Nature Moncton Nature News: May 2 2016

** The BLACK-THROATED SPARROW [Bruant à gorge noire] continued its stay at Aulac and was enjoyed by many people on Sunday. Brian Stone got many excellent photos of it and some nice photos of a HERMIT THRUSH [Grive solitaire] from different angles.

They also visited the Sackville Waterfowl Park and got some nice photos of the ducks moving in. Take a close look at the photos that Brian took of a male RING-NECKED DUCK [Fuligule à collier], which actually show the ring on the neck from which it gets its name. We don’t often see that feature unless the light is right.

** Dave Miller is again finding SPRUCE GROUSE [Tétras du Canada] on the Taylor Road near Salisbury. He got two photos of a female. He also photographed the GREAT EGRET [Grande Aigrette] that was back in the Sackville Waterfowl Park on Sunday.

** Some of the first butterflies are being reported. Jack Perry in Saint John had a visit from a MOURNING CLOAK [Morio] on Sunday. Jack says that he too is getting lots of WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS [Bruant à gorge blanche], with head bands of both colour forms.

** Clarence Cormier reports some new arrivals in his Grand-Digue yard, a VEERY [Grive fauve] was a special visitor, as was a MOURNING CLOAK [Morio] butterfly. As many others, Clarence seems to be getting more WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS [Bruant à gorge blanche] than usual, with up to 9, and SAVANNAH SPARROWS [Bruant des prés] up to 10. Two others that were nice to see were two SWAMP SPARROWS [Bruant des marais].

** It is nice to hear of two MOURNING CLOAKS [Morio] on Sunday. This butterfly overwinters as an adult, so it can be on the wing very early. The COMMAS [polygones] often are close behind them, if not at the same time.

** Marlene Hickman reports a lively yard in Dorchester. She now has approximately 12 WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS [Bruant à gorge blanche] doing some lively scratching to collect some of the winter-placed millet seed that overwinters so well. Some vocalizing YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS [Paruline à croupion jaune] arrived in her yard on Sunday.

** Georges Brun got a photo of a HERRING GULL [Goéland argenté] that got hold of a GASPEREAU (Alewife) [Gaspareau], which now are running up the Petitcodiac River to spawn. The fish seems to be almost half the size of the bird.

** Bob Blake maintains a record of daily morning low temperatures, daily highs, and monthly precipitation from his Second North River home. He compares April 2015 and April 2016 to show that April 2015 was a cooler month overall than April 2016 with much less snow for April 2016, more precipitation as rain, and a warmer month than last year.

APRIL 2015:

17 mornings -1 ° C and below (lowest morning -17°) 11 mornings above 0 °C (highest morning 3°) the highest daytime temperature recorded was 19° C. Precipitation was 17 cm snow, 78 mm rain.

APRIL 2016:

13 mornings -1 ° C and below (lowest morning -10°) 14 mornings above 0 °C (highest morning 10°) The highest day temperature recorded was 23°C with a few others close to that. Precipitation was 4 cm snow, 43 mm rain.

If the days don’t add up correctly for one month, it is due to Bob not being available those days however the general trend can be seen.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton