Nature Moncton Nature
News
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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.
The peregrine falcon
parents are now starting to leave their brood of four alone in the nest for short
periods as they head out grocery shopping. A screenshot on Sunday morning found
the four hatchlings huddled up in what was probably a chilly morning, 22 floors
up.
https://www.zoodemagnetichillzoo.ca/nest-cam
**A heads up on the field
trip coming up this Saturday, May 30, sleuthing out spring ducks. All details
at the end of this edition and upfront on Friday.
**John Inman photographed
a ruby-throated hummingbird trying to dry off in the rain.
A porcupine checked
out the yard. No photo, but the peregrine falcon just left the yard with
another blue jay. John wonders if it's opting for jays instead of pigeons, as the jays are a lighter load to take to a nest. The falcon was here the same
time last year.
(Editor’s note: the
peregrine falcon family on the summit of Assumption Place seems to have a taste
for blue jay as well, as indicated by the feather remnants.)
**Nature
Moncton Outing—Spring Ducks
Location:
Sackville Sewage Lagoon, Retention Ponds, and Waterfowl Park
Date and
start time: Saturday, May 30, at 9:30 AM
Hosts: Gwen
Clark and Jessica Belanger-Mainville
Spring in
New Brunswick is a perfect time to appreciate one of the most striking groups
of birds, the ducks, as they return to New Brunswick to breed or pass through
on their northward migration. The Sackville Sewage Lagoon, Retention Ponds, and
Waterfowl Park offer important breeding and stopover habitat for many species,
from the familiar Blue-winged Teal and Ring-necked Duck to less common visitors
like Wood Ducks, Northern Shovelers, Hooded Mergansers, and Northern Pintails.
If you’re lucky, you may even find a rare vagrant (a species far outside its
native range) like the cinnamon-headed Eurasian Wigeon!
We will start at the Sewage Lagoon and proceed to the Retention Ponds,
concluding with a short walk along the boardwalk loop in Waterfowl Park.
Bring a
snack, water, and sun protection, and don’t forget your name tag. All are welcome, Nature Moncton
members and non-members alike.
Sackville
meeting location: Sewage Lagoons on Crescent Street. From Moncton, take the
Trans-Canada Highway and get off at exit 506 (Cattail Ridge). Continue on
Cattail Ridge as it becomes Crescent Street. Where Crescent Street curves west (to the right when
coming from Cattail Ridge), turn left onto the gravel road and continue to the
sewage lagoons. Park along the side of the road.
Carpooling
meet-up location and time: We strongly encourage carpooling from Moncton to
Sackville to reduce the environmental footprint of this event. For those
wishing to carpool, we will meet at the parking lot of the Sobeys on Elmwood Drive (77 Filles de Jesus Ave,
Moncton) at 8:45 a.m.
Nelson Poirier
Nature Moncton
