Wednesday, 7 June 2023

Jan 7 2023

              NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS

                                 June 7, 2023

 

 

To respond by e-mail, please address message to the information line editor,  nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com .

 

Please advise the editor at nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com  if any errors are noted in wording or photo labelling.


For more information on Nature Moncton, check the website at
www.naturemoncton.com .

 

Edited by Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

 

Proofreading courtesy of Louise Nichols at nicholsl@eastlink.ca

 

 

**Aldo Dorio photographed a Swainson’s Thrush in his Neguac yard on Monday. Take note of the buffy eye ring and supraloral line (arrowed) with the upper parts of the bird an olive shade that helps to identify this thrush.

 

**Brian Stone sends a few more photos from his outing to Shediac on Sunday to finish off his report. While photographing the storm-petrels, he looked around at times to see what else was in the area and noted hovering Osprey, some Common Terns fishing, and a Great Blue Heron gliding overhead quite close. At the water's surface, a curious Grey Seal checked things out before diving out of sight and remaining that way.

Brian also photographed a late tarrying Iceland Gull.

 

**Brian Stone recently captured some photos of a Green Frog showing bluish coloration. This is a very interesting scenario.

Stephen Hecnar, a herpetologist at Lakehead University, researches this phenomenon and offers some comments to explain this condition.

He comments it occurs in the Green Frog but one missing the yellow pigment that makes its typical hue. Blue versions are “quite rare,” he says, “and rarer even than other colour aberrations such as albinos or yellow-coloured frogs.”

Hecnar is leading a project to track this genetic variation—technically called axanthism—across the range of the Green Frog, from the eastern U.S. into southeastern Canada. “The blue trait seems to be more frequent towards the north and east of the range,” he says. “So more of a Canadian than an American characteristic. But even in Canada, it appears more common in the Maritimes than in Ontario and Quebec.”

If you find an elusive blue frog (or any frog), Hecnar says it’s best to “observe rather than capture,” though he does acknowledge that “many young people learn about nature by capturing frogs, turtles, and snakes.”

 

**Even though he is at least 90% sugar Brian Stone bravely went out in the drizzle and rain to check on the development of the small patch of Pink Lady's Slipper Orchids in the woods behind Crandall University on Tuesday. The orchids were open in full bloom, and Brian photographed them from several angles as the mosquitoes dined on him relentlessly.

 Also in the woods, he photographed Blue Bead Lily (Clintonia), Canada Mayflower, Wild Sarsaparilla, Jack Pine flowers, and a tiny Moth hiding in camouflage on the side of a tree.

 

 

 Nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

 Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton

 

 

 

SWAINSON'S THRUSH. JUNE 6, 2023. ALDO DORIO

OSPREY. JUNE 04, 2023.. BRIAN STONE

COMMON TERN. JUNE 04, 2023. BRIAN STONE

COMMON TERN. JUNE 04, 2023. BRIAN STONE

COMMON TERN. JUNE 04, 2023. BRIAN STONE

GREAT BLUE HERON. JUNE 04, 2023. BRIAN STONE

ICELAND GULL. JUNE 04, 2023. BRIAN STONE

GREEN FROG. (AXANTHISM) MAY 31, 2023. BRIAN STONE

GREEN FROG. (
(AXANTHISM) MAY 31, 2023. BRIAN STONE

GREY SEAL. JUNE 04, 2023. BRIAN STONE

PINK LADY'S SLIPPER ORCHID. JUNE 06, 2023. BRIAN STONE

PINK LADY'S SLIPPER ORCHID. JUNE 06, 2023. BRIAN STONE

PINK LADY'S SLIPPER ORCHID. JUNE 06, 2023. BRIAN STONE

BLUE BEAD LILY (CLINTONIA). JUNE 06, 2023.. BRIAN STONE

BLUE BEAD LILY (CLINTONIA). JUNE 06, 2023.. BRIAN STONE

CANADA MAYFLOWER. JUNE 06, 2023. BRIAN STONE

HAWKWEED. JUNE 06, 2023. BRIAN STONE

WILD SARSAPARILLA. JUNE 06, 2023. BRIAN STONE

JACK PINE FLOWERS. JUNE 06, 2023. BRIAN STONE

MOTH. JUNE 06, 2023.. BRIAN STONE

 

Monday, 5 June 2023

June 5 2023

              NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS

       June 5, 2023

 

 

To respond by e-mail, please address message to the information line editor,  nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com .

 

Please advise the editor at nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com  if any errors are noted in wording or photo labelling.


For more information on Nature Moncton, check the website at
www.naturemoncton.com .

 

Edited by Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

 

Proofreading courtesy of Louise Nichols at nicholsl@eastlink.ca

 

 

**Brian Stone drove out to the ‘giant lobster’ in Shediac on Sunday morning to see if any of the storm-petrels that Gilles Belliveau had reported the day before were still present. With luck, there were still a few of them ‘walking’ and hopping along the surface of the water close to the bridge on Main St. near the lobster statue.

Both Leach's Storm-petrels and Wilson's Storm-petrels were feeding at the bridge, and Brian, along with several other dedicated birders, spent way too much time freezing in the very cold and very strong wind to view and photograph the uncommonly close to land birds.

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/uomupg0gum3hw2i/LEACH%27S%20STORM-PETREL.%20JUNE%2004%2C%202023.%20BRIAN%20STONE..MOV?dl=0

(Editor’s note: what a special scenario to be able to photograph these two petrel species so closely carrying out their daily mission. Brian’s photos beautifully show the identification features and their method for foraging.)

 

**The raft of Black Scoter that have been lingering around Hay Island for a few days have departed with the exception of one female Black Scoter, which Aldo Dorio photographed on Sunday.

 

**The Festival of Nature happened this past weekend and, despite the weather, was an astounding success.

The Nature New Brunswick staff had lined up some excellent field trips, which went ahead on schedule with new things to discover and lots of comradeship.

A very special note of thanks to the Nature New Brunswick staff for making this happen!

 

 

Nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

 Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton

 

 

 

WILSON'S STORM-PETREL. JUNE 04, 2023. BRIAN STONE

WILSON'S STORM-PETREL. JUNE 04, 2023. BRIAN STONE

WILSON'S STORM-PETREL. JUNE 04, 2023. BRIAN STONE

WILSON'S STORM-PETREL. JUNE 04, 2023. BRIAN STONE

WILSON'S STORM-PETREL. JUNE 04, 2023. BRIAN STONE

WILSON'S STORM-PETREL. JUNE 04, 2023. BRIAN STONE

WILSON'S STORM-PETREL. JUNE 04, 2023. BRIAN STONE

LEACH'S STORM-PETREL. JUNE 04, 2023., BRIAN STONE

LEACH'S STORM-PETREL. JUNE 04, 2023., BRIAN STONE

LEACH'S STORM-PETREL. JUNE 04, 2023., BRIAN STONE

LEACH'S STORM-PETREL. JUNE 04, 2023., BRIAN STONE

LEACH'S STORM-PETREL. JUNE 04, 2023., BRIAN STONE

LEACH'S STORM-PETREL. JUNE 04, 2023., BRIAN STONE

BLACK SCOTER (FEMALE). JUNE 4, 2023. ALDO DORIO

 

Sunday, 4 June 2023

June 4 2023

              NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS

   June 4, 2023

 

 

To respond by e-mail, please address a message to the information line editor,  nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com .

 

Please advise the editor at nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com  if any errors are noted in wording or photo labelling.


For more information on Nature Moncton, check the website at
www.naturemoncton.com .

 

Edited by Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

 

Proofreading courtesy of Louise Nichols at nicholsl@eastlink.ca

 

 

**It is with a great deal of sadness that we must report the very sudden passing of Roger Leblanc.

Roger took a heart attack in his motel room here at the Festival of Nature early Saturday morning, and the very fast response of paramedics was not able to resuscitate him.

This is a huge loss to the naturalist community in NB. Roger was so free to share his knowledge with others as he was about to do on Saturday morning yet again.

We all think of Dyane and his family as they have to cross this bridge.

What a loss to us all!

 

**Jim Johnson in McDougall Settlement must have some secret potion for his Ruby-throated Hummingbird patrons, and even more amazing is their amazing harmony with their kin!

Take a look at the action at the attached link:

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/qqwzwyevyskogy9/Hummingbirds.mp4?dl=0

 

**On Tuesday, May 30th, Brian Stone made a brief stop at the Sackville Waterfowl Park and photographed just a few avian inhabitants and sends the images he made of a male Red-winged Blackbird, Eastern Phoebes, Tree Swallows, and a male Blue-winged Teal Duck. The weather was cool and sunny, but the camera didn't work too hard that day.

 

 

**Brian Stone found a heavy load of mosquitoes on his walk in the White Rock Recreational Park at Hillsborough on Thursday. It made taking pictures a bit more difficult and uncomfortable, but he sends those that he managed to get. A distant Black-throated Blue Warbler was first followed by American Robin Fledglings, a male Purple Finch, and then a few smaller inhabitants. A Beaverpond Baskettail Dragonfly perched close by, as well as a smaller Damselfly, a Crane Fly, a pair of mating Water Striders, and a small Wolf Spider.

 

At a second spot on the same day at the Salisbury Wetlands on Government Rd. Brian photographed Tree Swallows, Killdeer, Canada Geese, a large group of Goslings, an Eastern Kingbird, a male Red-winged Blackbird, and a male Wood Duck standing beside a Canada Goose.

 

 

 Nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

 Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton

 

 

 

BLUE-WINGED TEAL DUCK (MALE). MAY 30, 2023. BRIAN STONE

CANADA GOOSE AND WOOD DUCK. JUNE 01, 2023. BRIAN STONE

CANADA GEESE AND GOSLINGS. JUNE 01, 2023. BRIAN STONE

AMERICAN REDSTART (MALE). JUNE 01, 2023. BRIAN STONE

BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER. JUNE 01, 2023. BRIAN STONE

EASTERN PHOEBE. MAY 30, 202. BRIAN STONE

EASTERN PHOEBE. MAY 30, 202. BRIAN STONE

EASTERN KINGBIRD. JUNE 01, 2023. BRIAN STONE

AMERICAN ROBIN (FLEDGLING). JUNE 01, 2023. BRIAN STONE

KILLDEER. JUNE 01, 2023. BRIAN STONE

PURPLE FINCH (MALE). JUNE 01, 2023. BRIAN STONE


TREE SWALLOW. MAY 30, 2023.. BRIAN STONE



RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD (MALE). JUNE 01, 2023. BRIAN STONE

RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD (MALE). MAY 30, 2023. BRIAN STONE

BEAVERPOND BASKETTAIL DRAGONFLY. JUNE 1, 2023. BRIAN STONE


DAMSELFLY. JUNE 01, 2023. BRIAN STONE

CRANE FLY. JUNE 01, 2023. BRIAN STONE

WATER STRIDERS. JUNE 01, 2023. BRIAN STONE

WOLF SPIDER. JUNE 01, 2023. BRIAN STONE

HOBBLEBUSH. JUNE 01, 2023. BRIAN STONE