Editor & Proofreader

Editor: Nelson Poirier    Proofreader: Louise Nichols

Monday, 18 May 2026

May 19 2026

 

 

Nature Moncton Nature News

 

Clicking on the photos enlarges them for closer observation.

 

 

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.

 

If you would like to share observations/photos with Nature News, contact the editor, nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

 

Please advise the editor at nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com, as well as proofreader nicholsl@eastlink.ca, if any errors are noted in wording or photo labelling.

  

Proofreading courtesy of Louise Nichols at nicholsl@eastlink.ca

 

The camera on the peregrine falcon nest box on the summit of Assumption Place is now live. When checking the link to watch the activity, scroll down to the first large image, which shows what is happening in real time.

 

We have no confirmed photos, but rumour has it that there are now more than two hatchling heads in the peregrine falcon summer cottage!

 

https://www.zoodemagnetichillzoo.ca/nest-cam

 

 

**Tonight, Tuesday night, May 19, is Nature Moncton meeting night with our speaker presenting in person at the Rotary Lodge. All details below:

 

May Meeting Presentation


Moose Surveillance Project

Tuesday, May 19, 2026, at 7 PM at Mapleton Park Lodge

Speakers: Becky Graham and Steve Ginnish

National Parks are not just for camping!  They also support ecological health and monitoring programs to assess indicators and ecosystems of the park, the health of wildlife, and to help guide restoration efforts.

Fundy National Park has been monitoring moose in its boundaries and buffer areas for some time using aerial surveillance. More recently in 2024, based on guidance from Mi’gmaq partners, trail cameras were added.  Since then, eight trail cameras have gathered hundreds of photos that have allowed the park to collect much more valuable health information on the moose that frequent the area.

Becky Graham is acting Resource Conservation Manager at Fundy National Park and has been involved with the moose surveillance program from its beginnings. The Mi’maq indigenous community has been a valued asset in the project’s development, and Becky has worked closely with Steve Ginnish, the forestry director at Mi’gmawe’l Tplu’taqnn Inc.  In this presentation, both Becky and Steve will present some of the data and images they have collected and will share what they have discovered about the moose population in Fundy National Park.

This presentation will be live at Mapleton Park Lodge and recorded for those unable to participate in person.

As always, all are welcome, Nature Moncton member or not.




 

**Louise Nichols was walking in the woods behind their Aulac house when she noticed 2 turkey vultures soaring overhead.  When she reached the small cabin, one of the vultures was perched on top, not far from where she was standing.  She watched it for a few minutes, took some photos, until it flew off.

 She also found some first-of-the-season brown elfin butterflies in their usual spot.

 On another note, she and Glen have been noticing a greater number of ticks this spring, particularly American dog ticks.  Louise picked up a few on a trail across the NS border this morning, and then she and Glen got another couple from their own property later in the day.  None of them had attached.  Is this going to be a bad tick season?

 

**On Sunday afternoon, Annette Stone was looking out her kitchen window when she noticed a visitor rooting around in the flower box attached to the back deck. She grabbed one of the spare cameras scattered around the house and snapped a close-up photo of the resident groundhog as it took a break from foraging to look around the yard. 

 

**Jane LeBlanc went birding at her neighbour's on Main Street in St. Martins again on Monday morning. She caught a least flycatcher nearby. Later, the neighbour texted that he had a first-year male Baltimore oriole, so she went back and caught it near the feeder.

 

 **John Inman reports Henry the groundhog is back again for a short stay under the baby barn, providing cheap rent, just having to look after the dandelions.

John photographed the first time he had seen a red-winged blackbird at an orange. It seemed to be eating the white membrane out of it.

John also photographed one of two eastern kingbirds in his backyard.


**Nelson Poirier photographed the first painted trillium he had seen this year, adding a blaze of colour to the dead leaf backdrop.

 

 

 

**Nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton



LEAST FLYCATCHER. MAY 18, 2026. JANE LEBLANC


EASTERN KINGBIRD. MAY 18, 2026. JOHN INMAN


BALTIMORE ORIOLE (FIRST YEAR MALE) MAY 18, 2026. JANE LEBLANC.


TURKEY VULTURE. MAY 18, 2026. LOUISE NICHOLS


TURKEY VULTURE. MAY 18, 2026. LOUISE NICHOLS


RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD (AT ORANGE). MAY 18, 2026. JOHN INMAN


BROWN ELFIN BUTTERFLY. MAY 18, 2026. LOUISE NICHOLS



GROUNDHOG. MAY 18, 2026. JOHN INMAN


GROUNDHOG. MAY 17, 2026. ANNETTE STONE


PAINTED TRILLIUM. MAY 18, 2026. NELSON POIRIER