July 11 2015

**Louise Nichols checked out her Shorebird Survey site at Ann’s Acres near Jourimain on Saturday. She spotted a small flock of approximately a dozen SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS [Bécasseau semipalmé], so their arrival is definitely getting underway. There were also six resident WILLETS [Chevalier semipalmé], two of which expressed their displeasure at Louise’s visit by chasing her down the beach. Probably two protective parents. Louise also stopped at the Tintamarre Wildlife Area to see an AMERICAN WOODCOCK [Bécasse d'Amérique] close up, many Swallows [Hirondelles] in the new dyke area, with SAVANNAH [Bruant des prés], SWAMP [Bruant des marais], and SONG SPARROWS [Bruant chanteur] in the fields, along with BOBOLINKS [Goglu des prés]. Note the female or juvenile in the background of the picture. Louise also saw one and possibly two BLACK TERNS [Guifette noire] foraging over the water near the Paunchy Lake cement marker. Also, a not easy to get over and under photo of a TWO-SPOTTED SKIPPER Butterfly [Hespérie des marais]. Note the characteristic white line at the base of the hindwing of this Skipper species.

**Aldo Dorio got a photo of a DUNLIN [Bécasseau variable] showing breeding plumage remnants at Hay Island on Thursday. This is very early for regular southward migration of this species. Dave Christie suspects it may be a failed breeder or perhaps a non-breeding first summer bird that has developed partial breeding plumage on the underparts but not the upper parts, which lack the rusty feathers of a summer adult.

**Linda Banks shares a photo of the first brilliant red Poppy [Coquelicot] to bloom in her Riverview yard.

**Brian Stone shares a few nature photos from the past days, to include a newly-fledged BLUE JAY [Geai bleu], a newly-fledged AMERICAN REDSTART Warbler [Paruline flamboyante], a male COMMON YELLOWTHROAT Warbler [Paruline masquée], Dot-tailed Whiteface Dragonflies [Leucorrhine mouchetée] in a mating wheel, and MULTIFLORA ROSE [Rosier multiflora] in bloom. A noticeably large area at the entrance to Bell Marsh from the corner of Bond Street has Multiflora Rose bushes. This is a very popular winter clinging fruit for fruit-eating birds.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton

AMERICAN REDSTART WARBLER FLEDGLING. JULY 10, 2015. BRIAN STONE

AMERICAN WOODCOCK. LOUISE NICHOLS. JULY 10, 2015

BLUE JAY FLEDGLING. JULY 09, 2015. BRIAN STONE

BOBOLINKS. LOUISE NICHOLS. JULY 10, 2015

COMMON YELLOWTHROAT. JULY 08, 2015. BRIAN STONE

DOT TAILED WHITEFACE DRAGONFLIES . JULY 08, 2015. BRIAN STONE

MULTIFLORA ROSE BLOSSOMS. JULY 08, 2015. BRIAN STONE

POPPY BLOSSOM.JULY 10, 2015.LINDA BANKS

SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER. LOUISE NICHOLS. JULY 9, 2015

DUNLIN.JULY 10, 2015.ALDO DORIO

TREE SWALLOW JUVENILE. LOUISE NICHOLS. JULY 10, 2015

TREE SWALLOWS. LOUISE NICHOLS. JULY 10, 2015

TWO-SPOTTED SKIPPER BUTTERFLY. . LOUISE NICHOLS. JULY 10, 2015

TWO-SPOTTED SKIPPER BUTTERFLY. . LOUISE NICHOLS. JULY 10, 2015

WILLET. LOUISE NICHOLS. JULY 9, 2015

July 10 2015

** Paul and Rhonda Langelaan were at Wolfe Lake in Fundy National Park over the weekend, and were watching a COMMON LOON [Plongeon huard] with two chicks.  A TURKEY VULTURE [Urubu à tête rouge] swooped down to within a few feet of the Loons.  Paul was surprised as a Turkey Vulture would normally not be interested in live prey.

** Susan Richards added another sphinx moth to her Taylor Village yard visitors list on Wednesday night:  a CANADIAN APPLE SPHINX which is also one of the large ones on their adult flight at the moment.

** Anne Marsch visited the Riverview marsh for a few hours on Thursday.  It reminds us what a lively spot this nearby site can be.  Her main mission was to check out the BRONZE COPPER [Bronzé] butterfly colony that in recent years has been very prominent there.  She found 6 individuals which could be the start of lots more to come.  Anne also found EYED BROWN [Satyre ocellé], SILVERY BLUE [Bleu argenté], EUROPEAN SKIPPER [Hespérie de graminées], LONG-DASH SKIPPER [Hespérie mystique] and HARRIS'S CHECKERSPOT [Damier de Harris] butterflies.  Bird life included BALD EAGLE [Pygargue à tête blanche], COMMON YELLOWTHROAT WARBLER [Paruline masque], GREEN-WINGED TEAL [Sarcelle d'hiver], MALLARDS [Canard colvert], GREAT BLUE HERON [Grand Héron], SORA [Marouette de Caroline] and RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS [Carouge à epaulettes] and SONG SPARROWS [Bruant chanteur] busy carrying food.  This was an excellent area a few years ago to watch young Sora chicks.  Definitely time to check out the rich habitat of the Riverview Marsh.

** The DOBSONFLY and the ALDERFLY are two very large insects on the wing at the moment.  Close-up photos make it hard to judge their size, but these are indeed large insects.  Today's photos include a full-sized photo of each.  The Dobsonfly has mandibles.  The males are impressively long; however, the females -- as in the photo -- are much shorter.  The Alderfly does not have mandibles.  They are sometimes collectively called Fishflies, but are different species.  They are essentially harmless despite their size.  The Dobsonfly could pinch with the weak mandibles if harassed. 

Brian Stone shares photos of close-ups of MILKWEED in blossom, DUSKY CLUBTAIL DRAGONFLY [Gomphe pointu], a NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD [Moqueur polyglotte] that has been seen several times in the Albert Street area, and an EASTERN KINGBIRD [Tyran tritri] that also has been seen repeatedly in the Bond Street area by Bell Marsh to suggest a nest of each is nearby.

This Week’s Sky at a Glance, July 11 – July 18 COURTESY OF CURT NASON
In late evening the bright star Altair is halfway up in the southeastern sky, forming the lower peak of the Summer Triangle with Vega and Deneb. It is flanked by two dimmer stars and the trio form the head of Aquila the Eagle. The eagle’s body and tail stretch southward, while the wings reach forward to propel it up the Milky Way. In Greek mythology the eagle was the pet of Zeus and the bearer of his deadly thunderbolts. In Chinese mythology Tchi-Niu (Lyra) was a princess and royal weaver, and Kien-Niou (Aquila) tended the king’s cows. The two fell in love and were married but they subsequently neglected their chores. Angered, the king placed the herder on the opposite side of the river, represented by the Milky Way. On the seventh day of the seventh month all of the magpies in the country form a bridge to allow the lovers to be together for one day.

Beyond the eagle’s tail, over the constellation border into Scutum the Shield, a binocular search will pick up a smudge of light which a spotting scope will reveal to be a cluster of stars. A vague V-shape to the cluster prompted its moniker of the Wild Duck Cluster. It is also called M11, the eleventh entry in Charles Messier’s 18th century catalogue of fuzzy objects that might be mistaken for comets.

From the eagle’s head toward Cygnus or Lyra is a tiny constellation called Sagitta the Arrow. To the upper right of the arrow’s fletching binoculars will show a popular asterism of ten stars. Although it is upside down you will recognize the Coathanger Cluster.

This Week in the Solar System

Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 5:39 am and sunset will occur at 9:10 pm, giving 15 hours, 31 minutes of daylight (5:47 am and 9:12 pm in Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 5:45 am and set at 9:05 pm, giving 15 hours, 20 minutes of daylight (5:53 am and 9:07 pm in Saint John).

The New Moon is occurs on the evening of Wednesday, July 15, setting and rising near the Sun.

Mercury will be increasingly difficult to see in the early morning as it approaches the Sun.

Venus is at its brightest while Jupiter plays second fiddle to its right. Next Saturday the crescent Moon joins Venus, Jupiter and the star Regulus in a spectacular twilight grouping that may be encompassed by wide field binoculars.

Mars is very low in the east at sunrise, too close to the Sun to be visible.

Saturn is highest in the sky during twilight. Its rings are at their best viewing in a decade so give them a try with your spotting scope, and look for its brightest moon Titan nearby.

Questions?    nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton

ALDERFLY. JULY 07, 2015. BRIAN STONE

BRONZE COPPER, SILVERY BLUE JULY 9 ANNE MARSCH

DOBSONFLY (FEMALE SHOWING SHORT MANDIBLES) JULY 6,2015.NELSON POIRIER

DOBSONFLY (FEMALE SHOWING SHORT MANDIBLES) JULY 6,2015.NELSON POIRIER

DUSKY CLUBTAIL DRAGONFLY 01. JULY 07, 2015. BRIAN STONE

HUMMINGBIRD CLEARWING  MOTH. JULY 07, 2015. BRIAN STONE

EASTERN KINGBIRD 01. JULY 08, 2015. BRIAN STONE

METALLIC WOOD BORING BEETLE. JULY 07, 2015. BRIAN STONE

MILKWEED FLOWERS. JULY 08, 2015. BRIAN STONE

NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD 01. JULY 08, 2015. BRIAN STONE

NORTHERN APPLE SPHINX MOTH. JULY 9, 2015.SUSAN RICHARDS

RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD ADULT JULY 9,2015 ANNE MARSCH

RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD FLEDGED JULY 9,2015 ANNE MARSCH

SONG SPARROW WITH FOOD JULY 9 ANNE MARSCH

July 9 2015

** David Christie leaves some observations of the Mary’s Point area on Tuesday . He crossed the Shepody Marsh Road from Harvey to Hopewell Hill on Tuesday to note a NORTHERN HARRIER [Busard Saint-Martin]  hunting low for food and successful in getting prey. It flew about excitedly calling, then quickly a female appeared. The male dropped its catch to the female which caught it promptly to take off very likely to a nest as the male continued on hunting. a nice nature scenario to watch.

Also on Tuesday a WILLET [Chevalier semipalmé] flew into the Lars Larsen Marsh in Harvey as Dave drove past and it went into the cattails. Dave does not see one every year in this area or around Mary’s Point and it was the first shorebird he had seen in the area dispersing  after breeding and has seen no peeps on the shore as yet but has not searched extensively as yet.

** An interesting BLACK SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLY scenario on Wednesday, Marguerite Windsor had 8 Black Swallowtail caterpillars appear in her Salisbury Road garden dill patch and dropped off 4 to share with me to rear. When she returned home later in the day a caterpillar had constructed its chrysalis during the interim. The photo that she shares shows it had to have been very recently constructed.

**Aldo Dorio got photos of a VICEROY BUTTERFLY on Wednesday. It is important to note to get very familiar with this species so as not to confuse it with the larger MONARCH BUTTERFLY that so many of us are watching for at the moment.

Also Aldo got a photo of the VIRGINIA CTENUCHA MOTH, a common day- flying moth at the moment that is small to medium in size. Brian Stone and I saw many of these moths while checking among the  thousands of common milkweed plants just coming into bloom at the Moncton CN rail yard on Wednesday. We could not get one of them to settle down for a photo but did get a photo of a female BRONZE COPPER butterfly at Bell Marsh. It was very much on a mission and uncooperative for a photo. Also noted at Bell Marsh was a striking small plant, COMMON BLADDERWORT in full yellow bloom and quite abundant. This is an insectivorous plant, taking in small insects stages with its underwater bladder sacks.

Also some of the chokecherry trees were showing infection from the chokecherry gall midge with a photo of the larval stage within the gall.

a RED FOX was noted crossing the street near Saint Anselme that did not look good at all. Its pelage was rough and sparse suggestive of sarcoptic mange.

** Pat and I both made a grab for binoculars on Wednesday morning when we saw an unfamiliar yellowish bird with dark stripes. It turned out to be a young of the year RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD [Carouge à épaulettes. I do not recall seeing them showing this plumage colouration before but obviously it is common. Photos from front and rear are attached.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton

BRONZE COPPER BUTTERFLY ( FEMALE ) 01. JULY 08, 2015. BRIAN STONE

CHOKECHERRY GALL MIDGE.JULY 8. 2015.NELSON POIRIER (3)

CHOKECHERRY GALL MIDGE.JULY 8. 2015.NELSON POIRIER (3)

COMMON BLADDERWORT.JULY 8, 2015.NELSON POIRIER (2)

COMMON BLADDERWORT.JULY 8, 2015.NELSON POIRIER (2)

RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD (JUVENILE).JULY 8. 2015.NELSON POIRIER (2)

RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD (JUVENILE).JULY 8. 2015.NELSON POIRIER (2)

VICEROY BUTTERFLY..JULY 8, 2015.ALDO DORIO

VICEROY BUTTERFLY..JULY 8, 2015.ALDO DORIO

VIRGINIA CTENUCHA MOTH.JULY 8, 2015.ALDO DORIO

BLACK SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLY CRYSALIS (VERY FRESH).JULY 8, 2015.MARGUERITE WINSOR

jULY 8 2015

** Marguerite Windsor has had the very colourful BLACK SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLY [Pappillon du celery] caterpillar appear on her dill patch in her Salisbury garden.  Marguerite's photo shows that it may have gone through several instars to make it a few weeks into its month-long growth period before it will go into a chrysalis. 

 

** Susan Richards is getting lots of moths to her Taylor Village yard, including the very large POLYPHEMUS MOTH [Polyphème d'Amerique]; BLINDED SPHINX; FALSE CROCUS GEOMETER that can be seen flying during the day as well; the ARCHED HOOKTIP which, when looking at the photo, you can see it easily fits its name; and HARRIS'S CHECKERSPOT BUTTERFLY [Damier de Harris] in a nearby meadow.

 

** Judy Marsh was in her Shediac yard at 10:00 pm on Tuesday evening, admiring the fireflies when a BAT flew by, something we see very little of at the moment since the population was hit with white-nose syndrome.

 

** Brian Stone and Anne Marsch were out on a butterfly mission on Tuesday to get observations of several GREAT-SPANGLED FRITILLARY [Argynne cybèle] butterflies that were very active and hard to photograph.  Brian also got a SAY’S CICADA low enough in a  Gray Birch tree to get a nice photo of it.  It was calling, which is called stridulating in some insects.

 

** I was out on a dirt road on Sunday and noted approximately a dozen butterflies sitting on the mud in the roadway looking dark.  They all turned out to be a mixture of EYED BROWN [Satyre ocellé] and NORTHERN PEARLY-EYE [Satyre perlé].  I was able to get photos.  In the same area, an ATLANTIS FRITILLARY [Argynne de l'Atlantique] was working the opening blossoms of spreading Dogbane, along with many NORTHERN CRESCENTS [Croissant Nordique] and HARRIS'S CHECKERSPOTS [Demier de Harris].  Also, HOBOMOK SKIPPERS [Hespérie hobomok] were still in flight and the common EUROPEAN SKIPPERS [Hespérie des graminées] are swelling in numbers.

 

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton

ARCHED HOOKTIP MOTH.JULY 7, 2015.SUSAN RICHARDS

BLACK SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLY CATERPILLAR.JULY 7, 2015.MARGUERITE WINSOR

BLINDED SPHINX MOTH.JULY 7, 2015.SUSAN RICHARDS

FALSE CROCUS GEOMETER MOTH.JULY 7, 2015.SUSAN RICHARDS

GREAT SPANGLED FRITILLARY BUTTERFLY. JULY 07, 2015. BRIAN STONE

HARRIS'S CHECKERSPOT BUTTERFLY.JULY 7, 2015.SUSAN RICHARDS

POLYPHEMUS MOTH.JULY 7, 2015.SUSAN RICHARDS

SAY'S CICADA (Okanagana rimosa). JULY 07, 2015. BRIAN STONE

ATLANTIS FRITILLARY BUTTERFLY.JULY 6,2015.NELSON POIRIER

EYED BROWN BUTTERFLY (TOP VIEW).JULY 6,2015.NELSON POIRIER

EYED BROWN BUTTERFLY.JULY 6,2015.NELSON POIRIER

HOBOMOK SKIPPER BUTTERFLY.JULY 6,2015.NELSON POIRIER

NORTHERN PEARLY-EYE BUTTERFLY.JULY 6,2015.NELSON POIRIER