Nature Moncton Nature News: July 7 2015

** Leon Gagnon reports they arrived to their summer spot at Wilson's Point in Miscou Island a week ago with some some nice observations. A NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD, with one foot still present and a BROWN THRASHER, which is the third time he has seen one there. However a very interesting observation on July 1 when he surprised 10 WHIMBRELS standing on the shore just south of La Malbaie Sud. Leon comments in one of his guides it points out that failed breeding adults of this species leave the breeding grounds in late June, adult females in mid July. These must be some of the earlier whimbrels if not the first seen in New Brunswick this season.

Another surprise was a SNOWY owl he photographed at 8:30 Monday morning July 06 on a spruce tree on a sandbar in the south-eastern part of Miscou. Some very interesting observations.

** Some great observations resulted from the pelagic boat trip arranged by Jim Wilson off Grand Manan on Saturday. Carmella Melanson shares some of the very special photos of a rare to the Bay of Fundy, CORY'S SHEARWATER from two different angles, GREATER shearwaters, SOOTY SHEARWATER, and a distant MANX SHEARWATER. These are birds one has to head out to sea to observe and are only here this time of year vacationing from their breeding grounds in the Southern Hemisphere where they are now having winter.

** Clarence Cormier had a BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO arrive to his Grand Digue site on Monday, July 6. Last time he saw one at the same location was on July 04, 2013. Clarence is seeing CEDAR WAXWINGS and ROBINS arriving to forage on Serviceberries. The Serviceberries are one of the first berries to ripen and are always popular with the fruit connoisseur birds.

Clarence also noted a MOURNING CLOAK butterfly flying on Monday. This may be a new generation as the adults of this species overwinter as adults and start to fly and mate in very early spring.

** Brian Stone's wonderings in Mapleton park on Monday netted a GARTER SNAKE showing brown tones, an OVENBIRD warbler from two angles which is very cooperative for an ovenbird, a BEE well doused with pollen to show the value of these insects as pollinators , a TWELVE SPOTTED dragonfly. WATER STRIDERS showing them riding the surface tension on the water and more.

** On the July 3 edition we incorrectly labeled a SILVER-BORDERED FRITILLARY as an ATLANTIS FRITILLARY BUTTERFLY. That is corrected and resent today. Thanks to Kathleen Spicer for noting that error, another nice learning scenario.

** There has been lots of chatter on the large SILKWORM MOTHS and SPHINX MOTHS of late. Was able to spend the night at our Miramichi camp with a dezapped bug zapper as attractant and several of the large moths visited including the MODEST SPHINX, LAUREL SPHINX, NORTHERN PINE SPHINX, TWIN-SPOTTED SPHINX and CANADIAN SPHINX. These large beauties are not uncommon but stay well concealed during the day. A few photos are added.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nature Moncton

Nelson Poirier