Nature Moncton Nature News: May 30 2023

May 30, 2023

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Edited by Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Proofreading courtesy of Louise Nichols at nicholsl@eastlink.ca

**There was a very significant labelling error in yesterday’s, May 29 edition. The gull labelled Bonaparte’s Gull from Aldo Dorio was actually an adult breeding plumage Laughing Gull with correction thanks to the observant eye of Caroline Arsenault.

This gull species is uncommon in New Brunswick but it is common not that far to the south of us, with its range expanding. However, there are no breeding records in New Brunswick on Machias-Seal Island, which is situated near Maine, USA.

Aldo saw the bird only one morning, but it may still be in the area, so a heads up it is indicated. The ‘honker’ of a bill made the editor and proofreader wonder, but Laughing Gull was neglected to be considered. Lesson learned!

** Richard Blaquiere found the first Blue Jay nest that he has ever found and got distant photos. Richard thought she was brooding, not incubating, keeping nestlings warm on the cold morning. Plus, he thought he saw movement in the nest Sunday that didn’t look like an adult.

(Editor’s note: it is surprising with the number of Blue Jays in New Brunswick that nests seem to be seldom found. I personally have never found one either. The nest in Richard’s photo is exactly as described in Harrison’s nest guide. Constructed with thorny twigs, bark, mosses, string, and leaves, lined with rootlets. Harrison also comments that, for such a noisy bird, they are very quiet around their nest)

**John Inman photographed a Blue Jay with head crest feathers up very erect, obviously expressing its irritation with some scenario around it. John comments he still has 70+ Blue Jays present Monday morning.

A White-tailed Deer went to cross the Shepody River, but something towards the dam, fortunately, changed its mind.

John also has another visiting Rock Dove with a leg band.

**Georges Brun updates on the Peregrine Falcon nest box atop Assumption Place in Moncton.

Two Peregrine Falcons were in or just outside the box, and what seemed like an object was in the centre of the nest. Georges tried to get photos from the Landing in Moncton, which is a kilometer away, so unable to get documentary photos; however, what he saw was significant.

**Eight Nature Miramichi members and guests had a very interesting 3 hours at the Metepenagiag Heritage Park trails in Redbank Monday morning. They certainly saw some interesting and lovely woodland wildflowers, and Peter Gadd has some photos of them here, along with a few group photos and one or two of the Little Southwest Miramichi River at Metepenagiag. The Painted Trillium was one of the stars of the undergrowth! Although the group was intent on looking down at the ground, they were distracted by birds in the trees and sky above, being well-rounded naturalists. A Black-billed Cuckoo let everyone know it was about, a bird not often heard, let alone seen. It called persistently but remained out of sight in the canopy.

A portion of the sandy cliff on the outside of the oxbow on the Little Southwest Miramichi River is perforated with Bank Swallow nests, and they saw an estimated 100 of them busy at 'insect control'.

(Editor’s note: there are also surprising numbers of Cliff Swallows nesting under the nearby Redbank bridge. It is great to see this very significant number of Cliff Swallows doing so well with the nearby Bank Swallows.)

The Metepenagiag trails are open to the public, and there is no charge to use them. There is a total of about 1.8 km, mostly wooded.

Photos: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjAFJMp

Peter’s link above is a must-view of great photos of the morning!

Nelson Poirier also joined the group and adds some photos of Nodding Trillium, Wintercress (in its teenage state), Dwarf Raspberry, Red-berried Elder, and Ostrich Fern showing both the near fully emerged vegetative form and last year's sporophyte stalk beside it (noting significant care has to be taken when around the sporophyte stalk as folklore states it has been used by witches to cast malicious spells on unsuspecting folk!)

**More great botany news!

The website being built highlighting a go-to place to identify New Brunswick Flora that Andrea Flemming and Jim Goltz gave a presentation on at the May Nature Moncton meeting will come to fruition as funding from the New Brunswick Environmental Trust Fund has just been confirmed.

They look forward to any contributions of photos from the public for potential use on this website.

The complete list of additional photos they are looking for to evaluate is in the link below:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/v1vfy5ye2n68twt/NB%20plants%20photos%20needed.docx?dl=0

Nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton