Nature Moncton Nature News

Saturday, 5 April 2025

April 6 2025

NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS

April 6, 2025

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 the 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 nicholsl@eastlink.ca

To view the live feed of the Peregrine Falcon nest cam on the summit of Assumption Place in Moncton, go to:

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

**The bird nest box cleanout on the Riverfront Trail went off with pleasant seasonal weather and lots of enthusiasm on Saturday afternoon. Several nest boxes had been successfully used by tree swallows and a few had been occupied by black-capped chickadees, while some boxes remained unoccupied.

Jessica Belanger-Mainville sent some photos of the day and expect more may arrive for tomorrow’s edition.

The boxes were treated with diatomaceous earth and permethrin to control fleas.

(Editor’s note: In one of Jessica’s photos, Cathy Simon is using Fred Richard's excellent idea of placing the diatomaceous earth in a sock and shaking it in the box. An idea to copy!)

**On an early afternoon drive along the Lower Norton Shore Road just outside Hampton, Richard Blaquiere found a pied-billed grebe foraging (successfully) in the shallows along the shore of the flooded Kennebecasis River. The bird was strongly backlit, so Richard comments the best he could do was a documentary photo.

**Georges Brun noted a group of common eider assembling around the mouth of Hall’s Creek and some enjoying checking out the ‘chocolate’ Fundy silt.

Harbour porpoise continue to be spotted as they quickly surface for air near the mouth of Hall's Creek.

Georges also noted one of the peregrine falcon pair using the Bell Aliant tower is a perch.

**Norbert Dupuis again shares some of the special moments monitoring patrons in his Memramcook East birdfeeder yard to include a pair of Blue Jays suspected to be in courtship mode, the male house finch continuing to be present, and further discussion between a Blue Jay and Norbert’s male northern cardinal.

**Barb Curlew has been watching for the first great blue herons at Waterside Marsh. She observed 1 on March 26, 6 on April 4, and 1 on April 5.

**Aldo Dorio photographed his first killdeer of the season at Hay Island on Saturday. There were 2 present.

**Jane and Ed LeBlanc saw their FOY killdeer on the beach in St. Martins Saturday morning. Jane was unable to get a photo. They also saw a snowshoe hare, which was still more winter white than summer brown. Jane is almost sure she also heard a belted kingfisher but did not see it. She did manage a photo of a common grackle and song sparrow.

Nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier.

Nature Moncton

PIED-BILLED GREBE. APRIL 5, 2025. RICHARD BLACQUIERE

COMMON EIDER (MALE). APR. 4, 2025. GEORGES BRUN

COMMON EIDER (FEMALE). APR. 4, 2025. GEORGES BRUN

BLACK SCOTER (PAIR). APR. 4, 2025. GEORGES BRUN

GREAT BLUE HERON. APRIL 5, 2025. BARB CURLEW

KILLDEER. APRIL 5, 2028. ALDO DORIO

SONG SPARROW. APRIL 5, 2025. JANE LEBLANC

PEREGRINE FALCON. APR. 2, 2025. GEORGES BRUN

HOUSE FINCH (MALE). APRIL 03, 2025. NORBERT DUPUIS

COMMON GRACKLE. APRIL 5, 2025. JANE LEBLANC

BLUE JAYS. APRIL 05, 2025. NORBERT DUPUIS

BLUE JAY AND NORTHERN CARDINAL (MALE) . APRIL 05, 2025. NORBERT DUPUIS

HARBOUR PORPOISE. APR. 3, 2025. GEORGES BRUN

NESTBOX CLEAN OUT DAY ON RIVERFRONT TRAIL. APRIL 5, 2025. JESSICA BELANGER-MAINVILLE

April 5 2025

NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS

April 5, 2025

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 the 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 nicholsl@eastlink.ca

To view the live feed of the Peregrine Falcon nest cam on the summit of Assumption Place in Moncton, click on the following link:

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

**After several very unplanned complications with the arrangements for live camera monitoring of the newly replaced peregrine falcon nest box on the summit of Assumption Place in Moncton, everything has come together, and live feed is available at the above link. The first egg of four appeared at this time last year but has not appeared yet as of this edition. Hopefully, that will take place soon, and family life will begin in earnest with anyone anywhere able to monitor the progress as it happens with no disturbance to the birds.

**Jane LeBlanc captured photos of a white-breasted nuthatch and a fox sparrow in her yard. Later, walking on the beach, she noticed at least five turkey vultures overhead.

(Editor's note: Jane’s photo nicely shows the breast markings of the fox sparrow that we don’t often get to see so clearly.)

**At Hay Island, Aldo Dorio photographed his first great blue heron of the season sporting its breeding plumage of a white crown with black lateral crown stripes and plumes, and showing a nearly complete yellow bill.

Aldo also photographed snow buntings showing their white breeding plumage. This species will be migrating to their northern breeding grounds.

**Alyre Chiasson had a suspected juvenile Cooper’s hawk drop by his yard for lunch on Thursday afternoon with a mourning dove on the menu. It spent almost 20 minutes consuming its prey, but about 80% of its time was spent watching for predators. Alyre was able to get a documentary video clip which can be viewed by clicking the link below:

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/3lju8ornj51fpavpwvrns/Alyre-Cooper-April-3-2024-cooper-s-hawk.mp4?rlkey=nt80ose9odmhx1fhut3mak8ey&st=t4hiov1m&dl=0

**Brian Stone sends some photos from a morning's outing around the Salisbury area. At the Salisbury Wetlands sewage lagoons on Government Rd., Brian saw a few ducks in the lagoons, including one common goldeneye duck, several ring-necked ducks, a northern shoveler duck, and a late-winter-plumaged Iceland gull in flight.

On Taylor Rd. in Second North River, Brian saw a long stretch of bright, fully opened coltsfoot flowers and some freshly beaver-chewed trees, plus a male hairy woodpecker. At Wilson (Bell) Marsh, some American robins and a Canada goose were photographed, and other birds were heard in the distance, but not much else was seen.

**Cathy Simon is initiating a new activity for Nature Moncton, as described below. The event will not begin until April 27, but Cathy encourages participants to register as soon as possible, as space is limited:

Nature Moncton members, do you like to read? We are starting a small book club, and the first book we’re going to read is called Big Lonely Doug by Harley Rustad. This book explores the impacts of deforestation in British Columbia, recounting the story of how one massive Douglas Fir tree made a significant difference to the forestry industry and conservation efforts in that province.

Leader: Cathy Simon

Meeting dates: We’ll meet at Cathy’s home to discuss a third of the book and then go for a short walk in the nearby woods at Mapleton Park.

Sunday, April 27 from 1:30 - 3:30 PM - Chapters 1-4
Sunday, May 11 from 1:30 - 3:30 PM - Chapters 5-8
Sunday, May 25 from 1:30 - 3:30 PM - Chapters 9-13

Meeting location: Cathy’s home in Lutes Mountain. The exact address will be shared with those who register.

Registration is required and limited, with priority given to Nature Moncton members. Please email Cathy Simon at smittybatman@hotmail.com to sign up.

How to get the book:

Option 1: Place a hold on a copy from one of the NB Public Libraries. There are seven paper copies and one digital copy in the Province. This option is recommended because it is the most cost-effective choice and has a positive impact on nature compared to purchasing a new paper copy.

Option 2: Look for a second-hand copy at a local used bookstore.

Option 3: Buy the book from your favourite retailer.

Nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier.

Nature Moncton

NORTHERN SHOVELER (MALE). APR. 04, 2025. BRIAN STONE

COMMON GOLDENEYE AND RING-NECKED DUCK (MALES). APR. 04, 2025. BRIAN STONE

RING-NECKED DUCKS (MALES). APR. 04, 2025. BRIAN STONE

ICELAND GULL (LATE 1ST-WINTER). APR. 04, 2025. BRIAN STONE

GREAT BLUE HERON. APRIL 4, 2025. ALDO DORIO

CANADA GOOSE. APR. 04, 2025. BRIAN STONE

WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH. APRIL 5, 2025. JANE LEBLANC

TURKEY VULTURE. APRIL 5, 2025. JANE LEBLANC

SNOW BUNTINGS. APRIL 4, 2025. ALDO DORIO

HAIRY WOODPECKER (MALE). APR. 04, 2025. BRIAN STONE

FOX SPARROW. APRIL 4, 2025. JANE LEBLANC

AMERICAN ROBINS. APR. 04, 2025. BRIAN STONE

COLTSFOOT FLOWERS. APR. 04, 2025. BRIAN STONE

BEAVER WORKED TREE. APR. 04, 2025. BRIAN STONE

WILSON MARSH. APR. 04, 2025. BRIAN STONE

Friday, 4 April 2025

April 4 2025

NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS

April 4, 2025

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 the 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 nicholsl@eastlink.ca

**The Nature Moncton outing to the Riverfront Trail will happen tomorrow with the write-up below:

RIVERFRONT TRAIL AND NEST BOX CLEANING OUTING
Saturday, April 5, 2025, at 1:00 PM
Press Club parking lot, 160 Assomption Blvd
Leader: Fred Richards

We invite you to join us for a walk along the Riverfront Trail in Moncton. Weather permitting, the event will take place on April 5, 2025, starting at 1:00 p.m. The trail is well-maintained and offers easy walking, with only a couple of hills. It will be about 3 kilometers one way, but we will park at both ends, so we do not need to walk back. Last year, we were quite impressed with the number of interesting things we saw, and we expect this year to be no different.

Last April, Nature Moncton inspected and cleaned 25 nesting boxes along the Riverfront trail. These boxes were made possible by the Trans Canada Trail, which funded the 25 boxes and the necessary hardware for their installation. We will be checking/cleaning as we go along. Footwear will be weather-dependent, but if you plan to assist with the nest boxes, you will want it to be waterproof.

We will meet at the Press Club parking lot, 160 Assomption Blvd, Moncton, at 1:00 pm. We will take a few minutes before the walk to coordinate our efforts. All are welcome, whether you are a Nature Moncton member or not. We hope to see you there!

**Norbert Dupuis captured an excellent photograph of the male house finch enjoying a safflower seed in his Memramcook east yard. The photograph really shows the variable plumage of this species. It is somewhat unexpected to see house finches in the semi-rural area where Norbert lives, as they are typically found in urban areas.

Norbert was also able to catch a photo of a groundhog that would have recently emerged from its deep winter hibernation.

**This Week’s Sky at a Glance, 2025 April 5 – April 12
As the Sun is setting this week, Spica is rising in the east. This blue giant star is the brightest in the constellation Virgo the Maiden, and the 14th brightest star of the night sky. It is usually located by following the arc of the Big Dipper’s handle to Arcturus and driving a spike to Spica. With Arcturus in Boötes and Regulus in Leo, or dimmer Denebola in Leo's tail, it forms the Spring Triangle. If you toss in Cor Coroli in Canes Venatici, below the handle of the Big Dipper you get the Spring Diamond.

Spica represents an ear of wheat in the hand of Virgo. In Greek mythology she was Demeter, the goddess of wheat or agriculture (Ceres to the Romans). The Sun passes through this constellation in harvest time and it is in the head of Virgo at the autumnal equinox. Virgo is the second largest of the 88 constellations in terms of area of sky, trailing only Hydra the Water Snake. Coincidentally, it also trails Hydra in the sky, which can be seen stretching below Leo. The constellation is home to 11 Messier objects, second to Sagittarius in this distinction, and all of them are galaxies.
This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 6:50 and sunset will occur at 7:53, giving 13 hours, 3 minutes of daylight (6:56 and 7:57 in Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 6:37 and set at 8:02, giving 13 hours, 25 minutes of daylight (6:43 and 8:06 in Saint John).

The Moon is one day past first quarter this Saturday and full next Saturday. Jupiter sets about an hour past midnight this week, and telescope users might see its Red Spot within an hour of 10:30 pm on Sunday and 9:45 on Friday. Midweek Mars makes a straight line with the Gemini Twins, Pollux and Castor, and next weekend it crosses the constellation border into Cancer. Mercury rises 40 minutes before the Sun this weekend, and it increases that gap slightly by next weekend when is a binocular width left of Saturn. Venus will be about 7 degrees above them at the time. Both Mercury and Venus are stationary this week, when they begin moving eastward against the stars.

The Saint John Astronomy Club meets in the Rockwood Park Interpretation Centre this Saturday at 7 pm. The William Brydone Jack Astronomy Club meets in the UNB Forestry-Earth Sciences building on Tuesday at 7 pm. Tune in to the Sunday Night Astronomy Show at 8 pm on the YouTube channel and Facebook page of Astronomy by the Bay.

Questions? Contact Curt Nason at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.

Nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier.

Nature Moncton

HOUSE FINCH (MALE). APRIL 03, 2025. NORBERT DUPUIS

GROUNDHOG. APRIL 01, 2025. NORBERT DUPUIS

Virgo 2025

Thursday, 3 April 2025

April 3 2025

NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS

April 3, 2025

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 the 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

nicholsl@eastlink.ca

**Again, a reminder that the amphibian outing for tomorrow night (Friday) with Andrew Darcy is postponed until more suitable amphibian weather/temperature arrives. Stay tuned!

The bird box cleanout on Riverfront trail is still scheduled for this coming Saturday.

**Shannon Inman was able to capture some excellent photos through the woods, including one of an American woodcock and another of a male ruffed grouse putting on its stunning mating display which is certain to capture the attention of any nearby female suitor.

John Inman’s ‘flock’ of rusty blackbirds continues to swell and is now showing arrivals appearing in their breeding plumage that is quite different from their winter plumage (which many would consider more attractive). It is notable that the Inman’s feeder yard can attract significant numbers of rusty blackbirds, a bird that is in significant decline.

**Richard Blacquiere found a presumed female duck yesterday afternoon at the Hampton Lagoon that appeared to have in-between characteristics of a mallard duck and an American black duck. It was near a pair of typical mallard ducks but stayed by itself. It was mallard-sized, with relatively dark plumage overall and an olive bill with a dark center. It's hard to see, but Richard thinks the belly was dark as well. The white bars on either side of the bluish speculum look too restricted for a mallard duck but would be out of place on a black duck. Richard is tentatively suggesting a female mallard x black duck hybrid but would be interested in hearing other opinions.

**Louise Nichols sends a photo of a red-breasted nuthatch and a golden-crowned kinglet that she took on Wednesday morning while exploring a trail off Walker Rd. in Sackville with Brian Stone. They hoped to see a boreal chickadee, but not many birds were out and about in the cold temperatures and brisk wind.

Louise also attaches a few photos she took at Point-du-Chene last month. One shows a herring gull with fish as its prey. Another photo is of a male mallard-black duck hybrid.

(Editor’s note: Louise’s herring gull photo provides interesting fodder. It is in molt to its next phase, and so could be a late 1st-winter bird as it is showing a lot of brown with a receding black bill. However, the second photo shows a yellow eye, which would be more consistent with a 2nd-winter bird. Only the bird knows for sure. To add to that, the guides state that variability comes into play at this stage of molting.

The second interesting point is the bird's prey, which is a fish that we very seldom see. After consultation with Alyre Chiasson, we believe it to be an ocean pout, a species neither of us has seen in the wild. However, it is not an uncommon bottom-dwelling fish, eel-like in appearance, that can survive in near-freezing waters. It is found off the coast of New England, extending eastward to eastern Canada, which further increases the possibility.

Any other thoughts would be appreciated.)

**Brian Stone sends a few photos from the Sackville and Cap-Pele areas. Several red-breasted nuthatches and golden-crowned kinglets were present in the woods outside Sackville, and common eiders were close enough at wharves in the coastal waters of the Cap-Pele region to show well in photographs. The temperature was not that low, but the high winds made it feel even colder. Louise Nichols braved the chill to join Brian on parts of his outing but was not rewarded with any special sightings. Hopefully, next time will be better.

**Yesterday’s query about experience/ information on the use of butterfly boxes was answered by butterfly guru Rheal Vienneau. His response is quoted below:

“In my humble opinion, butterflies in our neck of the woods will not enter butterfly boxes, and my experience with them confirms this. In nature, butterflies seek shelter in trees, under heavy foliage, and in thick grass. They will seek shelter from rain, wind, high temperatures, bird predators, etc. Butterflies will also shelter for the night in these same areas.

I believe butterfly boxes are too much of an unnatural means for butterflies to use them for shelter.”

**Recently, when completing the work on the peregrine falcon nest box on the summit of Assumption Place, some weathered regurgitated pellets were noted. We often think of these pellets as being from an owl, but many raptors and some other birds also regurgitate pellets. In this scenario where the pellets were found, regurgitated pellets from the falcons would be assumed.

Don McAlpine from the NB Museum confirmed that possibility and I am quoting his helpful response below:

“Any owl pellet I have seen had bones in it, frequently entire lower jaws and near entire crania of small mammals, along with various long bones, individual teeth, etc. Hawk pellets do contain bone, but it is typically broken or crushed. One does not find whole crania in hawk pellets, in part due to the feeding method (tearing food versus swallowing whole) and the nature of the digestive system (less efficient in owls). Given the nature of these pellets (mainly feathers? Entirely feathers?) and the location (peregrines in the area), I would agree that falcon seems like a more likely source.”

**Many senior New Brunswick naturalists will have

fond memories of the times they spent with Hilaire and

Rose-Aline Chiasson, a couple from Lamèque, who started the Acadian Peninsula Naturalist Club.

Hilaire passed away on March 29, with Rose-Aline having predeceased him. Hilaire’s obituary can be found at the link below:

https://www.hommagenb.com/obituaries/hilaire-chiasson-1940-2025-pointe-alexandre/

Nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier.

Nature Moncton