Nature Moncton Nature News: Jan 18 2017

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, January 18, 2017 ( Wednesday )

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Transcript by: Brian Stone bjpstone@gmail.com

Info Line # 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)

** Aerolynn Greene has had a BROWN CREEPER [Grimpereau brun] coming to her Wedgewood Ave. in Riverview yard recently, having seen it three times working the yard trees. This is the first time she has had a Brown Creeper in her yard. She often hosts White-breasted Nuthatches but has not seen them so far this year.

** Yet more NORTHERN PINTAILS [Canard pilet] in January. David Christie was on a walk on the Mary's Point salt marsh on Monday when a BALD EAGLE [Pygargue à tête blanche] lifted approximately twenty five AMERICAN BLACK DUCKS [Canard noir], however a surprise among them was two male NORTHERN PINTAILS [Canard pilet]. A species David has not seen since November.

** Nature Moncton's member's night went well on Tuesday night with various presenters. Rheal Vienneau gave a very informative update on the status of the Monarch Butterfly as well as pointing out the butterflies often confused with the Monarch and the factors that affect their success in completing their life cycle.

Brian Stone gave a pleasant array of the nature he has observed at Mapleton Park over the past few years, which is surprisingly variable for a city park.

Fred Richards showed an example of the nest boxes he has volunteered to build for a Nature Moncton project to place swallow boxes to help meet safe real estate needs for the species . Fred will be building fifty nest boxes and a group of members will be asked to place them out in early April with an informative workshop on how to place them and to care for them on March 18th. A grant Louise Richard received from Imperial Oil will be used to buy the materials for the nest boxes and Fred will volunteer his time and skills to build the boxes. More on that to come.

Nelson Poirier gave a history of the Nature Moncton Information Line, pointing out that it will have its 23rd birthday this year. He also pointed out the many members that coordinate to prepare and deliver the daily information line and blogspot.

** Danny Sullivan shares some interesting photos recently captured. A leucistic female MALLARD [Canard colvert] duck has appeared with the ducks overwintering at Mapleton Park and Danny got nice photos of it as well as the female WOOD DUCK [Canard branchu] that has become resident there. Also photos are included of some signs of beaver doing some serious lumbering. The target tree does not appear to be the normal beaver favorite of the Aspen. In his own acreage around his home on the Communication Rd. Danny photographed a female PILEATED WOODPECKER [Grand pic], a PORCUPINE [Porc-épic d'Amerique] and an example of grouse scat.

** The activities committee of Nature Moncton has a gull field trip planned for January 28th, and all details are attached below.

Nature Moncton Gull Field Trip with Nelson Poirier and Roger Leblanc

January 28, 2017

Meet at 12:45 P.M. at the Waste Management Facility

The gull is a very common bird -- in fact so common, we may tend to overlook it. But many inland birders might envy the number of gulls present in our area.

It may seem like we have a lot of species of gulls in New Brunswick, but in reality we do not. However, most of our large gull species take 4 years to go from teenager to adult so we may see the same gull in four different plumages.

It is a good time of year to look closely at gulls and easily learn to identify each stage since by now they have all molted into the winter plumage of their year of development.

One of the best places to see gulls in all different phases of development in Moncton is at the landfill area of the Waste Management Site.

Trina Young, manager of the site, has been very generous to offer the use of an excellent room on location for an hour-long workshop on gulls after which we can just step outside to put what we have learned to the test.

We will meet at 12:45 outside the gates of the Waste Management facility (by the gatehouse) and we will go in as a group to the meeting room. Nelson Poirier will give an indoor session at 1:00 PM, and then Roger LeBlanc will lead the group around the site at 2:00 PM to put our new knowledge to the test.

Dress according to conditions and be ready to fly with the gulls!

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton