Nature Moncton Nature News: 2017-08-27

Saturday 2 September 2017

Sept 2 2017

NATURE MONCTON’S INFORMATION LINE – 2 September 2017 (Saturday)n

To respond by email, please address your message to the Information Line Editor, nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Please advise the Editor if any errors are noted in wording or photo labelling.

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

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

Transcript by: Catherine Clements

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

**Jean Renton is at their Canaan Forks camp at the moment. She reports there are three doe WHITE TAILED DEER [Chevreuil] coming out into a field below their camp. One has two fawns, one has one fawn, and the other with no young. Jean comments they all come out together sometimes. Jean also comments her sister was very surprised to have five BAY-BREASTED WARBLERS [Paruline à poitrine baie] all at once visit her bird waterer in Berry Mills recently.

**Nature Moncton member Lindsay Gauvin has become the new Executive Director of the Petitcodiac Watershed Alliance. Past Director Christine McLauchlan has resigned to further her education, and Lindsay is now deep into her new position. We look forward to hearing from Lindsay what is going on with the Petitcodiac Watershed Alliance, as it is very much in line with the interests of Nature Moncton. Lindsay has done a beautiful job of an overall update of activity, and I’m going to quote her message below, that describes Petitcodiac Watershed Alliance activities so well.

“Here are some updates on the Petitcodiac Watershed Alliance activities:

We started a new bird conservation project in August called “80 million birds” which is an outreach initiative where we discuss the impact that domestic cats have on local wildlife populations. In Canada, it is estimated that domestic outdoor cats kill 80 million birds each year and people are trying to find new ways to reduce the amount of bird deaths by cats. The Cat Collar Covers by BirdsBeSafe have been scientifically tested and shown to reduce the hunting efficiency of cats and therefore reduce the amount of bird deaths by cats. These collar covers are made of brightly coloured fabric which songbirds can easily see and the collar covers also have a reflective trim to make cats safe by making them more visible to motorists at night. These collar covers are available at Global Pet Foods in Moncton and Dieppe. The project has been very successful, we originally purchased 250 collar covers from BirdsBeSafe and we have less than 25 left.

The Waste Warriors Project is still on the go until the end of this year. We have been hosting community clean ups this summer and will be hosting more community clean ups this fall to prevent waste from entering our waterways and preventing harm to habitat. We will be looking for volunteers to help us with stream cleanups. If you would like to volunteer, please contact volunteer@petitcodiacwatershed.org. Microplastics are now a big concern and their impact to aquatic ecosystems are on the rise. Therefore, we are conducting microplastics sampling as part of Adventure Science’s Global Microplastics Initiative, the world’s largest microplastics study and dataset, to monitor the amount of microplastics found in the Petitcodiac and Memramcook River watersheds. This summer, we sponsored an artist, Bordalo II, to create a Wood Turtle mural made entirely of garbage as an outreach initiative demonstrating our everyday waste culture for the Festival Inspire. This mural was voted the Best 2017 Festival Inspire mural by The East Mag. The mural is displayed on the “Starving Artist Gallery and Gifts” shop on 80 Assomption Blvd. We hope to continue educating communities on ways to reduce waste in aquatic ecosystems.

The Water Quality Monitoring is still on the go until the end of this year. This year was the 20^th year of water quality monitoring for the Petitcodiac Watershed Alliance! We monitor changes in water quality within the Petitcodiac and Memramcook River watersheds on a monthly basis by looking at 7 different parameters that indicate water quality to ensure the local communities know the health and impacts related to their local streams and rivers. We will publish a report at the end of the year on our website for anyone interested in water quality monitoring in the Petitcodiac and Memramcook River watersheds.

The Broken Brooks Project is almost done for this year! The goal of this project is to assess culverts in fish bearing streams throughout the watershed to determine the amount of uninhibited access to habitat available for fish and determining locations of blockages. This year, we assessed many culverts, performed numerous debris removals and installed many rock weirs on streams within the Pollett and Little River sub-watersheds. We hope to continue working on this project in the following years as it is an ongoing process to make sure culverts are still fish passable year after year.

Other projects can be found on our website at:

http://petitcodiacwatershed.org/science/projects/.”

Lindsay Gauvin

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca
Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton

Friday 1 September 2017

September 1 2017

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, September 1, 2017 (Friday)

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: Louise Nichols nicholsl@eastlink.ca

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.

** Roger Leblanc paid a visit to Petit-Cap on Thursday. He did not hit it right for shorebirds, but Petit-Cap always does seem to have surprises. Roger observed 25 CASPIAN TERNS [Sterne caspienne] loafing on the lagoon side. There were some juveniles among them. Roger comments that this is the most Caspian Terns he has ever seen in one spot in New Brunswick.

** Ray Gauvin sends a photo of a BEE [Abeille] with a very full “pollen basket” on its leg, foraging on white roses in front of the Parlee Beach Provincial Office on the Parlee Beach Rd.

** Aldo Dorio sends a photo of a BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON [Bihoreau gris] adult at Tabusintac. Both adults and young of the year are roaming the area now. Aldo also photographed fish in a shallow pool at Hay Island. They appear to be BANDED KILLIFISH [Fondule Barré]. Note the striping on the side and the yellow spot on the dorsal fin on some of them which some feel is suggestive of this species.

** I visited the Sackville Waterfowl Park on Thursday. There were approximately 60 shorebirds there, mostly both Yellowleg species. One LESSER YELLOWLEGS [Petit Chevalier] was having a chat with a PIED-BILLED GREBE [Grèbe à bec bigarré] we seem to rarely see out of water. A few GREATER YELLOWLEGS [Grand Chevalier] were perched on a swallow box and by the look of the guano have been using it regularly as a perch.

** This week’s Sky-at-a-Glance is included in this edition, courtesy of Curt Nason.

This Week’s Sky at a Glance, September 2 – September 9

Another solar system event highlights this weekend, a relatively close
encounter with the fourth largest near-Earth asteroid (NEA), 3122
Florence. This 4.4 kilometre diameter rock passed within seven million
kilometres of Earth on the morning of September 1. It is fading slowly
but will remain within reach of small telescopes over the long weekend.
I have seen two NEAs in the past 15 years and consider them to be among
my observing highlights, both for the challenge and the uniqueness.

The trick to observing one is ambush it. Get a detailed star map of its
path through the sky and pick out an easily identifiable star or group
of stars that it will be passing during your observing time. Set your
scope on that area ahead of time - then keep watch for a moving star
entering the field of view. A smaller NEA making a closer passage can be
affected by Earth’s gravity and have its orbit changed slightly, so a
wide-field eyepiece helps (higher focal length eyepiece). However,
Florence is large and still quite distant (no need to wear a helmet),
making orbital perturbations unlikely. It moves among the starry
background by about two-thirds the width of the Moon every hour, visible
motion at higher magnification when it is near a star. The best time to
try for it is around 9 pm Saturday when it passes between the belly and
the nose of Delphinus the Dolphin. A map on the Sky & Telescope website
can be found here:
http://wwwcdn.skyandtelescope.com/wp-content/uploads/3122-Florence-Chart-B-1.pdf

Delphinus is one of the prettiest constellations and can be seen high in
the southeast around 9 pm. It is composed of a small diamond-shaped
asterism with a couple of stars tailing off to the right, and it doesn’t
take a lot of imagination to picture a dolphin leaping out of the sea.
Although its stars are not bright, its compact shape is eye-catching.
Below it are the watery constellations of Capricornus, Aquarius, Piscis
Austrinus and Pisces. In mythology, Poseidon had designs on the sea
nymph Amphitrite but she was afraid and hid from him. The dolphin ratted
her out and was rewarded with a place of honour in the sky. The diamond
part of the constellation has also been called Job’s Coffin but the
origin of this has been lost to time.

This Week in the Solar System

Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 6:41 am and sunset will occur at
7:55 pm, giving 13 hours, 14 minutes of daylight (6:47 am and 7:59 pm in
Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 6:50 am and set at 7:41
pm, giving 12 hours, 51 minutes of daylight (6:55 am and 7:46 pm in
Saint John).

The Moon is full on Wednesday, the Mi’kmaq Moose Calling Moon. Jupiter
lies low in the west after sunset as it approaches a conjunction with
Spica. Saturn remains in good viewing position in the south after
sunset, with its rings proudly on display for telescope users. Venus
rises after 4 am now and dominates the eastern morning sky despite being
near its dimmest. Mercury, Mars and Regulus can be seen with difficulty
within the same binocular field this week, rising about 75 minutes
before the Sun.

The Saint John Astronomy Club and RASC NB share a meeting at the
Rockwood Park Interpretation Centre on Saturday, September 9 at 1 pm.
All are welcome.

Questions? Contact Curt Nason at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton

BEE WITH FULL POLLEN BASKET.AUG 31, 2017.RAY GAUVIN

BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON (ADULT).AUG 31, 2017.ALDO DORIO

Dolphin

FISH (SUSPECT BANDED KILLIFISH).AUG 31, 2017.ALDO DORIO

GREATER YELLOWLEGS. AUG 31, 2017.NELSON POIRIER

LESSER YELLOWLEGS.AUG 31, 2017.NELSON POIRIER

PIED-BILLED GREBE AND LESSER YELLOWLEGS.AUG 31, 2017.NELSON POIRIER

Thursday 31 August 2017

August 31 2017

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, August 31, 2017 (Thursday)

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.

**Bill Winsor revisited the Taylor road site the Nature Moncton field trip had visited on Monday morning. He was able to spot 2 BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS and got a photo of a male bird. He saw a FLYCATCHER in the same location as the group did on Monday to get a better photo to suggest it to be an EASTERN WOOD PEWEE basing it on the long wing projection. The lower orange mandible of this species does not show possibly due to lighting or immaturity. Bill saw the woodpeckers near some lone Pines on the north side of the road, approximately 1/2 km past the “4 km” sign.

**Ray Gauvin shares a video he took of Bees and Painted Lady butterflies active around the Parlee Beach Rd, by the Provincial Park office, in the big clump of flowers by the walking trail. Check out the video at the attached link. https://www.dropbox.com/s/f2hcwwqdx71cnf0/MVI_6188.MOV?dl=0

The flower cultivar there that seems so attractive to many species of insects is Blazing Star, aka Gay flower.

**I noted one of those to me confusing fall warblers in our yard on Monday with Gilles Belliveau comments we suspected it to be a COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, either a dull adult female or a first year female.

Also very near it a parent SONG sparrow was feeding a fledgling.

**As a heads up for next week, September 06, there will be an open house event at the Johnson's Mills Shorebird Nature Conservancy Canada Interpretive Centre to mark World Shorebirds Day. The announcement is attached below.

Next Wednesday, September 6^th at 11am, people with an interest in shorebirds and conservation will gather at Nature Conservancy of Canada's interpretive centre at 2724 Route 935, Johnson's Mills, NB.

Please join us.

September 6th is World Shorebirds Day and closing day for our seasonal interpretive centre. We are taking this time to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of Shepody Bay's designation as a Western Hemispheric Shorebird Reserve Network site and announcing the protection of 32 acres of critical migratory shorebird habitat at Len Buck Brook (3km east of the centre). This gathering will also provide an opportunity for everyone to see the beautiful friendship quilt we have on display as part of a Commission for Environmental Cooperation, "Connecting People through Shorebirds" initiative.

This informal event is open to the public and will start with a few remarks followed by a volunteer run BBQ 11:00 – 3:00pm.

Hope to see you all there,

Kerry Lee Morris-Cormier

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton

BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER.AUG 30, 2017.BILL WINSOR

BLAZING STAR AKA GAYFLOWER.AUG 30, 2017.RAY GAUVIN

COMMON YELLOWTHROAT WARBLER (DULL ADULT FEMALE OR 1ST YEAR FEMALE).AUG 30. 2017.NELSON POIRIER

EASTERN WOOD PEWEE.AUG 30, 2017.BILL WINSOR

MERLIN.AUG 29, 2017.ALDO DORIO

SONG SPARROW AND FLEDGLING.AUG 30. 2017.NELSON POIRIER

Wednesday 30 August 2017

August 30 2017

-----NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, Aug. 30, 2017 (Wednesday)

To view the photos mentioned in this edition, go to
http://nminfoline.blogspot.ca/

To respond by e-mail, please address your message to the information line
editor nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Please advise if any errors are noted in wording or photo labeling.

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

Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelson@nb.sympatico.ca
Info Line # 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)

Since Winston Jones got the report back that the tree pitch pine was used in his barn built in 1865, house built in the 1825, and Lower Coverdale Church in 1865 that was harvested in the local area with the tree no longer known here, his curiosity is growing as to what happened to the species in New Brunswick. Am attaching a quote of some of Winston’s thoughts and he can be reached via email at jwinston1225@gmail.com or telephone Winston at 387-5808 if anyone would like to follow up on this historical information.

Some further thoughts on pitch pine.

It sees unlikely to me that there would be only one isolated stand of pitch pine in

NB when the barn and house were built here, about 1865 and 1825 respectively.

So where did the Pitch Pine go?

The settlers that built the first remaining buildings in the Moncton area came from New England and points south where Pitch Pine is common. They would know of its merits as a building material. Consider that many old houses down there are a century older than the oldest buildings here! So if they saw the same trees here, they logically would use them. How possible, maybe even probable, that the Trites House and the Free Meeting House are framed with the same timber. The Coverdale United Church, also built in 1865 with timber from this farm , should also be on the list. Could someone interest the Mount A dendrochronology lab in testing the wood in these buildings?

Pitch Pine, according to Wikipedia, grows on acidic, nutrient poor soils such as we have around Moncton, except for the marshes where the Acadians first settled. It also establishes easily and abundantly. So again, where did it go, if indeed, it was here? Again, from Wikipedia, pitch was used to waterproof wooden ships, Moncton built wooden ships, and white men being what we are, we probably cut down every last tree and pulled up every last seedling and sapling to get pitch for shipbuilding. Makes sense to me.

I couldn't find out how you get pitch for waterproofing from trees; my googling skills are limited. But it would be interesting to me to know. If any of your readers are interested in this subject, I would be happy to hear from them to discuss my ideas.

Cheers, Winston Jones

Choke berries are ripe at the moment. Lisa Morris got a photo of the now ripe berries plus a photo of them in flower in mid-June. The choke berry favours coastal areas. They are not toxic but not flavorful.

On the Taylor Road Nature Moncton Field trip on Monday, a few Atlantis Fritillary butterflies were noted and photographed. They all seemed small for this species. Jim Edsall comments the grey eyes are a giveaway for the species in Eastern Canada.

I recently noticed concentrated colonies of yellow aphids on our yard patch of swamp milkweed. Bugguide guide has identified them as oleander aphids that tend to favour milkweed in North America and are bright yellow and easily seen to advertise the fact they contain toxic cardiac glycosides from milkweed just as the monarch butterfly does. They don’t seem to be doing significant harm to the plants at least at this point.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier

ATLANTIS FRITILLARY BUTTERFLY. AUG 28, 2017. GORDON RATTRAY

ATLANTIS FRITILLARY BUTTERFLY. AUG 28, 2017.NELSON POIRIER

CHOKEBERRY .AUG 15, 2017.LISA MORRIS

CHOKEBERRY IN FLOWER.JUNE 15, 2017.LISA MORRIS

OLEANDER APHIDS ON SWAMP MILKWEED. AUG 29, 2017.NELSON POIRIER

Tuesday 29 August 2017

August 29 2017

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, Aug. 29, 2017 (Tuesday)

To respond by e-mail, please address your message to the information line editor nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Please advise if any errors are noted in wording or photo labeling.

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

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

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

A special thank you to Dave Miller for giving his day to an excellent turnout of participants to visit Taylor Road on Monday for a Nature Moncton Field Trip. It was foggy and cool early to later let the sun burst through. Many birds were on the move with lots of warblers, many in challenging plumages, flycatchers, waxwings, a red-tailed hawk, broad-winged Hawk, and juvenile bald Eagle. There was a surprising number of fresh viceroy butterflies moving about. Gordon Rattray captured several photos. The early morning fog made the spider webs look special.

Louise Nichols did her shorebird count at Ann’s acres near Cape Jourimain on Saturday to have an excellent showing of 11 species of shorebirds as well as an excellent set of photos to share. The single dunlin still had its distinctive black chest patch of breeding plumage, a plumage we seldom see as the dunlin migrate through in the fall

Lisa Morris got a photo of a colourful caterpillar of the American lady butterfly on Monday in the Richibucto area. She also got a photo of ripening wild raisin and a photo of painted trillium in fruit.

Roger LeBlanc observed a few scenarios in Notre Dame on Sunday that caught his attention.

He noted a group of Eastern bluebirds, predominantly male birds, flying as a flock and vocalizing loudly. They were checking out swallow nest boxes, going in and out assumedly scouting for next spring. There have been reports of this activity each fall for the past several years at this time of year and later. Roger also noted a group of approximately 20 sparrows of a blend of white-throated sparrows, chipping sparrows, and song sparrows, all moving together and foraging together. There appeared to be a lot of young of the year in the group.

AMERICAN LADY BUTTERFLY CATERPILLAR.AUG 28, 2017.LISA MORRIS

BALD EAGLE (JUVENILE). AUG 28, 2017. GORDON RATTRAY

BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER. LOUISE NICHOLS. AUG. 28, 2017

DUNLIN . LOUISE NICHOLS. AUG. 28, 2017

DUNLIN. LOUISE NICHOLS. AUG. 28, 2017

LEAST SANDPIPER. LOUISE NICHOLS. AUG. 28, 2017

LESSER YELLOWLEGS. LOUISE NICHOLS. AUG. 28, 2017

PALM WARBLER. AUG 28, 2017. GORDON RATTRAY

RED-TAILED HAWK. AUG 28, 2017. GORDON RATTRAY

SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER. LOUISE NICHOLS. AUG. 28, 2017

SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER. LOUISE NICHOLS. AUG. 28, 2017

SPIDER WEB. AUG 28, 2017. GORDON RATTRAY

TRILLIUM (IN BERRY).AUG 28, 2017.LISA MORRIS

VICEROY BUTTERFLY.AUG 28, 2017.NELSON POIRIER

WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER. LOUISE NICHOLS. AUG. 28, 2017

WILD RAISIN.AUG 28, 2017.LISA MORRIS

WILLET. LOUISE NICHOLS. AUG. 28, 2017

Monday 28 August 2017

August 28 2017

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, updated for Aug. 28, 2017 (Monday)

Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelson@nb.sympatico.ca
Transcript by: David Christie maryspt@mac.com
Info Line # 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)

** Winston Jones, at the farm in Upper Coverdale, has come up with some interesting history regarding PITCH PINE (Pinus rigida), a tree species not considered to be native to New Brunswick. In 2007, he submitted wood from the beams of his 140-year-old barn to the dendrology lab at Mount Allison University in Sackville. After a lot of research, they were able to show that they were very likely to be Pitch Pine that was harvested for the barn and the nearby Chapman house. This therefore suggests that there was a stand of Pitch Pine in that area at the time. Pitch Pine is a 3-needle pine, whereas our native New Brunswick pines are all two or five needle pines. A link is attached to the detailed research report done at the dendrology lab.

www.madlabsk.ca/2007-14.pdf

** Gabriel Gallant stepped outside his Saint-Marie-de-Kent home recently and spotted a red eft, the terrestrial stage of the EASTERN NEWT [Triton vert]. The red eft stage goes to land for two to three years, then back to the water to permanently live its adult life. Red efts are not often seen as they are nocturnal and secretive.

Gabriel is also noting a lot of GREEN FROGS [Grenouille verte] around the foundation of his home and suspects they are coming from a neighbour's pond.

** Jamie Burris got another photo of a RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD [Colibri à gorge rubis] with spots of red on the throat that suggest a young-of-the-year male or the occasional female that can develop red spots.

** Aldo Dorio forwarded a photo of an adult SPOTTED SANDPIPER [Chevalier grivelé]. The young-of-the-year that are now out do not have the spotted breast. This sandpiper breeds in New Brunswick.

** Susan Linkletter has been mystified for some time by what was foraging on her organic farm zucchini and squash. She found the culprit in the act, a PORCUPINE [Porc-épic]. She unfortunately found that it has a liking for peas and romaine lettuce as well. For gardening interest, Susan found a variety of spinach called "Acadia," from the High Mowing Organic Seed Company is flourishing and what was said could not be done.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton

PORCUPINE CHEWED SQUASH.AUG 26, 2017.SUSAN LINKLETTER

PORCUPINE.AUG 26, 2017.SUSAN LINKLETTER

Red Eft. Aug 27,2017. Gabriel Gallant

RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD AUG 27, 2017 JAMIE BURRIS

SPINASH IN JULY.SUSAN LINKLETTER

SPOTTED SANDPIPER (ADULT).AUG 27, 2017.ALDO DORIO

Sunday 27 August 2017

August 27 2017

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, Aug. 27, 2017 (Sunday)

To view the photos mentioned in this edition, go to http://nminfoline.blogspot.ca/

To respond by e-mail, please address your message to the information line editor nelson@nb.sympatico.ca Please advise if any errors are noted in wording or photo labeling.

