Nature Miramichi

Good Evening All,

Nature Miramichi is holding its first Warbler Walk of the season at French Fort Cove this coming Friday. (THE 13TH!)

Please meet at the Cove Rd. parking lot opposite the curling club for 7:30 a.m. If you are late you likely can catch up with us by going left on the trail although we might be in the woods nearby. We will be progressing slowly and hard to miss.

The walk will take perhaps 2 hours but of course come and go as you wish. The trail is hilly but good underfoot.

Some warblers have been reported in recent days in the area. Of course not all migratory birds have arrived but radar data indicates many will be arriving very soon.

The weather does not look good for later in the weekend and the beginning of next week.

The second Warbler Walk is scheduled for Thursday May 19th, same time, same place.

Timing is important because for the next week or so the trees will not be “leafing out” completely and it makes it easier to spot the birds.

Everyone is welcome … hope to see you there. Don’t forget your binoculars and cameras!

Peter – on behalf of Mathieu and Deana

HERMIT THRUSH -HAY ISLAND MAY 6 2022

Those interested in nature are invited to join with members of Nature Miramichi for a presentation being made at the monthly meeting on Tuesday May 3rd at 6:30.

Our guest speaker this month is Pam Novak , Director of Wildlife Care at the Atlantic Wildlife Institute which is located 20 km north of Sackville NB. She will be telling us about the work that her organization does in rehabilitating injured or distressed animals and their work in education.

This presentation will be via ZOOM. The link is below.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82448599818?pwd=VG1UVU9icVh6K1poQUl4aytLV0NQQT09

Hi All,

There is a Tree Swallow nest box near the sign as one starts the Miramichi Marsh trail when parked on Ironman Rd. Deana and I were walking past it this morning, hoping that once again a tree swallow may be interested in it this season. I noticed grass inside it through the opening which would be at a much higher level than a tree swallow nest in the box. I thought mice must have made a nest. I wanted to open it up but thought I should knock first! This nest box is on a post with a mammal baffle so I was wondering how a mouse could gain entry. Well, a mammal baffle is effective against terrestrial mammals in my experience, but I needed to think outside the box. No, it wasn’t a bat that answered my knock, but a “flying” squirrel! It seems it has made a nest. It poked its nose and “beady eyes” out, did a quick 180 degree turn and receded back inside. Hopefully it will have a successful brood of young. The post is positioned inside a patch of wild raspberries so is less likely to be disturbed by curious other bipedal mammals, hopefully. Jim Saunders has reported the presence of this species at the marsh previously.

Peter

From: Jim Saunders <jimsaunders809@gmail.com>
Sent: Friday, April 29, 2022 10:02 AM
Subject: Mayflowers and Wintergreen

Mayflowers and Wintergreen on the Northwest side of Route 8 near McHardy Road.docx

Thanks Jim, very interesting. Peter

From: Jim Saunders <jimsaunders809@gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, April 20, 2022 10:38 PM
Subject: Re: Nature Miramichi – Natural History Association of Miramichi

I had to find out more about Dr. Philip Cox of the Natural History Association

http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/cox_philip_16E.html 😳😳😳

Jim

How Mathieu has come across these century old publications: Peter

From: Mathieu Carroll <carroll_mathieu@hotmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, April 20, 2022 9:01 PM
Subject: Re: Miramichi Wild Flowers (1887)

Shawn McCarthy sent me an article he found : The desirability of the protection and encouragement of birds in and around Chatham (see attached). Inside, it referenced a paper by the "Natural History Association of Miramichi".

A search of the paper led me to the scan in the Biodiversity Heritage Library (see Migration of Birds). In the search portal, I also found Miramichi Wild Flowers when I looked for other documents about Miramichi.

The reason I went looking for the reference is because I thought it was strange that the article mentioned the feeding habits of the Cerulean Warbler. Almost as if the Cerulean Warbler is a typical resident. While it turns out not to be a regular occurrence, Cerulean Warbler was seen in Miramichi on May 25th, 1891. Other noteworthy sightings include White-eyed Vireo on May 21st, 1898 and Vesper Sparrow regularly occurring.

The desirability of the protection and encouragement of birds in and around Chatham.pdf

Migration of Birds – Proceedings of the Natural History Association of Miramichi vol.2 .pdf

From: Mathieu Carroll <carroll_mathieu@hotmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, April 20, 2022 8:13 PM
Subject: Miramichi Wild Flowers (1887)

Nature Miramichi,

It might also interest you to know that a scan of "Miramichi Wild Flowers" is available online. Published in 1887, it seems to be also available in print on Amazon.

Dave McLeod references this work in his botanical surveys of French Fort Cove and Beaubear’s Island.

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/89968#page/6/mode/1up

Mathieu Carroll

From: Mathieu Carroll <carroll_mathieu@hotmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, April 20, 2022 6:48 PM
Subject: Natural History Association of Miramichi

Nature Miramichi,

There existed a Natural History Association of Miramichi! Between 1899 and 1913, the group published seven « proceedings » that contain a range of nature reports written by members as well as the business agenda. See : https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/49991#page/5/mode/1up). I barely read into it yet.

I don’t know when the Natural History Association of Miramichi ended or why publications like these fell out of favour. Based on the list of members, people back then may have been more interested in nature.

Mathieu Carroll

LINKS TO WEB SITES ABOUT BIRD NEST BOX CONSTRUCTION, LOCATION AND MAINTENANCE.pdf

We just had a visit from a Red-winged Blackbird!

Are there any other such local sightings I wonder.

Peter