Nature Moncton Nature News: April 22 2019

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, April 22, 2019 (Monday)

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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)

** Brian Coyle hiked the often-productive area across from his Lower Mountain Road home on Sunday. He comments that he did not see the two SANDHILL CRANES [Grue du Canada] but that certainly does not mean that they are not still in the area, as there are several excellent stubble corn fields that this species seems to favour in that area. He saw a NORTHERN SHRIKE [Pie-grièche grise] in a hawthorn bush at roadside. We seem to have had a very significant number of Northern Shrikes in the area this winter. Brian then stirred up 3 AM. WOODCOCK [Bécasse d’Amérique] in a cornfield and 2 more in a marshy area. The WHITE-TAILED DEER [Cerf de Virginie] came along next, 2 at the edge of the cornfield and then 4, as he rounded the corner of a copse of spruce trees and got a photo of them, showing why we call them “white-tails.” They are very effective flags!

** The pleasing Apple blossom that Brian includes is from a branch of buds that he placed in his home some weeks ago, to provide a beautiful bloom for Easter Sunday.

Always a special moment to see our not so common INDIGO BUNTINGS drop by. Rose-Alma Mallet sends a photo of a nice male that dropped by the feeder yard of Denise Theriault on Brown Street in Shediac on Monday morning.

** SPRING PEEPERS [Rainette crucifère] have begun their spring chorus in Mapleton Park. Annette Stone heard them getting their ‘brass’ brushed off and ready on Sunday afternoon.

Susan Richards reports that spring arrived officially to Taylor Village, when the first Spring Peepers gave the word on Sunday morning. Susan comments that they seem to be calling from ditches and water-soaked fields instead of their yard pond.

** Daryl Doucet got a nice photo of a RED SQUIRREL [Écureuil roux] making summer alterations to its pelage, by shedding off its heavier layer of winter to summer thickness. It is the same for many of our mammals that shed their winter warmth for a cooler pelage, often coming on as a brighter colour in some, and for others a very total change from white to brown like a WEASEL [Hermine] or SNOWSHOE HARE [Lièvre d’Amérique].

** Doreen Rossiter comments that there’s not been much change in her Alma feeder yard this past week. A few very bright WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS [Bruant à gorge blanche] have appeared and a WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH [Sittelle à poitrine blanche] has arrived. A NORTHERN FLICKER [Pic flamboyant] female arrived about a week ago but no others as yet. Some female RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS [Carouge à épaulettes] are now joining the earlier-arriving males. Doreen is anxiously waiting for something new and different to pop in as he usually does in her yard.

** Dave Christie noticed 2 SAVANNAH SPARROW [Bruant des prés] arrivals along the road by the Lars Larsen Marsh in Harvey on Sunday, and now the SPRING PEEPERS [Rainette crucifère] are in their beautiful full evening chorus around Dave’s home.

** Jane LeBlanc had a beautiful SUNFLOWER [tournesol] bloom for Easter. She started its seed indoors some months ago. It is now 2-feet high and provided a very pleasant flower for Easter. It sounds like a great idea for the rest of us to brighten up the winter next year.

Nelson Poirier, <nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com>

Nature Moncton