NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, May 24, 2021 (Monday)

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Transcript by Susan Richards susan_richards@rogers.com

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

**On Saturday afternoon Suzanne and Yves Poussart went to the Bouctouche area hoping mostly to find warblers. In the end the observations were quite different. As they stopped along the Bouctouche Bay Yves noticed a group of BLACK SCOTER [Macreuse noire] 125 - 150 in number, which were actively vocalizing and diving. Yves did not expect to see them at this date. In the same area it was possible to capture some photos of GREATER YELLOWLEGS [Grand Chevalier] with a fish appearing to be a Stickleback, and a LEAST SANDPIPER [Bécasseau minuscule].

Approaching the Bouctouche Eco Center, a pair of BALD EAGLE [Pygargue à tête blanche] were perched in their usual tree.

Taking advantage of a sunnier episode, a GREAT BLUE HERON [Grand Héron] provided good opportunities for photos.

**Jim Johnson in Scotch Settlement reports CLIFF SWALLOW [Hirondelle à front blanc] are occupying 6 nests under the eaves of his home, which just started a few years ago. Great to hear a new colony of this swallow maintaining. He now has over 20 Tree Swallow nest boxes, contentedly occupied. A surprise with a recently installed Kestrel Box when Jim checked it out to find a pair of TREE SWALLOW [Hirondelle bicolore] had taken it. It will be interesting to see if they are able to raise a clutch with the large opening hole. Jim is also having a boom year with RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD [Colibri à gorge rubis] patrons with at least 30 at feeders on Sunday evening. Take a look at the action at Jim’s attached video link:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/qqwzwyevyskogy9/Hummingbirds.mp4?dl=0

**Daryl Doucette was pleased to have a male INDIGO BUNTING [Passerin indigo] come by his Moncton feeder yard on Sunday looking a bit wet after Sunday’s rain. It was a lifer for Daryl.

**Georges Brun photographed an immature RING-BILLED GULL at the mouth of Hall’s Creek on Saturday. He did not realize until reviewing the photos that the bird had 3 leg bands on it.

**Jane Leblanc got a nice photo of a WILSON'S WARBLER [Paruline à calotte noire], a warbler we don’t tend to get photos of as it seems to be a skulky warbler and/or possibly not as common as other Wood Warblers. The short sharp trill vocalization can also be similar to some other warblers that make a type of trill. The black crown and yellow body are obvious when seen.

**The wind and rain on Sunday created a scenario for a large NORWAY MAPLE tree in Brian Stone’s Moncton yard. It sent many hundreds of maturing seed parts airborne to cover the ground, houses, and cars. It may have been a boon to seed dissemination unless the seed parts were not ready to make their flight. Norway Maple trees seem to have the plan that the world should become a Norway Maple forest and profuse numbers of young seedlings can develop in urban areas where this introduced species has been planted.

**Nova Scotia is having their celebration of Nature weekend on May 28^th, 29^th and 30^th. Many of the presentations are available online, virtually as travel restrictions are not about to change by then. Am attaching the lineup of events below for us to review and register for online sessions where applicable.

SCHEDULE

“Exploring Urban Wilderness”

Entirely Online via Zoom) with some presentations live-streamed (LS) for the general public

(LS)

Friday May 28th

7:00 pm to 9:00 pm Opening: The State of Nature Protection in Canada, with Graham Saul of Nature Canada (LS)

Saturday May 29th

9:00 am to 11:00am

Presentation: The State of Nova Scotia’s Urban Birds, with the Bird Friendly Halifax Coalition

10-10:30am

Super Smart Starlings, with Maheshi Dharmasiri of Saint Mary’s University

10:30-11am TBD,

with the Shubenacadie Wildlife Park

11-11:30am

Mosses and Lichens, with Alex Setchell of Ducks Unlimited Canada and Nature Nova Scotia

12:00 pm – 5:00 pm

6:00 pm – 6:30 pm

6:30 pm – 7:00 pm

Break, for Self-guided Hikes

Presentation: Starling Song, with Maheshi Dharmasiri of Saint Mary’s University

Presentation: Near-Urban Mosses and Lichens, with Alex Setchell of Ducks Unlimited Canada and Nature Nova Scotia

7:00 pm – 7:30 pm

Presentation: All About Ticks, with Andrew Hebda, former curator at NS Museum of Natural History (LS)

7:30 pm – 8:00 pm

Presentation: The New Nova Scotia Herp Atlas, Nick Knutson of Mersey Tobeatic Research Institute

10:00 am to 12:00 pm

Nature Nova Scotia AGM

10:00-10:30am TBD,

with Katie Scott of Ducks Unlimited Canada

10:30-11am TBD,

with the Shubenacadie Wildlife Park

11-11:30am

Feathers,

with Becky Parker of the Young Naturalists Club

12:00 pm – 5:00 pm

6:00 pm – 6:30 pm

6:30 pm – 7:00 pm

7:00 pm – 7:30 pm

Break, for Self-guided Hikes

Presentation: Urban Wetland Conservation, with Emma Bocking of Ducks Unlimited Canada

Presentation: Health Benefits of Getting Out Into Nature,

with Karen McKendry of Ecology Action Centre

Presentation: Youth-led Conservation Action – Dartmouth’s Nature Guardians, with Becky Parker of the Young Naturalists Club

7:30 pm – 8:00 pm

8:00 pm

Presentation: Activism Among Hobby Naturalists: Species At Risk vs the Nova Scotia government, with Bob Bancroft of Nature Nova Scotia (LS)

Event Closing, with Bob Bancroft of Nature Nova Scotia and Burkhard Plache of Halifax Field Naturalists

Register Today!

Sunday May 30th

Register online at naturens.ca/events/2021-celebration-of-nature or reach out to Coordinator Becky Parker at coordinator@naturens.ca or 902-412-2726. Registration is free for up-to-date members of Nature Nova Scotia and available to all other natural history enthusiasts for just $20, the same price as an annual membership!

The symposium and AGM will take place over Zoom, so you will need a computer or zoom-compatible device and some familiarity with the platform to participate. Please reach out if you have any questions or would like help getting your virtual environment set up!