Nature Moncton Nature News: April 12 2017

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, April 12, 2017 (Wednesday)

Please advise editor at nelson@nb.sympatico.ca if any errors are noted in wording or photo labeling.

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelson@nb.sympatico.ca
Transcript by: Catherine Johnson johnson2@xplornet.com
Info Line # 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)
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**It was another cold windy morning at Cape Enrage for Dave Miller and Ron Steeves who spent two hours at Cape Enrage and two hours at New Horton church monitoring migration on Tuesday. Relatively small movement of birds compared to recent days but large NORTHERN FLICKER migration, probably in the hundreds and first TREE SWALLOW of the year. Dozens of ROBINS were coming in and a fair amount of other small song birds. The prize of the day was an adult GOLDEN EAGLE seen at the church. Other birds recorded; 2,720 COMMON EIDERS, 227 BLACK SCOTERS, 36 SURF SCOTERS, 4 COMMON LOONS, 190 sea ducks that were seen up the river in poor light from the church.

Again, major appreciation to Ron for all the efforts it takes to provide these important records.

**On Tuesday Gordon Rattray made a run from Hillsborough to Mary's Pt. He checked two BALD EAGLE nests north of Hopewell Cape and there were birds in both nests. He could not check the nest in Hillsborough as the road is not open yet. Before leaving his home he had his daily visit of five WHITE-TAILED DEER and heard his first songbirds with a photo. While at Hopewell Cape he saw 3 RED-TAILED HAWKS overhead riding the thermals overhead and got photos. Note in Gordon's excellent flight shots of the red-tailed hawks how the patagial bar, that dark area next to body on the frontal edge of the wings shows so beautifully. This mark is specific to the red-talked hawk, immature and mature. One of the birds is showing the immature barred tail.

Lots of GREAT BLUE HERONS on the river and especially near Lars Larson Marsh. At Mary's Pt there were many NORTHERN FLICKERS and one RUFFED GROUSE. Gordon comments it was a great day.

**Dave Christie reports Tuesday had lots of Great Blue Herons arrive. He saw 22 in Lars Larson marsh and 15 across the road in the salt marsh. Also 25 NORTHERN FLICKERS from Mary's Pt. to Harvey, one EASTERN PHOEBE, two AMERICAN KESTRELS in debate over breeding territory, two TURKEY VULTURES for the second time on Tuesday with first sightings on Sunday with 3 TURKEY VULTURES in Riverside-Albert, SONG SPARROWS AND DARK-EYED JUNCOS were swelling in numbers around Dave's home while FOX SPARROWS were up to at least 7 on Thursday.

**Ruth Ricker-Leblanc noted a MOURNING CLOAK BUTTERFLY in her Moncton yard on Tuesday. She got a documentary photo showing the back up of the wing. This species overwinters as the adult and is ready to fly to at first heat to explain why we can see them now. The COMMA group of butterflies could be doing the same thing.

**It surly seems like Monday and Tuesday were significant TREE SWALLOW arrival days in NB.

Jean-Paul Leblanc reports they had their first tree swallow of the year to their Bouctouche to their yard on Tuesday.

**Mac Wilmot had a lone male PINE GROSBEAK perched high in the yard maple tree vocalizing in his Lower Coverdale yard on Tuesday. It moved on before Mac could get a photo.

**Marlene Hickman had been watching her Dorchester BLACKBIRD visitors for tagalongs. On Tuesday she spotted her first BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD but it tended to be solitary. DARK-EYED JUNCOS were also very prominent for Marlene on Tuesday.

**Georges Brun is noting the new arrivals around the bend of the Petitcodiac River. A pair of Great Blue Heron were standing at the waters edge, a female COMMON EIDER floated up the river into the Halls creek and a SONG SPARROW was perched on the tip of a conifer tree in full song. He noted DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS and BLACK SCOTERS near the Ward Rd. in Cocagne. Georges expects the Bald Eagles will soon be congregating an hour or so before bore arrival in anticipation of the spring runs of smelt and gaspereau.

**Some of the early spring cultivar flowers are bouncing to life and the early emerging bees could not be more delighted. Brian Stone had some crocus blooming in his front yard and the pollen producing structures are bringing in the small bees we have in NB that are so important as pollinators that have had little study but are exceedingly important. Brian photographed both MINING bees and SWEAT bees gathering pollen in the small crocus patch in the warmth of Tuesday.

**Aldo Doris noted a KILLDEER visiting Hay Island on Tuesday as well as a tree swallow already checking out a nest box on Tuesday. Tree swallows often check out nest boxes as soon as they arrive, then tend to go elsewhere for a few weeks before settling into a house and set up housekeeping. But it sure is time to have boxes up, cleaned and ready for their inspection.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton