Nature Moncton Nature News: April 25 2022

NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS

April 25, 2022 (Monday)

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

**John Inman comments it was a very busy day on Shepody Bay with a lot of young and adult Bald Eagles fishing as there seemed to be a run of fish, possibly Smelts or possibly early Shad and or Gaspereau. Shannon Inman got a photo of a Black-backed Gull trying to steal a fish from a Double-crested Cormorant.

Male Brown-headed Cowbirds were also feeling ‘their spring oats’ in his feeder yard.

**Fred Dube photographed a male Yellow-bellied Sapsucker that found a very convenient piece of metal to sound out his territory very effectively on Sunday. Maybe not as effective as a mailbox or a stovepipe but it satisfied the sapsucker!

Get a look and sound of the action at the attached link:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/jjoyeps1bgfc0mv/YELLOW-BELLIED%20SAPSUCKER.%20APRIL%2024%2C2022.%20FRED%20DUBE.mov?dl=0

**The Simon family visited Highland Park in Salisbury on two occasions this month and saw a North American Beaver and a few Muskrats in the marsh behind the park. They also spotted a seal in the Petitcodiac river adjacent to the marsh. They were also thrilled to see Northern Shovelers and Blue-winged Teals for the first time.

A Ruby-crowned Kinglet and Golden-crowned Kinglet were busy exploring the evergreens in their front yard this weekend. They are lightning fast and a real challenge to photograph.

On Sunday, they hiked the Pine Glen connector trail to the Dobson trail and enjoyed the challenge of identifying several species they haven't seen or heard since last year. These include Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Northern Flicker, Brown Creeper, Chipping Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, and Golden-crowned Kinglet. Surprisingly, when exploring a side trail, they stumbled on a Green-winged Teal pair who were enjoying an entire bog to themselves.

**A friend of Annette Stone alerted her on Sunday that Great-horned Owls were in their backyard and Brian was needed to photoshoot them. Not the usual for sure. It is a private yard and Brian is not able to divulge the location and for good reason. Brian got great photos to share with his zoom lens camera from a distance that would not disturb the owls. The location was in the north/east area of Moncton. There were 2 chicks and an adult seen that seem to be doing just fine.

**Brian Stone shares several photos he recorded during the Nature Moncton visit to the White Rock Recreational Area on Saturday to include bursting buds, bees, evergreen and emerging plants, spider, and more.

We are lucky to have Brian make a photo record of the many things the rest of us participants mused upon.

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton