Nature Moncton Nature News: April 11 2020

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, 11 April 2020 (Saturday)

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Transcript by: Catherine Clements

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

**The Easter Bunny came early for Ron Steeves this year. He heard an odd-sounding bird going overhead, that he felt confident to be a TUNDRA SWAN [Cygne siffleur]. He is hoping with the foul weather it will land in some open water or cornfield nearby, as one did several years ago to the Salisbury lagoon for a brief stay, so be on the watch. Ron comments he will take a new bird for his life list over Easter eggs any day!

**Mac Wilmot got a great photo of a just-returning EASTERN PHOEBE [Moucherolle phébi] flitting around their yard pond and religiously self-isolating. Mac comments it’s a week early for him to see at his site. Nature Moncton still has some free Eastern Phoebe nest boxes to give out.

**Jamie and Karen Burris got some awesome photos of a male NORTHERN HARRIER [Busard Saint-Martin] hunting over the Turtle Creek Marsh. It was hover-hunting, and occasionally dropping to the ground, talons out, which Jamie captured in a photo series. The genders differ very much in the Northern Harrier. Jamie comments the male’s hunt reminded them of a grey ghost.

**Connie Colpitts got a photo from her great-aunt Joyce Lewis of a different bird that showed up at their sunflower seed feeder on the Byron Eagles Road in Monteagle. It turned out to be a female EASTERN BLUEBIRD [Merlebleu de l'Est]. It sure has been a surprise the number of Eastern Bluebirds that have overwintered in New Brunswick, but it’s now at the point early arrivals could be moving in. Here’s hoping we have a booming Eastern Bluebird season ahead. Documentary photos are attached.

**Roger LeBlanc reports the snowfall brought a significant influx of birds to his Notre-Dame feeder site. It was mostly a swelling in number of recent patrons: an increase in PURPLE FINCH [Roselin pourpré] of both genders up to a dozen, and also DARK-EYED JUNCO [Junco ardoisé] numbers swelled to a dozen. Two SONG SPARROWS [Bruant chanteur] were joined by that spring specialty, a FOX SPARROW [Bruant fauve] and a possibility of two.

**In response to Peter and Deana Gadd’s early observation of a YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER [Pic maculé] yesterday, Ralph Eldridge left some very interesting comments that could be very significant. I’m going to quote Ralph’s comments below.

“While the Sapsuckers that Peter & Deana have reported are a bit further north, I've (Ralph) had at least 2 which over-wintered at Beaver Harbour.

Although they came to feeders, it was evident that they were foraging successfully, too.

It's easily possible and virtually likely that others spent the winter in the Eastern Maine/SW New Brunswick region and may now represent the leading edge of the migration"

** Carol Shea in Upham had two mammal species come to her yard recently. Two SNOWSHOE HARES [Lièvre d'Amérique] are taking on their summer pelage in perfect timing to their surroundings. Also, WHITE-TAILED DEER [Chevreuil] are dropping by the yard, and as most seem to be, looking like they wintered well.

**Dan Sullivan had the AMERICAN ROBINS [Merle d'Amérique] arrive to his Communication Road STAGHORN SUMAC tree [Vinaigrier] to forage on the berries that most birds seem to pass by all winter. The robins seemed to quite enjoy them, as shown by the red juice-covered bill tip.

**The weather conditions in Moncton were surely very different from the Miramichi area on Thursday night and Friday, with a sudden drop of a very significant snowstorm. I’m attaching a few photos of bird feeders hidden by heavily-laden branches, and sparrows [Bruant] coming up to the deck just outside the door for white millet. The BLUE JAYS [Geai bleu] and COMMON GRACKLES [Quiscale bronzé] sure found the Bird Pie a welcome Easter treat.

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton