NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, April 13, 2021 (Tuesday)
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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
Transcript by Susan Richards susan_richards@rogers.com
Info Line #: 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)
**Georges Brun noticed Ron Steeves had sent high bird
counts from Albert County on April 3. It
surprised Georges to see the numbers of 12,000 and 8,000, yet on April 8, 2021
down by the bend in the Petitcodiac River and over all the marshland, a dozen
or so flocks of birds flew over and landed in the waters of the Petitcodiac
River. Georges has not seen these
numbers before. At times they seemed lost
but would fly north towards the Champlain traffic circle and use the Veterans
highway as their guiding route. At times most of the area was either in fog or snow/rain. For over an hour they just kept flying in and
moving up just before bore arrival. The flocks were BLACK SCOTER [Macreuse noire] WHITE-WINGED SCOTER [Macreuse brune] and SURF SCOTER [Macreuse à
front blanc]. Among these were COMMON
EIDER [Eider à duvet ] in lesser
numbers. Over the years, Georges would
see flocks in better weather, but flying over Chartersville (Dieppe) and
heading to northeast. Perhaps some of
the birds stayed over in Chignecto or Shepody Bay before having the ideal
conditions to fly north. It was very
difficult to see in grey skies, but it seems to be the conditions birds fly to
head north.
Georges also got a very
interesting photo of a WEASEL [BELETTE] along the rocks at the bend. Georges’ photo shows it just at that pelage
transition period, from near-total winter white to dark brown top and white
undercarriage of summer.
**Edmund Redfield has checked on the Smelt [ÉPERLAN]
run up the Petitcodiac River to find a very plentiful run, in progress. This is no doubt why the occasional HARBOUR PORPOISE [Marsouin commun] has been seen in the river in the bend area. This is also good news for ATLANTIC SALMON [Saumon atlantique] that had been placed in the Pollett and Little Rivers
that have spawned and now on their way out to the Bay of Fundy to replenish
with Smelt prey to fuel their journey with a quick start. Flocks of gulls are also impressed and may
well be the reason why many scoters were observed in the river.
**Louise Nichols was walking in the Jolicure area on
Sunday afternoon and as she was walking down a trail to Big Jolicure Lake she
heard a very loud, kind of cackling noise.
For a moment she did not know what it was. She thought birds at first maybe ducks as she
could hear them a long way off and then she realized, frogs. There was a wet area alongside the trail and
the WOOD FROG [Grenouille des bois] were in a vocalizing frenzy. She could not see them as they must have been
back in the vegetation, but Louise took a short video for the sound. Listen to the action at the attached link:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/i6njl9n9iowuvs3/DSCN6804.MOV?dl=0
**Lois Budd was pleased to have a FOX SPARROW [Bruant fauve] come to her Salisbury area feeder on Monday to join
the large number of DARK-EYED JUNCO [Junco ardoise] and other Sparrows. The Fox Sparrow is always a special visitor
as it is this short window that we get to see them in spring as they stop to
fuel up on their way to breed to the north of us. We will see some in the fall as well as they
return south but not as frequently as we do in the spring.
**Jane Leblanc had 2 avian visitors to her St.
Martins’ yard on Monday she does not often get. A WHITE-BREASTED
NUTHATCH [Sittelle à poitrine blanche] visited, being an uncommon visitor with the RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH [Sittelle à poitrine rousse] very common. A
male YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER [Pic
maculé] also dropped by which Jane comments is
only the third time that they have seen one in their yard over the years. She was only able to get a quick documentary
photo as it did not stay long.
Jane also got a photo of a SNOWSHOE HARE [Lièvre d'Amérique] in their driveway.
It was in the process of changing its pelage to summer brown. Jane comments “It happens to be the bright
sun which made the photo more variable”.
**Mac Wilmot got a nice photo of a SONG SPARROW [Bruant chanteur] that is being welcomed back to New Brunswick in
numbers the past week. This species can show
variable plumage to make for second looks.
**Aldo Dorio photographed a pair of BLACK SCOTER off
Hay Island on Sunday. The scoters seem
to be showing up in many spots we have not been used to seeing them during
their migration north to breed. Hopefully,
it is an indication that their numbers are good.
**While Brian Stone was on his back deck on Monday in
the cool temperatures a male YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER
[Paruline à croupion jaune] dropped
by to say hello and offer some nice photo ops.
Brian comments “it asked when the spring weather would arrive”? Note the white throat, split white eye ring,
and yellow rump patch that are field marks of this traditionally early warbler
arrival.
**Nature Moncton is hosting a virtual presentation on
bat-house construction for the May meeting.
In preparing for that presentation, Karen Vanderwolf provided
suggestions on bat housing that she is presently doing research on. Fred Richards constructed 4 as trial
balloons. They turned out to be very
time-consuming to construct and materials cost $50 each so only made 4 for
now. One went up on Sunday at our
Miramichi camp and is pictured up in position from front and under view. With cave bats in such low numbers after the
White-Nose Syndrome hit confidence of the nest box being occupied is low but
more possible if the houses are up.
Also, Big Brown Bats [Grosse chauve-souris brune] that do not use caves
to hibernate, are up in numbers in New Brunswick, and they may be a
possibility.
I also noted on the two warm sunny days recently there
seemed to be some action in the very early emerging MASON BEE houses that are
up. I have attached a photo that looks
like a few nest holes have occupants waiting for their first warmer day to emerge.
**I made another run to check 7 more swallow houses on
Monday and was pleased to see 6 had been occupied by TREE SWALLOWS and the 7th
was occupied by a FLYING SQUIRREL [Grand polatouche]. This would
appear to be a spring nest which will soon have young. It went in and out of the box a few times
then climbed the utility pole and stayed there quiet for a few minutes to give chance
for a photo op, and then it glided to some nearby conifer trees. I am not sure if the box had been
swallow-occupied last summer but was suspicious, as in the quick photo I can
see the swallow nest remnants at the bottom with the Flying Squirrel nest which
was constructed of wood fibers and quite bulky above it. A pleasant surprise for sure.
Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton
