Nature Moncton Nature News: April 17 2022

NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS

April 17, 2022 (Sunday)

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

**It is looking like me may be in for a few weeks of first visits.

John Inman in Harvey, Albert County had his first visit of a Chipping Sparrow on Saturday looking quite ready to begin its seasonal mission.

John also had a very colourful Pine Warbler visit on Saturday as well. Both species posed for nice photographs.

** Louise Nichols was walking through the woods on their Aulac property on Friday, thinking that it might be a week or so when she would see her first Yellow-rumped Warbler and then suddenly a Yellow-rumped Warbler (a male in striking breeding plumage) appeared before her. It was moving quickly among the birch trees and down to the ground as if looking for food.

While she was watching the warbler, another bird landed nearby which she found to be the first Hermit Thrush she has seen this year. Both birds cooperated for some photos. (Editors note: the Hermit Thrush is often the first of the wood thrushes to return. The Yellow-rumped Warbler and the Palm Warbler are often the first of our wood warblers to return)

** Jane LeBlanc in St. Martins had her first Northern Flicker of the year drop by to refuel on Friday, followed by 3 of them on Saturday. One posed nicely on the suet feeder.

After having none all winter, Jane also has had at least 8-10 daily for the past week or so.

**Bob Blake is continuing to see a duo of Turkeys moving about the wooded area near his Second North River yard but acting wary.

**Brian Stone drove to the Arthur St. lagoon in Memramcook to look for the reported female Tufted Duck there but was unable to locate it. While he was there looking, he got a few close ups of some male and female Ring-necked Ducks that were full of the spring spirit.

Along the road on the way home Brian stopped to photograph an American Kestrel that was hovering over a field and picking up some type of small prey. A little further on Brian noticed a pair of male Northern Harrier Hawks soaring low over a marsh at a distance. While he was looking at the hawks he spotted 4 Turkey Vultures gliding low in circles near the edge of the road. He got some close photos of them flying close and then they vanished over some trees a short distance ahead of him. Brian drove ahead slowly and then came upon an old barn where 4 vultures were perching on the top of the roof and 2 more were flying around it.

Finally, Brian stopped in to visit Nelson Poirier and photographed some of his back yard birds including White-throated Sparrow, Common Grackle, Mourning Dove, and male and female Red-winged Blackbirds.