NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, Apr. 2, 2018 (Monday)
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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelson@nb.sympatico.ca
Transcript by: David Christie maryspt@mac.com
Info Line # 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)
** Ron Steeves made a second run to Cape Enrage and New Horton to
monitor seabird and raptor movement on Sunday morning for four hours. Things
were really quite quiet for the first one and a half hours, with only 11 COMMON
EIDER [Eider à duvet] being spotted, and going the wrong direction. When the
tide started to change, winds increased to nearly intolerable levels and birds
started to move, but nothing like he reported on Saturday. In an estimated 907
BLACK SCOTERS [Macreuse à bec jaune], it was hard to be certain whether there
were no other scoters with them because of the wind and the chop on the water.
Ron estimated 1225 Common Eiders, moving in flocks, with the largest
approximately 300 birds.
Two large flocks of AMERICAN ROBINS [Merle d'Amérique], of about 75
and 50, headed across towards Nova Scotia, but gaining altitude, not close to
the water like the ducks. There was also a flyby of some PURPLE SANDPIPERS
[Bécasseau violet] and a GLAUCOUS GULL [Goéland bourgmestre].
Two hours at the New Horton church produced no observations of raptors
or ducks. There seemed to be more ROBINS than BLACKBIRDS moving. Most of the
CANADA GEESE [Bernache du Canada] on the marsh beside Riverside-Albert were not
present there on Sunday, but a local resident reported that there were
approximately a thousand geese there a few days ago.
Ron Comments that he has not seen any Canada geese or GREAT CORMORANTS
[Grand Cormoran] in his Saturday and Sunday visits to Cape Enrage, which seemed
odd to him. There were large rafts of SCOTERS [macreuses] on the bay at
Waterside but they were not possible to count in the rough water, so Ron did not
include them in his counts.
Ron is to be commended for his monitoring of sea duck and raptor
movement this past weekend. With the weather conditions it would have to be for
the more hardy with no nice warm hut to watch from.
** Gordon Rattray reports that he had a flock of COMMON GRACKLES
[Quiscale bronzé] arrive in his Weldon yard on Saturday, but there was no sign
of them on Sunday. He now has 3 PINE SISKINS [Tarin des pins] that are regular
patrons. On Sunday, he had his first visit of two male DARK-EYED JUNCOS [Junco
ardoisé] and 2 SONG SPARROWS [Bruant chanteur]. Gordon’s photo of the Song
Sparrow nicely shows its distinctive markings. This common sparrow, of which the
vast majority leave us for the winter, are returning in large numbers the last
few days. Gordon also notes that the MOURNING DOVES [Tourterelle triste] are
showing brighter breeding plumage.
** As seems to be happening in so many yards, Clarence Cormier had about
20 COMMON GRACKLES [Quiscale bronzé] arrive in his yard. The remnants of his
mountain-ash fruits attracted a flock of approximately 200 EUROPEAN STARLINGS
[Étourneau sansonnet]. he noted small flocks of CANADA GEESE [Bernache du
Canada] flying over his Grand-Digue site. AMERICAN ROBINS [Merle d'Amérique]
were coming and going all day Sunday, and one RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD [Carouge à
épaulettes] and one SONG SPARROW [Bruant chanteur] arrived.
Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton
DARK-EYED JUNCO (MALE) JUNCO. APRIL 1, 2018. GORDON RATTRAY
MOURNING DOVE . APRIL 1, 2018. GORDON RATTRAY
SONG SPARROW. APRIL 1, 2018. GORDON RATTRAY
