** Anna Tucker took note of HOUSE FINCHES [Roselin familier] at the corner
of Park and Cameron streets in Moncton on Wednesday and also got a MOON [lune]
at midnight photo on Tuesday night.
** Dan and Angela Sinclair reported 5 BALD EAGLES [Pygargue à tête
blanche], two immatures and three adults, were foraging on WHITE-TAILED DEER
[Cerf de Virginie] carcasses that at fallen from cliffs at the Joel Head area of
Alma beach on Wednesday. A dozen AMERICAN CROWS [Corneille d'Amérique] were
circling the area, waiting for possibilities.
** Dave Christie reports that two FOX SPARROWS [Bruant fauve] arrived
April 1 in his Mary's Point feeder yard. Secondhand reports from John Inman of
of a GREAT BLUE HERON [Grand Héron] flypast at Harvey Bank Apr. 1, and from
Peter and Sybil Wentzell of a pair of WOOD DUCKS [Canard branchu], as well as 4
KILLDEER [Pluvier kildir], among CANADA GEESE [Bernache du Canada] and AMERICAN
BLACK DUCKS [Canard noir] on bare areas of the Shepody Marsh Mar. 31.
** Bob Blake maintains a record of morning low temperatures at his Second
North River home [N of Salisbury] and compares March of 2014 and 2015. There
were 17 mornings recorded at -10°C or below in 2014 and 20 mornings that cold in
2015. The lowest mornings for March 2014 were -28° and -25° and the lowest
mornings for 2015 were -24° and -22°. There were more cool mornings in 2015 but
the lowest temperatures were in 2014. In 2014 there were 127 cm of snow and 10
mm of rain, in 2015, 115 cm of snow and no rain. It’s hard to believe that we
had less snow in 2015 than in 2014, but that does not reflect what was retained
from February.
** Linda Banks reported earlier in the week about a AMERICAN CROW
[Corneille d'Amérique] that has developed the habit of tapping on her window.
With her camera, she caught it in action. Linda also had a first-time visit of a
PILEATED WOODPECKER [Grand pic] in her Riverview yard. Jim Wilson commented
recently how this woodpecker has become more common in urban settings during his
50 years of birding.
** Brian Stone had a few spruce trees showing large burls on them. Some
male MALLARDS [Canard colvert] were getting very territorial with other males
and AMERICAN CROW [Corneille d'Amérique] interlopers, with the females patiently
watching. EASTERN CHIPMUNKS [Suisse] were moving about more and RED SQUIRRELS
[Écureuil roux] challenging each other. A PURPLE FINCH [Roselin pourpré] perched
high on a branch, for an under-view.
Brian created a bit of a ‘bird conjunction,’ as he terms it, on April
Fools’ Day. The bird conjunction happened in his living room, at his computer
desk, with some recent bird photos flying in on cyberspace. It seems that most
of the species variety seemed to join the Fieldfare in Apple River.
** A special field trip and workshop has been planned by workshop
coordinator Louise Nichols for April 19. Alain Clavette will give a workshop on
the amazing amount of life between high and low tides, from 1:00 to 3:30,
followed by a visit to the Fundy National Park shoreline at one of the lowest
tides of the year. The write-up is attached and folks are encouraged to secure a
spot for this special day as soon as possible with Judi Berry-Steeves as in the
attached item.
Intertidal Workshop with Alain Clavette
Sunday April 19th, 2015
Our geographical position makes us lucky to have lots of coast lines. No
matter where you are in New Brunswick, you have two high tides and two low tides
each day. AND if you are in southeastern New Brunswick, you have two distinct
marine ecosystems to choose from: the Bay of Fundy or the Northumberland
Strait.
The naturalist who wants to discover the very rich habitats found between
high tide and low tide has a multitude of interesting choices. The animals and
plants living in these ever-changing environments have to be adapted to extreme
salinity, humidity and temperature variations. Salt marshes, rocky beaches,
mudflats or sandy beaches: all these habitats have a biodiversity worth
exploring. But WHAT to look for?
Alain Clavette is best known as a birder, but his love and knowledge for
the creatures of the coast developed during the four years he worked as a Parks
Canada GT1 interpreter. After obtaining his degree in Biology at the Université
de Moncton, Alain worked in Fundy National Park and finally Kouchibouguac (for a
private tour operator). Since then, he has been featured as a Bay of Fundy
“expert” and enthusiast in several documentaries done by production companies in
Québec, France, the UK and NB, the latest one entitled La Baie Des Merveilles of
which he is the main host.
Come learn about who lives in our intertidal wonderlands through videos,
pictures and stories for a 2 ½ hour workshop, and THEN – since we will have one
of the BIGGEST TIDES OF THE YEAR (close to 37 feet) that day, we will head out
for a real walk on the bottom of the ocean in Fundy National Park to see what we
can find.
Sunday April 19th, 1:00 to 3:30 pm at Tankville School, 1665 Elmwood Dr.
Moncton -- followed by guided tour in Fundy Park at 5:30 (participants
responsible for their own transportation).
Registration with Judi Berry-Steeves at jbsteeve@nbnet.nb.ca or
phone Judi at 387-4778.
$10 payable at the door to cover costs for workshop and outing. All are
welcome, Nature Moncton member or not.
** For logistical reasons, the outing is offered exclusively to folks who
participate in the workshop.
** Be sure to bring extra layers of clothing because the temperature can
drop drastically at Fundy in the evening.
Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton
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