Nature Moncton Nature News: September 30 2023

NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS

September 30, 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 spent some time at Miramichi Marsh Friday morning. They were surprised to see a Warbling Vireo and get a pleasant photograph. This species does reside in the marsh each summer, so that is not surprising. They suspected they were just lucky to see one passing through, in migration likely.

E-Bird doesn’t carry the Warbling Vireo in its list of likely birds, showing it was rare and further explanation was required. The Merlin App did confirm the identity consistently.

There were a couple of summer resident birds still present, such as Swamp Sparrows and an American Bittern. They tallied 16 species in total.

For the last few days, Peter has been getting a glimpse of a Ruby-throated Hummingbird in their garden feeding on Spotted Jewelweed flowers early in the morning. On Friday afternoon, one visited and stayed around long enough for Peter to get his camera. It was feeding on aging Beebalm flowers. Again E-Bird considered this a rare sighting and asked for more information. It is getting late for the Ruby-throated Hummingbird to be still present. However, it is still suggested to leave one nectar feeder out for late stragglers or a rare off-course migrant species of hummingbird.

**John Inman photographed a high soaring Red-tailed Hawk on Friday as well as a young-of-the-year Yellow-bellied Sapsucker deep in the cedar trees resisting a photo.

(Editor’s note: note the patagial bar (arrowed) on the inner fore wing in John’s photo, which is unique to the Red-tailed Hawk, mature and immature.)

** On Thursday, Brian and Annette Stone felt the need for some fresh air, and they went for a walk at Irishtown Nature Park. Brian noticed some Spindle-shaped Yellow Coral Mushrooms right away at the rear entrance to the park trails and did his best to get photographs in the dim woodland light. Big telephoto lenses aren't the best for that type of imaging. Annette then pointed out a young-looking Hermit Thrush perching on a branch beside the trail, and Brian made that his next photo subject (which cooperated nicely for photographs from different positions).

Besides a few Scaber Stalk Mushrooms, interesting items on the walk included male and female Pileated Woodpeckers.

(Editor’s note: note the more extensive red cap and also the red bar extending back from the base of the bill of the male bird to differentiate the male and female.)

Red Maple Leaves were taking on fall colours. A Spotted Tussock Moth Caterpillar caught the camera’s attention, and a pair of Ruffed Grouse monitored the photographer through branches. Winterberry Holly was showing bountiful fruit that will cling overwinter to please fruit connoisseur birds.

Back at home, Brian saw a large flock of Common Grackles in his backyard and spent a few minutes photographing the full Harvest Moon from his front yard.

Nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton