Nature Moncton Nature News: October 20 2024

NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS

October 20, 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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Proofreading courtesy of Louise Nichols at nicholsl@eastlink.ca

A great day to enjoy the many shorebird observations of yesterday!

**Taking advantage of the unseasonably pleasant weather Peter and Deana Gadd spent a couple of hours on Hay Island Saturday afternoon. They were pleased to see that a few shorebirds were about: a Black-bellied Plover, a few Greater Yellowlegs, a Lesser Yellowlegs and four Semipalmated Plovers. They were also very happy to come across a roosting flock of Red Knots.

The Red Knots, along with some Ruddy Turnstones, were on the very northeast tip of the island where it seems two gentle currents meet. As the tide was coming in, they were not feeding, just resting but it seems that at one point the water was getting too deep for them. Off they flew, 54 of them or so. They returned shortly after but to slightly higher ground. Meanwhile, four Ruddy Turnstones were scurrying about looking for something to eat although one of them took the opportunity for a salt water bath. Visit https://flic.kr/p/2qoFYZn

(Editor’s note: this link provides an excellent observation of a shorebird we don’t often get to observe in numbers like this, the Red Knot.)

**Brian Stone sends photos from the Nature Moncton field trip to the Sackville Waterfowl Park and retention ponds on Saturday. In the nice, sunny weather a dozen participants enjoyed an excellent walk around the trails at both locations. They watched some of the many shorebirds and other natural offerings in the areas.

The two predominant shorebirds were many Yellowlegs and several Pectoral Sandpipers at the retention ponds. A pair of Common Ravens and a Bald Eagle were photographed flying high overhead. In the trees at the ponds, a flock of Cedar Waxwings was foraging on berries and insects and one was photographed with a wasp in its beak to confirm their aerial bug-catching abilities. A Common Eastern bumblebee and an American Lady butterfly were also photographed before leaving for a lunch break.

At the waterfowl park a Common Raven got caught searching a picnic table for scraps and large numbers of American Wigeon ducks and Gadwall Ducks populated the ponds along with Pied-billed Grebes and other common waterfowl.

Later in the evening, Brian went out again to get another photo of comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) before it fades away into the depths of space.

(Editor’s note: Brian’s photo of this comet on Thursday night is attached as well today.)

**As field trip leader, Louise Nichols didn't take too many photos at the Nature Moncton outing in Sackville on Saturday, but she did catch sight of a butterfly on the way out of the waterfowl park which turned out to be a Northern Pearly-Eye, a butterfly species she has not seen since August. She was able to get a couple of photos.

**Jane LeBlanc found the little bird she had seen yesterday in her yard and got better photos, showing it to be a Golden Crowned Kinglet. She also had several Song Sparrows, enjoying the goldenrod seeds.

Jane went down to the harbour again at high tide and was rewarded with a Bald Eagle on what little dry area was left. It flew with something in its beak, no doubt trying to get away from the crows that were hassling it.

At home on the deck, she nearly stepped on an Autumn Meadowhawk dragonfly, which was lying warming itself in the sun.

Nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton