Nature Moncton Nature News: May 21 2019

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, May 21, 2019 (Tuesday)

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Transcript by: bjpstone@gmail.com

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

This is a very long edition but is filled with very interesting information and great photos so use the dull day to sit and enjoy it!

But first a heads up on tonight’s Nature Moncton Meeting and Nature Moncton Warbler workshop and field trip on this coming Saturday, May 25

We are now aware of the importance of marshlands that are no longer wastelands but valuable habitat to many of the critters we enjoy. Marshlands are also so important in slowing up drought and floods, filtering out potential toxins, and lots more. The City of Moncton has been doing pioneering work to find innovative ways to save and build marshlands. This is all over seen by our Presenter, Elaine Aucoin, Chief engineer with the City.Alhough not her department, she will be interested to listen to folk’s thoughts on mosquito control in Moncton as it is now.

Write up is attached below:

Nature Moncton May Meeting

Environmental Planning and Marshland Management for the City of Moncton

Tuesday, May 21, 2019 at 7:00 p.m.

Mapleton Park Rotary Lodge

Presenter: Elaine Aucoin, P.Eng

Elaine Aucoin’s role as Director of Environmental Planning and Management for the City of Moncton is to manage potential environmental issues on City projects as well as develop and implement environmental programs and initiatives for the Corporations. Amongst other projects, she is currently working on advancing climate change adaptation initiatives as well as greenhouse gas reduction projects. As part of this presentation, Elaine could discuss the following:

Surface water quality (issues and implemented measures)

Naturalized Storm Water Management and constructed wetlands

Watershed management

Climate change adaptation initiatives

Recent greenhouse gas emissions reduction initiatives

The City of Moncton has received national awards for some of the environmental projects the City has initiated and put in use. Elaine will have a lot to share on what is happening on our doorstep that many of us are not aware of.

All are welcome, Nature Moncton Member or not.

The upcoming Nature Moncton Warbler workshop can be checked out at www.naturemoncton,com under Upcoming Events and will expanded on more in tomorrow’s edition.

** On the long weekend in May, Grand Manan Island is a popular destination for birders and as Louise Nichols comments it was a great few days with a great warbler show. She comments that there was nothing out of the regularly expected until Sunday morning when Mark Morse spotted a HOODED WARBLER [Paruline à capuchon] on Whitehead Island. The nice thing about a rarity like this is that it stayed in the area with an incredible number of warblers fly catching around the trees so others were able to get to see it, being a lifer bird for many. Louise shares a photo of this beautiful Warbler. There is sure no doubt about its identity and how it gets its name. Louise also shares more photos, commenting that the Warblers were feeding heavily around seaweed and kelp on the beach very likely a result of fewer insects present due to the cooler temperature. Kelp Flies were probably their target. What an awesome photo opportunity. Louise’s photos of the warblers from her weekend visit are exceptional. A great show to review carefully in preparation for this coming Saturday’s Nature Moncton Warbler Workshop and field outing on May 25^th.

** Some very special moments, and with a camera, for Jim Carroll. While he was very quietly photographing a very vocal WINTER WREN [Troglodyte mignon] he caught a movement in his peripheral vision and quietly focused on it to find he was in sight of a BOBCAT [Lynx roux] who had not seen him. As Jim repositioned his camera the Bobcat spotted him but he was able to capture some excellent photographic moments to save the experience. The Winter Wren was nice, but the Bobcat was “the bird of the day”.

** Female BOBOLINKS [Goglu des prés] are moving in now to join the males. Stella Leblanc got some excellent photos of both genders together for comparison, and a female solo in portrait. Nice photos to remind us of the very different plumage of the female Bobolink that often sends us to our guides when it pops up in a feeder yard. On Monday it was joined by no less than 8 male Bobolinks. Stella got these photos at their Bouctouche feeder yard.

** At least one BALD EAGLE [Pygargue à tête blanche] eaglet has hatched, looking at its new world from its vantage point. Kevin Balmer photographed at least one eaglet in the nest at River View Cemetery nest, south of Edgett's Landing on Sunday, May 19^th.

** The BLACK VULTURE [Urubu noir] continues to be present at the Hampton lagoons, seemingly content hanging out with its Turkey Vulture kin. Richard Blacquiere photographed it there on Monday morning.

** Mac Wilmot has had a visitor from PEI in his Lower Coverdale home when they spotted a male EASTERN BLUEBIRD [Merlebleu de l'Est] in Mac’s yard. Courtney Ward took a photo of it with her cell phone camera through binoculars. We seem to be enjoying a nice bluebird start to the season. Mac also is continuing to get surprising numbers of warblers to his blend of melted suet and oatmeal, seeing up to 20 to 24 Warblers at a time. Mostly YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS [Paruline à croupion jaune] at the moment and he is now seeing forage for insects over his yard pond. Mac keeps 3 suet blend sites refueled.

** Brian Donovan updated his YouTube channel with a curious BLACK BEAR [Ours noir] and a MARTEN to add to his amazing collection of New Brunswick mammals not often seen to casually observe. All videos were taken just north of Miramichi. Take a look at the attached link.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqWdHlXO7zff2EVrh5lB3LA/

** Pat Fox and Heather Silliker got a quick observation of an almost totally white, partial albino AMERICAN ROBIN [Merle d'Amérique] on Sunday traveling with a group of Robins at Waterside.

** Aldo Dorio got a photo of a female PURPLE FINCH in song to remind us that the female of this species does sing and though not as exuberantly as the male it is still a pleasing chorus.

** Jane Leblanc got a nice photo of the full Moon as it descended in the sky at 8:05 am Sunday morning beside the seaside caves at St Martins. Jane also had a pair of PILEATED WOODPECKERS [Grand pic] that “hooked up” in her St. Martins yard either interested in or using a Saw-wet Owl nest box as a convenient mating perch.

** Clarence Cormier comments that an early morning walk at his Grande Digue site netted him a GRAY CATBIRD [Moqueur chat], 3 NORTHERN PARULA [Paruline à collier] Warblers, a YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER [Paruline à croupion jaune] and 2 YELLOW WARBLERS [Paruline jaune] which now seem to be arriving. There were 3 warbler species that Clarence did not get a firm identity of. Sunday was 6 sparrow species day for Clarence in his yard with WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW [Bruant à couronne blanche], CHIPPING SPARROW [Bruant familier], 2 remaining AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS [Bruant hudsonien], 10+ SAVANNAH SPARROWS [Bruant des prés], 20+ SONG SPARROWS [Bruant chanteur] and approximately 50 WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS [Bruant à gorge blanche]. A Sparrow bonanza for sure.

** Pearl and Connie Colpitts are enjoying a CAPE MAY WARBLER [Paruline tigrée] that has been visiting their suet and peanut butter feeder for at least 3 days. Connie comments that in all her years of birding she can count on 2 hands the times she has seen a Cape May Warbler. The incidence of Cape May Warblers seems to be increasing over the past season and the start of this one.

** Gordon Rattray comments that he is noticing significant changes in his Weldon feeder yard. PURPLE FINCHES [Roselin pourpré] that were at 40 plus are now down to 10 with a similar drop in PINE SISKINS [Tarin des pins]. White-crowned Sparrows appear to have moved on but AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES [Chardonneret jaune] continue in high numbers. The male Indigo Bunting departed on Friday. A very significant regular patron has been the female RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER [Pic à ventre roux] that is visiting most days. Gordon comments that the average species number at the moment in his yard is approximately 20.

** Ethel Douglas was in the Janeville area on Saturday and took a run to Miscou Island. The OSPREYS [Balbuzard pêcheur] are busy making nest reparations in the Shippagan area with GREAT BLUE HERONS [Grand Héron] gathered at the Miscou bridge as they often do. Ethel enjoyed seeing a young-of-the-year MOOSE [Orignal] of the year from the highway and later to see a cow Moose assuming it to be the mother that got separated.

** On Sunday Yves and Suzanne Poussart were driving along the coast on route 535 just north of Cocagne when they spotted a GREAT EGRET [Grande Aigrette] in the photo attached. Earlier in the day a RACOON [Raton laveur] was spotted as it enjoyed the sun from a treetop.

** Brian Stone got a photo of the striking SIX-SPOTTED TIGER BEETLE on Sunday. Its brilliant green with the white side spots makes it one of our easier Tiger Beetles to identify. A SONG SPARROW [Bruant chanteur] posed for an interesting photograph in Brian’s yard as well. Brian also got a photo of a rare 9° SOLAR HALO on the inside of the more standard 22° solar halo. He could only see it in the photo afterwards. Brian points out to take care photographing the sun and its events by not looking directly at the sun or even through a camera viewfinder. Always use the LCD screen and appropriate shading for your eyes. Also don’t leave the camera focussed on the sun for any length of time to avoid damaging the delicate sensor and interior components. The attached link goes into detail about what Brian saw.

https://www.atoptics.co.uk/halo/pyredens.htm

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton