Nature Moncton Nature News: 2019-04-14

Saturday, 20 April 2019

April 20 2019

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, 20 April 2019 (Saturday)

To view the photos mentioned in this edition go to http://nminfoline.blogspot.ca

To respond by email, please address your message to the information line editor, nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Please advise the editor at nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com if any errors are noted in wording or photo labelling. Note that corrections, deletions, or delayed additions may not always appear on the info line and email transcript but will always appear on the BlogSpot. For this reason, it is recommended that those wishing to look at historical records use the BlogSpot rather than the email transcript. The BlogSpot can always be accessed from the website.

For more information on Nature Moncton, check the website at www.naturemoncton.com

Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Transcript by: Catherine Clements

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

Brian Coyle was able to spot a pair of SANDHILL CRANES in a corn stubble field off the Homestead Road not far from his Lower Mountain Road home on Friday. It takes the Sandhill Crane 2 to 5 years to mature to breeding plumage but these two do appear to have reached breeding plumage to make a breeding pair a possibility. Brian was able to get distant photos but comments the birds appear to be quite wary and saw them move to a nearby field making their rattling vocalization as they did.

Brian also spotted his FOY SAVANNAH SPARROW and FOY male AMERICAN KESTREL on Friday.

**Jim Wilson points out the photo of the male REDHEAD DUCK [Fuligule à tête rouge] by Peter Gadd at the Newcastle water treatment plant in the April 18th edition has a female with it that I had labelled RING-NECKED DUCK [Fuligule à collier]. There is a male Ring-necked Duck in the background, but the bird near the male Redhead is actually a female. I stopped there briefly on Friday. The male Redhead was still there, and very probably the female was as well, but weather conditions did not allow good observations. The leucistic NORTHERN SHOVELER [Canard souchet] was not present at the time I visited. Thank you, Jim Wilson, for pointing out that error.

**Verica LeBlanc paid a visit to Escuminac and Pointe-Sapin on Wednesday. The wharf area in Escuminac was still firmly frozen; however, she was able to enjoy watching the BLACK SCOTERS [Macreuse à bec jaune] seemingly enjoying the very high surf that day, diving down into the waves as the waves would approach and resurface. She caught some photographs that show the strength and beauty of the surf. Verica then went to Pointe-Sapin, where the harbour was ice-free and more calm, to find Black Scoters again and more cooperative for photos. She was able to get a distant photo of a male SURF SCOTER [Macreuse à front blanc] out in the surf away from the harbour.

**The warm wet weather is bringing out our early amphibians. Gabriel Gallant stepped out of his Sainte-Marie-de-Kent home at 10:00 p.m. on Friday night to hear a full chorus of WOOD FROGS [Grenouille des bois] coming from shallow wet areas around his home. He comments that if he listened carefully he could sometimes hear a few SPRING PEEPERS [Rainette crucifère] calling as well. Gabriel sends a few photos of each species that he captured five years ago as a reminder of what to see when lucky enough to spot one of these, even as numerous as they are in the vernal ponds.

**Jan Tingley sends a photo of a DARK-EYED JUNCO [Junco ardoisé] Oregon subspecies she photographed in March on Vancouver Island. The Dark-eyed Junco has several subspecies, some of which have very different plumage from the Dark-eyed Junco we are used to seeing in New Brunswick. The Oregon subspecies is a bird of the West, and would create a rare bird alert if it strayed to New Brunswick.

**When the sun was out for a short time on Thursday, Lisa Morris was able to capture a few photos of Bees [Abeille] taking advantage of those early-emerging and ephemeral Crocus flowers for their pollen fix. They appeared to be Bees in the Andrena group that are all early emergers.

**Kevin Balmer shares another of his portrait-quality photos he took of a BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE [Mésange à tête noire] enjoying a sunflower seed at Mapleton Park.

**Aldo Dorio captured a photo of a male AMERICAN KESTREL [Crécerelle d'Amérique] around the Neguac wharf on Friday. Kestrels usually start arriving by mid-April, and the odd one earlier than that.

**Brian Stone got a photo of a Bagworm Moth [Psyché] emerging from its pupal case as it crawled up the window of his back door. This moth’s lifestyle is very similar to the Caddisfly [trichoptère] species that build their similar pupal case underwater. Brian got a short video of it emerging. Take a look at the attached link to see the real-time action.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/a6og01ye8fgt7hm/Bagworm%20Moth%20Larva.MOV?dl=0

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton

AMERICAN KESTREL (MALE). APRIL 19, 2019. BRIAN COYLE

BAGWORM MOTH LARVA. APRIL 19, 2019. BRIAN STONE

BEE ON CROCUS. APRIL 18, 2019. LISA MORRIS

BLACK SCOTER IN SURF. APRIL 17, 2019. VERICA LeBLANC

BLACK SCOTERS (MALES AND FEMALE). APRIL 17, 2019. VERICA LeBLANC

BLACK SCOTER IN SURF. APRIL 17, 2019. VERICA LeBLANC

BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE PORTRAIT. KEVIN BALMER

DARK-EYED JUNCO (OREGON SUBSPECIES). MARCH 26 , 2019. JAN TINGLEY

AMERICAN KESTREL (MALE). APRIL 19, 2019. ALDO DORIO

REDHEAD DUCK (MALE AND FEMALE) WITH RING-NECKED DUCK (MALE). APRIL 17, 2019. PETER GADD

SANDHILL CRANE (ADULT PAIR). APRIL 19, 2019.. BRIAN COYLE

SANDHILL CRANE. APRIL 19, 2019.. BRIAN COYLE

SANDHILL CRANE (ADULT PAIR). APRIL 19, 2019.. BRIAN COYLE

SANDHILL CRANE. APRIL 19, 2019.. BRIAN COYLEf

SAVANNAH SPARROW. April 19, 2019. BRIAN COYLE

Spring Peeper. May 17, 2014. Gabriel Gallant

SURF SCOTER (ADULT MALE). APRIL 17, 2019. VERICA LeBLANC

Wood Frog. May 17, 2014. Gabriel Gallant

Friday, 19 April 2019

April 19 2019

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, April 12, 2019 (Friday)

To view the photos mentioned in this edition go to http://nminfoline.blogspot.ca

Please advise editor at nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com if any errors are noted in wording or photo labeling.

For more information on Nature Moncton, check into the website at www.naturemoncton.com

Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Transcript by: Louise Nichols nicholsl@eastlink.ca

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

To respond by e-mail, please address your message to the information line editor nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com.

** Louise Nichols was able to catch the PEREGRINE FALCON [Faucon pèlerin] nest on the summit of Assumption Place in the right light on Thursday to very nicely show one of the Peregrine Falcon inhabitants. It seems to have the stance of incubating a clutch of eggs.

** Lois Budd came across some surprise sea duck visitors in the upper pond of the Salisbury Wastewater Treatment Plant when she saw a pair of SURF SCOTER [Macreuse à front blanc] there on Thursday. One would assume they stopped off for a rest in the pond during migration as it would be an unexpected spot to see this sea duck species. Lois also had a visit to her home feeder yard brush pile and millet of two FOX SPARROWS [Bruant fauve] on Thursday.

** Gordon Rattray visited Gray Brook marsh on Thursday to see an increasing diversity of waterfowl, including a pair of BUFFLEHEAD [Petit Garrot] that posed very nicely, a HOODED MERGANSER [Harle couronné] pair, 5 GREEN-WINGED TEAL [Sarcelle d'hiver], 7 RING-NECKED DUCKS [Fuligule à collier], 2 GADWALL [Canard chipeau], 5, MALLARDS [Canard colvert] 6 pairs of CANADA GEESE [Bernache du Canada], and one BELTED KINGFISHER [Martin-pêcheur d'Amérique].

** Always nice to feature mammals on the Info Line, but Georges Brun spotted a very special one motoring across the bridge over Hall’s Creek by Chateau Moncton on Monday. The Easter Bunny is definitely in town!

** Jim Johnson in Scotch Settlement reports that his first TREE SWALLOW [Hirondelle bicolore] arrived around his home on Thursday. With 14 nest boxes up, cleaned and ready, there will be a lot of housing opportunities for it and its kin no doubt soon to follow. Jim also noted a NORTHERN HARRIER [Busard Saint-Martin] floating about in a field beside his home on Thursday.

** Jean-Paul and Stella Leblanc also had their first TREE SWALLOW [Hirondelle bicolore] arrive to their Bouctouche yard on Thursday.

Dave Christie also had his first 2 TREE SWALLOWS of the season flying over the beach area at Mary’s Point on Thursday. There was also a sudden arrival of NORTERN FLICKERS in the Mary’s Point area on Thursday. Dave comments he saw 15-20 Northern Flickers as he travelled the area. Also John Inman at 225 Mary’s Point Road had his FOY YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER drop by his yard on Thursday.

** Kevin Balmer got a nice photo of a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK [Buse à épaulettes] in Florida a few months ago. We get the odd Red-Shouldered Hawk coming to New Brunswick at this time of year, and there are now confirmed breeding records of the Red-shouldered Hawk in New Brunswick. I’m attaching Kevin’s photo today, so we may be better prepared when a potential sighting of one may occur. The bird that has spent time in Saint John this past winter will also help many when that special moment presents itself.

** Sarah Chouinard-Horne shares some yard activity from her Willow Grove home near Saint John. She still has a large flock of EVENING GROSBEAKS [Gros-bec errant] in her yard. She feels it’s a little late for them, but lo and behold, they are still there. She just fed about 40 of them in about 4 different feeders on Thursday morning. As recently as last week, her xanthrochromic Evening Grosbeak is still there as well. There are up to 30 species in her yard now, including 5 FOX SPARROWS [Bruant fauve], 20+ SONG SPARROWS [Bruant chanteur], CANADA JAYS [Mésangeai du Canada], COMMON REDPOLLS [Sizerin flammé], a huge flock of 100+ COMMON GRACKLE [Quiscale bronzé] and RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS [Carouge à épaulettes], and EUROPEAN STARLINGS [Étourneau sansonnet], along with 3 BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD [Vacher à tête brune]. She has had a couple of yard lifers in the last two days: a WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH [Sittelle à poitrine blanche] and a SAVANNAH SPARROW [Bruant des prés]. Both of these are first-of-the-year which from now we’ll start calling FOYs. She also had a pair of PURPLE FINCHES [Roselin pourpré] on Thursday and a pair of WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS [Bruant à gorge blanche] returned Tuesday. She’s enjoying her resident pair of MALLARDS [Canard colvert]. They nest on a nearby lake every year and last year successfully had 9 young. They visit their yard frequently, so they started to buy bags of corn to leave down by the dock for them to encourage them to stay close to the water vs. wandering up near the house, which increases their risk of danger. They got so used to them coming that they named them George and Mildred. The lake is still frozen which is making food much more difficult for them, so they had them coming to their yard 3 or 4 times a day. Luckily they had the corn ready to go and they refill it morning, day and night for them. Looks like the lake will open up over the next few days.

** Krista Doyle captured an interesting photo of a 22 degree solar halo with sun dogs off to each side as the sun rose from her Lewis Mountain home on Thursday morning. These events can come and go very quickly. Krysta also got a photo of a DOWNY WOODPECKER [Pic mineur] that very nicely shows those spiky tail feathers woodpeckers so effectively use as a prop.

** Brian Stone and I made a late-day visit to Bell Marsh. It was cloudy and not the best for photography, but we were very rewarded with a round of the marsh and streets in the area. In the marsh area, there were not many waterfowl, other than very plentiful CANADA GEESE [Bernache du Canada]. However, we did see approximately 20 RING-NECKED DUCKS [Fuligule à collier], a few SCAUP [Fuligule], and MALLARDS [Canard colvert]. Male RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS [Carouge à épaulettes] were establishing territory. We had a chance to talk to a few folks in the area. One chap said he has been seeing an occasional pair of NORTHERN CARDINALS [Cardinal rouge] in his cedar hedge, and sure enough, we heard a male Cardinal loudly vocalizing to give some nice observations. Also singing loudly were a few male HOUSE FINCH [Roselin familier] with mates. An OSPREY [Balbuzard pêcheur] was seen briefly. However, the highlight of the visit was by sheer luck spotting the adult male YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD [Carouge à tête jaune] that had been previously reported in the area. There is a high number of COMMON GRACKLES [Quiscale bronzé] and Red-winged Blackbirds in the area, and after scouring through hundreds of blackbirds, the brilliant yellow head was spotted on one. They seemed to be moving about the whole area. The Yellow-headed Blackbird was not spotted around a feeder site, but simply travelling with its kin. The blooming plants noted were COLTSFOOT, SPECKLED ALDER, RED MAPLE, and TREMBLING ASPEN very near bloom.

A lawn area was noted with the typical freshly dug excavations of a SKUNK foraging for grubs which the owner commented happened the night before.

** This week’s Sky-at-a-Glance is included in this edition, courtesy of sky guru Curt Nason.

This Week’s Sky at a Glance, 2019 April 20 – April 27
One third of the way from Arcturus to Vega is a pretty semicircle of stars that makes up Corona Borealis, the Northern Crown. In the middle of the semicircle is the constellation’s brightest star, called Gemma (jewel) or Alphecca (bright star of the broken ring), among other names. A few years ago the International Astronomical Union started approving official names for stars, and Alphecca was chosen over Gemma.

Some ancient societies regarded Corona Borealis as a begging bowl, and in local aboriginal legend it is the cave from which the bear (the bowl of the Big Dipper) emerges in spring. In Greek mythology it was a crown worn by Bacchus, the god of wine, who lived on the island of Naxos. Theseus, an Athenian prince, went to Crete as part of a group of youth who were to be placed in the labyrinth as food for the Minotaur. With the aid of Ariadne, the beautiful daughter of King Minos, Theseus slew the Minotaur and found his way out of the labyrinth. In love with Ariadne, he took her aboard to sail back to Athens. They stopped at Naxos where Bacchus also fell in love with Ariadne, and he made Theseus leave without her. To prove his love and his godliness to the skeptical Ariadne, he tossed the crown into the sky as a symbol of her beauty. Immortality and a lifetime supply of wine, who could pass that up?

This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 6:24 am and sunset will occur at 8:12 pm, giving 13 hours, 48minutes of daylight (6:30 am and 8:16 pm in Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 6:12 am and set at 8:21 pm, giving 14 hours, 9 minutes of daylight (6:19 am and 8:25 pm in Saint John).

The Moon is near Jupiter on Tuesday, Saturn on Thursday, and it is at third quarter on Friday, April 26. Mars and Jupiter are in opposite ends of the sky this week, with Mars setting and Jupiter rising around 1 am. Saturn is a hand span to the left of Jupiter, with both being well-placed for observing as morning twilight begins. Venus and Mercury remain about a binocular width apart, rising less than an hour before sunrise. Uranus is in conjunction on Monday, and on Monday evening or early Tuesday morning you might catch a few extra meteors emanating from near the bright star Vega as the Lyrid meteor shower peaks.

Questions? Contact Curt Nason at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton

22 DEGREE SOLAR HALO WITH SUNDOGS. APRIL 18, 2019. KRISTA DOYLE

BUFFLEHEAD (PAIR). APRIL 18, 2019. GORDON RATTRAY

COLTSFOOT. APRIL 18, 2019. BRIAN STONE

CorBor

DOWNY WOODPECKER. APRIL 18, 2019. KRISTA DOYLE

EASTER BUNNY APR 18 2019 GEORGES BRUN

EVENING GROSBEAKS AND NORTHERN CARDINAL (MALE). APRIL 2019. SARAH CHOUINARD-HORNE

HOUSE FINCH (MALE). APRIL 18, 2019.. BRIAN STONE

LESSER SCAUP. APRIL 18, 2019. BRIAN STONE

NORTHERN CARDINAL (MALE). APRIL 18, 2019. BRIAN STONE

PEREGRINE FALCON. APRIL 18, 2019. LOUISE NICHOLS

RED-SHOULDERED HAWK. FEB. 15, 2019. KEVIN BALMER

RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD (MALE). APRIL 18, 2019. BRIAN STONE

RING-NECKED DUCKS (MALE AND FEMALE). APRIL 18, 2019.. BRIAN STONE

RING-NECKED DUCKS AND LESSER SCAUP. APRIL 18, 2019. BRIAN STONE

SKUNK FORAGING. APRIL 18, 2019. BRIAN STONE

SURF SCOTER (PAIR). APRIL 18, 2019. LOIS BUDD

TREMBLING ASPEN READY TO BLOOM. APRIL 18, 2019.. BRIAN STONE

YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD (ADULT MALE). APRIL 18, 2019. BRIAN STONE

Thursday, 18 April 2019

April 18, 2019

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, April 18, 2019 (Thursday)

To view the photos mentioned in this edition go to http://nminfoline.blogspot.ca .

To respond by e-mail, please address your message to the information line editor, nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com .

Please advise the editor at nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com if any errors are noted in wording or photo labelling. Note that corrections, deletions, or delayed additions may not always appear on the Info Line and email transcript but will always appear on the BlogSpot. For this reason, it is recommended that those wishing to look at historical records use the BlogSpot rather than the email transcript. The BlogSpot can always be accessed from the website.

For more information on Nature Moncton, check the website at www.naturemoncton.com .

Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Transcript by: bjpstone@gmail.com

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

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, April 18, 2019 (Thursday)

To view the photos mentioned in this edition go to http://nminfoline.blogspot.ca .

To respond by e-mail, please address your message to the information line editor, nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com .

For more information on Nature Moncton, check the website at www.naturemoncton.com .

Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Transcript by: bjpstone@gmail.com

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

** PURPLE FINCHES [Roselin pourpré] seem to be popping up in many feeder yards in the past days. Susan Richards reports that she had her first patrons arrive to her Taylor Village yard on Wednesday, counting 6 individuals on different feeders.

** Gordon Rattray reports that his Weldon feeder yard was invaded by approximately 50 hungry COMMON GRACKLES [Quiscale bronzé] on Wednesday that ate everything except the actual feeders and were very timid as they would temporarily take flight every time a car passed by. The saving grace was seven RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS [Carouge à épaulettes] and four BROWN-HEADED COWBIRDS [Vacher à tête brune]. The Brown-headed Cowbirds came as two males and two females which Gordon got excellent photos of to nicely show the often challenging to many to identify female Brown-headed Cowbird beside its smartly dressed male mate. The female Cowbird has to be one of the most conservatively plumaged bird species.

** The Newcastle water treatment plant lagoon in Miramichi, just off highway 117 to the rear of the Atlantic Superstore, always seems to attract interesting waterfowl and is doing so again at the moment. Sonya Hinds found an adult male REDHEAD [Fuligule à tête rouge] duck there recently along with a leucistic NORTHERN SHOVELER [Canard souchet] duck. Peter Gadd was able to get photos of both of these birds. The Redhead Duck was photographed from different angles to show the much more conservatively plumaged female with it that is so easy to overlook. The odd plumage of the female Shoveler seems to have had no effect on its finding a mate as the two seemed quite bonded. Looks just don’t mean everything!

This is a large lagoon and binoculars and scopes are often indicated to get good observations. This lagoon can be accessed by taking a road into the lagoon from the off ramp. It is a lagoon that is very worth checking when in the area and it often has a nice diversity of waterfowl species.

Dave Christie leaves some observations from Albert County. Dave has several SKUNK CABBAGE plants in a wet area near the Mary’s Point cottage that are now in full bloom with snow around them gone. In a few weeks, the huge leaves will be coming on and covering the blooms. Dave also spotted a NORTERN SHRIKE at the corner of Rte. 915 and the Midway Road on Wednesday. Dave checked 3 BALD EAGLE nests. At the River View Cemetery, an adult was deep in the nest seemingly still incubating. The Hopewell Cape nest had no adults at the nest but they may have been out foraging. The Lower Cape nest had an adult on the side of the nest doing something in the nest so hatched young is a possibility at that nest. The Lars Larsen marsh is now open and ice free and Dave noted 3 HOODED MERGANSERS in the pond below the Studio on the Marsh. Dave heard a WHITE-THROATED SPARROW singing loudly and clearly on Tuesday morning and still has 1 American Tree sparrow and 1 Fox Sparrow at his feeder yard, however, the male Northern Cardinal that has been around his and John Inman’s yard seems to have gone elsewhere, no doubt mate searching.

** Brian Stone and Kevin Balmer did a round of the Centennial Park pond on Wednesday with a Wood Duck that had been seen there on mind. No luck there, but they got some excellent photos of a pair of COMMON MERGANSERS [Grand Harle] to show some signature ID features. In the female note the sharp white throat patch, the back head crest being quite defined and not wispy as in the female Red-breasted Merganser, showing the crest more reddish than the brown of the female Red-breasted Merganser and also the much thicker bill base of the Common Merganser vs the more slender bill base of the Red-breasted Merganser.

A BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE [Mésange à tête noire] seemed pleased to pose among blooming male Alder catkins with the smaller, female seed catkins in the background. The RING-BILLED GULLS [Goéland à bec cerclé] were firmly back for their summer vacation and some seemed to be having a few things to say about cameras on them as a photo of Kevin’s shows. All the Ring-billed Gulls photographed were adult.

Kevin Balmer also shares some nice photos of a male HOUSE FINCH [Roselin familier] as well as its female mate that visited his Moncton feeder. Some great photos to look at closely to separate them from the House Finches that are coming on at the moment. Note the lack of white stripes on the head of the female House Finch which are present in the Purple Finch female.

** A NORTHERN SHRIKE [Pie-grièche grise] made its regular drop by at our Moncton feeder yard in the rain and fog of Wednesday morning on its regular Redpoll check. The high COMMON REDPOLL [Sizerin flammé] numbers of just a few days ago seem to be declining, so they may be thinking of filing their northern flight plans along with the Shrike. The big feeder bonus of the day was a dusk visit from a female NORTHERN CARDINAL [Cardinal rouge]. We had a pair spend a week with us approximately three months ago but have not seen them since. She allowed a few documentary photos but acted very coy. She did check out the cedar hedge carefully so I am hoping that she may find it to her housekeeping satisfaction.

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton