Nature Moncton Nature News: Sept 21 2015

** Louise Richard shares some photos that her daughter Monik got while on a whale-watching trip on St. Andrews on September 12 of an ATLANTIC PUFFIN [Macareux moine] lifting off, showing how they use their paddle-like feet to get airborne.

** A very pleased Dale Gaskin reports that Sunday morning brought a group of EASTERN BLUEBIRDS [Merlebleu de l'Est] checking out his several nest boxes as they usually have done each fall. For the first time in several years Dale did not have nesting bluebirds at his 709 Dawson Settlement Road property. The only reason he could attribute that lack of patrons to was more than normal raptor activity, especially of SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS [Épervier brun]. However, now he knows there had to be some nesting somewhere in his vicinity.

Dale also noted a 6-point bull MOOSE [Orignal] wandering about a marsh in the area, probably not aware that would not be a good idea later this week.

** Kevin Renton and a large BLACK BEAR [Ours noir] surprised each other, as Kevin walked on the Stilesville Road between the church and the stone crusher on Friday. Black Bears have excellent hearing and sense of smell but poor eyesight. It was only 25 feet away Kevin and did not see him until he clapped his hands to make noise and let the bear know he was there. The bear very promptly left the scene.

** Brian Stone visited Hopewell Rocks on Saturday for some night photography around the Rocks with a group of photographers. A few of those photos are attached.

** On Saturday night, it was good to get back to the UV moth light, which consists of a white window blind on an outside wall with a “de-zapped” bug zapper hung above it. Some of the old friends at this time of year came calling. Many MAPLE SPANWORM MOTHS [Arpenteuse nouée] are flying at the moment. They have the different style of perching with their wings at a 45° angle and look like a fall leaf (photo attached). They are medium-sized. This is a popular time of year for the underwings, which can be very drab while perched but show brilliant hindwings as they lift off. A doumentary photo is attached of an ULTRONIA UNDERWING [Likénée du prunier] as it lifted off. There were hundreds of CADDISFLIES [trichoptères] dropping by the light. These delta-winged insects are always great to see in numbers as it’s a signal that the water they breed in is relatively unpolluted; a photo is attached. Another insect that visited the light area was one of our CARRION BEETLE [coléoptère de charogne] species, with several hitch-hikers aboard, likely planning to hop off when the beetle visits a food source that they like as well. A surprise moth was a species I have not encountered before and seems to be a newcomer to North America from Europe: a TREBLE-BAR MOTH (Aplocera plagiata). Jim Edsall provided the identification; it’s not in the new Peterson moth guide.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton