Nature Moncton Nature News: 2021-03-28

Saturday, 3 April 2021

April 3 2021

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, 3 April 2021 (Saturday)

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Transcript by: Catherine Clements

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

**With the recent reports of waterfowl migration, I was wondering how long before Ron Steeves would be at his favourite perch to watch it happen. Brian Farrell and Ron spent about 4 1/2 hours Friday at Cape Enrage. The sea duck migration was full speed ahead. The largest flock of Eiders was estimated to be about 800, and the largest flock of Scoters [Macreuse] was a scattered group estimated to be 1,200. There was a steady flow of flocks, varying from just a few birds to a few hundred or more. Their final count was over 8,000 Eiders and over 12,000 Scoters. The conditions were misty and rainy, making it difficult to determine the species of Scoters, but a large percentage seemed to be BLACK SCOTERS [Macreuse à bec jaune]. Totally missing were LONG-TAILED DUCKS [Harelde kakawi], migrating geese, BRANT [Bernache cravant], and Cormorants [Cormoran]. They will be back Saturday just to see if it continues. These are important records to have, and Cape Enrage is a great place to do it, but Ron and Brian surely are exposed to the elements to get them.

**After several weeks missing, both a male and female NORTHERN CARDINAL [Cardinal rouge] appeared in Jane LeBlanc’s St Martin’s yard on Friday. She is hoping they have housekeeping in mind.

**The GREAT BLUE HERONS [Grand Héron] are moving in on schedule as the waters open. Jean-Paul and Stella LeBlanc tallied 9 at the Cormierville Marsh on Friday, to get some pleasant photos. Note the ornate plumes of breeding plumage on the head, neck, and back in Jean-Paul’s photo of the single bird.

**Brian Stone went for a drive on Friday in the dull weather over Caledonia Mountain and then back through Hillsborough. He noticed a small group of COMMON MERGANSERS [Grand Harle] in the Turtle Creek reservoir, and lots of high water in the creeks and rivers along the way. Most steep hills had meltwater runoff waterfalls cascading down them, some large and some small. In one yard in the Caledonia Mountain area, he saw a group of 100+ EVENING GROSBEAKS [Gros-bec errant] populating the trees and bushes around the yard’s feeders. At Hillsborough, he stopped at the White Rock Recreational Park entrance to get a photo of a female PILEATED WOODPECKER [Grand Pic] checking out the surrounding trees. Brian comments it was a dull day, but a rewarding drive.

**The Redpolls [Sizerin] have sure not taken their leave as yet, as some are still reporting large contingents fueling up at feeders for the northern voyage. John Massey had one that he suspects is a HOARY REDPOLL [Sizerin blanchâtre]. It seems to be very much a loner and has been around all winter when all the others seemed to be elsewhere. John also has a COMMON RAVEN [Grand Corbeau] as a regular patron, sporting a white patch on its chest, looking somewhat like it is wearing a cummerbund.

** Aldo Dorio got some documentary photos of an immature Bald Eagle on Saturday morning at Hay Island with extensive white in the chest area to show the variability in plumage of this species as they go through their molts to mature adult plumage.

**Ray Gauvin did a real-time video show of Parlee Beach area as it appeared on Thursday. The ice was completely gone. Ray’s presentation is at the attached link.

ttps://www.dropbox.com/s/6n64bwelw4ohbir/Parlee%20Beach%20..%20Ray%20Gauvin.mp4?dl=0

