Nature Miramichi:

Nature Miramichi members were fortunate Saturday morning to spend 3 hours at Strawberry Marsh on a walk lead by former Miramichi resident Ian Walker. Ian has been an avid naturalist since his youth and lived not far from the marsh. He remembers much about it 50+ years ago. A sketch of some of these memories is attached.

Our walk focused mainly on the botany of Strawberry Marsh, sharing discussions on plant identity amongst the knowledgeable club members present. Also of course we were certainly on the lookout for birds and bugs.

A white-tailed deer made an appearance and was soon “high-tailing” into the distance.

This is a link to the iNaturalist observations submitted by Ian.

In the last 50 years or so there have been several major changes to the marsh area with the construction of the new bridge in 1995, the construction of the water treatment plant lagoon and the work done by Ducks Unlimited Canada on the trail that follows the shoreline.

April 3rd, 2026 – Another snowy day in Miramichi made it once again a difficult time for birds that have returned early from the south. It was a very busy day at the bird feeders of Deana and Peter Gadd. A considerable number of red-winged blackbirds and common grackles tried to dominate both suspended bird feeders and seed scattered on the ground. One timid song sparrow eventually developed a few strategies to get its share, most interestingly, flying up to an upside down cage and taking some stabs at the suet held there.

The redpolls too had a bit of a struggle against the dominance of the larger “blackbirds”. Their coping strategy when chased from the ground, was also to adapt to a variety of hanging feeders including ones holding peanuts, some inaccessible to the “bullies”.

A pair of northern cardinals, although never apart it seems for the last six weeks or so, took their relationship one step further with the male feeding sunflower seeds to the female for the first time this spring. Winter-long residents: juncos, a white-throated sparrow and a white-breasted nuthatch, seemed to realize it is still necessary to hang about feeders although we are 2 weeks into spring.

Song Sparrow stabbing at a suet cake. Redpolls feeding.

A visitor to our home Wednesday Sept. 24.

Peter and Deana have not seen much of “their” northern cardinal this summer but were favoured on Sunday afternoon when the molting bird paid a visit to their patio bird bath. 

Acting on a tip from Pam, Deana and Peter visited Hay Island, Neguac, late Saturday afternoon Aug 23, to catch up with stilt sandpipers that were reported in the pond next to the lighthouse. These birds, along with a rare  red-necked phalarope had been reported at this location for at least the last day or so. The stilt sandpipers would be on their way to Central and South America having left their breeding grounds in the arctic.

Stilt Sandpiper

Stilt Sandpiper

The red-necked phalarope appears to be a juvenile, indicated by the more colourful back, while adults have a grey back. This individual is on its way to the west coast of South America. Phalaropes spend most of their time at sea in very large numbers. Hopefully, this individual will join a flock to help it on its long journey. There were many other shorebirds in the area, mostly semipalmated sandpipers, but also semipalmated plovers, least sandpipers, short-billed dowitchers and at least one white-rumped sandpiper.

Red-necked Phalarope

White-rumped Sandpiper

Deana and Peter Gadd took part in a pelagic birding tour on the Bay of Fundy on Saturday. The tour lasted about 7 hours, sailing south from Grand Manan Island to about halfway to Nova Scotia. They reported 14 bird species, others reported a couple more, many but not all considered pelagic. The most dramatic moment came when a parasitic jaeger chased a red-necked phalarope, seemingly unsuccessful!

There were many Wilson’s storm-petrels as well as great shearwaters and Atlantic puffins.  Apart from the jaeger, other more rare birds included sooty shearwaters and a first winter laughing gull.  The red-necked phalaropes were present in the thousands, at one point concentrated in a relatively small area due likely to an up-welling current bringing “nutrition” from the deep.

Although this was a birding tour a close encounter with a humpback whale added to the excitement. The sea was extremely calm and weather perfect, visibility was good.  After seemingly waving to us with its fin (rolling on its back to do so), a humpback whale came quite close and “fluked” enabling a clear view of the underside of its tail. This will enable it to be identified by name as the pattern of a dark area on the underside is unique to the individual. Results of an enquiry awaits.

Great Shearwater

Red-necked Phalaropes with Atlantic Puffin

Parasitic Jaeger chasing a Red-necked Phalarope

Laughing Gull – juvenile

Sooty Shearwater

Humpback Whale

Humpback Whale

Nature NB’s annual FESTIVAL of NATURE is returning to Miramichi, last held here in 2013.  Our club has been involved in an advisory role but Natre NB is doing all the planning.
        June 6 – AGM and More – Rodd Hotel
        June 7 – Field Tips (leaving from      Chatham Rec Centre)

        June 7– Dinner – Rodd Hotel
        June 8 – Field Tips (leaving from Chatham Rec Centre).

More details at Festival of Nature 2025 – Nature NB

Please find above the recent Northumberland County Winter bird list which was concluded of course Friday February 28th

We ended up with 76 species this year which is about average. Last year we had 74 species and in the best year, 2021–22, we had 80.

Of note in this year’s list:

1. Ducks:

In early December before “freeze-up”:

Wood Duck, Gadwall, N. Pintail, N. Shoveler, Green-winged Teal and Ring-necked Duck were recorded.

2. Birds we don’t see every winter-list included: Snow Goose, Great Horned Owl (although resident), Carolina Wren, Eastern Towhee
3. Birds that decided not to go further south:

Common Grackle*, Rusty Blackbird*

4. Rare (even in the summer):

Field Sparrow*

*Arrived in December and still present Feb. 28!
Details about these sightings are given in the attached NCWBL document attached.

Thank you everyone for your contributions, Another interesting list.