NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, March
31, 2021 (Wednesday)
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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
Transcript by: Brian Stone bjpstone@gmail.com
Info Line # 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)
** Sue and Fred Richards went for a walk again on Tuesday as the tide was high along the dike boundary of the Memramcook River in Taylor Village. There were not as many ducks today but there were still some. They could identify a couple of MALLARD DUCKS [Canard colvert] and AMERICAN BLACK DUCKS [Canard noir] but most were too far away for a positive identification. There was a flock of approximately 80 COMMON EIDERS [Eider à duvet] that flew over going north. The ducks seemed to like the marsh that floods at very high tide and that is where they congregate. The CANADA GEESE [Bernaches du Canada] were present in about the same numbers as on Monday.
They walked as far as the Beaver lodge. The Beavers sure are busy as they have only been there a little over a year.
Fred includes 2 pictures of water on the high tide side of the dike and on the
other side as well from the same position. There was an aboiteau at this point
but the water was 12 feet or so higher on the tidal side. They noticed
something in the fresh water and went for a look and it turned out to be 2 MUSKRATS
[Rat musqué]. They assumed that they were from the lodge they photographed on
Monday but they were about a kilometer from that lodge. It seems like a long
way but there was open fresh water for them the whole way. The photos were all
taken near the Ducks Unlimited impoundment at the end of Rockland No.1 Rd. in
Taylor village. An adult RING-BILLED GULL [Goéland à bec cerclé] was present.
Most Ring-billed Gulls move southerly for the winter but would now be returning
for their summer holiday in New Brunswick.
** COLTSFOOT is one of our flowering
plants to be the first to emerge in full bloom to the delight of early flying
bee species. Richard Blacquiere found some Coltsfoot in full bloom near Lorneville
on Tuesday afternoon. Note in Richard’s close-up photo the actual flowers still
to burst are in the center and the ray petals surround the outside. The
Coltsfoot’s quite large leaves are indeed shaped like a colt’s foot but do not
appear for some weeks but persist all season.
**Gordon Rattray also had Coltsfoot
blooming in his Weldon yard on Tuesday. Note the rough, rocky ground that this plant
will choose to grow in. It is commonly found in roadside gravel and disturbed
ground areas.
** Jamie Burris had a large mixed flock
of RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS [Carouge à épaulettes] and COMMON GRACKLES [Quiscale
bronzé] visit his Riverview yard after last Friday’s storm and they haven’t
been seen since. Take a look at the black invasion in the video link attached.
Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton