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton

PILEATED WOODPECKER (FEMALE). APRIL 02, 2021. BRIAN STONE

NORTHERN CARDINAL (MALE). APRIL 2, 2021. JANE LEBLANC

NORTHERN CARDINAL (FEMALE). APRIL 2, 2021. JANE LEBLANC

HOARY REDPOLL (SUSPECTED) APRIL 2, 2021. JOHN MASSEY

GREAT BLUE HERON. APRIL 2, 2021. JP LEBLANC

GREAT BLUE HERONS. APRIL 2, 2021. JP LEBLANC

EVENING GROSBEAKS. APRIL 02, 2021.. BRIAN STONE

COMMON MERGANSERS. APRIL 02, 2021, BRIAN STONE

COMMON RAVEN (WHITE CHEST SPOT) APRIL 2, 2021. JOHN MASSEY

RUNOFF WATERFALL. APRIL 02, 2021. BRIAN STONE

CALEDONIA MOUNTAIN VIEW. APRIL 02, 2021.. BRIAN STONE

Friday, 2 April 2021

April 2 2021

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, April 2, 2021 (Friday)

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Transcript by: Louise Nichols nicholsl@eastlink.ca

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

**Isaie Comeau photographed an adult male MERLIN taking a Mourning Dove as prey in his Tabusintac yard. Note the wide dark bands compared to the narrow white bands in the nicely spread tail to quickly rule out accipiters.

As can be seen from the size comparison, the Mourning Dove is large prey for the aggressive Merlin.

** The BEAKED HAZEL is a shrub that blooms very early, but easily overlooked. Gart Bishop shares a photo of one in bloom that he noted recently. The red part is the female sexual part called the styles. There are no petals, and that is as big as the flower gets (2 to 3 mm), which is why it is so easily overlooked in bloom. Sitting just above the flower is the male part which is the catkin, similar to what is found in birch, poplar and willow.

** Doreen Rossiter reports that she usually gets a spring arrival of a NORTHERN FLICKER [Pic flamboyant] to her Alma yard; however, this year was the first time she had one arrive in March, just making it on March 31^st, being a female. 2020’s first Northern Flicker arrival was April 3^rd.

The PALM WARBLER [Paruline à couronne rousse] that Doreen had arrive on March 27^th is still present daily, and she was surprised to see it come to a window feeder a few times for Black-oil Sunflower Seed.

** The town of Shediac had the idea of a pamphlet as a promotional tool to attract nature-loving tourists to the area. They approached Les Ami.e.s de la Nature who directed the project (mostly President Raymonde Chartier). The town gave the club $5,000 for the project which will be used to sponsor the club’s different nature initiatives, such as Osprey platforms, etc. Several people gave their time to this project. It is a beautifully done pamphlet we all can benefit from. There are mapped routes to good birding sites, and many excellent photos that Carmella Melanson, Yves Poussart and Charles Duguay have contributed. Carmella has sent a package of them to distribute. We will have them available at any potential future outings, but with group outings at a minimal at the moment, leave a message with the editor and you can pick up a copy of your own in Moncton.

** Bob Blake keeps daily weather stats from his Second North River home and sends a chart to compare his records from March 2020 to March 2021. The increased rainfall in March 2021 over March 2020 is very notable. Bob’s table, as he forwarded it, is attached below.

2020

2021

morning temperatures

daily highs

morning temperatures

daily highs

-13-1 day

-10-3

-8-1

-7-1

-6-4

-4-4

-3-1

-2-3

-1-2

0-5

+3-2

+6-1

+9-2

+8-1

+7-2

+5-1

+4-4

+3-2

+2-9

10 cms. snow

14 mms. rain

–15-1

-13-1

-12-2

-11-2

-10-3

-9-2

-7-2

-5-2

-3-2

-2-1

-1-1

0-1

+1-4

+2-1

+3-1

+4-2

+5-1

+6-1

+15-3

+14-2

+13-1

+11-1

+9-2

+8-1

+7-1

+6-3

+7-2

+2-2

11 cms. snow

73 mms. rain

** It’s Friday and time to review what the night sky will reveal to us next week, courtesy of sky-guru Curt Nason.

This Week’s Sky at a Glance, 2021 April 3 – 2021 April 10
The constellation Coma Berenices, or Berenice’s Hair, is midway up in the eastern sky at 10 pm this week, between the tail of Leo the Lion and kite-shaped Boötes. It is the only constellation with a mythological tale based on a real person. In the fourth century BC, King Ptolemy Soter of Egypt went to war against Assyria. His worried wife Berenice made a vow to the goddess Aphrodite that she would sacrifice her beautiful locks if he returned safely. He did return and she kept her vow against his wishes. When he visited the temple the next day he discovered the hair had been stolen and he threatened to kill the temple priests. The court astronomer claimed that Zeus had taken the hair and placed it in the sky for all to admire, and that night he showed Ptolemy a cluster of stars.

That cluster was the Coma Star Cluster, also called Melotte 111, which can be seen with the naked eye in rural areas and it fills the field of view in binoculars. At one time it was considered to be the tuft of Leo’s tail. The area of sky encompassed by Coma Berenices and its surrounding constellations is called the Realm of the Galaxies. The galactic North Pole lies within this constellation, perpendicular to the dusty disc of our Milky Way Galaxy. When we look in this direction the paucity of interstellar dust allows us to see deeper into space and observe other galaxies tens of millions of light years away. This relatively small constellation contains eight of the 110 Messier objects within its borders, including globular cluster M53 and M64, the Black Eye Galaxy.

This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 6:54 am and sunset will occur at 7:50 pm, giving 12 hours, 56 minutes of daylight (7:00 am and 7:55 pm in Saint John). Next Saturday, the Sun will rise at 6:41 am and set at 8:00 pm, giving 13 hours, 19 minutes of daylight (6:47 am and 8:04 pm in Saint John).

The Moon is at third quarter this Sunday, and it will pass below Saturn on Tuesday and below Jupiter on Wednesday. Mars continues to move eastward between the long horns of Taurus the Bull, setting around 1:30 am. By midweek, Jupiter is rising by 5 am, half an hour after Saturn. Mercury and Venus will be out of sight until late in the month when they pop up in the west after sunset. Dwarf planet Ceres is in solar conjunction on Wednesday. All of this week we have an opportunity to see the zodiacal light in a clear, dark western sky, approximately 45-90 minutes after sunset.

With astronomy meetings and outreach activities on hold you can watch the local Sunday Night Astronomy Show at 8 pm, and view archived shows, 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

MERLIN. APRIL 1, 2021. ISAIE COMEAU

MERLIN. APRIL 1, 2021. ISIAE COMEAU

BEAKED HAZEL IN BLOOM. MARCH 31, 2021. GART BISHOP

TOWN OF SHEDIAC BIRDING BOOKLET

Coma Cluster

Thursday, 1 April 2021

April 1 2021

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, April 01, 2021 (Thursday)

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)

** Jamie Burris noted a COMMON REDPOLL [Sizerin flammé] in his Riverview yard on Wednesday with a notable orange poll on the crown. Jamie sends photos of both the orange oddity and the expected plumage. This is the second case of this that has been reported this season. The literature says that this is an uncommon variation of the normal plumage with no indication of a problem, more so just a genetic quirk.

** In the small pond behind her home in Aulac, Louise Nichols was surprised to find a LEOPARD FROG [Rana pipiens] in the recently thawed water on Wednesday. She wasn’t sure it was alive but when she poked it she found it was moving, although very lethargically. This would seem to be super early for a Leopard Frog as usually the Wood Frogs and Spring Peepers are the first to emerge. Other things are coming to life in that pond in the form of a few water bugs. She could see some BACKSWIMMERS but was not able to get photos. Louise saw a number of PREDACEOUS DIVING BEETLES and was able to get photos of one.

** Gordon Rattray was able to get some distant photos of the RED-HEADED WOODPECKER [Pic à tête rouge] at Duane Biggar’s yard in Edgett’s Landing. This bird has gradually molted to its striking breeding plumage over the winter to be at its spring prime breeding plumage soon.

** Daryl Doucet reports that he saw a GREAT BLUE HERON [Grand Héron] in the distance at Cape Enrage on Thursday. These should be arriving back big time soon with all the open water now available.

** Brian Stone’s adventures on Wednesday started with a SONG SPARROW [Bruant chanteur] singing on his back deck to provide a photo op. He then checked out the trail at the Gorge Rd. off ramp at the spot where Coltsfoot blooms in a large patch but none were showing there yet. He then went over to Wilson Marsh and checked it out. The trail was clear but the wind was so strong it was hard to make any observations. Most of the water was open and there were geese and ducks but not in large numbers. Visible were CANADA GEESE [Bernaches du Canada], MALLARD DUCKS [Canard colvert], AMERICAN BLACK DUCKS [Canard noir], SONG SPARROWS [Bruant chanteur] and a few RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS [Carouge à épaulettes]. He caught a brief glimpse of a distant GREEN-WINGED TEAL [Sarcelle d'hiver].

In the bushes at the top of the trail there were some HOUSE FINCHES [Roselin familier], about 6, and more SONG SPARROWS [Bruant chanteur]. Also one FOX SPARROW [Bruant fauve] came close and checked him out. The Fox Sparrow and finches were hiding in the branches to make nicely artistic images but not good nature photos as Brian comments. He made a 3 image panorama of the marsh to show the open water. The wind was so strong that some of the birch trees were on the verge of tipping over and a video clip shows the action. People should be careful there on windy days he comments. He also sent a dim video of a Song Sparrow singing. Check the action at the links below:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ia7st3x68jk9cj4/SONG%20SPARROW%20SINGING%20..%20BRIAN%20STONE.mp4?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/h8b2s1mcnas07y1/BIRCH%20TREES%20IN%20WIND%20..%20BRIAN%20STONE.MOV?dl=0

While Brian was shooting his Wilson Marsh panorama, he noticed a disturbance in the water and decided to try some critter calls to see if I could entice whatever it was to show itself. Nothing seemed to work until I got to the Plesiosaur call. That brought him right up! (Editor’s note: Today is April 1!!!!!!)

** Aldo Dorio sends a COMMON GRACKLE [Quiscale bronzé] photo showing more bronzing on the back than I have ever taken note of. Gilles Belliveau points out that Common Grackles do show varying amounts of bronzing on the back and wings suggesting that the way it seems limited to the back in this photo may be just the photo angle or another rule out could be a young bird or female.

** Pat and I visited the Cassie Cape wharf on Wednesday. It was too windy for the birds, but not for some para-sailors. There were several there enjoying the wind. They sure know how to handle their equipment and they must have been dressed very warmly. The air may have been warm but the water, and just over it, must have been very cold. Take a look at their dramatic skill at the link below:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/1e7wr9y5sdjk0c7/Kitesurfing%20..%20DSCN0668%20Trimmed.mp4?dl=0

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton

COMMON REDPOLL (RED CAP) MARCH 31, 2021. JAMIE BURRIS

COMMON REDPOLL (ORANGE CAP) MARCH 31, 2021. JAMIE BURRIS

FOX SPARROW. MAR. 31, 2021. BRIAN STONE

RED-HEADED WOODPECKER. MAR 31, 2021. GORDON RATTRAY

SONG SPARROW. MAR. 31, 2021. BRIAN STONE

HOUSE FINCH (MALE). MAR. 31, 2021. BRIAN STONE

COMMON GRACKLE. MARCH 31, 2021. ALDO DORIO

WILSON MARSH. MAR. 31, 2021. BRIAN STONE

LEOPARD FROG. MARCH 31, 2021. LOUISE NICHOLS

PREDACEOUS DIVING BEETLE. MARCH 31. LOUISE NICHOLS

WILSON MARSH MONSTER. MAR. 31, 2021. BRIAN STONE

Wednesday, 31 March 2021

March 31 2021

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, March 31, 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.

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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.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/fhb6vz9c4enrg0p/Grackles%20and%20Red-winged%20Blackbirds%2C%20Jamie%20Burris%20.MP4?dl=0

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton