Nature Moncton Nature News: 2020-04-26

Saturday, 2 May 2020

May 2 2020

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, 2 May 2020 (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)

**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

TUFTED DUCK (MALE), MAY 1,2020, JP LEBLANC

EASTERN BLUEBIRD (MALE). MAY 1, 2020. FRED RICHARDS

BIRD TRACK. MAY 01, 2020. BRIAN STONE

TACHINID FLY. MAY 1, 2020. SUSAN RICHARDS

MINING BEE. MAY 1 2020. BRIAN STONE

NEST (POSSIBLE AMERICAN REDSTART). MAY 01, 2020. BRIAN STONE

AMERICAN WIGEON (PAIR) MAY1, 2020. SUSAN RICHARDS

ISOLATED NATURE GUY SELFIE. MAY 01, 2020. BRIAN STONE

Friday, 1 May 2020

May 1 2020

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, May 1, 2020 (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.

** Catherine Hamilton shares some things that she has seen lately in the Petitcodiac area to include a female PILEATED WOODPECKER [Grand pic], a BALD EAGLE [Pygargue à tête blanche] with a raccoon as prey on April 11^th (this may have been road kill being recycled), CEDAR WAXWINGS [Jaseur d'Amérique] clearing off a High Bush Cranberry bush on April 12^th, RED FOX [Renard roux] kits – there were actually 5 in this litter and much larger kits than Catherine would have thought, a BLACK BEAR [Ours noir] sow who had 2 cubs but they were quickly sent up a tree when Catherine got near, and a male YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER [Pic maculé] on April 26^th – a nice round of activity.

** Gordon Rattray made two outings on April 30^th. First to the old rail line in Hillsborough where there were many PALM WARBLERS [Paruline à couronne rousse] and YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS [Paruline à croupion jaune] there. They were very active at around 10:00 AM as it was warming from the sun. Also he observed SAVANNAH SPARROWS [Bruant des prés], SONG SPARROWS [Bruant chanteur], NORTHERN FLICKER [Pic flamboyant] and RING-NECKED PHEASANTS [Faisan de Colchide]. On the Hillsborough lagoon were approximately 40 RING-NECKED DUCKS [Fuligule à collier] and a pair of NORTHERN SHOVELERS [Canard souchet]. The highlight of the morning was a RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET [Roitelet à couronne rubis] that flitted about for quite awhile, allowing for some great photos. One photo shows a hint of the seldom seen red crown patch of the male. Gordon’s second trip was to the Dawson Settlement to photograph TRAILING ARBUTUS, aka MAY FLOWERS just starting with only a few in flower; however, those blooms were full and beautiful. Gordon also photographed the abundant BIRCH POLYPHORE mushroom.

** The WESTERN CONIFER SEED BUG is an insect we are seeing more frequently in New Brunswick. It is fairly easy to identify with white spots along the side, expanded tibial segment of the leg and slanted head area. It is considered a minor pest in North America in conifer plantations. It can overwinter sometimes in homes and buildings. Susan Linkletter came across one on the outside wall of one of her buildings on the Scott Road to provide some photos.

** Louise Nichols notes the WOOD FROG [Grenouille des bois] eggs in her second small pond are starting to develop, but when looking closely she noticed some tadpoles that are too large to be from those eggs. These would assumedly be tadpoles from another species such as BULLFROG [Ouaouaron] or GREEN FROG [Grenouille verte] that take at least two years to develop into adults and have overwintered. A few underwater photos show the large tadpoles among the relatively fresh Wood Frog egg mass.

** Jane LeBlanc photographed a male NORTHERN SHOVELER [Canard souchet] and a pair of COMMON MERGANSER [Grand Harle] enjoying the sunshine of the St. Martins beach on Thursday morning.

** Clarence Cormier spotted his first YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER [Paruline à croupion jaune] at his Grande-Digue site on Thursday – a bright male. He also saw a pair of RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS [Roitelet à couronne rubis], and surprisingly still has 8 AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS [Bruant hudsonien] in his feeder area.

** Brian and Annette Stone took a walk to Brian’s favourite Coltsfoot patch on the highway off-ramp at Gorge Rd. Brian got a photo of an INFANT MOTH. This is a small very early day-flying moth that flies about very rapidly and is hard to photograph. When it flies, the bright orange on the under wings gives it away. It feeds especially on Birch and Alder and so is often seen in those areas at this time of year. He also photographed a NORTHERN SPRING AZURE [Azure printanier] butterfly and two WATER STRIDERS feeding on the same morsel of prey. Annette got a photo of the thief that has been stealing the apple pieces from the bush in their yard that they had stuck onto branches for fruit connoisseur birds.

** Bob Blake keeps records on morning temperatures, daily high temperatures and monthly precipitation amounts at his Second North River home and I’m attaching that record comparing April 2019 and April 2020. The difference in precipitation is surely notable with April 2019 at 208 mm of rain and 29 cm of snow, compared with April 2020 at 25 mm of rain and 17 cm of snow. Bob also had a YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER [Paruline à croupion jaune] arrive to his yard to sample the suet block on Thursday.

Weather stats for April

2019		2020
morning temperatures	daily highs and rainfall/snow	morning temperatures	daily highs and rainfall/snow
-4-2 days -3-1 -2-2 -1-3 0-2 +1-4 +2-3 +3-1 +4-3 +5-4 +6-1 +7-1 +9-1 +10-1 +11-1	+17-2 +15-3 +14-2 +13-1 +12-3 +9-2 +8-1 208 mms. rain 29 cms. snow	-2-1 day -1-7 0-3 +1-6 +2-2 +3-1 +4-5 +5-3 +6-1 +8-1	+19-1 +18-1 +15-2 +14-2 +13-1 +11-3 +10-2 +9-5 +8-1 25 mms. rain 17 cms. snow

** It’s Friday and this week’s Sky-at-a-Glance is included, courtesy of sky-guru Curt Nason.

This Week’s Sky at a Glance, 2020 May 2 – May 9
I was fascinated by the movie Hercules, starring bodybuilder Steve Reeves, which I saw one Saturday afternoon at the Vogue theatre in McAdam sometime in the early 60s. I was nurturing my interest in the sky at that time so the constellation of Hercules has long been a part of my life. These spring evenings it is in the east as twilight fades.

Look for a keystone asterism one third of the way from the bright star Vega toward equally bright Arcturus; that is the upside-down body of the legendary strongman. Hercules is usually depicted down on his right knee, with his left foot on the head of Draco the Dragon and his head close to that of Ophiuchus. Originally the constellation was called The Kneeler, and the star at his head is called Rasalgethi for “head of the kneeler.” It is the alpha star of the constellation, although Kornephoros (the club bearer) is brighter.

With binoculars you can pick out two globular clusters from the Messier catalogue in Hercules. Globular clusters are ancient compact groups of typically tens-to-hundreds of thousands of stars that orbit our galaxy’s core. One third of the way from the top right star of the Keystone to the bottom right star is M13, perhaps the finest globular cluster in the northern hemisphere. A line from the bottom right star through the middle of the top of the Keystone, and extended about an equal distance, will put you in the area of M92, one of the oldest objects in our area of the galaxy at more than 13 billion years.

This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 6:03 am and sunset will occur at 8:29 pm, giving 14 hours, 26 minutes of daylight (6:10 am and 8:32 pm in Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 5:53 am and set at 8:38 pm, giving 14 hours, 45 minutes of daylight (6:01 am and 8:41 pm in Saint John).

The Moon is full on Thursday; the Milk, Planting or Frog Croaking Moon. Brilliant Venus is still setting after midnight, while Mercury is at superior conjunction on Monday. The two inner planets will be crossing paths in a few weeks. Jupiter and Saturn retain their 5 degree physical distancing in the morning sky, but soon they will start to separate. Mars rises after 3 am, about 75 minutes after two gas giants. If you are out early on Wednesday you might catch a few meteors from the Eta Aquariid shower coming out of the south, although bright moonlight will wash out the fainter ones.

Saturday is International Astronomy Day, and you can cap off Astronomy Week with the local Sunday Night Astronomy Show at 8 pm on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAEHfOWyL-kNH7dBVHK8spg

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

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton

RED FOX PUPS. APRIL, 2020. CATHERINE HAMILTON

BLACK BEAR. APRIL 24, 2020. CATHERINE HAMILTON

BALD EAGLE WITH RACCOON PREY. APRIL 11, 2020. CATHERINE HAMILTON

CEDAR WAXWING TO HIGHBUSH CRANBERRY. APRIL 12, 2020. CATHERINE HAMILTON

PILEATED WOODPECKER (FEMALE). APRIL, 2020. CATHERINE HAMILTON

WESTERN CONIFER SEED BUG. APRIL 30, 2020.. SUSAN LINKLETTER

Hercules 2020

COMMON MERGANSER (PAIR). APR. 30, 2020. JANE LEBLANC

NORTHERN SHOVELER. APR. 30, 2020. JANE LEBLANC

YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER (MALE). APRIL 26, 2020. CATHERINE HAMILTON

WOOD FROG EGGS AND TADPOLES. APRIL 30, 2020. LOUISE NICHOLS

YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER. APRIL 30. 2020. CLARENCE CORMIER

RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET. APR 30, 2020. GORDON RATTRAY

PALM WARBLER. APR 30, 2020. GORDON RATTRAY

TRAILING ARBUTUS AKA MAY FLOWER. APR 30, 2020. GORDON RATTRAY

INFANT MOTH. APRIL 30, 2020. BRIAN STONE

NORTHERN AZURE BUTTERFLY. APRIL 30, 2020.. BRIAN STONE

EASTERN PHOEBE. APRIL 30, 2020. BRIAN STONE

WATER STRIDERS. APRIL 30, 2020.. BRIAN STONE

BIRCH POLYPORE. APR 30, 2020. GORDON RATTRAY

YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER. APRIL 30. 2020. CLARENCE CORMIER

RED SQUIRREL. APRIL 30, 2020. ANNETTE STONE

Thursday, 30 April 2020

April 30 2020

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, April 30, 2020 (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: Brian Stone bjpstone@gmail.com

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

** Jane Leblanc got some nice photos of an EASTERN PHOEBE [Moucherolle phébi] that dropped by her St. Martins yard on Wednesday. It was flicking its tail constantly in true Eastern Phoebe fashion. Also the lack of clear white wing bars.

** Rheal Vienneau has had a second GROUNDHOG [Marmotte commune] come by his Dieppe yard and it fed on sunflower seeds that Rheal had put out for the Pheasants. Groundhogs are herbivores but I expect the seeds may taste good with no green vegetation to feed on as yet. This is one time of year that we sometimes see groundhogs climbing trees to get the just opening leaves.

** Another early spring bloomer reporting in. Lynda Leclerc came across a patch of TRAILING ARBUTUS, aka MAYFLOWER, on the Humphrey Brook Trail on Wednesday. The blooms are just starting to break open and have a pleasant scent. The leaves are evergreen and so have been green all winter.

**Jan Tingley was in the TAYLOR Road area on Wednesday to be able to see and spend 45 minutes with a male Spruce Grouse with several other folk. Females are very likely incubating eggs in a ground nest at the moment. This may be the same individual Paul and Rhonda Langelaan saw recently or another as there is Jack Pine in that area that attracts them. This grouse species can be quite bold and tends to show little fear of people. Jan comments it seems interested in the click of the cameras.

** Daryl Doucet and his family were in the lower Albert Co. area on Wednesday. Daryl got a photo of the two BALD EAGLES [Pygargue à tête blanche] keeping a close watch on the Shepody Dam area and Gail Mills got a photo from the rear of an AMERICAN KESTREL [Crécerelle d'Amérique] in flight and Breann Ouellet got a nice panoramic photo of Dennis Beach.

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton