Nature Moncton Nature News: March 30

March 30, 2023

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Edited by Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Proofreading courtesy of Louise Nichols at nicholsl@eastlink.ca

**Deana Gadd, Peter Gadd, and Sonya Hinds traveled up the coast from Miramichi on Wednesday, checking out various open water spots. In several, they saw the usual suspects: Black Scoters, Surf Scoters, Common Eiders, Red-breasted Mergansers, Common and Barrow’s Goldeneye, and Long-tailed Ducks. The find of the day for them was 20 Brant off the wharf at Val Comeau. Further out towards the bridge leading to Tracadie was a flock of approximately 250 Greater Scaup with a handful of goldeneye.

All these sightings are to be expected at this time of year, but always a treat to intercept a flock of Brant.

**John Inman has had 2 leucistic birds arrive to his Harvey, Albert County feeder yard over two days. He had a leucistic Dark-eyed Junco arrive on Tuesday and a leucistic Common Grackle arrive on Wednesday.

Leucistic birds and mammals are always unique one edition individuals.

**Earlier in the week, Brian Stone came across a deceased carcass of a seal at the Gardner Creek Beach Trail off route 825 east of Saint John.

In consultation with Don McAlpine, it was determined to be a juvenile Grey Seal. There were very few specimens of juvenile Grey Seals in the New Brunswick Museum collection, and Don was very glad to get it to add to that collection. Brian was able to collect it and take it to the museum on Wednesday to be permanently preserved.

Brian’s photos nicely show the pelage of a juvenile Grey Seal, which would be approximately 3 months of age.

**Jamie Burris shared a photo of a bright male Evening Grosbeak with a group still coming to his Riverview yard. The winter flocks of the species we have enjoyed this winter will soon be pairing off for their summer missions.

Nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton