Nature Moncton Nature
News
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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.
All is outwardly quiet in
the nest box this morning, but that could be a very different scenario in a few
weeks!
https://www.zoodemagnetichillzoo.ca/nest-cam
**The magnolia tree is a
tree that bursts into spectacular bloom before the leaves appear and is
an early bloomer.
Bob Blake shares a photo
of their now blooming magnolia tree that was started from a 6” plant
from Kathy Popma, which they got at a plant exchange that Nature Moncton held
some years ago.
Bob also comments on
seeing five turkeys in a field on the Homestead
Road, a few kms past the Old Fredericton Rd. towards Petitcodiac on Monday
morning. No photos were taken to attempt judgment as to whether they were truly
wild or feral.
**Susan O’Brien in Saint
John had two new visitors at their yard on Tuesday, a northern mockingbird
and a white-throated sparrow, and was able to get photographs through a
window.
(Editor's note: The
northern mockingbird is always a pleasant yard visitor. It is surprising that the
New Brunswick population of this bird has not significantly increased, even
though it does not migrate. The male is known for its dramatic spring courtship
and vocalization.)
More late edited good news! Susan also had two female and one male ruby-throated hummingbirds arrive on Tuesday.
**Louise Nichols sends
some photos from various observations. She visited the Tankville Trail in
Moncton late Tuesday afternoon. Birds were not very visible at that time
of day in the wind, except for a female mallard duck who was enjoying
one of the streams running through the marsh. She also photographed a gray
comma butterfly on the trail, one of two that were chasing each other.
At home in Aulac, Louise came across a garter snake on Tuesday, then noticed another and another -- four altogether in a small space in the woods. She also saw her first green frog of the season resting on the side of the small pond behind their house.
On Wednesday afternoon,
Louise joined a walk with members of the Tantramar Outdoor Club. The walk
was guided by Karin Aurell and focused on plants, some ephemeral, in the woods
on the Ogden Loop Trail, off Walker Rd. in Sackville. A very large area
of trout lily is present on this trail and is just beginning to
bloom. Other plants observed were Carolina spring beauty, threeleaf
goldthread, and clintonia.
**Two significant sparrow species, the fox sparrow and the white-crowned sparrow, migrate to the south of us in winter and return to breed to the north of us in the summer. They tend to make refueling stops at our feeding yards. Normally, the fox sparrow is the first one to appear, and there have been several reports; however, the white-crowned sparrow normally is second, and that may be starting right now. John Inman had his first white-crowned sparrow appear in his Harvey yard on Monday.
John comments that most of
the white-throated sparrows have moved on, and he has not seen the red-bellied
woodpecker in a few days, but a new group of approximately 100 blackbirds,
mostly female red-winged blackbirds, have arrived.
****David Lilly shares recent photos of the blossom of trout lily, sunbathing painted turtles, and a cooperative muskrat, taken in the Oromocto area.
**Brian Stone recently
captured a photo of a cecropia silkmoth cocoon. If it has not been parasitized
over the winter, a very beautiful, large moth will emerge.
**Nelson Poirier was pleased to have a pine warbler drop by his
peanut feeder on Tuesday morning. It returned several times but was wary about
being photographed.
Nelson also puts out a jam feeder, which sometimes attracts
yellow-bellied sapsucker, grey catbird, Baltimore oriole, warblers, and chipmunks. Flying squirrels have also been suspected visitors but no photographic proof.
Nelson Poirier
Nature Moncton
