NATURE
MONCTON NATURE NEWS
April 14,
2022 (Thursday)
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Edited by:
Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
**Jim Johnson in Scotch Settlement reports
that his first Tree
Swallow arrived on Wednesday morning to check out the
many nest boxes he has ready and waiting for tenants.
Jim has also had a pair of Eastern Bluebirds
checking out the real estate for the past few days.
**Louise Richard also spotted a Tree Swallow
in flight over Jones Lake on Wednesday. We can expect a sudden onslaught of the advanced guard!
**Fred Richards was checking his nest boxes on
Tuesday and found one almost filled with grass fibers and looking like a very
cozy winter nest. This nest box was cleaned out last fall so the nest would
have been placed there over the winter. There was a small cavity within the
nesting material to suggest it may have been made by a Deer Mouse. The
layer of shavings that had been placed at the bottom would seem heavy for a
Deer Mouse to have placed there but maybe not. The woven uncut fibers of grass
are quite typical of a Deer Mouse nest. The small nest cavity would also
suggest Deer Mouse.
A Flying
Squirrel would normally shred the fibers of its nest and create a much larger nest
cavity. Any comments or other ideas would be very welcomed.
**Catherine Hamilton took a drive to Salisbury on
Monday April 11 and found a male Long-tailed Duck in the lagoons and an
active Bald Eagle nest near the lagoons.
Catherine
also photographed an American Kestrel near Petitcodiac and a Pileated
Woodpecker at Anagance.
**Aldo Dorio had a Golden-crowned Kinglet sit still long enough for a photograph at Hay Island on Wednesday.
Aldo also
photographed a White-winged Crossbill enjoying the seeds of Balsam Fir
cones. Note the upright cones of Balsam Fir versus Spruce cones which are
pendulant. (Editors note: there is an area of red blush in the plumage of this
bird to make one wonder if it may not be a young male of the year molting into
adult plumage).
Later in the
day, a Ruffed Grouse ventured into Aldo’s Neguac yard for a cooperative
photo.
**Fred Dube
and Nelson Poirier erected 3 Kestrel nest boxes on Tuesday freshly
minted from Fred’s workshop. The large boxes with a 3-inch entry hole were
laced with a few big handfuls of wood shavings to invite investigation by
Kestrels which are arriving in the area at the moment.
A raptor
pellet, possibly an owl, was located. It had started to break up but the
fine grey fur and well preserved skull suggested the prey may have been shrews.
**Nature
Moncton activities committee has 3 field trips lined up in April and May, and participants may want to jot the dates on their calendars.
• April 23 to White Rock Recreational Area
• May 7 to Mapleton Acadian Forest Trail
• May 28 to Baie Verte Trail
Write ups
for these field trips can be viewed on the website at www.Naturemoncton.com under Upcoming
Events.
Nelson Poirier
Nature Moncton
