Nature Moncton Nature News: May 2 2020

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, 2 May 2020 (Saturday)

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Transcript by: Catherine Clements

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

**Stella LeBlanc spotted a TUFTED DUCK [Fuligule morillon] at the Bouctouche lagoon earlier in the week, with no camera at hand. Jean-Paul was able to re-locate it on Friday, and got a nice photo, to show it as an adult male. This is not the first time this uncommon visitor has appeared at the Bouctouche lagoon.

**Dominique Richard reports he saw six WOOD DUCKS [Canard branchu] in the Centennial Park pond in Moncton on Thursday, April 30th. This is a nice-sized group of this species to see together in that pond. The group consisted of four males and two females.

**Fred and Susan Richards report the five EASTERN BLUEBIRDS [Merlebleu de l'Est] made it through the winter in their Taylor Village yard area, where they came to a feeder station that they had put natural peanut butter mixed with lard and dried mealworm, cricket, and grasshopper mix on a vertical slab of wood with a branch nailed along for landing purposes. They still have a pair coming, after the two males in the group of 5 had a territory turf conflict. Sue and Fred also have a pair of AMERICAN WIGEON [Canard d'Amérique] and a pair of CANADA GEESE [Bernache du Canada] on their yard pond. The geese and ducks share the pond, but when another Canada Goose arrives, the resident geese create a loud commotion, to announce the pond is taken!

Several TREE SWALLOWS [Hirondelle bicolore] are also checking the nest box at the pond. They expect the surplus will find lots of suitable real estate, with the several other nest boxes they’ve set up in the area.

Susan also got clear photos of one of the many be imitator flies of the Tachinid group that was attracted to the early blooming shrub at Daphne. The two wings (Diptera) is always a first clue to recognize this as a fly, not a bee which would have four wings (Hymenoptera).

**Dave Christie reports the Spring Peepers have been vocalizing from his yard pond for a week now and varying in intensity with temperature and rainfall. They were very loud on Friday night May 1, yet became quieter when the wind came up. A porcupine spent time foraging on his lawn, not sure what it was interested in. Red-winged Blackbirds are now developing territories in the Lars Larsen marsh cattails but still bouncing between the feeder yards of Dave and nearby John Inman’s.

**With the distancing regulations in effect, it has been harder to keep track of the CAROLINA WREN [Troglodyte de Caroline] activity that went on over the winter in Riverview. Cathie Smith reports she heard one at 6 a.m. on Friday morning, so maybe they are both in the area. There have been no reports of them using any of the 9e boxes erected for them to review.

**Ray Gauvin shares some photos of the April SUPERMOON [Super lune] he took from the Pointe-du-Chêne wharf on April 7th. Ray got a photo of the moon without cloud and one with cloud to give a dramatic photo effect. Ray took these out of his back door.

**Brian Stone spent time at some of the ponds behind Crandall University on Friday, to come across some interesting items.

Brian came across a bird track much larger than that of a Pheasant [Faisan] and wonders about the possibility of a Turkey [Dinde]. Comments or suggestions would be welcome, as for the bird’s nest from last season, still in excellent condition, I think AMERICAN REDSTART [Paruline flamboyante] is a possibility. It was clenched fist size.

Brian also photographed a Mining Bee in the same area.

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton