Nature Moncton Nature News: April 26 2023

April 26, 2023

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Edited by Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Proofreading courtesy of Louise Nichols at nicholsl@eastlink.ca

**Deana and Peter Gadd have had the good fortune over the last week to entertain a Pine Warbler.

It has been feeding on unsalted peanuts and nyger seeds but naturally favours homemade suet (Roy Lapointe’s recipe). However, Peter comments he is down to his last ‘cake’ and is making it available sparingly as European Starlings, etc., would make short work of it. However, ‘Piney’ as they call him/her, even has competition from a White-throated Sparrow. The Gadd's are still getting a good number (20) of bird species daily but have now decided to cut back. Too many Common Grackles etc.

Peter captured a nice photo of the two sharing the booty!

**Jane and Ed LeBlanc in St. Martins had some excitement just before noon on Tuesday. Feathers were flying just outside their kitchen door. When they jumped up to see what it was, they scared a Merlin away from its Mourning Dove prey. The Merlin flew to the birch tree right outside their bedroom window, where it sat for about 15 minutes, giving Jane a chance to take photos. (Editor’s note: beautiful!).

Eventually, Ed ventured out to check on the dove, which promptly flew away, as did the Merlin.

**On Sunday afternoon, Brian Coyle decided to set up his blind about 15 feet from where a male Ruffed Grouse had been drumming for more than a week now. This allowed him to get some better video as well as some close-up photos of the grouse.

Of particular interest is the feet, which shows the pectinations still present, which are a growth of the foot scales and not feathers. These will soon drop off to grow back next fall.

Turn up your volume and click on the link below to see the striking video Brian was able to capture. Lots of us have heard Ruffed Grouse drumming, but we seldom get to see it like this!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/qup4rt0rk1y0mpe/Brian%20Coyle%20-%20Ruffed%20Grouse..MOV?dl=0

**As Maureen Girven was doing a walkabout around Jones Lake on Monday, she encountered an urban Groundhog that cooperated for pleasant photos.

(Editor’s note: there has been a surprising number of photos of urban Groundhogs so far this spring. They must be getting street-smart. No doubt it is eyeing the bit of green foliage to snack on, as this animal is a herbivore).

**Fred Dube found an owl pellet while walking around his Lower Coverdale property. Interestingly, Fred found it under the same tree that he found other ones last year.

The pellet was 6 cm long and 2.5 cm in diameter. Fred was able to separate much of the skeleton of the prey of the owl, as shown in the photo attached.

**Pat Gibbs asks about different colours she notes with Pussy Willow catkins. The Pussy Willow sports male and female catkins on separate shrubs. The male pollen catkins are yellow when ready to burst their cargo and will simply disappear after. The female seed catkins will be green when ready to accept the pollen and will remain intact, developing the catkin of seeds.

Pat sends a photo of male pollen catkins almost ready to launch the spring mission.

**Sterling Marsh took a moment to photograph and appreciate the striking iridescence of the male Common Grackle. They may be a little too abundant at feeder yards at the moment however, they will soon be off on their summer housekeeping mission.

**John Inman photographed a clump of Trout Lilies coming up behind the baby barn in his yard.

(Editor’s note: the Trout Lily is one of our early plants to emerge. John’s photo shows the leaves sporting their spots that resemble the spotting on the dorsum of a Brook Trout to earn its name. Beautiful yellow lilies will soon complement the leaves. Being ephemeral, this beautiful plant will disappear in a few weeks, not leaving a trace of being there but having completed its mission of procreation, leaving a corm underground to raise again next spring).

**Shannon Inman picked up a bee house for native bees, mason etc. It is supposed to be great for pollinators and a spot to lay their eggs for next season.

(Editor’s note: the editor has 15 of these bee houses attached to the outside walls of his camp. There are 3 different types up, and all seem to please the Mason Bees first, which expect to be alive with activity the first week of May. After the Mason Bees emerge that have become adults over the winter, they will remake their mud nests. A Potter Wasp will appear later to join the fray).

**Brian Stone sends his final photos from his visit to Nelson Poirier's camp in Miramichi. He captured a close-up of a male Hairy Woodpecker that bravely and even unconcernedly feeds at the bird pie suet feeder even in the presence of close onlookers. A very shy and difficult photo subject was one of the pair of Ruby-crowned Kinglets living and vocalizing near Nelson's camp.

On the morning that Brian left for home, a male Red-winged Blackbird came to the ground feeder in the dim morning light and gave Brian a chance to practice high ISO photography.

As Brian was preparing to leave, he decided to check under Nelson's black plastic mats that he puts out to give snakes a safe and warm place to hide and rest when not out hunting for food, and was surprised to find a young Garter Snake nearly torpid with the cold weather. It was a simple thing to get some close photos of the little one, and Brian guesses it was just born last fall as it was only twice the size of a newborn.

(Editor’s note: the snake mats are black plastic boot holders placed upside down).

Nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton