Fredericton Nature Club has many activities the community can participate in. Bird watching is an activity for the whole family. All you need is a good pair of binoculars and an interest in birds. In Fredericton and surrounding areas there is lots of opportunities for bird watching - summer or winter. below are some of the hot spots for birding.
Carol Wakeham submitted some photos she has taken over the past few years at Mactaquac Park. Here is her Gallery.
Pileated woodpecker by Graham Forbes
Saturday, October 7, 2023 turned out to be an overcast but mild day for the morning trip to walk the Beaver Pond Trail.
After leaving the resident Rock Pigeon and Mallard flocks and a distant Lesser Scaup behind at Carleton Park, we drove upriver through fall foliage to Mactaquac Park. Our group of ten walked the 1.3-km. trail, keeping an eye out for birds and interesting flora.
Our bird list for the walk consists of: Blue Jay, Canada Goose, Black-capped Chickadee, Raven, Hairy Woodpecker, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Wood Duck, Crow, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Brown Creeper and White-throated Sparrow.
Expert eyes also found Interrupted Fern, various mushrooms and Bluebead Lily.Other features of the level, well-marked trail are many painted stones, duck nesting boxes, seats made from a fallen tree and stumps, interpretive panels for frogs and fungi, a trail map panel, gazebo, beaver deceiver and a boardwalk with seating.
Coincidentally, the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) was conducting their “Thanks to Nature” outdoor appreciation program along the trail. We met several volunteers and a large group of NBCC students enjoying the wooded trail.
A side trip to the powerhouse parking lot below the dam turned up a Great Blue Heron and a flock of 15 female and immature Common Mergansers.
Text by Doug Jackson. Photos by Jane Loughborough
Hyla Park Outing – NTNB/FNC – lead by Doug Jackson & Tessa Snook
Concerning Hyla Park walk under auspices of Nature Trust of New Brunswick and Fredericton Nature Club: 24 persons showed up at 9:00 a.m for the outing led by Tessa Snook of NTNB and Doug Jackson of FNC . Some of trails were too soggy for many participants. However, some Painted Turtles and the following 25 species of birds were tallied overall: American Crow, American Goldfinch American Robin, Belted Kingfisher, Black-Capped Chickadee, Blue-headed Vireo, Chipping Sparrow, Common Grackle, Downy Woodpecker, European Starling Hairy Woodpecker, Mallard, Mourning Dove, Northern Cardinal, Northern Flicker, Pied-billed Grebe, Purple Finch, Red-winged Blackbird, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Song Sparrow, Sora, Swamp Sparrow, Tree Swallow, White-throated Sparrow, Wood Duck.
Report of the FNC outing to the Fredericton Landfill on Sunday Feb 23
Leaders: Milda Markauskas and Maxwell Francioni
Attendees: 20 people including CBC reporter Victoria Walton
Time of the outing: Sunday Feb 23, 2025, 9:30-noon
Weather: Overcast, calm, -4C.
Bird species seen: 14
Here is the list, compiled by Maxwell, of the birds seen during the outing with photos: https://ebird.org/checklist/S215039575
Rare sighting: First confirmed sighting of a black vulture in the Fredericton Area
Description: It was a great day for the outing: not cold, or windy and no precipitation. There was no problem accessing the site. The roads were ploughed. We had an easy walk up the mounds and got some great views of bald eagles, great black-backed gulls, herring gulls, Iceland gulls, lesser black-backed gulls, crows, ravens and about 50 bald eagles. Seeing the black vulture was the rarity of the day. It’s hard to believe that so many people were interested in going on an outing to the landfill, but they all enjoyed it.
Special thanks to Joe Edmondson, General Manager of the Fredericton Landfill for making this outing possible.
Photos by Justin Dutcher
