NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, March 23 2021 (Tuesday)
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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
Transcript by Susan Richards susan_richards@rogers.com
Info Line #: 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)
**Jane Leblanc had a pleasant visit from a sharply
dressed FOX SPARROW [Bruant fauve] on Monday to her St. Martin’s feeder yard. This is very likely indeed a migrant moving
through the area fueling up on its way to the north of us to set up seasonal
housekeeping.
**Louise Nichols stopped by some birding spots in
Sackville on Monday. It was still fairly
frozen and quiet in most places. The
best activity was at the Sackville lagoons behind the town garage which are
about 50 % open now. She saw a few
migratory waterfowl arrivals, a group of 9 bright male RING-NECKED DUCK [Fuligule à collier], 3 GADWALL [Canard chipeau] and 2 NORTHERN SHOVELER [Canard
souchet]. The shovelers were far off on the opposite
bank asleep in the sun so no photo of them.
In addition, the presence of ICELAND
GULL [Goéland arctique] was still
notably high there with 22 counted, along with 1 RING-BILLED
GULL [Goéland à bec cerclé] and 1 GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL [Goéland marin].
Louise also saw a MINK [Vison d'Amerique] on their home pond on Monday. She got a few quick documentary photos before
it disappeared below the ice, diving down in one small spot of open water. In one of the photos, you can faintly see the
white on the throat just visible. Louise
wanted to get a better photo and waited a while for its appearance, but the
mink decided otherwise.
**Roger Leblanc made the comment on the activity of BARROW'S GOLDENEYE [Garrot d'Islande] at the moment.
Roger has noted that Barrow’s Goldeneye seem to concentrate in lagoons
this time of year before they migrate out of New Brunswick. He rather expects they may be still here for
up to another few weeks. He tallied 57
Barrow’s Goldeneye in the Cap Brule lagoon on Saturday.
**Brian Stone went
to Fundy National Park on Monday. Things still seemed quiet which will soon change.
Two adult BALD EAGLES were in a tree at Penobsquis.
Brian
photographed some of the spectacular scenery at the park.
A caterpillar was motoring over the snow at
the Fundy golf course. This is suspected to be the overwintering larva of the
LARGE YELLOW UNDERWING MOTH which can be quite variable. This an introduced
moth from Europe that has become quite common in the Maritimes.
**Pat
Gibbs played peek-a-boo with a male Ring-necked Pheasant on the Petitcodiac
Riverfront Trail on Monday. The winter has been good for them and are in good
numbers along the trail.
**A CBC NEWS POST ON March 22 may interest many
naturalists. It features Don McAlpine about
a rare Silver-Haired Bat colony discovered in a Fredericton Old Road tree. The link to the story is attached below:
Rare
silver-haired bat colony discovered in Fredericton old-growth tree | CBC News
Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton
