Nature Moncton Nature News: May 16 2016

** It’s Nature Moncton meeting night tomorrow, Tuesday, May 17, at 7 o’clock in the Mapleton Park Rotary Lodge. Details at the end of this message.

** Dave Christie reports that a neighbour, Dejah Morcom, had a male EASTERN TOWHEE [Tohi à flancs roux] in her feeder yard at Harvey on Sunday morning. It was not seen later in the day.

Dave mentions that his female BALTIMORE ORIOLE [Oriole de Baltimore] is still present and has cleaned out his supply of orange sections, so an orange-purchasing mission is scheduled for today.

** Clarence Cormier had a female ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK [Cardinal à poitrine rose] join the male that had arrived earlier. Clarence thought that his AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS [Bruant hudsonien] had all departed but one re-appeared Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Clarence also came across 3 male BOBOLINKS [Goglu des prés] on Friday, May 13; his first RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD [Colibri à gorge rubis], a male, arrived on Sunday.

** Gabriel Gallant paid a visit to a shallow pond in northern New Brunswick over the weekend, at night with a flashlight. There were WOOD FROGS [Grenouille des bois], SPRING PEEPERS [Rainette crucifère], YELLOW-SPOTTED SALAMANDERS [Salamandre maculée] and BLUE-SPOTTED SALAMANDERS [Salamandre à points bleus]. Gabriel comments that the Blue-spotted Salamanders seemed more wary.

** Louise Richard got photos of some of the activity around their Acadieville cabin on Sunday. Two RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRDS [Colibri à gorge rubis] have been there for a few days. Lots of PURPLE FINCH [Roselin pourpré] and AMERICAN GOLDFINCH [Chardonneret jaune] coming to the feeder seemed very gender-slanted towards males. A close-up of a NORTHERN PARULA [Paruline à collier] nicely shows its blue-gray tones, split white eye-ring, and dark upper mandible and yellow lower. This bird was unfortunately detained by a mild window strike but it soon flew off, seemingly fine. They also saw a BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER [Paruline noir et blanc].

A FALSE MOREL [fausse morille] mushroom has developed in their camp area. This spring morel is not an edible species. Louise comments that she is noting SLUGS foraging on the ground on the fallen Red Maple blooms.

** There is a pair of REDHEAD [Fuligule à tête rouge] ducks in the Newcastle lagoon, located near the Atlantic Superstore site in Miramichi City. I was able to get a few photos in the rain on Sunday afternoon. I hope they stay until the sun comes out for nicer images. I didn't discover these birds; they were found a few days ago by Miramichi Naturalists’ Club members.

** That quite old MAGNOLIA tree that is a blaze with coloured blossoms before the leaves come on is now at its best in the front yard and along the sidewalk at 22 Derby Street in Moncton.

** An update on the MASON BEE houses. So far only two holes have been capped off. I’m assuming that means that at least 5 eggs are laid in compartments in each hole, with a bit of pollen for a food supply when the eggs hatch. We’ve had only two really warm afternoons and that’s the only time I’ve noted bees going in the holes. Photos are attached.

** This coming Tuesday evening, May 17, is Nature Moncton meeting night at 7 p.m. in the Mapleton Park Rotary Lodge, across from Cabela’s. The guest speaker will be Kerry-Lee Morris-Cormier from the Nature Conservancy of Canada. She will talk about Nature Conservancy projects in the area, many of which we may not be aware of, and are special places to visit. Kerry-Lee will explain what the Nature Conservancy does and how it is becoming much more active in New Brunswick to protect some very special areas for wildlife and naturalists who visit them. The write-up for this presentation is attached.

Nature Moncton May, 2016 Meeting

Nature Conservancy of Canada.. Canada’s Leading Land Conservation Organization

Date: May 17, 2016. 7:00 p.m.

Place: Mapleton Rotary Lodge (across from Cabela’s)

Presenter: Kerry Lee Morris-Cormier

Since 1962, the Nature Conservancy of Canada has helped protect more than 2.8 million acres in Canada to ensure our natural spaces remain a home for wildlife, a haven for recreation, and a vital resource that filters the air we breathe and the water we drink.

NCC started work in Atlantic Canada in 1971. Today NCC has staff in Fredericton, Charlottetown, Moncton, Amherst, Halifax, St. John’s, and Happy Valley Goose Bay

Kerry Lee will focus on projects near Moncton to include the Miramichi Salmon Project, Moose Sex Project, Johnson’s Mills Shorebird Reserve and Interpretive Center, Baie Verte Nature Reserve, Grand Barachois, Richibucto Dunes, and will touch on the Musquash Estuary and Acadian Peninsula.

Kerry Lee will share with us why these are special providing reasons to visit them in our naturalist sleuthing travels to experience them for ourselves.

Kerry Lee’s time after graduation from Memorial University has led to a fascinating work career that has included Park interpreter and guide at Jasper National Park, Great White Bears tour guide in Churchill Manitoba, and more.

Kerry Lee’s contagious enthusiasm is certain to place more places to visit in everyone’s bucket list!

All are welcome

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton