Nature Moncton Nature News: March 12 2018

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, Mar. 12, 2018 (Monday)

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)

** What a pleasant surprise for Vicki Daley to have three EASTERN BLUEBIRDS [Merlebleu de l'Est] visit her Amherst backyard on Sunday and to get some awesome photos. They stayed around Vicki's yard all day. It sure seems early for Bluebird arrival, however, they don’t go far from our area to overwinter. They were attracted to WINTERBERRY holly berries. Vicki also had two RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS [Carouge à épaulettes] and 10 AM. ROBINS [Merle d'Amérique] in her backyard, as well as expected regulars on Sunday. Spring surely seems to have arrived in that yard.

** Audrey Goguen had several AM. ROBINS [Merle d'Amérique] arrive to forage on the fruit of a crabapple tree in front of her 16 Northview Street in Moncton on Sunday. This scenario happens each spring in the same tree. It is assumed that these are new arrivals. Audrey put out fresh apples, impaled on nails, as they often continue to visit for several days after spring arrival.

** Ron Steeves comments that he had a flock of CEDAR WAXWINGS [Jaseur d'Amérique] drop by his near-Salisbury yard to forage on some unappealing-looking mountain ash berries. There were about a dozen birds. He had not seen them earlier in the winter.

** The Sussex area is doing well with NORTHERN CARDINALS [Cardinal rouge], with a notable presence in feeder yards. We dropped by Colin Pyette’s yard to see three adults of the five that he had regularly in the fall. Surely, Moncton will be next on their minds.

** Brian Stone and I joined the Nature Sussex group for a very interesting field trip to the Irving Research and Development Lab and greenhouse in Sussex on Sunday afternoon, which we’ll report on tomorrow, when photos are available.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton