Nature Moncton Nature News: May 22 2019

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, May 22, 2019 (Wednesday)

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Transcript by: Judy Marsh marshj@nbnet.nb.ca

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

**A very special thank you to Elaine Aucoin for coming to present at the Tuesday night meeting of Nature Moncton. Elaine gave an excellent presentation on the efforts of the City of Moncton to preserve and create wetland areas in and around the city. Some of this is a pioneering effort on the part of the city after taking a close look at some successful projects in the city of Winnipeg and adapting that to conditions in Moncton which have been very successful, and more are planned.

Elaine also pointed out several areas in the city that have been turned purposely into wetlands some years ago, now looking like there were always there. Elaine also pointed out the many environmental advantages of wetlands.

**The timing would seem to be perfect for the Nature Moncton Warbler Workshop and Field Day this coming Saturday, May 25. Yesterdays blog spot was a great photo primer. Advise Louise Nichols at nicholsl@eastlink.ca if you think you may be attending. The write-up is attached below and is at www.naturemoncton.com under Upcoming Events. Roger comments that he will not be covering all 23 species of warblers known to nest in New Brunswick but will concentrate on those that are expected to be seen in the field that day. He has checked a few sites and will be adding one more to that list as he said he saw a CAPE MAY WARBLER [Paruline tigrée] and the reports are indicating this species is more common in the area than in past years.

Nature Moncton Workshop and Outing

The Warblers Are Coming

Saturday May 25, 2019

Place: Tankville School, 1665 Elmwood Dr.

Presenter and Guide: Roger Leblanc

Time: Workshop will begin at 9:00 AM; Outing (around Moncton) will begin after 12:00 noon.

** If you want to have a chance to see some early morning warblers, show up in the parking lot of the school at 8:00 AM and Roger will lead the group to some trails behind the school as a pre-workshop warm-up.

Cost for Workshop: $8.00

Reservations: Contact Louise Nichols at nicholsl@eastlink.ca

In our region we are blessed to be in one of the best places for diversity of wood warblers. Twenty-three of these singing beauties nest in the province. And since they all leave in winter for warmer climes (and they say they have ”bird brains”!) spring is a time of great rejoicing when they come back to us dressed in their finest colors, singing their little hearts out, and very active with the new breeding season. But there are lots of species and they are small and don’t stay put for long, so learning to identify them is not always easy. However, since they are quite colorful and vocalize a lot, it is possible to become familiar with them -- and the reward is surely one of the best experiences bird watching has to offer. SO if this your year to finally “learn the warblers” Nature Moncton has prepared a workshop/outing especially for you. Our own Roger Leblanc, who has been working at figuring out warblers for decades, will first take a couple of hours indoors to go through the nesting species of NB with a special emphasis on the 18 species or so that can be found around Moncton. After lunch we will head out to previously scouted spots where it should be possible to find most of them and try out the ID knowledge learned in the workshop. We will take full advantage of the wood warbler spring extravaganza! Why not come out and join us? All are welcome, Nature Moncton member or not.

**Clarence Cormier had a very pleasant surprise on Monday to have a LINCOLN'S SPARROW [Bruant de Lincoln] arrive and join the 6 sparrow species he already had. The LINCOLN'S SPARROW [Bruant de Lincoln] is a very secretive, skulky sparrow and not often seen let alone at a feeder yard. Clarence got a nice frontal view photo.

**Doreen Rossiter had a good day at her Alma feeder yard on Tuesday. The male SUMMER TANAGER [Tangara vermillon] continues to be present for a 4th day. Three EVENING GROSBEAK [Gros-bec errant] arrived, two males and one female that she has not seen for some time. Also 15 BOBOLINK [Goglu des prés] appeared, 8 males and 7 females which is more than she has ever had at her feeder yard. The most she has had in the past were 5-6 and has not seen any since 2015. Also one female NORTHERN CARDINAL [Cardinal rouge] arrived, one SWAMP SPARROW [Bruant des marais]and three BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLERS [Paruline noir et blanc] Doreen comments she is surprised to not have seen a single TREE SWALLOW [Hirondelle bicolore] around the yard as of yet.

**Audrey Goguen at Northview Avenue in Moncton had a bright male BALTIMORE ORIOLE [Oriole de Baltimore] arrive to her yard on Tuesday for an FOY visit. Audrey has a nectar feeder and oranges out but it choose the oranges.

On Sunday, May 19, Dave Christie spotted two pairs of Canada Geese were accompanied by goslings as they foraged along the salt marsh dyke across from the Lars Larsen Marsh. He could only see 2 young with each pair but there could have been others on the far side of the dyke. Those were the first young geese Dave has seen this year, whereas they have been reported earlier in inland locations of southern N.B.

Also on Sunday, he saw a fairly rare species for that area, a Northern Mockingbird, in spruce trees opposite the entrance to the Mary’s Point Shorebird Reserve.

**Wayne Corcoran comments the ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK [Cardinal à poitrine rose] arrived at his feeder yard near Quarryville in the heavy rain on Tuesday. Note the size of the red kerchief in the two males. One is much larger than the other to suggest one is more mature than the other. However, would assume there is variability between individuals as well.

**George Brun notes over 4 days the 5-6 pairs of swallows over the large pond on the Riverview marsh has increased to 200+. Hopefully they are finding enough vitals to get through the cold, rainy weather we are experiencing at the moment. That rain is filling the western pond with more fresh water. Georges also noticed a group of what appears to be predominately BLACK SCOTER [Macreuse noire] in the Petitcodiac River on Monday in the rain.

**Blister Beetles are a common beetle in New Brunswick. There are many species but one detained for a photo is a bright blue, as many are. Blister Beetles get their name from the toxic substance, cantharidin, which they will secrete from their joints when disturbed that can cause blisters on human skin. The larval stage can be parasitic to some bee species but most adults eat flowers and leaves.

**I mentioned a few days EASTERN BLUEBIRD [Merlebleu de l'Est] nesting at the home of Catherine Sherrard in Sunny Corner near Miramichi and how she said the male was acting out to the mirrors of her new shinny vehicle and defecating on it to settle scores with its would be competitor in the mirrors. I dropped by on Sunday and it was in full ‘poop on the competition’ mode. Photo evidence is attached.

**Many are reporting it’s been a very busy spring at feeder yards thought to be due to the cold spring. Sure has been the case at our Little Southwest Mirimichi feeders with higher numbers than had been expected of regulars. The biggest surprise in numbers is ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK [Cardinal à poitrine rose]. On Sunday, the count of them was at 9 but included one first spring male plumaged bird shown in attached photos. Surprisingly a female bird has chosen to frequent a bird pie when she can get space at it from the Blue Jays and woodpeckers.

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton