Nature Moncton Nature News: June 18 2016

**Doreen Rossiter had a very appreciated visitor to her Alma yard on Friday, when a HOUSE WREN [Troglodyte familier] stopped by. Doreen will keep us abreast if this bird stays in her yard. Doreen comments that makes her yard list at 158 now. Interesting to know a House Wren is in the area, and to be watched for. Doreen has four female RING-NECKED PHEASANTS [Faisan de Colchide] she enjoys bringing their families. One appeared on June 1st with only one chick, and a second appeared on Friday with six chicks in tow. Two more hen Pheasants have not reported in yet.

**Louise Nichols surely had a very rewarding visit to Baie Verte and Port Elgin on Friday morning, where she had found the trails quite quiet earlier in the season. Some nice photos show a meowing GRAY CATBIRD [Moqueur chat], a RING-NECKED DUCK [Fuligule à collier] hen with a duckling that had three in total, a HOBOMOK SKIPPER [Hespérie hobomok] Butterfly, as well as an AZURE [Azur] Butterfly. The special treat was found behind the town garage in Sackville, where NELSON'S SPARROWS [Bruant de Nelson] were vocalizing. One very cooperative one sang for great photos. A SAVANNAH SPARROW [Bruant des prés] and a YELLOW WARBLER [Paruline jaune] were both carrying food. Nice to hear of [inaudible] to be able to hear their unique song again in their chosen habitats.

**Penny Clark photographed a lone male COMMON EIDER [Eider à duvet] in the Little Bouctouche River on Thursday evening. She had never seen one there before. The Common Eider is indeed a saltwater duck, but males tend to stray to unexpected places as they leave the breeding grounds and go into moult from breeding plumage, a.k.a. eclipse. The bird Penny saw was diving frequently, apparently feeding. Moulting does not appear obvious yet in this bird.

**Paul Nickerson watched a very busy yard on Friday, with fledging birds begging with their insatiable appetites to get parents’ attention, and captured photos of the action.

**Anna Tucker enjoyed all the action on the Moncton trail along the Petitcodiac River in the warmth of Friday, enjoying the GREAT BLUE HERONS’ [Grand Héron] antics. A photo of a BEE [Abeille] on a nectar-laden CLOVER [Trèfle] head reminds us of the extremely important role that the Bee plays in pollinating by collecting its nectar and pollen reward, and spreading the pollen as it goes from flower to flower to perform its very significant role.

**Brian Stone was in the Dartmouth area on Friday, to find the warmth had brought many insects to life that he was able to put names on. He got some excellent close-up views. He found DRAGONFLIES [Libellule] and DAMSELFLIES [Demoiselle] and got nice photos that will await identification confirmation.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton