Nature Moncton Nature News: April 29 2017

NATURE MONCTON’S INFORMATION LINE – April 29, 2017 (Saturday)

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

Transcript by: Catherine Clements

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

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**David and Elizabeth Eagles watched a male YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER [Pic maculé] doing its thing on the bark of a PINE [Pin] tree by their Centennial Park home on Friday evening. The previously-done workings are very evident in the photograph. Also, the Eagles’ CROCUS [Crocus] plants were bursting with bloom, displaying their pollen which is so attractive to the early-emerging BEES [Abeille].

**Lori Joudry had a TREE SWALLOW [Hirondelle bicolore] checking out a nest box on Friday in her Upper Coverdale yard. The next week may be a very active time for Tree Swallow real estate evaluations.

**Dave Christie reports the first CHIPPING SPARROW [Bruant familier] of the season for his feeder yard arrived on Friday to enjoy waiting white millet. There was still a lingering AMERICAN TREE SPARROW [Bruant hudsonien]. Dave comments the two usually do not overlap in his yard, with the American Tree Sparrow having departed before the first Chipping Sparrows arrive. He checked the margins of his yard pond on Friday evening, expecting to see WOOD FROGS [Grenouille des bois] in the shallow edges, but the only thing he saw was a LEOPARD FROG [Grenouille léopard] that made a rapid exit for deeper water. The Leopard Frogs are usually close behind the Wood Frogs and SPRING PEEPERS [Rainette crucifère] in the spring chorus line. Dave comments that Peepers were in a vocalizing frenzy on Friday night, as I expect they were in many of the more southerly areas of New Brunswick.

**Brian Stone was in Shubie Park in Dartmouth on Friday, to find a PAINTED TURTLE [Tortue peinte] out sunbathing, a SNAPPING TURTLE [Chélydre serpentine] that would not leave under water for a better photo, RED-BERRIED ELDER [Sureau rouge] about to open into bloom, and RED MAPLE [Érable rouge] in full bloom.

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