Nature Moncton Nature News: April 25 2026

Nature Moncton Nature News

Clicking on the photos enlarges them for closer observation.

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.

If you would like to share observations/photos with Nature News, contact the editor, nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Please advise the editor at nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com, as well as proofreader nicholsl@eastlink.ca, if any errors are noted in wording or photo labelling.

Proofreading courtesy of Louise Nichols at nicholsl@eastlink.ca

The camera on the peregrine falcon nest box on the summit of Assumption Place is now live. When checking the link to watch the activity, scroll down to the first large image, which shows what is happening in real time.

The male and female take turns incubating the eggs almost constantly now. The female is on the nest most of the time, but the male always seems to be ready to give her short breaks so she can leave the precious cargo.

https://www.zoodemagnetichillzoo.ca/nest-cam

**A heads up on a Nature Moncton event coming up tomorrow, Sunday.

Earth Week Riverfront Cleanup
Meeting place: Parking lot at the Honourable Brenda Robertson Bridge, Moncton (the old dump)
Sunday, April 26, 2026
1:00–2:30 PM
Leader: Cathy Simon

Join us in helping clean up the riverfront for trail users, marsh wildlife, and our beloved downtown Peregrine Falcons. This is a great opportunity to take action for nature while enjoying some fresh air and good company.

We’ll work along sections of the Riverfront Trail near the bridge and surrounding marsh areas, helping remove litter and improve habitat for wildlife and the many people who enjoy the trail.

Please bring:
• work gloves
• weather-appropriate clothing and footwear
• your Nature Moncton name tag (if you have one).

The City of Moncton will provide garbage bags and non-latex gloves to wear over your work gloves. This event is part of the City of Moncton’s Earth Week Cleanup.

Optional social time:
After the cleanup, anyone interested is welcome to join us at Dandelion Café (1035 Main Street, Moncton) for a warm drink or snack and some bird-friendly conversation (optional and at participants’ own cost).

All ages are welcome—Nature Moncton members and non-members alike.

**The recorded Dropbox link to Gwen Clark’s Tuesday night presentation on wetlands, including marsh monitoring and the wildlife that uses them, is below for those who may have missed it or want to watch it again:

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/6h3uff4wxr1lmtlc7k3in/MARSH-MONITORING-PRESENTATION-GWEN-CLARK-APRIL-21-2026.mp4?rlkey=32y5cchoafspsmne9altzs1ud&st=9i30op1z&dl=0

**Gordon Rattray reports that his feeder yard has been very busy this week. He has had in excess of 12 purple finches all week, an equal mix of male and female. The usual flock of common grackles and red-winged black birds have been arriving, all very hungry.

Gordon has had many sparrows this week. Song sparrows are common visitors, but this week Gordon had white-throated, chipping sparrows, and savannah sparrows joining them, along with a few dark-eyed juncos.

This spring, Gordon has had a pair of mallard ducks coming for a feed of corn, and a male ring-necked pheasant has visited all winter. The pheasant started bringing a mate this week for corn. It was interesting on Wednesday evening when Gordon looked and observed both pairs in the yard together.

The highlight of the week was an eastern bluebird that stopped by to feed on the suet blocks. He stayed for about an hour and allowed pictures. Gordon has also had American goldfinch, mourning doves, hairy woodpeckers, a downy woodpecker pair, and a few visits from a pair of pine warblers. A northern flicker was spotted on the lawn, but no chance for a picture. The eastern phoebes have been spotted looking over their old nesting site.

**It appears that the merlin pair is setting up housekeeping next door to Brian Coyle again. Brian witnessed one of the pair attempting to chase a killdeer in flight, but it was unsuccessful.

**Brian Stone sends a few more photos from one of his trips to Wilson Marsh. On Wednesday, he was walking down the beginning of the path at the Bell St. entrance, and he stopped under the apple tree spot and waited for the birds to relax and get used to him. As everyone knows, that never happens, so he had to be content with seeing them at a distance, moving quickly through the trees and occasionally coming almost close enough for a photo A couple exceptions to this pattern were more than a dozen cedar waxwings that were flying through the nearby trees and out over the ponds snatching up insects, plus just one of the several yellow-rumped warblers that were doing the same. A special exception was a single pine warbler that foraged through the trees fairly close to Brian and seemed unconcerned with being watched. As Brian moved further along the trail and got beside the first edge of the pond on the right side of the trail, an American bittern was startled out of its hiding place quite near the trail and flew off in a hurry, also startling Brian in return. He managed only a few rear-end photos as it flew away, which is what he usually gets with this subject. Brian also got photos of a very vocal swamp sparrow singing its spring song.