Nature Moncton Nature News: April 13 2020

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, April 13, 2020 (Monday)

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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)

** Ron Steeves’ 3-hour vigil at Cape Enrage on Sunday produced one flock of about 100 COMMON EIDERS [Eider à duvet] and one flock of about 45 cormorants that were too far off to be sure, but Ron suspects they were DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS [Cormoran à aigrettes] by their flight pattern (no periodic stalling in mid-air like Great Cormorants [Grand Cormoran] do — a very interesting point). Other than that, not much else, not even small numbers of anything.

Not much at Waterside Marsh, except a few BLACK DUCKS [Canard noir] and one BRANT [Bernache cravant] that he suspected was injured.

Ron comments that he has this ‘didease’ about the New Horton Church thing. He sat there in his chair for 2 1/2 hours and saw one resident BALD EAGLE [Pygargue à tête blanche] and a TURKEY VULTURE [Urubu à tête rouge]. He was just about to leave when an eagle flew directly over the church, very low. As he watched it in his scope… bingo, an adult GOLDEN EAGLE [Aigle royal]. The wait suddenly didn’t seem so long!!

** SANDHILL CRANES [Grue du Canada] have visited Cornfields, off the Homestead Road, for at least 3 years now. Brian Coyle sets out trail cameras in the area and accidentally came across 3 Sandhill Cranes on Sunday, to cause them to lift off, vocalizing as they did. He expects them to return to the same area, as they did in other years. Some years he has seen 2. It is that time of year when we seem to get more reports of Sandhill Cranes each year. Great to hear that they are quite possibly moving into New Brunswick.

** Peter and Deana Gadd did it again to spot a special bird when they visited Strawberry Marsh (Miramichi), when they quite accidentally came across a handsome EASTERN MEADOWLARK [Sturnelle des prés]. They were able to keep an eye on it for over an hour as it foraged on snow-free grassy edges. It seemed to act quite at home, showing little concern about foot traffic passing by.

On Sunday afternoon Yves Poussart visited the Fairview Knoll Park (Moncton) which is close to his home. Two pairs of American Wigeon (Canard d'Amérique) and 3 pairs of Mallard (Canard Colvert) have been observed on the pond which is still partly covered with ice. He plans to check this site for the arrival of more species during the next few days. It will be very interesting to hear reports from this site. This has been a pilot project of the City of Moncton with input from Ducks Unlimited to create marshlands within City developments to control runoff and reduce polluted runoff before it goes into the waterways. Elaine Aucoin described this project at a Nature Moncton presentation.

Mac Milton shares a very interesting photo of a WILLOW blooming in his Lower Coverdale yard. Many of us may be used to telling male pollen catkins as yellow and female seed catkins as green and are produced on a separate shrub/tree (dioecious). Some can be pink as Mac’s photo shows. Gart Bishop points out that if you look at the tip of the catkin, you can see the ovary indicating that this is a pink female seed catkin, the pink being the stigma. The female parts (pistil) are vase shaped as the arrow in Mac’s photo shows. If it were a male, there would be a filament (tall and slender) and they are usually yellow. Gart doesn’t think the colour of the flower is particularly important, though it is mentioned sporadically in a book on willows that he has that Bebb’s Willow ( Salix bebbiana) has pink stigmas, but it flowers as the leaves come out. As the leaves are not yet out, Gart would suggest it might be Pussy Willow ( Salix discolor) but the flower is not detailed enough to tell.

** Jane LeBlanc shares a stoic photo of a GREAT BLUE HERON [Grand Héron] at St. Martins beach. The breeding plumes are showing, as well as the rufous thigh, a Great Blue Heron field mark that can be seen, standing and in flight.

** Brian Stone sends a close-up of a blooming CROCUS flower, laden with pollen. which should be very attractive to early wild bees [bourdons] and domestic Honey Bees in the warmth of the coming week. Brian also heard birds singing just off Mountain Road and found it was a small group of HOUSE FINCH [Roselin familier]. He was able to get a documentary photo of a female.

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton