Nature Moncton Nature News: July 29 2018

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, July 29, 2018 (Sunday)

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

Transcript by: David Christie maryspt@mac.com

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

** A very big thank-you to Gart Bishop for leading the Nature Moncton field trip to Grand Lake meadows, Jemseg area, on Saturday. It was a major success, with many contented participants and seemingly new things to see at every turn. There were hundreds of photos taken over the day. Many will be shared on Blogspot in coming days, as tired day-end participants will not get their photos downloaded for a few days.

Ones shared today include the rare-to-New Brunswick BUTTONBUSH [Céphalanthe occidental, Bois noir], a very small plant called WATERMEAL (Wolffia columbiana) [Wolffie sans racines] that takes several to cover a grain of rice, and a photo with WATER FLAX-WEED, that is similar to Duckweed except that it has multiple roots and red underside, as the photo shows. Also added today is BUR OAK [Chêne à gros fruits] forming its bur-rimmed acorns, CANADA LILY [Lis du Canada], and TICK-TREFOIL [Desmodie du Canada]. The seeds of Tick-Trefoil cling to clothing and especially to pet’s fur to become problematic, so it’s a good plant to get to know, as it goes to seed.

Other highlights in the day’s photo line-up are a brown LEOPARD FROG [Grenouille léopard]; this frog is usually green as the comparison in Louise Nichol’s photos show; the CHERRY-FACED MEADOWHAWK [Sympétrum intime] dragonfly, EASTERN FORKTAIL [Agrion vertical] damselfly, and a MONARCH [Monarque] depositing eggs on a Swamp Milkweed [Asclépiade incarnata] plant. A NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH [Paruline des ruisseaux] joined the group and a RED SOLDIER BEETLE (Rhagonycha fulva) was seen repeatedly. It was an incredible day in the field, all due to Gart Bishop knowing where to find the goodies.

** Marguerite Winsor’s milkweed patch has been pleasantly productive, and at advanced stage, Marguerite found seven chrysalid MONARCHS [Monarque] on Friday morning and at least 20 caterpillars. She provided them with sticks to form their chysalids on, but they declined this year, preferring leaf midribs so far. The large caterpillar in Marguerite’s photo had become a well-formed chrysalis by the next morning, so is obviously in its last instar in the photo.

** Janet Cormier enjoyed a visit from an EASTERN KINGBIRD [Tyran tritri] on Saturday as it posed briefly for a photo.

** Aldo Dorio got a photo of the big red moon as it rose at 9:46 P.M. on Friday night to make a striking display. He also photographed an adult-plumaged KILLDEER [Pluvier kildir] at Hay Island, as well as a young-of-the-year SONG SPARROW [Bruant chanteur].

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton