Nature Moncton Nature News: October 21 2023

Nature Moncton Nature News

October 21, 2023

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Edited by Nelson Poirier at nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Proofreading courtesy of Louise Nichols at nicholsl@eastlink.ca

**Louise Nichols visited the Port Elgin lagoon on Friday morning to find 11 species on the water, including many Bufflehead and Bonaparte's Gulls, along with suspecting both scaup species and a Surf Scoter. A Common Loon was also on the lagoon, but it didn't stay around for a photograph.

After Port Elgin, Louise stopped at Jolicure where many American Robins were flying about. She saw two Sharp-shinned Hawks chasing after each other, and an adult Red-tailed Hawk flew directly over her head, allowing for some quick photos and showing the signature patagial bar on the inner leading edge of the wing that is present in adult and immature Red-tailed Hawks.

(Editor’s note: we consulted Gilles Belliveau on his thoughts on the Surf Scoter and scaup, and he shared some interesting comments that we all can learn from.

Gilles comments, “The Surf Scoter appears correct to me, but I’m not going to try to assign an age to it as female Scoters are so variable in appearance.

As for the scaup, the left bird is undoubtedly a Lesser Scaup, but I’m uncertain of the right one. The head shape seems different, but the bird doesn’t appear larger, which I would expect (but birds are in two different positions, so size is hard to judge). Also, I'm not sure if the difference in head shape could just be because the bird is actively diving.

Identifying scaup from photos can be difficult because a photo is just how the bird looked at that particular millisecond. I’ve had scaup that I couldn’t determine the ID of, and then suddenly they change their posture, and the ID becomes evident. Their appearance can change from one moment to the next based on what they are doing, so a single photo is not always a good indicator of their actual structure/appearance.”

**Yves Poussart visited Highland Park in Salisbury to check for the still ongoing activity. At first, the site appeared very quiet. But while exploring the vegetation with his binoculars, Yves was finally able to find some interesting sequences involving 3 juvenile Common Gallinules. They were moving and feeding among the vegetation. Sometimes, one or two of them were visible together and, at other times, they could not be seen when they were behind a zone of dense vegetation. While checking with binoculars, an American Coot was spotted, but it did not cooperate for a photo. In addition, several Pied-billed Grebes, a Bald Eagle, and American Black Ducks were also seen.

**It is interesting to get photos of two different suspected immature scoter species today. Aldo Dorio photographed a White-winged Scoter, appearing to be a first winter female.

Aldo also photographed a Red Knot at Hay Island.

**Shannon Inman photographed a cluster of the colourful Orange Peel Mushrooms, looking like scattered pieces of orange peel to give it its common name, and more Honey Mushrooms, which are very prevalent at the moment.

Shannon also photographed a Two-lined Grasshopper, with 2 Marsh Meadow Grasshoppers (Chorthippus curtipennis) on the right of the photo.

**Brian Stone photographed a colourful bug in Moncton on September 4.

BugGuide has identified it as a Stink Bug (Brochymena quadripustulata). They pointed out this was the first Stink Bug of that species reported from New Brunswick to BugGuide.

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