Nature Moncton Nature News: June 3 2019

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, June 3, 2019 (Monday)

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Edited by Nelson Poirier, nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Transcript by David Christie, maryspt@mac.com

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

** Jane LeBlanc got photos of some nice yard birds, including a BLUE-HEADED VIREO [Viréo à tête bleue]. Note the obvious ‘spectacles’ on this species. Jane also got a CANADA WARBLER [Paruline du Canada], a wood warbler that is down in numbers, a NORTHERN PARULA [Paruline à collier] warbler, and it’s great to see a MOURNING WARBLER [Paruline triste] which is one of our later-arriving warblers. Jane also got a RED-EYED VIREO [Viréo aux yeux rouges] with a dark band on the head showing high in the head area; that needed some consultation. Gilles Belliveau points out that Red-eyed Vireo will sometimes raise its crown a bit, just as many other birds do when they get agitated or excited. This is one thing that is just not in the guides!

** Another way to use fruit in a bird feeder, with proven results. Frank Branch in Paquetville shows his version. It has two perches of wooden dowels and two prongs from old bicycle spokes. These spokes are very hard and will never bend when passing through the orange. Another great feeder idea shared!

** Jim Johnson has a high number of RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRDS [Colibri à gorge rubis] at his Scotch Settlement feeders. He has in the order of 20+ and is enjoying them as much as they enjoy his offering. Jim sent a video of some window action. Check it out at the attached link. Jim comments that later on Sunday the numbers seemed incredible to what he has seen previously.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/12nrt5awngk9095/Hummingbirds.mp4?dl=0

** Aldo Dorio saw his FOY COMMON TERNS [Sterne pierregarin] at Hay Island on Sunday. They were happily enjoying a fresh, small fish lunch.

Aldo also photographed some domestic MUSCOVY DUCKS [Canard musqué]. Ron Arsenault comments, this is the only domestic duck species with a facial caruncle. Hybrids with mallard derived breeds showing varying amounts of the knobby area are possible. However, Ron would not expect to see very many, if any at all, of these as these two species do not readily hybridize and the hybrids are infertile. The vast majority of these hybrids, called mulards are bred using artificial insemination to raise for meat production.

** Brian and Annette Stone paid a visit to Wilson Marsh on Saturday and got photos of AMERICAN REDSTART [Paruline flamboyante], CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER [Paruline à flanc marron], both male and female YELLOW WARBLER [Paruline jaune], a SORA [Marouette de Caroline] rail, lots of CANADA GEESE [Bernache du Canada] and goslings, an EASTERN KINGBIRD [Tyran tritri], and a MINK FROG [Grenouille du nord]. They also saw a dragonfly [libellule], 3 butterflies [papillons], being one white, one brown and one orangeish but could not get the camera viewfinder on them. Brian also came across a beetle that we all should take note of, to be able to recognize it from his photo. It is the VARIED CARPET BEETLE [Anthrène bigarré des tapis] and was approximately 3 mm long.

** I have a second emergence (birth) announcement to make. This is the second BLACK SWALLOWTAIL [Papillon du céleri] butterfly that emerged from its chrysalis of last October, donated by Marguerite Winsor. It was pleasant to see it fly off in the warm, butterfly temperatures of Saturday. I didn’t take photos as it was the same scenario as those posted a few days ago. There is still a POLYPHEMUS moth [Polyphème d’Amérique] cocoon and a GALIUM SPHINX [Sphinx du gaillet] moth in the nursery, awaiting emergence.

Nelson Poirier, nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nature Moncton