NATURE
MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, April 23, 2019 (Tuesday)
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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
Info Line # 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)
** Monday was ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK
[Cardinal à poitrine rose] day for Doreen Rossiter in Alma. The earliest that
she has had one appear from her records was April 29th; however on
Monday, April the 22nd she had 3 arrive. One bright male, one male
showing a lot of brown and a red chest “V” pale to suggest a first spring male,
and a female bird. This surely seems early to have three Rose-breasted
Grosbeaks arrive. Doreen also had an EASTERN PHOEBE [Moucherolle phébi] doing
its signature tail flicking as it was fly catching in the rain on Sunday and on
Monday she also had 6 PURPLE FINCHES [Roselin pourpré] arrive as new birds.
They were all male.
** Brian Coyle had another great hike
on Monday in the fields across from his Lower Mountain Rd. home. He again saw
the NORTHERN SHRIKE [Pie-grièche grise] en route. Upon entering the wooded
section he came across a FOY male YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER [Paruline à croupion
jaune] in full spring plumage and it cooperated for a photo.
As he was using cover to watch some WHITE-TAILED
DEER [Cerf de Virginie] he heard the unmistakeable, trumpet vocalization of SANDHILL
CRANES [Grue du Canada]. They were in flight above him. He stayed frozen still
as they circled above him, checking him out, to then land in a marshy area out
of his line of sight. He made his way cautiously, using cover as he could, and
finally spotted them in a marshy area beside a corn field. They appeared very
at ease, probing their bills deep into the mud, and were preening quite a bit,
to allow more excellent photos. Great to hear that they may be staying in that
area as there is ample nesting habitat if they happen to be a mature pair which
is suggested.
Brian also took a photo of Coyote scat
from the winter. The diameter of it was ¾ inch which is the expected measurement
for adult Coyote and it contained hair and bone fragments suggestive of
Snowshoe Hare.
Peter Gadd got some great photos of a
male and female GREEN-WINGED TEAL [Sarcelle d'hiver] to give a nice chance to
note field marks, especially with the female. Green-winged Teal seem to be wary
waterfowl and it seems that we don’t often get a chance to observe them
closely, especially the female, and appreciate their field marks. Peter
photographed this pair in the Miramichi marsh which is becoming a very popular
spot with local birders and nature lovers. A KILLDEER [Pluvier kildir] posed
nicely for Peter and Deana as well when they were there.
The shorebirds are moving through. Jane
LeBlanc photographed a GREATER YELLOWLEGS on the St. Martins beach on Monday.
** Catherine Hamilton did a tour around
the Petitcodiac Waterfowl Trail on Friday to see a nice diversity of waterfowl
after visiting it a week earlier and finding it void of waterfowl. Catherine
got nice photos of male and female RING-NECKED DUCKS [Fuligule à collier], COMMON
MERGANSERS [Grand Harle], WOOD DUCKS [Canard branchu], COMMON GOLDENEYES
[Garrot à oeil d'or], male and female BUFFLEHEADS [Petit Garrot] and GREEN-WINGED
TEALS [Sarcelle d'hiver]. Note especially the female Common Goldeneye. It does
not have the orange in the bill (of breeding plumage) to suggest that it may be
a first year bird, and there is no evidence of a pale half-moon to suggest it
to be a first year male. I stand to be corrected on that.
** Louise and Glen Nichols had a
surprise when a BEAVER [Castor] showed up at their Sackville home yard pond. It
is the first time they have ever seen one there and it appeared to be scouting
out new possibilities as it was around the pond and in and out of it for most
of the day. Louise got the Beaver doing a warning tail flap on the water
surface either to advise kin of a human presence or expressing displeasure
about intruders around “its” potential new digs.
** Rose-Alma Mallet reports that an OSPREY
[Balbuzard pêcheur] pair was at the Robichaud Bridge nest and also 1 bird at
the Grand Barachois church area nest. She saw these birds at these sites on
Monday evening. This area is very attractive to Osprey with several nest sites
there.
** Janet Kempster and Brian Stone took
a day long tour of several choice birding areas on Monday to collect sightings
of 49 species of bird life along with several other wildlife varieties. At
places along the Salisbury and Homestead roads they spotted BALD EAGLES
[Pygargue à tête blanche], a pair of AMERICAN KESTRELS [Crécerelle d'Amérique]
mating on a power line, very distant views of a pair of SANDHILL CRANES [Grue
du Canada] in a far field,(pair being monitored by Brian Coyle) and a fresh
looking NORTHERN FLICKER [Pic
flamboyant] posing on a roadside post.
