Nature Moncton Nature News: May 18 2023

May 18, 2023

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Edited by Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Proofreading courtesy of Louise Nichols at nicholsl@eastlink.ca

**Nature Moncton Warbler walk is this coming Saturday. Details are at the end of this edition and up front tomorrow.

**On Wednesday, in Harvey, Albert County, Sybil Wentzell had the pleasure of having 4 Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, 2 mature males, another intermediate male, and a female. The males dined on sunflower seeds, and the female enjoyed grape jelly and an orange slice with her seeds. Three White-crowned Sparrows were not pleased to be sharing with her, nor were the 2 Gray Catbirds.

(Editor's note: note the distinctive black crown of the Gray Catbird in Sybil's photo).

Sybil had a brief sighting of a female Summer Tanager. It perched briefly and was gone before Sybil could see its wings. Perhaps she could be an appropriate suitor for John Inman’s male Summer Tanager nearby?

**Louise Nichols visited the Jolicure Lake area on Wednesday morning, walking the trail to Big Jolicure Lake where she saw and heard a number of warblers.

She was able to photograph some, notably her first-of-the-season Chestnut-sided Warbler, American Redstart, and a Wilson's Warbler. Chestnut-sided Warblers were numerous in the area, as she remembers from last year. She also heard (but couldn't see) a Common Yellowthroat Warbler and saw some Northen Parula Warblers, but they eluded her for photographs. Purple Finch were also singing, and Louise saw and heard Swamp Sparrows in the wet area on the trail approaching the lake

**Rick Elliott got an interesting photo of a group of finches waiting until after the rainstorm to get their chance at the feeders at Rick and Barb’s Waterside home on Wednesday.

**John Inman comments that he slipped up and forgot that the Red Squirrels occasionally do like jelly, but it does extend the life of the oranges though. Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are running the orioles off the oranges, and now a Blue Jay is taking a liking to them. If the Gray Catbird down in the back sees the oranges, it will be right on them.

**Mac Wilmot and Jim Rossiter were picking Ostrich Fern fiddleheads on Ram Island in the St. John River on Wednesday. Jim photographed Wild Hellebore showing its huge leaves at the moment.

Mac comments the ‘white flowers’ in the center are actually hailstones. The weather was violent, with a rain, wind, and hail blend!

On a more pleasant note, Mac is pleased to report Eastern Bluebirds nesting in a box near their yard pond in Lower Coverdale, and to top that off, Mac’s brother Allen next door has, for the 3rd consecutive year, Eastern Bluebirds nesting in a box in his back yard.

**Brian Stone walked behind Crandall University on Gorge Rd. on Wednesday for the first time this season. With rain threatening, he hoped for a dry walk and was lucky to have that until the very end when he was hit with hail and rain for the last ten minutes he was out.

While the weather was good behind the university, Brian managed to photograph several birds, including a Nashville Warbler, Black-and-White Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Golden-crowned Kinglet, and an American Robin. At the largest of several ponds, Brian noted a Solitary Sandpiper standing on an exposed rock in the pond and took several photos.

Along one of the dirt bike trails, Brian found the spot that regularly produces Pink Lady's Slipper Orchids with the young shoots of the plants just coming up out of the ground. In a week or less, the blooms should be out for the main event, and Brian will re-photograph them to show their intended beauty.

With a small amount of reserve energy, Brian then went through the west end of Mapleton Park on Wednesday after walking behind Crandall University and got photographs of a vocal Northern Parula and a nicely displaying male Hooded Merganser on the main pond. He wanted to check on the status of the Nodding Trilliums that are plentiful in the park and noted that they are almost ready to open their downward-hanging blooms.

(Editor's note: note in the first photo, the unopened bloom comes out on top that will soon turn downward to burst its beautiful bloom below the leaves).
Many ferns were also almost unrolled alongside the trail.

.** NATURE MONCTON WARBLER HIKE

Date: May 20, 2023

Time: 9:00 AM

Place: Kiwanis parking lot on Mill St., Hillsborough

Guide: Gordon Rattray

In late spring each year we have the movement of many birds returning to their nesting regions, both local nesters and those that just pass through on their journey farther north. The warblers are one such group that either pass through or nest in our area. These little birds are very colorful and very vocal as they stop for a rest and feeding, and in late May we can often locate many of the warbler species in the Hillsborough area. On May 20, Nature Moncton will host a hike for members, and anyone interested in observing warblers. The warblers are most active as the morning warms and the insects take flight, so this makes 9:00 a good starting time. The hike will be on an abandoned rail line, flat but the rails are still in place, so a little bit of difficulty. The rail hike is only 200 meters up and then we will double back. Also in the same location are the prepared trails of the Hillsborough Water Park, a walk on a gravel surface of 2 kms. For those wishing for a little more birding we will do this trail after lunch.

As a bonus, those of you who take photos of warblers on this trip will be invited to share (if you’d like) your best shots at the June Nature Moncton membership meeting to be held on June 20^th at 7:00 PM.

So if you’d like to see some warblers and learn more about their appearance and songs, join us for this warbler walk in an area where warblers of many species should be active.

**Bring snacks and lunch, and bring binoculars if you have them. If not, we may have a couple of extra binoculars that we can lend out for the day. Wear sturdy footwear (for hiking) and dress appropriately for the weather.

All are welcome, Nature Moncton member or not.

Nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton