Nature Moncton Nature News: May 30 2016

** 100-plus New Brunswick naturalists very much enjoyed the hospitality and awesome field trips arranged by the Restigouche Naturalists’ Club and Dalhousie 52 Wings of Flight this past weekend. What a great period of naturalizing and comradeship! A resounding thank-you to those who did the work to make it happen and be such a success. There will be many photos to follow.

** Elaine Gallant spotted 3 HARLEQUIN DUCKS [Arlequin plongeur] on Saturday afternoon and evening on the Aboujagane River. She watched them easily from the bridge on Route 133 by standing under the OSPREY [Balbuzard pêcheur] nest there and looking to the right into the water. The birds were there for some time, seemingly contentedly foraging.

** Paula Lansdale had a male INDIGO BUNTING [Passerin indigo] arrive in her Alma feeder yard this weekend, ground-feeding in the driveway area. Paula is also pleased to report that a pair of EASTERN BLUEBIRDS [Merlebleu de l'Est] have taken up a nest box in her yard.

** Normand Bourque has had great success with nesting EASTERN BLUEBIRDS [Merlebleu de l'Est] over the years at his 130 Babineau Road home in Grand-Digue. A pair arrived on Friday and quickly started setting up house-keeping. Where Norman has the nest box, it is quite easily photographed as the birds are used to people. Visitors are welcome.

** We’ve all noted those mailbox-like structures placed in waterfowl areas, but not often being used. Richard Blacquiere found a MALLARD [Canard colvert] duck female settled in nesting in one at Spooner Pond, which is near the Hampton lagoon, so they do indeed work. Richard got some documentary photos.

** Louise Nichols enjoyed some very special birding moments over the past weekend. On Saturday she visited the Port Elgin area and found 19 male WOOD DUCKS [Canard branchu] but no photos as they were very far at the end of the lagoon. She also saw a EURASIAN WIGEON [Canard siffleur] and lots of swallow and warbler activity. A BLACKPOLL WARBLER [Paruline rayée] was special. There were also a number of SPOTTED SANDPIPERS [Chevalier grivelé] along the shore.

On Sunday, she went to White Birch Road near Sackville and found several BLACK TERNS [Guifette noire] in the impoundment on the south side of the road, flying and dipping down to the water to forage for food. It’s great to hear that Black Terns are back at this spot, as there seemed to be very few last year. The area was busy with the usual warblers and waterfowl, including WOOD DUCKS [Canard branchu]. She was able to see and photograph both LEAST FLYCATCHER [Moucherolle tchébec] and ALDER FLYCATCHER [Moucherolle des aulnes], hearing the song to help identify them. She heard WILSON'S SNIPE [Bécassine de Wilson] winnowing in several places.

** Judy and Stirling Marsh got help with their gardening on Sunday night, when a male PILEATED WOODPECKER [Grand pic] was spotted checking things out. They believe that there’s a breeding pair across the Shediac Road from them and has been there for a number of years.

** Jean Renton was able to watch a hen TURKEY in a field near their Canaan Forks camp, with 8 chicks in tow, over the weekend.

** Penny Clark spotted a pair of CANADA GEESE [Bernache du Canada] with 14 goslings in tow between the adults. It’s a quite a charge to watch over. They do all seem to be similar-sized but one has to wonder whether they are all from one clutch, or maybe there are a few foster birds in the group.

** Mac Wilmot photographed a male COMMON YELLOWTHROAT [Paruline masquée] after carefully stalking this sometimes skulking warbler to its calling site in birches near the Petitcodiac River. Mac had a MOOSE [Orignal] in his Lower Coverdale yard on Sunday morning, suspecting that it had crossed the river from the Westmorland County side. Mac comments that they are not always successful in doing that.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton