Nature Moncton Nature News: Aug 30 2015

** Jean Aikman came across the caterpillar of a BLACK SWALLOWTAIL [Papillon du céleri] butterfly wandering in her yard on Friday. She put it in a large container with parsley and a stick. Immediately it attached to the stick and was in the chrysalis stage on Saturday. I would suspect that it is from a second brood and will probably overwinter as a chrysalis, if left out in a cool area during fall and winter.

** On Saturday, Anne Marsch visited Gray Brook Marsh, on Golf Course Road, in Hillsborough. A juvenile SPOTTED SANDPIPER [Chevalier grivelé] was walking back and forth in the fast water going over the spillway. A SALT MARSH CATERPILLAR [Chenille des marais salés] [larva of the Salt Marsh Moth (Estigmene acrea)] was travelling in the area. A family of 4 WHITE-TAILED DEER [Cerf de Virginie] were on the road just before the golf course.

While crossing the Shepody Marsh to the Harvey dam, she spotted two NORTHERN HARRIERS [Busard Saint-Martin] hunting near the dam, and two fresh-appearing VICEROY [Vice-roi] butterflies were noted. The tide was very high and several shorebirds were clinging to the riverbank below the dam, including BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER [Pluvier argenté], LEAST SANDPIPER [Bécasseau minuscule], SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER [Bécasseau semipalmé], LESSER YELLOWLEGS [Petit Chevalier] and GREATER YELLOWLEGS [Grand Chevalier].

At Waterside, a bonus was a GREAT EGRET [Grande Aigrette] seen from the parking lot of the gift-shop at the west end of Waterside Marsh. It’s interesting to note that two Great Egrets have been reported in the area in two days.

A family of 9 young RING-NECKED PHEASANTS [Faisan de Colchide] were on a street in Alma.

** Louise Nichols visited that shorebird hotspot at Petit Cap on Friday afternoon and spotted nine shorebird species, including SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER [Bécasseau semipalmé], LEAST SANDPIPER [Bécasseau minuscule], WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS [Bécasseau à croupion blanc], SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS [Pluvier semipalmé], LESSER YELLOWLEGS [Petit Chevalier] and GREATER YELLOWLEGS [Grand Chevalier], WILLETS [Chevalier semipalmé], BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS [Pluvier argenté] and SANDERLINGS [Bécasseau sanderling]. The Sanderlings were Louise's first sighting of that species this year. She did not see the CASPIAN TERNS [Sterne caspienne], unlike the visit last week that netted four.

In her backyard Sackville pond, Louise has had a juvenile HOODED MERGANSER [Harle couronné] visiting since last Thursday; it’s seemingly quite comfortable there. Oddly, the same thing happened last year at the same time with a juvenile HOODED MERGANSER [Harle couronné]. That one stayed into September. Look closely to see the serrated merganser bill in one photo. Louise also got a full, open-wing, under-view of a NORTHERN FLICKER [Pic flamboyant] to show its striking yellow under-wing.

** Roger LeBlanc visited Daniel’s Flats, off Route 114, west of Hopewell Cape, on Saturday. The shorebird numbers there are in the hundreds now instead of the thousands recently. However, as Roger comments, as the quantity goes down, the variety goes up. He saw his first 3 SANDERLINGS [Bécasseau sanderling] of the season, and a first single DUNLIN [Bécasseau variable]. Raptor action included NORTHERN HARRIER [Busard Saint-Martin], BALD EAGLES [Pygargue à tête blanche], a MERLIN [Faucon émerillon], and some persistent PEREGRINE FALCONS [Faucon pèlerin].

Roger also stopped at the Riverview Marsh to find 6 species compared to the 12 species seen on the field trip there last Sunday. However, 2 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS [Bécasseau à poitrine cendrée] were on the west side of the trail, where muddy areas are exposed. This is a nice close spot to check over the next weeks.

** Shorebirds continue. Aldo Dorio got nice photos of juvenile RUDDY TURNSTONES [Tournepierre à collier] on Saturday, as well as juvenile SEMIPALMATED PLOVER [Pluvier semipalmé]. It’s getting into that time, with all the different plumages of the shorebirds coming on.

I visited Escuminac Point on Saturday, an area I look forward to exploring in the time window when the BLACK HUCKLEBERRIES [Gueules noires] are blooming, and later in early fall when the huckleberries are ripe. Only one visit this year, in late summer. A pleasant surprise was to see signs that indicate the area is now a Nature Conservancy of Canada managed area, meaning that this gem will be protected. I will only include photos of the signs today and will add several more photos over the next few days, when there are fewer submitted.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton