Nature Moncton Nature News: April 3 2019

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, April 03, 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)

**Doreen Rossiter reports her first AMERICAN KESTREL [Crécerelle d'Amérique] observation of the season, when one perched on a wire in front of her Alma home. This is the first one she has seen in the Alma area since 2014. Doreen noted four TURKEY VULTURE [Urubu à tête rouge] floating about in late day on Monday and the same four covering the same area on Tuesday. Doreen had her first arrival of male BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD [Vacher à tête brune] on Tuesday, however she is getting impatient for the arrival of her first FOX SPARROW [Bruant fauve].

**Jane LeBlanc leaves a nice rundown of activity in St. Martin's. Several SONG SPARROW [Bruant chanteur] arrived at her feeder yard on Tuesday in keeping with the season to pose for photos, to provide a spring refresher. Jane also has FOX SPARROW [Bruant fauve] present but they would not cooperate for photos. She had a brief glance of the now famous duo of St. Martin's EASTERN MEADOWLARK [Sturnelle des prés] After hearing an unusal call Jane spotted a PILEATED WOODPECKER [Grand pic] leaving her yard on Tuesday. A lively day of activity.

Judy Marsh leaves a very appropriate seasonal suggestion…… Just a bit of a reminder to those of us who are out and about to help Mother Nature tidy up after a long winter. It seems there is no shortage of garbage laying about. On your walks do your part. It all helps.

**Brian Stone and I made a run to the Hampton and the lower Norton shore area on Tuesday to check on spring activity and were very well rewarded. Our first AMERICAN KESTREL [Crécerelle d'Amérique] of the season was actively hunting from a posts in a field. At Cardwell Farms , the majority of the BALD EAGLE [Pygargue à tête blanche] overwintering troupe had dispersed, however 500 plus GULLS were present to supply more interesting perusal time than we had as obviously several species were present. The Sussex Lagoon was open. Some COMMON GOLDENEYE [Garrot à oeil d'or] and MALLARD [Canard colvert] ducks were present. The First Hampton Lagoon was open to be able to see courting GOLDENEYE[Garrot], HOODED MERGANSER [Harle couronné], one male GADWALL [Canard chipeau], one pair of NORTHERN SHOVELER [Canard souchet], several BUFFLEHEAD [Petit Garrot] and a LESSER SCAUP [Petit Fuligule] pair with several TURKEY VULTURE [Urubu à tête rouge] floating about overhead. The near by river had COMMON GOLDENEYE [Garrot à oeil d'or], HOODED MERGANSER [Harle couronné] and BUFFLEHEAD [Petit Garrot]. A slow driving pass of the Lower Norton shore road was rewarding. The most prevalent duck species on that route was COMMON GOLDENEYE [Garrot à oeil d'or], but SCAUPS suspecting most to be GREATER SCAUP [Fuligule milouinan] was not far behind. With careful sleuthing we were able to find smaller groups of paired WOOD DUCK [Canard branchu], RING-NECKED DUCK [Fuligule à collier) and COMMON MERGANSER [Grand Harle]. The COLTSFOOT was also just starting to flower.

A good day was topped off by attending the Hampton Nature Club monthly meeting, to hear Jonathan Cormier, a fur bearing biologist with the New Brunswick Fish and Game Branch. He gave a great presentation on the EASTERN COYOTE in New Brunswick, with some very useful information on this species. How and when they arrived, the present state of this species, the biology of them, and how we can learn best to live with them as they are definitely becoming a part of Mother Nature's community in New Brunswick.

**It would appear that SEA DUCK and LAND DUCK migration is moving into peak season, with the prime time to see these species, several of which we will only see for two to three weeks as they stage and move to breeding grounds to the north and west of us.

Nature Sussex and the Chignecto Naturalist's Club are each hosting a day long field trip this Sunday, April 7 , which, with present trends look like they should be perfect. Both groups have welcomed anyone who wishes to join them. I am attaching the write up for both of them below. The field trips will be led by guides that know where they are going for the best observations. If you want a spring fix of ducks, please join one of them!

Nature Sussex Notice

I will be leading an Early Spring Waterfowl Outing on this coming

Saturday, April 6th with a rain date of Sunday, April 7th. We will meet in

the parking lot behind the Cowtown Tim Hortons in Sussex at 8:50 to car

pool and depart at 9:00.

Our first stop will be the Hampton water treatment lagoon, then on to the

Rothesay and Kennebecasis lagoons. From there to the Lily Lake duck pond

followed by a stop at the end of Hanover Street over looking Marsh Creek.

We may go to the Reversing Falls look out off of Douglas Ave and possibly

end up in Chance or Dipper Harbour depending on the time. At some point

we'll make a pit stop at an Irving or Tim Hortons. This outing will take

us into the afternoon so please pack a lunch. We will be back in Sussex by

mid to late afternoon depending on what kind of luck we are having.

Hope to see you then!

Mark Macaulay

Field Trip Coordinator

Nature Sussex

Chignecto Naturalist’ Club Notice

The Chignecto Naturalists’ Club has scheduled the first field trip of the spring season for Saturday 6 April 2019. The trip will be led by wildlife biologist Andrew Macfarlane to observe both land and sea birds. We will look for birds at Cape Jourimain, Cape Tormentine, and along the Amherst Shore in Nova Scotia. Details as follows:

WHAT: Spring birding trip to Cape Jourimain, Cape Tormentine, and along the Amherst Shore.

WHO: Anyone is welcome to join us, whether a member of the CNC or not.

WHERE AND WHEN: Meet for carpooling in the parking lot behind the Sackville Post Office at 7:00am on Saturday 6^th April for a prompt 7:15am departure to Cape Jourimain.

OR meet in the parking lot at the Cape Jourimain Nature Centre at 8:00am.

BRING: This trip will go into the afternoon, so as well as your enthusiasm bring water and a lunch, and a hot drink if you wish. Also bring field guides, binoculars and a scope if you have one. There will be no difficult walking but as usual it is recommended you wear sturdy, waterproof footwear. It may be cooler along the coast than inland so be prepared with layered clothing and a hat and gloves.

WEATHER DATE: If the weather does not cooperate, the trip will take place the next day – Sunday 7^th April, same time, same place. A notice to this effect will be posted on the CNC facebook page and an email sent to members.

MORE INFORMATION: Contact Andrew Macfarlane at 506-536-4922 or Rhianna at 506-364-0011.

We look forward to seeing you on the 6^th!

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton