Nature Moncton Nature News: May 10 2017

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, May 10, 2017 (Wednesday)

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

For more information on Nature Moncton, check into the website at www.naturemoncton.com

Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelson@nb.sympatico.ca
Transcript by: Catherine Johnson johnson2@xplornet.com
Info Line # 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)
To respond by e-mail, please address your message to the information line editor nelson@nb.sympatico.ca.

**There will be a Nature Moncton workshop this this coming Saturday afternoon May 13 at the Tankville School, 1665 Elmwood Dr., given by Melissa Fulton from Nature NB. The write up for it is attached and as always all are welcome.

BIRDS, BEES AND BUTTERFLIES WORKSHOP

SPONSERED BY NATURE NB FOR NATURE MONCTON

SATURDAY MAY 13, 1:00 – 3:30

TANKVILLE SCHOOL, 1665 ELMWOOD DR

COST: $10 (to cover building supplies and plant material)

Habitat loss, among other things, is one of the largest obstacles threatening our wildlife in New Brunswick. At Nature NB's “Birds, Bees, and Butterflies” workshop, you’ll learn how to provide healthy habitat for our threatened pollinators and aerial insectivores and other wildlife species you’d like to attract to your backyard.

During this workshop, you will learn the benefits that come with sharing your space with wildlife and the different types of natural structures you can create to do so in your backyard. You will also build a small wildlife structure to take home and will learn how to create your own pollinator garden - Nature NB will provide some backyard plants to get you started.

ALL ARE WELCOME, NATURE MONCTON MEMBER OR NOT.

**John Inman saw what he thought may be a male EURASIAN WIGEON in the Shepody River behind his 225 Mary's Pt. Rd. home on Tuesday morning. John and Dave Christie went looking for it and saw it with 2 AMERICAN WIGEONS at high tide at 11am. It was seen at quite a distance and similar tide conditions would be at 12 noon today. It was travelling with 2 AMERICAN WIGEONS.

Dave also got a call about an EASTERN KINGBIRD in Riverside-Albert on Tuesday which is the first that he has heard about in that area.

**Last Sunday the Irishtown Nature Park hosted a number of high school students for their annual Eco-Fest Challenge. Teams came from as far away as Caraquet and PEI. One of the activities was a nature walk hosted by Denis Doucet. After he finished and as they approached the parking lot at 12 noon, Denis paused and said he heard a male GREAT-HORNED OWL, and then he added, “and there is a female”. They apparently have a nest within 100 meters of the parking lot there and a number of CROWS were harassing the two of them. The crows succeeded in flushing the two great horned owls out and the whole group was able to see both the male and the larger female owl. Dave Cannon's photo of the male owl is attached.

**Penny Clark advises the BALD EAGLE nest at Camp Wildwood at McKees's Mills continues to be active and it all seems well.

**The GRAY JAY is always a special bird to see. They would be on nest now, incubating eggs. It can be hard enough to have an audience with an adult gray jay, let alone a fledgling. The fledged birds are sooty gray with some pale edges to the tail feathers before they moult to adult plumage. We seldom see them and possibly not recognize them if not with a parents. Most of us have never seen one. Janet Kempster was in the right place at the right time with her camera and was able to photograph one in July of 2016. Some of Janet's photos are attached. The subject was very backlit and hard to get good photos but Janet was very lucky to get what she got to record her good fortune.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton