Nature Moncton Nature News: 2017-09-10

Saturday, 16 September 2017

Sept 16 2017

NATURE MONCTON’S INFORMATION LINE – 16 September 2017 (Saturday)

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Transcript by: Catherine Clements

Info Line #: 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)

**Janet Cormier was travelling the back roads from the Murray Corner area to Shemogue, and spotted a group of four SANDHILL CRANES [Grue du Canada] in a field. Janet got an awesome video that shows the birds, which all seem adult. They seem to be doing some sort of display at one point. Check it all out at the attached link.

https://youtu.be/edv_ETfScmY

Janet comments there were a number of CANADA GEESE [Bernache du Canada] with them. They saw the birds near the corner of the Blacklock Road, not far from its juncture, and near the Thulium Farm.

**Dave Christie reports he did have another RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD [Colibri à gorge rubis] pop by his feeder on Friday, after not seeing any for a few days. A BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER [Gobemoucheron gris-bleu] was spotted by Matthew Vicruck, a Canadian Wildlife Service employee, at the Mary’s Point site. He saw it on the trail leading down to the beach on Friday. Dave comments the Canada Geese are forming larger flocks now, from the 10 to 30 he was used to seeing earlier. He spotted approximately 300 flying down the Shepody River and on out into Shepody Bay on Friday. On checking the Mary’s Point beach for shorebirds on Friday morning, there were only approximately 125 birds; however, on an evening check there were approximately 2,500 birds roosting, predominantly SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS [Pluvier semipalmé] and SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS [Bécasseau semipalmé], as well as a few SANDERLINGS [Bécasseau sanderling] and LEAST SANDPIPERS [Bécasseau minuscule]. The WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER [Bécasseau à croupion blanc] number had increased to at least 25. He saw one DUNLIN [Bécasseau variable], which was only the second one he has seen so far this year.

**Lots of us note the captive BLACK-NECKED SWANS on the man-made pond on the Hillsborough Road just outside of Riverview on Route 114 when passing the area. Fred Dubé points out it is more interesting to see them now, as they have four cygnets. It’s the first time that Fred has noted this pair with cygnets.

**Ray Gauvin was watching some OSPREYS [Balbuzard pêcheur] in the Cap-Brûlé area on Friday, to find one proudly displaying a nice-sized FLOUNDER in its talons.

**More on Mushrooms fruiting at the moment: Bob Blake comments they found a nice cache of FIELD MUSHROOMS to complement breakfast while camping along the Canaan River on Friday.

**Carol Shea got a photo of a ONCE-MARRIED UNDERWING MOTH, nicely showing its colourful underwing. Their host plants are POPLAR and WILLOW. A few new ones also showed up at my own moth light on Thursday night – the CHAIN-DOTTED GEOMETER is a common mid-sized moth that appears this time of year and later. Its host plants include a variety of trees and plants. Also a WHITE-MARKED TUSSOCK MOTH appeared. It’s a small to mid-sized moth, can have two broods per season, and its host plants are various deciduous trees.

**Aldo Dorio got some photos of a juvenile BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER [Pluvier argenté] at Hay Island on Friday. It’s at the point that it’s easy to confuse the Black-bellied Plovers and AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVERS [Pluvier bronzé]. Gilles Belliveau comments that with this plover, the bill is large for an American Golden-Plover, and does not seem to have yellow-gold tones in its plumage. The belly looks quite white, while it would be expected to be grey in the American Golden-Plover, and the crown and auriculars are not as prominent as would be expected for an American Golden-Plover. Aldo also got a photo of a deceased BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER [Paruline à gorge noire]. The thing of note in the photo is the bright yellow soles of the feet. We just don’t usually see birds this way. Searching the literature did not give a clear explanation of the yellow. Any comments would be welcome.

**On Friday, Brian Stone got a nice photo of an EASTERN PHOEBE [Moucherolle phébi] young of the year that shows the yellow on the breast/chest area that the adult does not have. He also got a photo of a female HOUSE SPARROW [Moineau domestique] and a RED ADMIRAL BUTTERFLY [Vulcain], a species we seem to have seen less than usual of this season.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton

BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER (JUVENILE). SEPT 15, 2017.ALDO DORIO

CHAIN-DOTTED GEOMETER MOTH.SEPT 15, 2017.NELSON POIRIER

EASTERN PHOEBE (JUVENILE). SEPT. 15, 2017. BRIAN STONE

HOUSE SPARROW (FEMALE). SEPT. 15, 2017. BRIAN STONE

ONCE-MARRIED UNDERWING MOTH. SEPT.14, 2017. CAROL SHEA

OSPREY WITH PREY.SEPT 15, 2017.RAY GAUVIN

RED ADMIRAL BUTTERFLY. SEPT. 15, 2017. BRIAN STONE

BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER.SEPT 15, 2017.ALDO DORIO

WHITE-MARKED TUSSOCK MOTH.SEPT 15, 2017.NELSON POIRIER

Friday, 15 September 2017

Sept 15 2017

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, September 15, 2017 (Friday)

Please advise editor at nelson@nb.sympatico.ca if any errors are noted in wording or photo labeling.

For more information on Nature Moncton, check into the website at www.naturemoncton.com

Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Transcript by: Louise Nichols nicholsl@eastlink.ca

Info Line # 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)

To respond by e-mail, please address your message to the information line editor nelson@nb.sympatico.ca.

** Stu Tingley offers some features to help pick out a LITTLE GULL [Mouette pygmée] from a BONAPARTE'S GULL [Mouette de Bonaparte] with the specimen that has been around the Bouctouche lagoon as an example. Stu comments that the Little Gull at the Bouctouche lagoon is somewhat stockier and smaller than the Bonaparte’s Gulls, and 95% of the time it appears neckless. The head pattern is slightly different with a vague, darker patch at the rear of the crown. The only black visible on the wing tips is on the underside of the outermost primaries on the wing which is facing away. Stu shares a documentary photo of the Little Gull with two Bonaparte’s Gulls he took on September 9^th.

** Brian Stone was in Centennial Park on Thursday to get some photos that included a DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT [Cormoran à aigrettes] on shore to note those huge webbed feet, a pair of HOODED MERGANSERS in non-breeding plumage. Note the golden eye on the adult male, the dark eye on the female and orange on the lower mandible of the female. Brian also got a NORTHERN LEOPARD FROG [Grenouille léopard], the full ripe berries of JACK-IN-THE-PULPIT, a SLENDER SPREADWING DAMSELFLY [Leste élancé], a male WOOD DUCK [Canard branchu] in eclipse plumage, and a pair of SPOTTED SPREADWING DAMSELFLIES [Leste Tardif].

** I’m sharing a few of my own recent observations. The mushroom season seems to be coming on. I’m attaching a photo of over and under of RED GILLED CORT, a very common forest species and readily recognized with the reddish gills. A few new-to-this-year to me items at the moth light: Wednesday night there was a WHITE UNDERWING MOTH. This is a larger moth and the photo shows the very contrasting black underwing with white band when the wings are opened. Also the MAPLE SPANWORM MOTHS were abundant, doing their dead leaf imitation.

** This week’s Sky-at-a-Glance is included in this edition, courtesy of Curt Nason.

This Week’s Sky at a Glance, September 16 – September 23

From late summer into autumn, the Greek tale of Perseus and Andromeda
plays out on the eastern stage of the night sky each evening. Princess
Andromeda, the daughter of Cepheus and Cassiopeia, is chained to the
rocky coast of Ethiopia as a sacrifice to a vicious sea monster,
portrayed by the constellation Cetus the Whale. Our hero Perseus, on his
way home aboard Pegasus after beheading Medusa, rescues the princess and
wins her unchained hand in matrimony.

The constellation Andromeda consists of two lines of stars stretching
toward Perseus from a common point. That point is the bright star
Alpheratz, which is officially Andromeda’s head but it also forms one
corner of the Great Square of Pegasus. The bottom line of stars is more
prominent, containing the orange star Mirach and ending with Almach,
which resolves as a pretty double star in a small scope.

The highlight of the constellation is M31, the Andromeda Galaxy, the
nearest spiral galaxy to our own Milky Way. A telescope is not required
to see this. It looks great in binoculars, and in a rural area on a
cloudless night you can see it with the naked eye as a smudge of light.
Place Mirach at the bottom of your binocular view and perhaps raise it a
bit to see a slightly dimmer star in the upper line of Andromeda.
Continue up about the same distance to another star and find the fuzzy
expanse of the Andromeda Galaxy nearby. A small telescope will show two
other galaxies, M32 and M110, in the same field of view. M31 is 2.5
million light years distant and heading our way. We will have a
spectacularly starry sky in a few billion years.

This Week in the Solar System

Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 6:58 am and sunset will occur at
7:28 pm, giving 12 hours, 30 minutes of daylight (7:04 am and 7:32 pm in
Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 7:07 am and set at 7:14
pm, giving 12 hours, 7 minutes of daylight (7:12 am and 7:19 pm in Saint
John). The Sun crosses the equator at 5:02 pm on Friday, September 22 to
begin the autumn season in the northern hemisphere.

The Moon is new on Wednesday, making midweek a great time for seeking
out those faint fuzzy objects with a telescope or binoculars. Jupiter
sets around 8:30 this week, followed by Saturn a few hours later. It
will be worthwhile to step outside around 6 am on Monday for a scenic
view of Venus, Regulus, the crescent Moon, Mars and Mercury in a line
about ten degrees long. Mercury appears very near to Mars this Saturday
as it heads sunward, and Venus drops near Regulus on Wednesday.

The RASC NB star party at Fundy National Park takes place September 15
and 16 at the South Chignecto campground, and their telescopes will be
set up on September 22 and 23 for the Fall Festival at Kouchibouguac
National Park. Visit the website https://rascnb.ca/ for details.

Questions? Contact Curt Nason at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton

Andromeda

BONAPARTE'S GULLS WITH LITTLE GULL IN MIDDLE. SEPT 9, 2017.STUART TINGLEY

DOUBLE CRESTED CORMORANT. SEPT. 14, 2017. BRIAN STONE

HOODED MERGANSERS. (PAIR) SEPT. 14, 2017. BRIAN STONE

JACK-IN-THE-PULPIT BERRIES. SEPT. 14, 2017. BRIAN STONE

MAPLE SPANWORM AND PALE BEAUTY MOTH.SEPT 14, 2017.NELSON POIRIER

MAPLE SPANWORM MOTH.SEPT 14, 2017.NELSON POIRIER

NORTHERN LEOPARD FROG. SEPT. 14, 2017. BRIAN STONE

RED-GILLED CORT.SEPT 12, 2017.NELSON POIRIER

SLENDER SPREADWING DAMSELFLY. SEPT. 14, 2017. BRIAN STONE

WHITE UNDERWING MOTH.SEPT 14, 2017.NELSON POIRIER

WHITE-FACED MEADOWHAWK DRAGONFLY. SEPT. 14, 2017. BRIAN STONE

WOOD DUCK (MALE IN ECLIPSE). SEPT. 14, 2017. BRIAN STONE

Thursday, 14 September 2017

Sept 14 2017

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, September 14, 2017 ( Thursday )

To respond by e-mail, please address your message to the information line editor,

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca . Please advise if any errors are noted in wording or photo labeling.

For more information on Nature Moncton, check the website at www.naturemoncton.com .

Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Transcript by: Brian Stone bjpstone@gmail.com

Info Line # 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)

** Seeing the reports from Greenlaw Mountain in the last few days and the number of raptors being reported, Ron Steeves and a friend took a journey down to New Horton and spent a few hours at the New Horton Church on Tuesday. It was an indescribable day in Albert County, the weather was perfect with slight winds and it seems that some of the locals were glad to see them, reminding them there must be some birds moving. They spent five plus hours combing the skies, the air was literally full of insects, large and small bees of several different sizes and shapes and dragonflies of all sizes and colours. There was practically no bird migration that they could see. The only things that they thought might be migrating was one OSPREY [Balbuzard pêcheur], two BROAD-WINGED HAWKS [Petite Buse], one PEREGRINE FALCON [Faucon pèlerin] and one SHARP-SHINNED HAWK [Épervier brun]. The Eagles seen were thought to be locals and surprisingly there were no Turkey Vultures. The birds weren't plentiful, but it was a day to remember.

** Judy Pellerin had a GREAT EGRET [Grande Aigrette] that stayed with her in the marsh behind her Cap Brule home for two months earlier in the season, then suddenly departed and was not seen for the whole month of August, however on Wednesday assumedly the same bird arrived back and was looking like it had never left.

** The Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are in their last expected days with us for the season. David Christie reports that Wednesday, Sept. the 13th, was his first day that he did not see a Ruby-throated Hummingbird at his feeder. There was one that fed heavily on Tuesday. David comments on noting a MONARCH BUTTERFLY [Monarque] over the Shepody marsh on Wednesday. Observing many Monarchs this past season, and continuing to as they make their final migration towards Mexico to overwinter, has been a very welcome scenario for many folks. It is looking great this season, so far, for this declining species.

** Brian Stone adds two more dragonflies he photographed on Monday in Mapleton Park. A SAFFRON-WINGED MEADOWHAWK and a WHITE-FACED MEADOWHAWK. Brian also observed a SPOTTED TUSSOCK MOTH CATERPILLAR in his Moncton Yard on Wednesday. This caterpillar favours foraging on Alders and Willows but will go to deciduous trees as well. Some mushrooms were also popping up in his lawn. They have the appearance of Fairy Ring Mushrooms noting the very wide-apart gills, and Brian did a spore print that turned out to be white which is consistent with this species.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton

FAIRY RING MUSHROOMS (SUSPECTED). SEPT. 13, 2017. BRIAN STONE

SAFFRON-WINGED MEADOWHAWK DRAGONFLY. SEPT. 10, 2017._ BRIAN STONE

SPOTTED TUSSOCK MOTH CATERPILLAR. SEPT. 13, 2017. BRIAN STONE

WHITE-FACED MEADOWHAWK DRAGONFLY ( FEMALE ). SEPT. 10, 2017. BRIAN STONE

Wednesday, 13 September 2017

Sept 13 2017

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, September 06, 2017 (Wednesday)

Please advise editor at nelson@nb.sympatico.ca if any errors are noted in wording or photo labeling.

For more information on Nature Moncton, check into the website at www.naturemoncton.com

Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelson@nb.sympatico.ca
Transcript by: Catherine Johnson johnson2@xplornet.com
Info Line # 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)

To respond by e-mail, please address your message to the information line editor nelson@nb.sympatico.ca.

**Carmella and Leopold Melanson went for a drive into Albert County on Tuesday and found an immature DICKCISSEL on the Shepody Dam Rd. Always nice to find dickcissels in NB. These birds breed in the central area of the United States and is a rare migrant to both coasts but more on the east coast where a few overwinter. You can see the distinctive chestnut wing coverts in Carmella's photos.

**Aldo Dorio again found AMERICAN PIPITS at Hay Island on Tuesday. They have increased to 3 from 1 found the day before. He found them on the rocks from the bridge to the cross on the right side. It suggests numbers are building there and a great spot to check them out. He got some better frontal photos on Tuesday.

**Brian Stone visited Mapleton Park on Monday to photograph a COMMON WHITE-TAILED dragonfly, a WHITE-FACED MEADOWHAWK dragonfly, a nice frontal shot of a WHITE-THROATED SPARROW, an AUTUMN MEADOWHAWK dragonfly (note the brown legs as this species is the only MEADOWHAWK with completely brown legs), CANADA LILY gone to seed, a young ROBIN feasting on Choke cherries, an immature ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK, and a BLUE-HEADED VIREO showing the white spectacle.

Brian visited the Riverview marsh trail on Tuesday to note a significant number of BRONZE COPPER butterflies flitting along the trail. This seems to be a butterfly we have seen little of so far this summer. Brian did note the ponds filled with water on both sides of the trail, commenting that they were all dry the last time that he was there.

**We are seeing more and more LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS in NB and lots of folks are wondering if these birds may be breeding nearer at this point. Adults are easier to pick out but the immatures are a challenge. We were able to see one on the pelagic trip off Grand Manan on Saturday. It appears to be a bird going into its second winter (cycle) plumage, some photos are attached.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton

AMERICAN PIPIT.SEPT 12, 2017.ALDO DORIO

AUTUMN MEADOWHAWK DRAGONFLY. SEPT. 10, 2017. BRIAN STONE

BLUE-HEADED VIREO. SEPT. 10, 2017. BRIAN STONE

BRONZE COPPER BUTTERFLY. SEPT. 12, 2017. BRIAN STONE

CANADA LILY SEED PODS. SEPT. 10, 2017. BRIAN STONE

COMMON WHITETAIL DRAGONFLY. SEPT. 10, 2017. BRIAN STONE

DICKCISSEL Sep 12 2017 CARMELLA MELANSON

LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL (JUVENILE).SEPT 9, 2017.NELSON POIRIER

ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK ( IMMATURE ). SEPT. 10, 2017. BRIAN STONE

WHITE-FACED MEADOWHAWK DRAGONFLY. SEPT. 10, 2017. BRIAN STONE

WHITE-THROATED SPARROW. SEPT. 10, 2017. BRIAN STONE

Tuesday, 12 September 2017

Sept 12 2017

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, September 12, 2017 ( Tuesday )

To respond by e-mail, please address your message to the information line editor,

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca . Please advise if any errors are noted in wording or photo labeling.

For more information on Nature Moncton, check the website at www.naturemoncton.com .

Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Transcript by: Brian Stone bjpstone@gmail.com

Info Line # 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)

** Jean Paul and Stella Leblanc send a nice photo of a LITTLE GULL [Mouette pygmée] that they took at the Bouctouche lagoon on Sunday. Stu Tingley had found it there on Saturday so it may be staying there for a bit, or at least in the area, probably in the company of Bonaparte's Gulls.

** Brian Stone got photos of a SOLITARY SANDPIPER [Chevalier solitaire] last Friday, seen in a pond on the road from McGowan's Corner to Lakeville. The dappled appearance of the mantle can be noted. To add a few helpful comments from Gilles Belliveau ... he points out that the bold eye ring often has a slight break at the front, as can be seen in Brian's photo, and also on the lower part of the mantle feathers those white spots are quite small near the front and get gradually larger the farther back you go. Nice identification features to use.

Also on September 08, Brian, Janet Kempster and Annette Stone made many other observations on that route to include many MONARCH BUTTERFLIES [Monarque], and on a large Milkweed patch the colourful, LARGE MILKWEED BUG, MULTICOLORED ASIAN LADY BEETLE adult, CRANEFLY, the MILKWEED TUSSOCK MOTH CATERPILLAR, NORTHERN LEOPARD FROGS [Rana pipiens], PAINTED TURTLES [Chrysemys picta], OSPREYS [Balbuzard pêcheur] on their nest still, WARBLERS, RED-EYED VIREO [Viréo aux yeux rouges], SWAMP SPARROW [Bruant des marais] and many more with excellent photos.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton