Nature Moncton Nature News: November 17 2024

NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS

November 17, 2024

Nature Moncton members as well as any naturalist in New Brunswick or beyond are invited to share their photos and descriptions of recent nature sightings to build a fresh (almost) daily edition of Nature News

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 and proofreader Louise Nichols at Nicholsl@eastlink.ca if any errors are noted in wording or photo labelling.

For more information on Nature Moncton, check the website at www.naturemoncton.com .

Proofreading courtesy of Louise Nichols at nicholsl@eastlink.ca

** The Nature Moncton November meeting is coming up this coming Tuesday night, November 19. Write up is at the bottom of this edition and upfront tomorrow and Tuesday.

**Deana and Peter Gadd spent some time Saturday morning checking out the area of Cap Lumiere, just outside Richibucto. There were considerable rough seas with rolling and breaking waves; regardless there were a number of sea birds just offshore. Some however were in the shelter of the harbour breakwaters sitting pretty waiting to be photographed! Catching their eyes first were two female Harlequin Ducks standing in shallow water looking quite content. In the same area was a male Common Eider (close to being in full breeding plumage), Long-tailed ducks, and a Red-throated loon. Elsewhere in the quiet harbour waters was a lone female Barrow’s Goldeneye, keeping company with a pair of Long-tailed Ducks and two female Black Scoters. More Common Eiders and several Black Scoters were riding the rolling waves outside the breakwater as was a Bonaparte’s gull. Flying about were a handful of Herring Gulls, Ring-billed Gulls, and Great Black-backed Gulls. In the nearby area, they could catch a glimpse of a single Snow Bunting and a Song Sparrow.

**John Inman is still seeing the occasional moth on warmer nights and he photographed a Bruce spanworm moth.

(Editor's note: the female of this very late flying moth is flightless.)

John photographed a few Redwing Blackbirds, a Rusty Blackbird, and a couple of Common Grackles that moved out quickly when the Cooper’s Hawk moved in.

**Jane LeBlanc sends photos of a couple of bird species seen in Churchill, Manitoba last week. The Willow Ptarmigan were quite plentiful. Rock Ptarmigan were also seen by the group. Horned Larks were present one day, but at a distance. Other species seen by the group included a Gyrfalcon, which flew before anyone could get a photo, Ravens, and the week before, a Short- Eared owl was seen.

**Brian Stone is visiting family in Hampton and on Saturday morning he visited the lagoons and photographed a few of the lagoon patrons. On his walk around the lagoons the first day he saw very little life on the ponds, just a few Mallard ducks and about two dozen plus male and female Bufflehead ducks. A handful of Northern Shoveler ducks were circling in the way that they do when feeding. When he turned around and headed back the way he had come, suddenly there were new visitors in all three of the ponds. Large numbers of newly arrived Northern Shovelers were joined by maybe 100 newly arrived Gadwall ducks. The shovelers had formed a couple of new feeding circles and the Gadwalls had taken over the first pond. Also newly present were four male Barrow's Goldeneye ducks. A new (to Brian) Beaver lodge was built on the edge of the second pond, and a Muskrat swam past in the third pond. Along the far edge of the ponds, Brian was joined by a small flock of 10 plus male and female Northern Cardinals foraging beside the path.

**Nature Moncton November Meeting

November 19, 2024, at 7:00 PM

Mapleton Park Rotary Lodge

Presenter: Jill Marvin

Jill Marvin is the Director of Magnetic Hill Zoo and Park in Moncton, New Brunswick. She has been blessed with the opportunity to work directly with animals throughout her entire life. From her first pets and 'exotic' animals to the Peregrine Falcon family of Moncton, each one of these has inspired and fueled her passion and connection with animals. In this presentation, Jill will share stories about the animals and experiences she has had.

Prior to working at the Magnetic Hill Zoo, Jill spent over 15 years at the Jardin Zoologique and l’Aquarium du Quebec. She began her zoo career at African Lion Safari while completing her Zoology studies at the University of Guelph. Jill has demonstrated a deep commitment to animal welfare and a passion for conservation action and wildlife research. From her work with Platypus in Australia, Dolphins in Florida, Polar Bears and Walrus in the north, bird of prey rehabilitation in the mid-west, and the Lemurs of Madagascar, she is driven to finish her vocation with the great apes.

This presentation will be delivered live as well as available virtually for anyone anywhere to enjoy and participate in.

The link to attend virtually is below:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84725196337?pwd=UBSyYOdRa9kXOEOeQbPlozKfPcL4K0.1

As always, everyone is welcome, Nature Moncton member or not.

A not-to-miss presentation!

Nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton