Nature Moncton Nature News: April 25 2016

** As Richard Blacquiere reported on NatureNB, a SNOWY EGRET [Aigrette neigeuse] was found by Amy Galbraith at Musquash on Saturday and was still there on Sunday. A nice photo taken by Neil Galbraith is attached. Richard notes that yellow is normally confined to the digits and lower foot, but runs a quarter of the way up the leg on this bird. Directions to where this bird was seen were clearly given on NatureNB on Sunday.

** Jamie and Karen Burris came across a patch of TRAILING ARBUTUS [Fleur de Mai], a.k.a. Mayflower on Saturday in Stoney Creek. They noted white and pink flowers in bloom. Jamie comments that the fragrance was very noticeable.

** Susan Atkinson and Dale Gaskin represented Nature Moncton at a booth for Earth Day at the Moncton Market. Susan notes that there was lots of interest and it was nice chatting with like-minded people. A thank-you goes out to Susan and Dale for taking on this project.

** David Christie updates on activity in the Mary's Point-Harvey area. Even more WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS [Bruant à gorge blanche] are moving in and seem in abundance everywhere in the area. At one point, John Inman counted 60 in his yard, while Dave had 25 to 30 in his yard.

On a walk out Mary's Point, Dave spotted 5 GREATER YELLOWLEGS [Grand Chevalier] in marsh ponds, one PALM WARBLER [Paruline à couronne rousse] and a BELTED KINGFISHER [Martin-pêcheur d’Amérique]. While out on the point, he was checking for early spring flowers, he did find a small colony of SPRING-BEAUTY [Claytonie de Caroline] in bloom. TROUT-LILY [Ail doux] leaves seemed everywhere, but no flower stalks as yet. He saw his first PIED-BILLED GREBE [Grèbe à bec bigarré] at Lars Larsen Marsh. Brian and Valerie Bauld reported they saw several HERMIT THRUSHES [Grive solitaire] in the woods around their cottage in that area on Saturday and Sunday.

** Georges Brun, as he often does, takes note of activity along the Petitcodiac River. On Sunday, a MALLARD [Canard colvert] duck was present with a band on its right leg but the band numbers could not be read. Georges also noted small groups of 5-6 COMMON EIDER [Eider à duvet] in the river, as well as a COMMON LOON [Plongeon huard].

A PILEATED WOODPECKER [Grand pic] and a HAIRY WOODPECKER [Pic chevelu] were in the wooded area between the Trans Aqua water treatment plant and Point Park. It is interesting to note more Pileated Woodpeckers being seen in more urban areas in recent years.

** On arriving at our Little Southwest Miramichi camp on Saturday afternoon, I was surprised to find several RED-BELLIED SNAKES [Couleuvre à ventre rouge] had already taken up daytime residence under black boot matts that had been placed over winter. They did not appear until well into May last year. No doubt the melted snow cover has allowed the ground to warm up much more rapidly and made them active much earlier.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton