Nature Moncton Nature News: April 16 2017

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, April 16, 2017 (Sunday)

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

Transcript by: David Christie maryspt@mac.com

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

** Ron Steeves and Dave Miller spent another 7 hours faithfully monitoring migration from the New Horton churchyard on Friday. Ron says that it was a very, very slow day. They spotted 11 raptors that they felt were migrating and 5 of those were thought to be SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS [Épervier brun]. When proper light allowed, they were able to identify approximately a thousand COMMON EIDERS [Eider à duvet] in five flocks. There was a good stream of small birds on the move.

They stopped at John Inman’s 225 Mary's Point Road feeder yard, and Ron comments that it’s no wonder that he has no birds at his own feeders, because John Inman has them all!

** Dave Christie reports a few new arrivals in recent days in the Harvey area. A pair of BLUE-WINGED TEAL [Sarcelle à ailes bleues] were on the Lars Larsen Marsh on Saturday. Blue-winged Teal are among the later arriving migratory waterfowl. A RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET [Roitelet à couronne rubis] was in active song in his yard on Friday.

The seven FOX SPARROWS [Bruant fauve] that he had in his yard earlier in the week seem to have moved on, and were not seen on Friday and Saturday. Dave wondered if they had continued their migration north or moved to the wooded area that is now much more clear of snow. Big flocks of COMMON GRACKLES [Quiscale bronzé], smaller number of RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS [Carouge à épaulettes], and a few BROWN-HEADED COWBIRDS [Vacher à tête brune], including females, are dropping by.

** Jean Renton is at their Canaan camp at the moment, noting lots of activity there. She has 3 warblers coming to suet that she feels are CAPE MAY WARBLERS [Paruline tigrée]. ( Palm, Yellow-rumped,or Pine Warblers would be more expected). GREAT HORNED OWLS [Grand-duc d'Amérique] are vocalizing from each side of the river and are calling during the day as well as at night. PURPLE FINCH [Roselin pourpré] are back in numbers and 3 WHITE-TAILED DEER [Cerf de Virginie] are regulars.

** On Saturday, Louise Nichols checked the swallow boxes that she and Roger LeBlanc had erected on Friday at the White Birch Ducks Unlimited impoundment. Tree swallows were already checking the nest boxes.

** Brian Stone and Don Hayston made a run to the Shediac and Cap-Pelé area on Saturday and saw lots of activity on the water. SURF SCOTERS [Macreuse à front blanc] were much more evident, especially in the rue Niles wharf area at Cap-Pelé. SCAUP [Fuligule sp.] and RING-NECKED DUCK [Fuligule à collier] were about.

The male SPECKLED ALDER [Aulne rugueux ] catkins are in full bloom, which must be very welcome to the early pollinators, noted by several in the past few days. The OSPREY [Balbuzard pêcheur] pair had arrived and were busy at the nest beside the highway overpass at Cap-Pelé.

** I went to clean out a kestrel box on Saturday that had been occupied last season. A male AMERICAN KESTREL [Crécerelle d'Amérique] was already around the box, so I expect it may be used again. It may be one of the pair that took the box for the first time last year. It was not occupied until much later than this, last year. I also put up four swallow boxes as part of the Nature Moncton nest box project.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton