NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS
August 18, 2025
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**Deana
and Peter Gadd took part in a pelagic birding tour on the Bay of Fundy on
Saturday (Jim Wilson’s initiative with 30 participants). The tour lasted about 7 hours, sailing south
from Grand Manan Island to about halfway to Nova Scotia. They reported 14 bird
species; others reported a couple more, many but not all considered pelagic.
The most dramatic moment came when a parasitic jaeger chased a red-necked
phalarope, seemingly unsuccessfully!
There
were many Wilson’s storm-petrels as well as great shearwaters and
Atlantic puffins. Apart from the jaeger, other more rare birds
included sooty shearwaters and a first-winter laughing gull.
The red-necked phalaropes were present in the thousands, at one point
concentrated in a relatively small area due likely to an upwelling current
bringing “nutrition” from the deep.
Although
this was a birding tour, a close encounter with a humpback whale added
to the excitement. The sea was extremely calm, and the weather was perfect;
visibility was good. After seemingly waving to us with its fin (rolling
on its back to do so), a humpback whale came quite close and “fluked” enabling
a clear view of the underside of its tail. This will enable it to be identified
by name as the pattern of a dark area on the underside is unique to the
individual. Results of an enquiry await.
**The
caterpillar season is very much upon us.
Lisa
Morris observed a banded tussock moth caterpillar on Saturday. The hairs
(setae) are not venomous but can produce an itchy, stinging rash if this
caterpillar is handled so best to leave it on its mission.
**Rosemary
MacAuley was a vital part of Nature Moncton activities over many years.
Rosemary
passed away recently, and her family is hosting a celebration of her life.
Rosemary
MacAulay’s celebration of life will take place in Moncton at Cobbs
Funeral Home in Riverview on Sunday, August 24th, from 3-5pm.
Nelson Poirier
Nature Moncton
