Nature Moncton Nature News: May 7 2022

NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS

May 7, 2022 (Saturday)

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

**Lynn and Fred Dube were very excited to have there first Ruby-throated Hummingbird of the season visit their Lower Coverdale yard on Friday evening. It was coming to the Morning Glory plants but they were unable to capture a photo.

**John Inman in Harvey, Albert County also had his first Ruby-throated Hummingbird on Friday being 4 days later than last year but cool weather and poor winds. John expects the orioles to follow shortly.

Shannon Inman also spotted a tern out in the field with the gulls resting. No photo as too distant and then it headed out to the bay. They were hoping it would return, but no luck.

**Deana and Peter Gadd were at Miramichi Marsh on Wednesday. Deana looked up and saw an altercation between a hawk and 4 American Crows. It was quite distant but fortunately with a telephoto lens and some “opening up” of exposure on a computer Peter was able to clearly identify the hawk. When photographed against an empty sky the auto-focus of a camera easily picks up the subject as there is nothing else to focus on, unlike when photographed against a busy background, so it is really quite easy.

Looking at the photo Peter was surprised to see that a Broad-winged Hawk is shorter than an American Crow (by 2 inches – Sibley) and the wingspan is shorter (by 5 inches – Sibley).

**Gordon Rattray was out Thursday looking for any spring events possible. Gordon started the day with a pair of Eastern Phoebe in his yard working to make a nest. They picked a hard spot under the eave of a gazebo and were having problems. Gordon went down to the Hillsborough wetlands looking for warblers but none were found. While there, he observed a Northern Harrier flying overhead and got a photo. Gordon next went up to the main Gray Brook pond and got a good photo stop with a male Belted Kingfisher. In the pond were a few American Wigeons and Ring-necked Ducks. Gordon then went over to the White Rock Recreational Area and followed the path of the recent Nature Moncton outings. Gordon reports that very little has changed since the last visit, probably because of the recent cold wet weather. One group of plants starting to emerge were the ferns. Gordon observed the fiddlehead stage of several species: Interrupted, Cinnamon, Lady, and Ostrich Ferns. (Editor's note: Gart Bishop points out emergent Lady Fern can appear with green 'stockings' (stem) and others with pink. Both are common in the province).

Gordon also got pictures of Tamarack buds, Yew cones and a Mountain Fly Honeysuckle that was showing the joined ovaries that will produce one fruit. Gordon photographed a Pelt Lichen on a gypsum rock that he could not name.

**Brian Stone drove through Tantramar Marsh on Friday and photographed both male and female Northern Harrier Hawks hunting low over the fields. One crossed the road in front of him at just one foot off the road itself. Several Bald Eagles were sighted, and a pair of Osprey were seen beginning to build a nest on top of one of the power line towers. Only 2 or 3 sticks had been brought in so far. Beside one of the few remaining hay barns left on the marsh a Groundhog was surveying the area before him and an American Kestrel was perched on the top of a distant evergreen tree. In a field at the northeast end of the marsh several White-tailed Deer were enjoying the fresh new grass.

On his way home Brian stopped in at the Arthur St. lagoon in Memramcook and photographed a male Ring-necked Duck at close range.

**Margaret Hachey reports that the determined Song Sparrow that has been pecking at her window despite numerous efforts to dissuade it is still coming and up to the same antics for the 15th day. Margaret comments she has decided they will live together in harmony until the Song Sparrow decides to head out on its seasonal reproductive mission.

**Pat and Nelson Poirier very much enjoyed a visit from a Pine Warbler to their camp feeders on Friday. It had obviously just arrived as it sampled all the feeder sites, including joining a Chipping Sparrow at a ground-level feeder. When it found the sunflower chips, it made it clear that they were its food of choice and it returned repeatedly to the chips for quick visits.

As a side note, Pine Siskins are the most numerous visitors at the moment, even outnumbering the blackbird species.

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton