Nature Moncton Nature News: April 22 2016

** The weather forecast for tomorrow, Saturday's Nature Moncton field trip to Albert County, is improving some. A call will be made later today on it, whether it will be on or rescheduled, and a separate email notice will be sent out either way later today.

** It has been a pleasant surprise to be able to share photos of what are normally hard to locate HARLEQUIN DUCKS [Arlequin plongeur] in the past few days. Jean-Paul and Stella Leblanc found three Harlequins at Cap Lumiere inside the wharf on Thursday. They were shy to people. They also saw a COMMON EIDER [Eider à duvet] and a RED-THROATED LOON off the Cormierville wharf. The Loon was far off, but the male Eider gave a beautiful photo.

** Jamie Burris captured an excellent photo of a pair of GREEN-WINGED TEALS [Sarcelle d'hiver] in flight on April 19 at Grey Brook Marsh. This striking photo was not distributed as intended on April 20, but is added today.

** Louise Richard notes they are seeing the TREE SWALLOWS [Hirondelle bicolore] back to Jones Lake enjoying the warmth and no doubt the insects as well. They have not seen the Northern Mockingbird pair in several days, so hopefully they are off housekeeping in the area.

** David Christie visited Grey Brook Marsh in Hillsborough on Thursday to find a few less ducks than on Tuesday, but among a dozen AMERICAN WIGEONS [Canard d'Amérique] was able to spot a male EURASIAN WIGEON [Canard siffleur] that has been there since the weekend.

** Karen Miller and Joanne Savage saw the Eurasian Wigeon as well on Thursday. They also spotted an early SPRING AZURE [Azur printanier] butterfly in Dave Christie’s yard.

** David Christie comments he stepped outside to check on the SPRING PEEPERS [Rainette crucifère] on Thursday evening that were calling more frequently from his yard pond after the warm day. BLACK SCOTERS [Macreuse noire] were wailing from the nearby bay, and a NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL [Petite nyctale] joined the evening chorus, calling from the woods west of David's house.

** Brian Stone and I made a later afternoon, early evening visit to the Tantramar Marsh on Thursday. While checking out Paunchy Lake we spotted one distant SHORT-EARED OWL [Hibou des marais] so doubled back to the High Marsh Rd. to the corral and new barn area to spot more, all at great distance. We patiently waited for some to come closer, but that did not happen. Numbers seen were difficult to be certain of as they were covering such a huge area, but at least three or four were suspected. Mammal traffic was more than expected with WOODCHUCK [Marmotte commune], SKUNK [Moufette], MINK [Vison d'Amerique], MUSKRAT [Rat musqué], and RACOON [Raton laveur]. As expected RING-NECKED PHEASANTS [Faisan de Colchide] seemed like they were everywhere after such a good winter for them. One suspected ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK [Buse pattue] was seen, and NORTHERN HARRIER [Busard Saint-Martin] were seen. All birds seemed to be at great distance.

** The WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW [Bruant à couronne blanche] that has overwintered with us is definitely in molt, and looking roughly plumaged, but suspect its spring wardrobe will be striking but is surely not at the moment. Joanne Savage and Karen Miller dropped by to visit it on Thursday but it was too embarrassed to show itself while they were here, but quickly came out as soon as it knew it was not being looked at by visitors in its plumage state.

Also on the Waxwing scenario in our yard to culled apples, the BOHEMIAN WAXWING [Jaseur boréal] population is sharply decreasing, but the CEDAR WAXWING [Jaseur d'Amérique] component is sharply increasing. I'm noticing the remaining Bohemian Waxwings are bullying the Cedar Waxwings. Looks like it's off to Stirlings today for another twenty pounds of apples.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca