Nature Moncton Nature News: April 7 2019

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, APRIL 7, 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)

** Gordon Rattray was surely in the right place at the right time on Saturday afternoon at Grey Brook Marsh in Hillsborough, and saw a RIVER OTTER [Loutre de rivière] going in and out of an approximately 10-foot area of open water, near the road, two houses past the dam structure there. A person, who was also there watching, said that the otter had come up with an EEL [anguille] in its mouth and had heartily made a meal of it in front of him. Gordon’s great photos share the moment.

Gordon also spotted a LONG-TAILED DUCK [Harelde kakawi] in some open water at Gre-y Brook Marsh, an unexpected spot to see this sea duck species away from salt water. It was very likely in migration and stopped for a rest.

** Yvette Richard got some excellent photos of action in Petit-Cap on Friday. An adult male LONG-TAILED DUCK [Harelde kakawi] was feeling its spring oats, puffing up its head feathers to give it a punky look. Yvette also got a photo of a GREAT CORMORANT [Grand Cormoran] at Petit-Cap, nicely showing its breeding plumage, the head markings of clean white throat area and the white neck feathers, which remain for a relatively short time. Two DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS [Cormoran à aigrettes] are on each side to show their smaller size and orange facial markings of breeding plumage. A great comparison photo!

Yvette also had a strutting cock RING-NECKED PHEASANT [Faisan de Colchide], showing its spring finest plumage, beside her Cocagne Cape window on Saturday morning.

** Rhéal Vienneau spotted a COLUMBIA SILKMOTH [Saturnie du mélèze] cocoon in bushes in his Dieppe backyard on Saturday and got a photo to share. Rhéal placed it beside a much larger CECROPIA MOTH [Saturnie cécropia] cocoon to compare them. He comments that there are still a few good weeks to spot these cocoons in trees, before the leaves come out and they will become hard to see.

** Jean Renton leaves a few comments on action at their Stilesville feeder yard. Jean has had a small troop of EASTERN CHIPMUNKS [Suisse] out of their winter torpor and very active for a week now. She also reports that the recent snow has created a feeding frenzy and rapid return of regular patrons.

Aldo Dorio continues to enjoy watching HORNED LARKS and SNOW BUNTINGS as they forage the shoreline of Hay Island. Note the signature black under tail in one Horned Lark photo that shows it from below.

** Brian Stone is in the Dartmouth area of Nova Scotia for the next week and sends photos. The Shubie Park and Sullivan’s Pond area of Dartmouth seems to be a hotbed of MALLARD [Canard colvert] duck hybrids. It should be very prominently Black Duck [Canard noir]-Mallard hybrids due to their close genetic makeup, but some can be difficult to judge. The Mallard-Black Duck hybrid is fertile and able to reproduce. The first generation (f-1) males are fairly characteristically plumaged but female f-1’s and the plumage hodgepodge that can result with second generation (f-2) hybrids can require second looks. Note the female Mallard photo does not have the characteristic black saddle on an orange bill, as it should have now, in breeding plumage. Photo labelling has to be vague.

Brian also notes that the RING-BILLED GULL [Goéland à bec cerclé] population is much higher there. It is building up in New Brunswick at the moment, as this gull species migrates south in greater numbers here than in the Dartmouth area, with some over-wintering and new ones returning as well.

COLTSFOOT [Pas-d’âne] was in full bloom, as it will be in New Brunswick this coming week. The waves at Lawrencetown Beach were showing their power in the strong wind.

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton