Nature Moncton Nature News: April 30 2017

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, April 30, 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)

** Lois Budd spotted a RUFFED GROUSE [Gélinotte huppée] high in a tree, on a very small branch, enjoying foraging on swelling buds. The abundant, nutritious buds on trees are the main winter food source of the Ruffed Grouse.

** Mac Wilmot spent an hour enjoying the mud-ice bank of the Petitcodiac River, calving into the river on the far bank from his Lower Coverdale home. The river has widened its channel a great deal in that area since the causeway opening. Mac noted that the calving has been going on for three weeks. On Saturday, blocks of a hundred tons plus were crashing into the river as the receding tide undercut them. They would send tsunami-like waves across the river.

** An interesting RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET [Roitelet à couronne rubis] situation. Mac Wilmot’s grandson, Andy, is aboard the Coast Guard ice breaker, Terry Fox, in the Strait of Belle Isle. Two Ruby-crowned Kinglets arrived on board, presumably for a rest. Andy and a buddy offered them peanut butter, which they happily accepted. Hopefully they get the required fuel to continue their journey, and hopefully there will be a few photos.

** Dave Christie reports a real influx of YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS [Paruline à croupion jaune] and SAVANNAH SPARROWS [Bruant des prés] on Saturday, noting approximately 30 of the warblers around the Lars Larsen Marsh and Shepody River area, and about 20 Savannah Sparrows, most of them in the field by the Mary's Point interpretive centre, with two dropping by his feeder yard, along with a SWAMP SPARROW [Bruant des marais], that made a three rusty-crowned sparrow day at his feeders, along with the AMERICAN TREE SPARROW [Bruant hudsonien] and CHIPPING SPARROW [Bruant familier]. Dave also noted a HERMIT THRUSH [Grive solitaire] in the nearby woods for the first time this season.

** The WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS [Bruant à gorge blanche] have now returned in numbers, and their welcome “Oh Canada, Canada, Canada” songs are pleasant to hear. Stella LeBlanc got a photo of one fuelling up in her Bouctouche yard on Saturday.

** Brian Stone visited a salt marsh area in Dartmouth on Saturday and got an excellent photo of a breeding-plumaged pair of COMMON EIDER [Eider à duvet] to show them nicely, as well as some WILLETS [Chevalier semipalmé] that would have recently arrived in migration. The Willet is a shorebird that will nest in the Maritimes, not heading farther north.

** Aldo Dorio observed 10 YELLOWLEGS [chevalier sp.] and a WILLET at Hay Island on Saturday. The yellowlegs will move on to nest to the north of us, however, the Willets may well stay put right there to set up housekeeping.

** The explanation on the swallow box in yesterday’s edition was incomplete. The pair of TREE SWALLOWS [Hirondelle bicolore], one in the box and the other bringing in nest materials. The swallows had been foraging on flies from nearby fields for two weeks, as is often their habit before going to nest boxes. Jim Fleming has 5 nest boxes up and three are now occupied. The photo is re-attached today.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton