Nature Moncton Nature News: Aug 29 2016

** Dave Christie reports that a visitor from Quebec spotted a COMMON GALLINULE [Gallinule poule-d'eau] about 8:30 Sunday morning in the Lars Larsen Marsh, in the water adjacent to the road. This is definitely a bird to be on the watch for, and also for a photo.

** Dave says that shorebird numbers were down at Mary's Point beach on Sunday but there was a nice variety of species, which included an AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER [Pluvier bronzé]. A MERLIN [Faucon émerillon] went after the shorebirds several times on Sunday morning but did not seem successful.

** In his Ste-Marie-de-Kent yard on Sunday, Gabriel Gallant got photos of an immature GREEN FROG [Grenouille verte] that showed a blue blush on parts of its body. We’ve had photos submitted before of blue on the body with no explanation. Gabriel comments that this apparently occurs when yellow pigment is missing, causing the blue to show through brightly.

** Aldo Dorio share photos that he got on Sunday of a male AMERICAN REDSTART [Paruline flamboyante] and of a MERLIN [Faucon émerillon].

** I’m adding more photos from Saturday’s shorebird field trip. Brian Stone got an excellent photo of a COMMON TERN [Sterne pierregarin] in flight that beautifully shows the upper and under wing, showing the black wedge and black edges that differentiate it from the near translucent wing of the ARCTIC TERN [Sterne arctique] in flight.

The RED KNOT [Bécasseau maubèche] is almost always in its basic plumage by the time it reaches New Brunswick. Roger pointed out that a useful feature to look for is the dark primary projection of the wing, which we were all able to see nicely, as in the attached photos. One Red Knot was unfortunately superimposed over a SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER [Bécassin roux] but shows the open wing with the dark area on the primary feathers.

A photo of the CASPIAN TERN [Sterne caspienne] beside a COMMON TERN [Sterne pierregarin] shows the significant size differential, and a photo of the Caspian Tern beside a RING-BILLED GULL [Goéland à bec cerclé] and a GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL [Goéland marin] reveals just how large it is, making it the world’s largest tern.

A photo of LEAST SANDPIPERS [Bécasseau minuscule] shows their tendency, as Roger pointed out, to go to higher areas; also note the slightly drooped bill on one bird in the group. A few other photos show RUDDY TURNSTONES [Tournepierre à collier] foraging in the fresh wrack line near the surf. SALT MARSH CATERPILLARS were also frequently seen.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton