NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, May
12, 2021 (Wednesday)
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.
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)
** Rhiel Vienneau reports that the past
few days have been very active in his Dieppe back yard. He has a pair of GROUNDHOGS
[Marmotte commune] in a mating mood. The regular expected bird activity is
present but the specialties include his resident RING-NECKED PHEASANTS [Faisan
de Colchide] and FOX SPARROWS [Bruant fauve]. In the past few days a few
welcome visitors have been TREE SWALLOWS [Hirondelle bicolore], a WHITE-CROWNED
SPARROW [Bruant à couronne blanche], a YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER [Paruline à
croupion jaune] and 1 female NORTHERN CARDINAL [Cardinal rouge] plus a RUBY-THROATED
HUMMINGBIRD [Colibri à gorge rubis].
**Ray Gauvin got a nice video capture
of the GREAT EGRET that has been working the Parlee Beach Marshes recently. It
is almost like being there. Take a look at Ray’s video clip at:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/x3sglh5olp331on/MVI_1618.MOV?dl=0
** Gordon Rattray walked up the old
rail line in Hillsborough on Tuesday to scout for warblers for Saturday’s
Nature Moncton outing. He observed 5 warblers and a RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET
[Roitelet à couronne rubis]. It was cold so warblers were not moving about
much. He saw NORTHERN PARULA [Paruline à collier], BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER
[Paruline noir et blanc], YELLOW-RUMPED
WARBLER [Paruline à croupion jaune], BLACK-THROATED
GREEN WARBLER [Paruline à gorge noire], and a PALM WARBLER [Paruline à couronne
rousse]. He checked the Gray Brook Marsh and there was a pair of RING-NECKED
DUCKS [Fuligule à collier], a pair of COMMON MERGANSERS [Grand Harle] and a
pair of HOODED MERGANSERS [Harle couronné]. No other ducks
were present. Gordon comments that it is concerning that this body of water
that is usually covered with ducks has only 3 pairs showing. The only
population of ducks that have been in number this spring has been the NORTHERN
SHOVELERS [Canard souchet] and they were above normal this year.
** Jim Johnson in Scotch Settlement
reports that he now has 25 to 30 SWALLOWS flying about and checking out the
real estate, but most interesting is the arrival of CLIFF SWALLOWS [Hirondelle
à front blanc]. Jim has a small colony that started in the eaves of his home a
few years ago and they have slowly been building up. He put up an artificial
nest as a trial and it will be interesting to see if they accept it. Jim was
also pleased to have his first RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD [Colibri à gorge
rubis] return as well as FINCHES.
** Dale Gaskin reports something that
he has never witnessed before. At the Fundy Rocks Motel on Tuesday morning a
flock of at least 500 BLUE JAYS [Geai bleu] arrived, filling the trees looking
like hanging grapes. He has seen flocks in migration before but not nearly as
large as this one. Only a portion of our Blue Jay population does stay over
winter. Most migrate south in flocks in the fall and back again this time of
year however this number that Dale reports is much higher than normal.
** Jane Leblanc has a HOBBLE BUSH
bursting into bloom in her St. Martins yard. Note the sterile ray flowers on
the rim of the bloom to attract insect pollinators to the business fertile
flowers to bloom in the central area.
Jane also saw GREATER YELLOWLEGS [Grand
Chevalier] in the harbour area on Tuesday morning and she reports that her
neighbour had his first BALTIMORE ORIOLE [Oriole de Baltimore] on Tuesday. She
also photographed a NORTHEN AZURE BUTTERFLY [Azur nordique] that was flying on
Tuesday. Jim Edsall advises that at the moment all Azure butterflies in the
Maritimes are considered to be Northern Azures (Celastrina lucia). It is
believed to be multi-brooded with several forms. The former names for our
Azures are now undergoing reassessment which is the reason for the change.
**
AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS [Bruant
hudsonien] seem to be slow to head off north. Aldo Dorio got some photographs
of some in his Neguac yard on Tuesday that look sharp but still here.
Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton
No comments:
Post a Comment