Editor & Proofreader

Editor: Nelson Poirier    Proofreader: Louise Nichols

Wednesday 19 February 2020

Feb 19 2020

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, February 19, 2020 (Wednesday)

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
Transcript by: Brian Stone bjpstone@gmail.com
Info Line # 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)


** A big thank you to Gary Griffin for coming to Nature Moncton to share his experiences over the years with several factors that he has worked with to act in the interests of the integrity of the Petitcodiac River. Gary pointed out how important it is to care for the very large number of streams to create a watershed that will become the Petitcodiac River. Gary also stressed the unintended harm that resulted from closing off the community of life in that watershed by creating a barrier at the causeway which is now in the process of being remediated by many involved groups.

The second part of Tuesday evening’s meeting on methods to protect and rear Monarch Butterflies from egg to adult and to send them on their way to overwinter in Mexico is also hoped to encourage more folks to take on this very rewarding experience.

** The CEDAR WAXWING [Jaseur d'Amérique] numbers would appear to be increasing in the area but still with only a small smattering of BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS [Jaseur boréal]. Clarence Cormier reports that he had his Cedar Waxwing troupe increase to 7 on Tuesday, and 10 AMERICAN ROBINS [Merle d'Amérique] were about the site on Tuesday as well.

** On Monday, February 17th, Suzanne and Yves Poussart drove along the coast to check for birds and the extent of ice. The first stop in Shediac allowed a side by side photograph of a male COMMON GOLDENEYE [Garrot à oeil d'or] and a male BARROW'S GOLDENEYE [Garrot d'Islande]. Later an interesting scene in Bouctouche Bay gave the opportunity to see the close interaction between a large group of Gulls and 2 fishermen collecting smelts at their fishing site. As the fishermen kept the smelts and discarded the fish that do not have a commercial value to them the Gulls were actively waiting and fighting for such gifts. Yves watched a GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL [Goéland marin] holding a good sized Flounder in its beak. It was then possible to get many photos illustrating the successive attempts lasting approximately 10 minutes that this Gull had to perform before it was finally able to swallow it completely head first. Yves comments that it is hard to believe that prey of that size can be swallowed whole.

** Yvette Richard comments that she wonders if the bright sun may be the important factor this time of year even if the temperature plummets. She photographed 3 ROCK PIGEONS [Pigeon biset] appearing to bask in the brilliant sunshine and seeming to not be concerned by the -20 °  Celsius temperature on Tuesday morning. That may have an interesting point to ponder … just fluff up and enjoy the sun’s warm rays.

** As my dog Sadie and I checked out the back yard predawn on Tuesday morning it was hard not to be awed by the only light in the sky, the waning crescent Moon. The 23.8 percent sunlit crescent was balanced by the rest of the Moon dimly lit by reflected “earthshine” to make a beautiful image. The day had to be starting right even though the evening sky was not as glowing on Tuesday night.

Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton




COMMON GOLDENEYE (MALE ON LEFT) BARROW'S GOLDENEYE (MALE ON RIGHT). FEB 17, 2020. YVES POUSSART

GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL ENJOYING FLOUNDER DONATED BY SMELT FISHERMAN . FEB 17, 2020. YVES POUSSART

GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL ENJOYING FLOUNDER DONATED BY SMELT FISHERMAN WITH 1ST WINTER GBB GULL LOOKING ON. FEB 17, 2020. YVES POUSSART

GULLS ENJOYING FLOUNDER DONATED BY SMELT FISHERMAN. FEB 17, 2020. YVES POUSSART

MOON (WANING CRESCENT). FEB 18, 2020. NELSON POIRIER

ROCK PIGEONS FEB 18, 2020 YVETTE RICHARD