Nature Moncton Nature News: Aug 16 2015

NATURE MONCTON'S INFORMATION LINE - August 16, 2015 (Sunday)

** Anne Marsch had a good day at Riverview Marsh on Saturday. Approximately 50 sandpipers were present, finding muddy areas that should increase in the stretch of dry weather predicted ahead. Shorebirds that Anne was sure of were 12 LESSER YELLOWLEGS [Petit Chevalier] and one SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER [Bécassin roux]. She noted 4 VICEROY [Vice-roi] butterflies and 8 COMMON WOOD-NYMPHS [Satyre des prés]. A SORA [Marouette de Caroline] was heard and a BONAPARTE'S GULL [Mouette de Bonaparte] spotted. There seemed to be a lack of RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS [Carouge à épaulettes] but then she saw a flock of 16 in the tree near the parking lot, so they are probably starting to flock up for the season. Anne made these observations from the path in front of the sewage treatment plant, towards the river. She also got a photo of a Swamp SPARROW fledgling.

** A nice photo of a young-of-the-year BALD EAGLE [Pygargue à tête blanche] that Penny Clark got a few days ago at McKee's Mills was not included. It is a nice frontal view and is attached today.

** Jennifer Miller found one of the striking green caterpillars of a sphinx moth motoring across Evergreen Playground a few days ago. Jim Edsall believes that it may be the APPLE SPHINX [Sphinx du pommier] but some key identification features cannot be seen in the photo.

** I noted an unfamiliar day-flying moth in my Moncton yard on Saturday. It was netted for closer examination, and with Jim Edsall’s help, I found it to be a male GYPSY MOTH [Spongieuse]. The female is flightless. This species was introduced to Massachusetts in 1869 by a French naturalist, trying to cross the European Gypsy Moth with the North American silkworms. Some escaped and became a serious pest as its caterpillars are voracious consumers of the leaves of hardwood trees and some conifers. It is established in some parts of the Maritimes but, in the Moncton area, I have only seen this one adult and one caterpillar photo submitted last year. It will not be released. A photo is attached.

Updating these comments from this morning, I have netted several flying around our yard this morning so chances are this species is moving into the area.

** I recently photographed a SAFFRON-WINGED MEADOWHAWK [Sympétrum rubigineux] dragonfly, confirmed by Gilles Belliveau. Gilles points out that this is probably a very fresh adult, as the veins along the leading edge of the wing are still pale brown. Later, this area gets more saffron-coloured, to give this species its common name.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca
Nelson PoirierNature Moncton