Nature Moncton Nature News: June 8 2017

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, June 08, 2017 ( Thursday )

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

Transcript by: Brian Stone bjpstone@gmail.com

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

** Jamie and Karen Burris visited Bell Marsh on Wednesday morning in hopes of an audience with the COMMON GALLINULE [Gallinule poule-d'eau]. It gave them a few seconds of observation when it suddenly appeared with MALLARD [Canard colvert] ducks, however the area erupted when suddenly a mink appeared on the scene to raise a flurry of reaction from the ducks that chose to make their departure in a hurry. Some of Jamie's photos illustrate the panic.

To make a good day better, a male EASTERN BLUEBIRD [Merlebleu de l'Est] was in full song in their Riverview yard when they arrived home. It stayed all afternoon assumedly singing for a mate. They also had a pair of MALLARD [Canard colvert] ducks fly into their yard to forage on ground seed. It is the first time they have had ducks come to their yard in the 24 years they have lived there.

** JanetTingley and Margaret Murray took a walk back in a field on Margaret's Scotch Settlement property to see a pair of BOBOLINKS [Goglu des prés]. Margaret sees and hears them regularly in that field and suspects that they are doing well.

** Brian and Annette Stone and Carol Shea went to the Lutz, Longstaff, Parish Law Building in Hampton, N.B. Wednesday evening to view the CHIMNEY SWIFTS [Martinet ramoneur] tumbling into the old chimney there at dusk. At least fifty or more birds were seen circling and calling in the air above the building to suddenly decide it was time to dive into the chimney together.

** Dale Gaskin recently reported a YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER [Pic maculé] coming to a fruit pile in his Dawson Settlement Rd. yard. On Thursday morning at 7:00 am a bright, male BALTIMORE ORIOLE was at the same fruit pile. Lots of color at that fruit basket. Dale also has EASTERN BLUEBIRDS [Merlebleu de l'Est] that are now coming regularly to his yard to feed on dried meal worms he has tried. I'm sure many of us have seen these at some bird supply areas and wondered about them, they obviously do work.

** Marla Rossiter shares some excellent photos of a male NORTHERN PARULA [Paruline à collier] warbler which she comments is a tradition at the end of May for them to drop by her yard, very much enjoying the bugs in her yard bushes.

** Brian Stone and Don Hayston were also at the Bell Marsh and Tucker St. Ducks Unlimited impoundment in Riverview on Wednesday morning. Damselflies and Dragonflies are coming to life with the warm temperatures with lively activity from ducks and CANADA GEESE [Bernaches du Canada] with Goslings. Bell Marsh gave a nice COMMON YELLOWTHROAT [Paruline masquée] warbler to nicely show its Lone Ranger look. A duck decoy appeared to possibly get birders in a tizzy, and a school group showed Brian a plump tadpole that they had found. Brian also noted a Song Sparrow feeding a fledgling on Wednesday in his yard.

** After comments yesterday about not seeing Cormorants perched on utility wires Louise Nichols sends a photo of three DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS [Cormoran à aigrettes] doing a tightrope act on utility wires near the Sackville lagoon last fall. Their webbed feet are probably not the best for perching on wires.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton