NATURE
MONCTON NATURE INFORMATION LINE, Oct. 13, 2021 (Wednesday)
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Edited by:
Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
Info Line
# 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)
**Louise Nichols reports the
interesting patrons continue at the Sackville Retention Ponds as Gilles Belliveau discovered a juvenile
Long-billed Dowitcher there on Tuesday and it was still there Wednesday. Even though Gilles recognized this bird as being a
juvenile plumaged Long-billed Dowitcher, he still wanted to hear the bird call
to be 100% certain so played the call a few times to get its attention and then
it started to call back in response which is how he confirmed the ID.
It is always very indicated when seeing a dowitcher
this late in the season to try to rule out Long-billed Dowitcher. The
vocalization easily confirms if attainable. Experienced birders are able to recognize a Long-billed Dowitcher on plumage but the majority of us need to hear that vocalization to be certain it is not a Short-billed Dowitcher straggler.
The ponds seemed more alive again Tuesday
after a quiet weekend with the usual yellowlegs, some Pectoral
Sandpipers and the Stilt Sandpiper still present. Louise
noticed 2 Pectoral Sandpipers close to one another where one seemed to be
noticeably larger than the other (see photos). Gilles Belliveau noted
that as well and suspects the difference
in size likely has more to do with how much weight the larger bird has put on
vs the smaller bird (there were a few very large plump Pectoral Sandpipers in
Sackville with several smaller and more slender individuals when Gilles visited on
Tuesday)
The variety of shorebird species
there this fall has really been quite amazing.
**Mac Wilmot’s daughter Amanda
found a very small Red Eft in the Mill Creek Nature Park on Tuesday and they
were able to detain it temporarily for a photo. The Red Eft is the immature
land stage of the Eastern Newt which heads to a land lubber life for 2-3 years
after hatching from the egg before returning to aquatic life as an adult. There
must be lots of Red Efts about but are very good at staying out of sight even
though bright red-orange which will look very different when it becomes adult
and back to aquatic life.
Always a nice find!
**Verica LeBlanc visited the
Escuminac area over the weekend to take note of many sea snails very
obvious on the rocks she does not recall noting so many before.
They were very entertained by the
antics of Great Black-backed Gulls very much enjoying fishing crabs. She
noticed one seemed very adept at the catch while another watching soon started
copying the haute cuisine suggestion and quickly got better at it.
The Great Black-backed Gulls must
have been enjoying Thanksgiving as Aldo Dorio photographed the same scenario at
Hay Island but it was a first winter Great Black-backed Gull that was
looking quite experienced.
**Fred and Sue Richards paid a
visit to the St. Andrews area to take note of the waterfowl off the Midtown
wharf that always seems to have birds moving about when the tide is in. Sue
photographed an adult Common Loon that will soon be taking on its very
different winter plumage and some will overwinter right in the harbour and in
any open water in the area. They also took note of the Common Eiders,
some of which will be overwintering there and always the possibility of a King
Eider chancing by.
Along the shore they noted the Sanderling
groups with what appears to be a few Dunlin buddying up.
**Pat Gibbs enjoyed watching a
lone Pied-billed Grebe enjoying its private pool on the Humphrey Brook
trail on Tuesday. It appears to have the dark ring on the bill of a mature
bird, but other things suggest it may be in molt to winter plumage.
**Brian Stone went
for a short walk on the trails behind Irishtown Park on Tuesday and as he
approached the canoe launch area a pair of CANADA JAYS flew from the
woods and landed on the gravel roadway in front of him. He made a heroic
attempt to get the camera up and focused on the birds, but they flew into the
trees as quickly as they had landed, and all Brian managed was a photo of the
back end of one of them. Overhead a pair of BALD EAGLES were circling in
a thermal updraft far in the distance and a GREAT BLUE HERON was
foraging in the reeds at the side of the lake near the launch area.
Two
pairs of AUTUMN MEADOWHAWK DRAGONFLIES landed on a tree beside him, and
a small group of CANADA GEESE were hanging out across the reservoir at a
good distance.
Some still
brightly blooming Eyebright plants didn’t miss the lens.
Nelson Poirier
Nature Moncton
