Nature Moncton Nature News: May 8 2024

NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS

May 8, 2024

Nature Moncton members as well as any naturalist in New Brunswick or beyond are invited to share their photos and descriptions of recent nature sightings to build a fresh (almost) daily edition of Nature News

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The live feed to the Peregrine Falcon nest box camera can be accessed at https://www.zoodemagnetichillzoo.ca/nest-cam

** Cathy Simon reports that the first White-crowned Sparrow of the season has appeared at her feeder in Lutes Mountain.

(Editor’s note: the White-crowned Sparrow is a special visitor in spring that makes brief refueling stops on its migratory route to breed to the north of us and we may see them again doing the same on their migratory route to overwinter to the south of us in the fall.)

**The Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are arriving/arrived in number over the past week with a tendency for the males to arrive first quickly followed by the females.

Lois Budd had her first hummingbird visit her feeder Tuesday evening. It perched on a rope for a long time before drinking and heading out.

**Jim Johnson in Scotch Settlement also had his first Ruby-throated Hummingbird arrive on Tuesday. Jim often hosts a large number of hummingbirds in his yard each summer.

**Fred Richards comments he is finding spring is well ahead of schedule in Taylor Village. On Tuesday morning, Fred saw a pair of Canada Geese heading down towards the river with one gosling doing its best to keep up. On Tuesday afternoon, he saw the first Ruby-throated Hummingbird of the season which is at least a week earlier than normal for his site.

** Jane LeBlanc got a photo of a Black-and-White Warbler while riding her bicycle near her St. Martins home.

**Shannon Inman photographed some of their Harvey yard visitors on Tuesday including a male Rose-breasted Grosbeak, a Gray Catbird, a group of male American Goldfinch showing near full topaz summer breeding plumage, and 3 Turkey Vultures resting on a deadfall in their backyard.

**On Monday, Georges Brun photographed a pair of Great Black-backed Gulls at the mouth of Halls Creek fighting for what appears to be a Gaspereaux.

On Monday in the Biss Marsh area, (Dieppe) Georges photographed approximately 50 Tree Swallows. There were 2 families of Mallard Ducks, one with 8 fledglings in tow, the other with 11 youngsters. He also saw numerous Northern Shovelers, teals, and many other species but too far away to get a photograph—also a nice observation of a male Ring-necked Pheasant.

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Nature Moncton