Nature Moncton Nature News: June 4 2016

**Mike Britton was lucky to capture a photo of a cooperative SWAINSON'S THRUSH [Grive à dos olive] at the Jacquet River Gorge while on a Festival of Nature trip. These Thrushes are seldom this cooperative for a photo. Mike also got a TENNESSEE WARBLER [Paruline obscure] bursting into spring song at the same site.

**Yet more EASTERN BLUEBIRDS [Merlebleu de l'Est]: Doreen Rossiter was pleased to have a pair of Eastern Bluebirds arrive to her Alma yard early Friday morning and immediately very seriously go in and out of a TREE SWALLOW [Hirondelle bicolore] box, very much looking like they will set up housekeeping.

Chuck Prince uses a trail camera at strategic spots to capture wildlife photos. He captured a nice photo of a COW MOOSE followed by her calf, a salt lick that had attracted four Black Bears,and another of a Black Bear checking over a tree. Some interesting things can happen when the camera is there and you are not!

**John Filliter and Cletie Wall visited the Sackville Waterfowl Park on Friday to get photos of an AMERICAN WIGEON [Canard d'Amérique] pair together and a solo male, as well as one of the active MUSKRATS [Rat musqué] swimming in the ponds. Between Sackville and Shemogue they spotted three Guinea Fowl [Pintade] roadside, very likely on day parole from a local farm, and they very much appreciated the abundant RHODORA [Rhododendron du Canada] in bloom at the moment.

**Aldo Dorio’s EASTERN BLUEBIRDS [Merlebleu de l'Est] are apparently settling the contest with a TREE SWALLOW [Hirondelle bicolore] for a house and moved in. Aldo also photographed a CABBAGE BUTTERFLY [Piéride du chou], which are becoming quite common at the moment.

**Brian Stone and I went out to check a nest in the driveway of Dianne and Guy Bastarache in Cocagne. It turned out to be a SONG SPARROW [Bruant chanteur] with nestlings that had obviously very recently hatched. The nest was on the ground in a mass of decorative plants in a high-traffic area aside two driveways, and the parents were very busy trucking groceries to the nestlings. We also visited Escuminac Point. It was quite cool and quiet to what this area often is, and suspect a bit early for the real spurt of activity. Several expected WARBLERS [Paruline] were about, OSPREY [Balbuzard pêcheur] and NORTHERN HARRIER [Busard Saint-Martin]. Bog plants were mostly yet to emerge. We checked out a reliable report of a WHIP-POOR-WILL [Engoulevent bois-pourri] in Miramichi but did not hear it, but left at 9 p.m. and it may well have not been calling yet, if still present.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton