Nature Miramichi

From: David McLeod <mcleodda>
Sent: Sunday, November 3, 2019 2:01 AM
Subject: Re: bright red berries

Hi Hazen,

This is the Winterberry Holly (Ilex verticillata). After the leaves have fallen, the berries become more conspicuous and so are more likely to be noticed. This is a dioecious shrub which means the male and female flowers are borne on separate plants. The ones containing the berries are the female plants, while those without berries are the males, the flowers of which that bear the pollen, have long since withered and fallen away. The twigs with the berries are often cut for home decorative purposes or offered for sale at farmers’ markets, especially at Christmas time.

Also, congratulations for documenting an addition to the vascular plant list for the Miramichi Marsh (updated list attached)! It’s the 188th species to date. For this reason, I’ve cc’d Peter and Jim so Peter can replace the old list on the Club’s website with this new updated one.

Thanks for sharing your photos.

Dave

VASCULAR PLANTS CHECKLIST FOR MIRAMICHI MARSH, Updated Oct. 31, 2019.doc

From: David McLeod <mcleodda@nbnet.nb.ca>
Sent: Thursday, August 8, 2019
Subject: Updated Vascular Plants list for MM

With the recent new orchid finds at the old Canadian Tire Store in the north-west corner of MM reported by Nelson last August and Jim this year, I’ve updated the attached vascular plant list. It now includes 187 species.

Dave

VASCULAR PLANTS CHECKLIST FOR MIRAMICHI MARSH, Updated Aug. 8, 2019.doc

From: Peter Gadd <gadd1313@nb.sympatico.ca>
Sent: Thursday, July 25, 2019 11:42 AM
To: ‘Peter and Deana Gadd’ <gadd1313@nb.sympatico.ca>
Subject: Nature Miramichi – Miramichi Marsh Up-date

Hi All,

Thought I would mention a few things about Miramichi Marsh.

The Great Egret reported of late seems to be spending some time at MM but more time across Hwy 11 at what I call King St. Marsh. It has been quite visible from the side of the road at the top of King St. Plenty of safe parking. Quite a few other wetlands birds can be seen there as well.

The trails at MM were mowed this morning (Thursday). A necessary evil I am afraid. Many do enjoy the relative tranquility of the trails and the close proximity to nature. The nearby highway and occasional drag racing on the airport property not withstanding!!!

There is a wasps nest on the outer left rail of the little jetty in the main pond. Not easily seen until it is too late!

There is still a lot of bird activity at the MM. Parents and young of a number of species going about their business. I think they are out in the open more now with the need to hunt insects and eat maturing berries.

I have seen a new species MM. I have been seeing them for a few days flying with the Tree Swallows. Quite a bit darker, a little larger, different wing shape …. They are Purple Martins. Very difficult to photograph on the wing!

Don’t forget the Saturday excursion to the Kingston Family Nature Preserve. Details distributed earlier.

Peter

From: Peter Gadd <gadd1313@nb.sympatico.ca>
Sent: Sunday, May 19, 2019 9:52 PM
To: ‘Peter and Deana Gadd’ <gadd1313@nb.sympatico.ca>
Subject: Nature Miramichi – Clean-up Collage

Hi All,

Here is a collage ….. a little on the sloppy side perhaps ….. showing some of the efforts of club members during last week’s “Team-up to Clean-up” community wide effort. Well done all.

Not all of our effort is represented here and there are of course members who as a matter of routine do “pick up” but this community initiative brought the litter problem to the attention of many.

I had hoped to compile an estimate of weight and “person hours” but that data is incomplete. Never-the-less it is satisfying to walk through an area recently “de-littered”.

Peter

From: David McLeod <mcleodda@nbnet.nb.ca>
Sent: Saturday, January 19, 2019 7:49 PM
Subject: 2018-19 Northumberland County Winter Bird List

Hi Everyone:

Sorry for the delay in getting the winter bird list out to you, but please find attached a copy of the list as of Jan. 18 containing 53 species to date, far short of last year’s record of 78.

Last winter there was much more open water in Miramichi Bay and River well into late December, so we had 21 waterfowl species (ducks, geese, loons, grebes, cormorants) compared to only 8 this year when the bay and river were almost iced over by late November. Aldo had also added a late Dunlin and Black-bellied Plover at Neguac last year on Dec. 1, but we have no shorebird species this year.

However, we do have some nice first-ever additions to the list; namely the Carolina Wren and Cooper’s Hawk reported by Peter and Deana and both were photographed by Peter at their feeders in Newcastle. I guess this should make up for the loss of the Mistle Thrush at the same location last year that hasn’t been reported since!! This is the first time we’ve had all three accipiter hawk species (Sharp-shinned and Cooper’s Hawks, plus Northern Goshawk) on the list in the same winter.

Another good find was the Snowy Owl in Nelson on Dec. 4 which was photographed by Karen Doyle and first reported by Donna Savoy. Last year we missed the snowy, but did have Barred Owl, still missing from this year’s list. Julia’s female Northern Cardinal at her feeder in Chatham Head on Dec. 1, and Patricia’s male cardinal at her feeder throughout December, were also very good sightings. Aldo’s report and photo of a Chipping Sparrow on Dec. 4 in Neguac, and the Common Grackle sighting in Sunny Corner by Holly, Sonya and Cheryl during the CBC on Dec. 15, are good examples of summer breeding residents that have decided not to migrate south, but to hang around the area this year, and so are not expected to be on the winter list every year.

Other still-missing possible species include Red-tailed and Rough-legged Hawks, Ring-necked Pheasant, Barred, Great Horned, and Northern Saw-whet Owls, and Black-backed and Red-bellied Woodpeckers. Several songbirds have yet to be reported, including members of the warbler, sparrow, blackbird and finch families, like Horned Lark, Lapland Longspur, White-breasted Nuthatch, Boreal Chickadee, Cedar Waxwing, Pine or Yellow-rumped Warblers, Song Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Rusty Blackbird, Purple Finch, House Finch, and White-winged Crossbill.

Please check the list carefully to ensure all the birds you have already reported are on it and that the added details are accurate. Also, please let me know of any additions you may have, including the observation date and location, and if there is any photo documentation.

With just under 1.5 months still to go, we should be able to increase the final total considerably. Thanks for all your help.

Dave

2018-19 Northumberland County Winter Bird List, preliminary, Jan. 19, 2019.docx

From: Pamela Watters <watterspj3@gmail.com>
Sent: Saturday, January 12, 2019 7:33 PM
Subject: February 5 Nature Miramichi

Miramichi Naturalists February Meeting

Our Small Rodent Community and Those That Depend on Them

Presenter: Nelson Poirier

The small rodents may be some of the most populous members of Mother Nature’s community and are no doubt some of the most significant members of that community in providing food to mammals and birds up the food chain that we all appreciate so much such as owls and other raptors as well as some of the larger wild mammals like foxes, wild cats, coyote, weasels, mink, etc.

As numerous as the small rodents are, we don’t often get to see them due to their secretive, nocturnal, and sometimes only ground-level life. Let’s spend a few moments in getting to know these smaller creatures by their first names and learn about their very interesting life and times. At the same time, let’s become aware of the critters whose existence depends upon the population of the small rodent community.

February 5 – Nelson Poirier, Underground and Terrestrial Rodents of New Brunswick

March 5 – Mark Hambrook, Miramichi Salmon Association

April 2 – Alex Dalton and Virginia Noble, WildResearch Nightjar Survey in New Brunswick

May 7 – Lewnanny Richardson, Species at Risk Biologist, Nature NB

June 4 – Field trip to Miramichi Marsh

Snowshoe Excursion – Saturday January 19th – Morrison’s Cove – Time TBA

Snowshoe Excursion – Escuminac Point area – March, Specific day and time TBA

Hi All,

Just a reminder that Nature Miramichi will be having its annual Christmas Pot Luck supper on Tuesday December 4th at the Nelson Senior Citizen Centre.

This will be at 6:00 p.m. rather than the usual 6:30 p.m.

It had been suggested that for a program on this occasion we have a members night. It has been decided to go one step further:

All members are encouraged to participate in a “Nature Show and Tell”. Perhaps you have an interesting item at home, such as a carving, a picture, a book, a magazine article etc. that you would like to share with others.

Perhaps you have had an experience in nature that you would like to share. Perhaps a photo. Perhaps you have a mini-presentation (technology will be available). Perhaps you have a plant, a cone, etc. that you found on a trail that you are curious about or you think others might find interesting. Something from overseas? This is intended to be an opportunity to share with fellow club members. I am sure it will not be dull … (what might Jim pull out from the bed of his pick-up!)

We will also of course have our usual discussion of recent sightings, experiences and concerns.

If we can find someone who can play the piano … perhaps we can have a Christmas Carol or two!!!!

Put your thinking caps on ….

Peter

(on behalf of club president Jim Saunders)

From: Peter Gadd <gadd1313>
Sent: Monday, November 12, 2018 9:25 PM
Subject: Project Feeder Watch – off to a good start

Hi,

I thought I would follow-up the comments about Project Feeder Watch I made recently. Deana and I had our first day today and with the cold this morning things were quite busy. We ended the day with 16 species in the area of our feeders. I am happy to say that the Carolina Wren is still with us, certainly for breakfast each morning and through the day with brief visits. We were having a lot of White-throated Sparrows all fall but now only four are taking advantage of us. However we did have 11 Dark-eyed Juncos dining on the popular patio lawn, one female showing some leucism, photo attached. A list of the birds we had today are on eBird at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S49900570 .

This afternoon we braved a cold wind and spent a bit more than an hour on Hay Island. There were a dozen or so Snow Buntings and two Horned Larks. There were two brave juvenile Black-bellied Plover and one other elusive shorebird who kept its identity a secret. There was one Great Blue Heron, quite possibly just passing through on its way to somewhere warmer!

Peter