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

Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelson@nb.sympatico.ca
Transcript by: David Christie maryspt@mac.com
Info Line # 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)

** A big thank you to Roger LeBlanc for an excellent presentation on our expected common shorebirds on Saturday morning, followed by a visit to Riverview Marsh where everyone was able to see GREATER YELLOWLEGS [Grand Chevalier], LESSER YELLOWLEGS [Petit Chevalier], SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER [Bécasseau semipalmé], LEAST SANDPIPER [Bécasseau minuscule], SEMIPALMATED PLOVER [Pluvier semipalmé], WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER [Bécasseau à croupion blanc], and special bonuses of one SOLITARY SANDPIPER [Chevalier solitaire] and one WILSON'S PHALAROPE [Phalarope de Wilson]. The phalarope chose to stay near the opposite shore most of the time; I was sure surprised, when I got home, to find that the camera set at 83x zoom had actually got it, as it poked quickly among the pond grasses. However, as expected, Carmella Melanson got a better one!

** Last week, Wendy Sullivan and Elaine Gallant had an observation of something we seldom see, a juvenile PIPING PLOVER [Pluvier siffleur]. Wendy got some great photos of this specialty in association with SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS [Pluvier semipalmé] and SANDERLINGS [Bécasseau sanderling].

** Gordon Rattray visited the Gray Brook dam at Hillsborough and got more nice photos of the EASTERN WOOD-PEWEE [Pioui de l'Est] to show more details. Note that the bill shows the dark upper and orange-yellow lower mandible. He also got photos of a RED-EYED VIREO [Viréo aux heuristic rouges] as well as one of the many GREAT BLUE HERONS [Grand Héron], foraging with the young of the year that are out now. Gordon also got a first-year male COMMON YELLOWTHROAT [Paruline masquée]. Look closely at the warbler to see the black of the face mask starting to form as a slight gray sheen where the border of the mask will be.

** Some of the dogwood species seem to be doing very well this year, as evidenced by the berry crop. Gary Gilbert came across some in fruit on the Tower Road and took a photo. The species appears to be ROUND-LEAVED DOGWOOD [Bois de calumet], as the leaves do appear to be opposite.

** Cheryl Stewart in Quarryville has some CLIFF SWALLOW [Hirondelle à front blanc] nests on her house window ledges each year. Surprisingly, she is still seeing some swallows at the nests. It does seem late. One would wonder if a first nesting failed and some tried for a second chance.

** Dale Gaskin comments that he has been seeing no male RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRDS [Colibri à gorge rubis] around his three very active feeders for three days, which is to be very much expected at this date, when only females and juveniles are likely to be with us for another week to ten days, then stragglers only, or off-course surprises. [Transcriber's note: As I finished typing that sentence I looked up to see 3 hummers buzzing around the feeder outside my window. No red throats noted. -- DSC]

Dale was startled as he placed some paper in an already filled wood stove, when something flew out to create an unexpected surprise. It turned out to be a RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH [Sittelle à poitrine rousse], Dale says it might be more suitably called a sooty red-breasted nuthatch. It was easily released outside, being no worse for the experience.

** I got a photo of a young-of-the-year CHIPPING SPARROW last week. The bill of the juvenile and winter adult Chipping Sparrows is bi-colored, which can be seen, but the grass hides the black line between the eye and the bill.

** I'm adding a note about tomorrow morning's Nature Moncton field trip to the Taylor Road, as this is the last publication opportunity.

BIRDING TAYLOR RD, SALISBURY

Field Trip with David Miller

Monday August 28th, 2017

Taylor Rd, near the Irving Big Stop in Salisbury, is becoming a popular spot for birders and no one knows the spot better than David Miller. In the last couple of weeks, David has observed over 60 species of birds along this road, including 18 species of warbler, 5 Flycatcher species, 5 sparrow species, and more. Special recent sightings include Cape May and Blue-winged Warblers, Philadelphia Vireo and Black-backed Woodpeckers.

Join David and Nature Moncton for a birding field trip of Taylor Rd on the morning of August 28^th.

Meeting Time: 7:00 AM

Place: Irving Big Stop in Salisbury (look for David’s white Jeep)

Bring snacks and water.

No fee for field trip. All are welcome, Nature Moncton member or not.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier,