Nature Miramichi

Hi Everyone,

Please find attached the minutes from our January 4th meeting. There has been an amendment since the minutes I distributed shortly after the meeting. The amendments are in the Christmas Bird Count paragraph. Please have a look at the minutes and be prepared to adopt them if they are satisfactory.

Our speaker for this Tuesday’s meeting is:

Lee Kouwenberg, Birds Canada – Presentation on Bicknell’s Thrush and the High Elevation Landbird Program.

Find out more about Birds Canada and the Bicknell’s Thrush – Unravelling the mystery of the Bicknell’s Thrush in New Brunswick’s mountain forests | Birds Canada | Oiseaux Canada

Thanks Pam for making this arrangement.

This meeting will be held over ZOOM once more. I will send out the link on Monday along with the meeting agenda. Zoom is not a difficult program to use so I hope as many people can “attend” on Tuesday as possible. If you have any questions regarding Zoom, let me know please.

Nature Miramichi January 4 minutes (003).pdf
City_SouthSpineJan19C.pdf

Deana just came back from a ski at the MCCSC. At the bird feeder near the trail head she found a Northern Flying Squirrel (photo) . As she was watching a second sailed in!

One was also reported by an evening skier on the lighted trail two weeks ago.

Many years ago Julia Connell saw one in similar circumstances at the club!

What a treat … night skiing in this cold weather has its bonuses!

Peter

From: Pam Watters <watterspj3@gmail.com>
Sent: Saturday, January 15, 2022 2:18 PM
Subject: Results – Miramichi Christmas Bird Count

Thank you for participating in the 50th Miramichi Christmas Bird Count (CBC)! Thanks to your participation we had a very successful count.

The results of the CBC can be found on the Nature Miramichi website at the link below – scroll down to the Christmas Bird Count section. Also available is a table of CBC results from 1972 to present. Our results have been sent to the NB provincial CBC coordinator as well as entered into the Audubon/Birds Canada database.

https://miramichinaturalistclub.com/christmas-bird-mammal-counts/

It was wonderful to have Ian Walker and Elayne Walker, Harry Walker’s son and daughter, participate in the count. Many of you will remember Harry Walker who was one of the original founders of the Miramichi CBC, and the compiler of the count until 2009. Ian participated in the first CBC in 1972 (and was also a compiler for several years) so it was great to have his expertise on the 50th count!

We observed 4,080 individuals of 36 species on count day – this is the highest number of birds that we have recorded in 50 years! This is partially due to the high numbers of Bohemian Waxwings and European Starlings. We recorded an amazing 1,239 Bohemian Waxwings (the highest number we have recorded) and 867 European Starlings. There was a large flock of 700 Bohemian Waxwings observed in the Newcastle area which must have been spectacular to see. There seems to be lots of Mountain Ash berries around this year to keep them well fed. Perhaps this is also part of the reason that 70 American Robins were observed on count day.

We had a nice variety of species as 36 species were observed on count day. Our average number of species seen on count day over the years is 30 species, so it was nice to be above average! We also recorded 3 extra species during count week (December 16-22), and 5 extra species during count period (December 14-January 5). This brings the total for the count period to 44 species – amazing to know that there are so many species of birds spending the winter here!

Since there were a lot of open areas in the river, several species of waterfowl were observed including Canada Geese, Common Merganser and Common Goldeneye. We located a pair of Lesser Scaup in the Newcastle water treatment lagoons – the first time we have recorded this species on our CBC. There were also large numbers of Mallards and American Black Ducks observed on count day.

There were many species of finch around this year with American Goldfinch the most numerous on the CBC. It’s very special to see so many White-winged Crossbills around this year as well.

Notable birds for the count include the Lesser Scaup mentioned above, a Song Sparrow visiting feeders in Newcastle, and a Peregrine Falcon observed during the count period near the Morrissey Bridge (first time we have observed one during the count period). In addition to the Peregrine, raptors were well represented with 2 Sharp-shinned Hawks and 10 Bald Eagles on count day, a Northern Goshawk during count week, and a Cooper’s Hawk during the count period.

Thank you again for participating, and enjoy the winter birds!

Pam Watters

From: David McLeod <mcleodda@nbnet.nb.ca>
Sent: Tuesday, November 30, 2021 10:07 PM
Subject: 2021-22 Northumberland County Winter Bird List

Hi Everyone:

It’s that time again! With Covid-19 continuing to be a problem this year, we can at least Jimstill do some birding! So starting tomorrow, Wednesday, Dec. 1, our winter bird list for Northumberland County begins for the 2021-22 season, and continues for the next three months, ending on Feb. 28.

Sightings are welcome from feeder watchers or from those in the field anywhere in Northumberland County with or without photos (always desirable for confirmation of the rarer species or those that are difficult to identify). Please email me at mcleodda

The first few days of December are always great for getting any remaining late migrants that otherwise would have gone south for the winter by now and so be missed. There’s also lots of open water in the Miramichi River and Bay, so hopefully we can find some waterfowl and gulls still hanging around before freeze-up. Within the past week Aldo photographed a Great Blue Heron, Long-tailed Ducks and Bohemian Waxwings at Hay Island, as well as the Cattle Egret which had returned to the Covedell Road on Nov. 25. In the last few days Peter and Deana have reported a Snowy Owl at Hilltop Road and an Eastern Towhee at a feeder in Quarryville, so perhaps these birds will still be around tomorrow. Last year (2020-21) we had 75 species, just shy of the record 78 species for 2017-18 when we had the Mistle Thrush at Peter and Deana’s place. If we can get an early start, perhaps we can equal or better last year’s total!

Thanks.

Dave

P.S. Also, a reminder that our three Christmas Bird Counts have been scheduled, weather permitting, for the following dates:

Saturday, Dec. 18 – Red Bank / Sunny Corner: compiler – myself mcleodda

Sunday, Dec. 19 – Miramichi; compiler – Pam Watters watterspj3

Sunday, Jan. 2 – New Jersey / Neguac: compiler – myself mcleodda

The count period runs from December 14 through January 5, so count days have to be chosen any time within the period.

Because of Covid-19, we will continue with the same methodology used last year, where field participants will be assigned specific routes by email and there won’t be any gatherings at the usual locations at the start. Those people with feeders in any of the three count circles listed above are encouraged to send a list of all bird species and the maximum numbers of each seen at any one time on the appropriate day to the compiler listed above.

From: Teagan Yaremchuk <tyaremchuk@naturecanada.ca>
Sent: Thursday, November 18, 2021 12:23 PM
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Subject: re: Sign On to ask Justin Trudeau to make Nature a Priority – THANK YOU

Hi there,

Last week we asked you to sign on to a national letter calling on the Prime Minister to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030, and thank you for adding your name to this important letter! In fact, over 200 organizations signed on! 200 organizations from across the country is huge, and we are so grateful to the community for coming together to let Parliament know we need action now. Check out the letter in English and French. We still can’t get over the long list of signatories across multiple pages.

This is a big moment, so we’ve prepared some social media assets to help spread the word. The official press releases can be found in both English and French on our website and can be shared with your supporters as well. We ask you to join us in amplifying this letter so Canadians across the country can hear that the federal government needs to deliver on election promises.

Please feel free to reach out should you have any questions or would like more support! Thank you for all that you do.

Yours for nature,

	Teagan Yaremchuk (she/her) Nature Network Organizer Nature-based Climate Solutions | 613-562-3447 ext. 241 | NatureCanada.ca | Suite 300, 240 Bank St., Ottawa, ON, K2P 1X4

Some of us travelled today to Covedell Rd., Tabusintac, following Aldo Dorio’s tip below. We were able to easily spot Cattle Egret amongst 8 or so cows in a field just after turning off hwy 11. It was feeding on the ground. Brilliantly white and not in breeding plumage. This apparently is not the first sighting of this species in the county as eBird has a report from 1979 entered as a historical record by Mitch Doucet. There were apparently 5 in the Newcastle area (Birds of NB, an annotated list 2004 was Mitch’s source). There are currently 3 other’s reported presently in NB I gather.

Further down the road we were fortunate to also see an American Coot, (waterfowl) not a stranger to these parts necessarily, but a species not often seen.

Peter

From: Mona Dorio <mona.dorio@yahoo.com>
Sent: Wednesday, November 3, 2021 5:57 PM
To: gadd1313@nb.sympatico.ca
Subject: Fw: DSCN3656.JPG

Sent from Mail for Windows

COVEDELL RD TABUSINTAC HE IS WHITH THE COWS ALDO

“One of these Geese is not like the others!” …. Thanks Kiirsti, good spotting.

This goose is normally west of Ontario, breeding west of Hudson Bay and a rare sighting in NB.

Greater White-fronted Goose Range Map, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Peter

From: Kiirsti Owen <kiirsti@gmail.com>
Sent: Saturday, October 9, 2021 10:34 PM
Subject: Greater White-fronted Goose

Hi Peter,

Today, Colin and I spotted a Greater White-fronted Goose at Middle Island (just in the water off the eastern tip of the island, seen from the causeway).

Attached a photo, not a fantastic shot, but definitely good enough for a ID!

Hope some others might get a chance to see it. Thought I’d share with you. No Garganey mind you, but still a fun sighting 🙂

Happy Thanksgiving!

Kiirsti

Hi All,

I sent an email last week, reminding all of our meeting scheduled (but cancelled) for Tuesday past. There was a fair amount of information along with it. I have a little more to add below.

A few items:

1. Nature Trust NB is planning on a visit to the Kingston Family Nature Preserve to continue marking the property boundaries. A few of our club members were involved with the initial effort and the organizer, Shaylyn Wallace, is hoping that a few of us can join them this time around to help out. (We have committed as a club, to be stewards of this property and have done our annual 2021 visit back in July. Their visit is planned for Tuesday November 16th. (WEAR ORANGE)!

2. Note from Sonya who, along with Holly, is a member of Nature NB’s board of directors.:

Nature NB 50th anniversary is in 2022. Nature NB is asking clubs to submit photos of their club or Nature NB activities such as during the Festival of Nature. (They can digitize older photos and return them to you.) So, I would recommend that members mail older photos to Nature NB, and email the digitized ones. I am assuming that they will be used for FON in June, but there may be other uses throughout the year.

Nature NB

61 rue Carleton St, Suite 3
Fredericton NB
E3B 3T2

Email – info

3. The October BIG DAY (BIRDS) – World Wide – this Saturday October 9, more information: October Big Day—9 Oct 2021 – eBird

4. Let us keep in touch by sharing NATURE RELATED emails, such things as interesting sightings, news articles etc. Items that interest you and you think others would like to be aware of. Send them to me and I will pass them on. If we can’t meet face to face, we can at least continue to share nature experiences in the Miramichi area and beyond!

Sightings:

Here are 2 I would like to share.

Deana and I had a few days last weekend visiting the town of Gaspé and surrounding areas. This is Deana’s family homestead area and we try to visit annually.

On the way we stopped at Saint Simeone de Bonaventure, perhaps one third of the way along the south coast. There is a spit of land that curls back into the coast. A great spot usually for shorebirds. In the past among others, we have been fortunate enough to spot a Hudsonian Godwit and on another occasion a few Golden Plovers. Well not on this visit. As we walked along a falcon flew over us and then back and landed on a large piece of driftwood tree trunk. Excitedly I started taking photos of its back, creeping up closer to get better shots of course … closer and closer and then right up to it and facing it, not ten feet away! It was a Peregrine and completely unconcerned about the two of us. Another Peregrine then landed nearby and seemed to be dining on some pray! It was the smaller of the two so presumably male and our chummy bird would have been a female. When the male eventually left our “buddy” followed. No shorebirds in the immediate area!!!

This afternoon I was working on our patio and left the door ajar. One of our resident Chipmunks decided to come inside and check out our accommodations!

Yikes …. Running through the house I closed all the doors I could, apart from outside doors, but luckily I was able to trap it in a small down stairs bathroom. I fetched my butterfly net and for 10 minutes, very comically I think, floundered around this 6 by 7 foot bathroom brandishing my long handle net trying to trap this poor panicking rodent. Not easy …. Eventually successful and was able to release it outside, hoping that the stress which it was under was not too much for it.

Check out the recent edition of Giver Magazine — I understand our club’s submissions are presented well … I haven’t seen them yet.

Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and hoping NB can put the present surge of Covid 19 behind us as soon as possible.

Peter
President
Nature Miramichi

From: Dee Goforth <dgoforth48@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, October 5, 2021 8:41 AM
Subject: Re: FW: Rain marks on flowers

Jessica,

I love a good mystery too!

The rain marks on the morning glory petals are definitely intriguing – and beautiful. An old 1913 paper reported that acid rain droplets left brown spots on the petals, so it seems morning glories may have a greater sensitivity. The attached document from the New York Times discusses the effect of normal fluctuations in pH levels on the colour of their petals.

From: Jim Saunders <jimsaunders809>
Sent: Saturday, October 2, 2021 10:28 AM
Subject: Re: FW: FW: FW: Rain marks on flowers

Looking at Jessica’s photos, I also see water droplets near the edge of a leaf in50444801. I found the following in “Guttation – how plants deal with too much water” –

https://www.nature-and-garden.com/gardening/guttation.html

“Guttation occurs when a plant oozes water and minerals out from perfectly healthy leaves, stems, and sometimes even flower petals.”

Jim

From: Jessica Bowie <jbfitjessica>
Sent: Thursday, September 30, 2021 2:32 PM
Subject: Re: FW: FW: Rain marks on flowers

I see what you mean! I wonder if both could be happening. In picture 50398209 if you zoom in you can see that the pink marks are larger than the remaining droplets indicating possible pigmentation change.

I love a good mystery!

Jessica

Good point Jessica. I wonder when the flower dried out if the original colour returned?

50398209

Peter

Morning Glories.docx