 100 RING-NECKED DUCKS [Fuligule à collier], some NORTHERN SHOVELERS [Canard souchet], GREEN-WINGED TEAL [Sarcelle d’hiver], single pairs of BLACK SCOTER [Macreuse à bec jaune], SURF SCOTER [Macreuse à front blanc], and LESSER SCAUP [Petit Fuligule]. Mitch also found an AMERICAN COOT [Foulque d’Amérique] at the Aulac Marsh on April 14. There were a half dozen TREE SWALLOWS [Hirondelle bicolore] at that site that same day. The Arthur Street lagoon is across from the Abby Landry School in Memramcook and has treated birds very kindly over the years.

Dave Christie reports the first Spring peepers began to call near his Mary’s Point home on Saturday evening. At midnight, a few were calling much more distinctly from the pond between his home and the shore. Great to be hearing that great spring course again!

** Daryl Doucet captured a photo of a BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD [Vacher à tête brune] male and female, side by side, in his Moncton feeder yard on Saturday. The rain had been looking like a bit of a soaker but they were obviously pleased with the dining selection. We seem to be getting a lot of cowbird reports this year, for a species that has been in decline.

** On April 14, Joanne Savage had a FRIGID MINING BEE (une abeille du genre Andrena) arrive at a tree that she had made to attract moths. Joanne got a close-up detailed photo and had it confirmed by BugGuide. By the photo, this looks like one of the sizable Andrena group of early emerging bees that we should be able to put a handle on with Joanne’s nice photo. These bees, like all bees, are very important to the existence of so many other creatures and plants through their valued pollination role. The bait also interested a TWICE-STABBED LADY BEETLE (Chilocorus stigma) and some flies.

Joanne, like several other of us, have become captivated by the night world of moths by putting out attractive bait or UV lights on a white sheet. The variety attracted can be very surprising. Some species start flying very early like the BETHUNES PINION MOTH that Joanne had check out her bait on April 14 and get a photo to share. The Lithophane genus is often the first one to fly and sometimes gets the common name of Shark Moths which their characteristic shape saying why they get that handle.

** Louise Nichols had a surprise visitor to their Etter Ridge yard pond on Saturday, when a SURF SCOTER [Macreuse à front blanc] popped in, probably for a rest on its migration. The yellow bill tip and other details suggest that it may have been a first-year male.(Louise and I both stand to be corrected on it being a male). Louise also spotted an EASTERN PHOEBE [Moucherolle phébi] there that eluded a photo, and a CANADA JAY [Mésangeai du Canada] around a small bog area on their property; Louise has observed one there before, which suggests that a pair may have a territory nearby.

** Heather Silliker was pleased to have a PALM WARBLER [Paruline à couronne rousse] greet them on Thursday morning, in their Upper Coverdale yard.

** Bob Blake reports that they heard a BARRED OWL [Chouette rayée] calling from dusk until well after midnight near their Second North River home. It was a welcome sound as it was the first one that they have heard from their home. It may well become a resident as there is lots of good habitat in the area.

** Brian Stone and Janet Kempster dropped by the Marina Drive area, bordering Bell Marsh, on Saturday, to locate the adult male YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD [Carouge à tête jaune] in the rain. It was near a feeder yard that it has tended to favour of Marina Drive.

Nelson Poirier, nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nature Moncton