At the Salisbury lagoon and Highland
Park ponds they saw RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS [Carouge à épaulettes], RING-NECKED
DUCKS [Fuligule à collier], an OSPREY [Balbuzard pêcheur] carrying nest
material, two male and one female BLUE-WINGED TEALS [Sarcelle à ailes bleues],
a PIED-BILLED GREBE [Grèbe à bec bigarré], and a damp MUSKRAT [Rat musqué]
taking a lunch break.
Along the way to Memramcook two RED-TAILED
HAWKS [Buse à queue rousse] were spotted, and at the Arthur St. lagoon many
ducks were seen including BLACK SCOTERS [Macreuse noire] and a SURF SCOTER
[Macreuse à front blanc]. Large numbers of Ring-necked Ducks were there as well
as at most of their stops. A brightly tinted SAVANNAH SPARROW [Bruant des prés]
hopped among the bushes.
Among the many ducks and gulls seen in
the Shediac area were three LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS [Goéland brun] in a field
at the corner of Shediac Main St. and the Belliveau Beach Rd. At the Cap Brule
lagoon one of the many gulls present appeared to be a GLAUCOUS GULL [Goéland
bourgmestre].
Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton
AMERICAN KESTREL (MALE). APRIL 21, 2019. BRIAN COYLE
AMERICAN KESTREL (FEMALE). APRIL 21, 2019. BRIAN STONE
BEAVER. APRIL 22, 2019. LOUISE NICHOLS
BEAVER. APRIL 22, 2019. LOUISE NICHOLS
BLUE-WINGED TEAL DUCKS (MALE AND FEMALE). APRIL 22, 2019. BRIAN STONE
BUFFLEHEAD (FEMALE). APRIL 21, 2019. CATHERINE HAMILTON
BUFFLEHEAD (MALE). APRIL 21, 2019. CATHERINE HAMILTON
COMMON GOLDENEYE (FEMALE). APRIL 21, 2019. CATHERINE HAMILTON
COMMON MERGANSER (MALE). APRIL 21, 2019. CATHERINE HAMILTON
COYLE DUDE STALKING SANDHILL CRANES. APRIL 22, 2019. BRIAN STONE
COYOTE SCAT (WINTER). APRIL 22, 2019. BRIAN COYLE
COYOTE TRACKS. APRIL 22, 2019. BRIAN COYLE
GLAUCOUS GULL (1ST WINTER) AND ICELAND GULL (1ST WINTER). APRIL 22, 2019., BRIAN STONE
GREATER YELLOWLEGS. APRIL 23. 2019. JANE LeBLANC
GREEN-WINGED TEAL (FEMALE). APRIL 21, 2019. PETER GADD
GREEN-WINGED TEAL (MALE). APRIL 21, 2019. CATHERINE HAMILTON
GREEN-WINGED TEAL (MALE). APRIL 21, 2019. PETER GADD
KILLDEER. APRIL 21, 2019. PETER GADD
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL. APRIL 22, 2019. BRIAN STONE
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL. APRIL 22, 2019. BRIAN STONE
MUSKRAT. APRIL 22, 2019. BRIAN STONE
NORTHERN FLICKER (MALE). APRIL 22, 2019. BRIAN STONE
NORTHERN FLICKER (MALE). APRIL 22, 2019. BRIAN STONE
NORTHERN SHRIKE. APRIL 22, 2019. BRIAN COYLE
RED-TAILED HAWK. (ADULT) APRIL 22, 2019.. BRIAN STONE
RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD (MALE). APRIL 22, 2019. BRIAN STONE
RING-NECKED DUCK (FEMALE). APRIL 21, 2019. CATHERINE HAMILTON
RING-NECKED DUCK (MALE). APRIL 21, 2019. CATHERINE HAMILTON
RING-NECKED DUCK (MALE). APRIL 22, 2019., BRIAN STONE
RING-NECKED DUCK. APRIL 22, 2019. BRIAN COYLE
RING-NECKED DUCKS AND BLACK SCOTERS. APRIL 22, 2019. BRIAN STONE
SANDHILL CRANE PAIR. APRIL 22, 2019. BRIAN COYLE
SANDHILL CRANE. APRIL 22, 2019. BRIAN COYLE
SANDHILL CRANES (FEEDING AND PREENING). APRIL 22, 2019., BRIAN STONE
SAVANNAH SPARROW. APRIL 22, 2019. BRIAN STONE
SURF SCOTER (ADULT MALE). APRIL 22, 2019. BRIAN STONE
WHITE-TAILED DEER. APRIL 22, 2019. BRIAN COYLE
WOOD DUCKS. APRIL 21, 2019. CATHERINE HAMILTON
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER (ADULT MALE). APRIL 22, 2019. BRIAN COYLE
