Nature Moncton Nature News: April 5 2017

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, April 05, 2017 (Wednesday)

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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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**Ron Steeves did another watch at Cape Enrage on Tuesday morning. Ron comments it was a beautiful day at Cape Enrage, sunny, no wind and mirror like water and lots of birds. Ron tallied 8 GREAT BLUE HERONS, 5 LESSER SCAUP, 33 LONG-TAILED DUCKS, 169 BRANT, 4 RED BREASTED MERGANSERS, 13 GREAT CORMORANTS, 308 BLACK SCOTERS, 85 SURF SCOTERS, 234 CANADA GEESE, 25 BLACK DUCKS, and reflect on this one, 7,309 EIDERS in the 45 flocks with the largest flock at approximately 450. AMERICAN ROBINS were everywhere with 1000's on lawns and fields on his way home. Ron's not sure where all the scoters are. He comically says maybe they crashed landed after they passed Lepreau realizing the roads to Cape Enrage are too bumpy to fly over.

There may be some night migration of this species going on.

With poor weather forecast for the next few days, Ron suspects that he'll stay home and regroup.

It sure is great that Ron is doing this monitoring to get records on migration at this site.

**Bill and Marguerite Winsor had a very pleasant bird feeder surprise on Tuesday morning when a handsome male PILEATED WOODPECKER arrived to their Salisbury suet feeder to enjoy a feed of their suet blend. Note the fully covered red head and red moustache of the male gender of this species.

**Some of the early blooming cultivars are bursting forth on schedule. Bob Blake comments their tulip plants were very suddenly to 3" on Tuesday.

There has been at least one report of that very early wild bloomer coltsfoot showing some blooms. The warm days forecast after todays hiccup should bring a lot out to sample spring fever.

**The NB NORTHERN CARDINAL population must surely soon have the Moncton area in its sight as a much more common visitor. Speaking with Colin Pyette in Sussex on Monday, he comments they have 2 bonded pairs of northern cardinals in their feeder yard that have been there all winter and has had cardinals in their neighbourhood in recent years. He also commented there are other areas in the Sussex area where northern cardinals have their territories.

Another interesting comment Colin had on PURPLE FINCHES. He had a significant number at his feeder yard all winter with the exception of a brief period in February. I did a bit of a stakeout at Colin's yard on Tuesday. The yard was alive with purple finch and AMERICAN GOLDFINCH. A cardinal was heard vocalizing but none offering an audience but Colin said there are almost constant times earlier mornings and later afternoons.

**I mentioned yesterday we had a sudden onslaught of CEDAR WAXWINGS to the fruit tray offerings in our Moncton yard. On Tuesday the yard could challenge Lester Pearson Airport as they were joined by BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS. They all seemed to be getting along fine and the robins are now glad to join them. The 20lb bag of apples will have to be replenished in a few days if the frenzy continues.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton