** Pollinator Park is a group of trees planted by the Petitcodiac
Watershed Alliance just before crossing the Gunningsville Bridge, on the Moncton
side, to the east. There is a small pond there as well. It’s a very popular site
for sparrows. Georges Brun noted some of its first seasonal arrivals, a SONG
SPARROW [Bruant chanteur] peeking through the brush, and a female HOODED
MERGANSER [Harle couronné] was in the small pond.
Recent extra high tidal flooding of the Petitcodiac mudflats seems to have
left fish and invertebrates exposed as Georges has seen GULLS [Goélands] and
CROWS [Corneilles] walking the flats, feeding.
Georges also spotted an adult BALD EAGLE [Pygargue à tête blanche] carrying
nesting material and flying upriver past Chateau Moncton.
** Ralph Eldridge, one of the lighthouse keepers at Machias Seal Island
off Grand Manan, has done a beautiful job of monitoring migration at that
migrant bird stopover. Through his time there, he has shared many reports of
activity there and photos of what he sees. Marlene Hickman points out that many
may not be aware of two links that share many of Ralph’s great photos:
** Brian Stone was in the Dartmouth area the past two days and shared a
photo of what they woke up to on Saturday morning, a heavy layer of new snow.
Fortunately in most folks’ thoughts that bypassed us completely in
Moncton.
** Susan Richards comments on a suspected error in the year that the
Rockland covered bridge was washed out. Susan reported that local residents said
that it was in 1976, but Mr. Google says it was in 1978.
Nelson Poirier
Nature Moncton
AMERICAN GOLDFINCH MOLTING MALE. APR 10 2016 GEORGES BRUN (3)
APRIL SNOW (DARTMOUTH). APR. 10, 2016. BRIAN STONE
HOODED MERGANSER APR 10 2016 GEORGES BRUN
SONG SPARROW APR 10 2016 GEORGES BRUN
