Nature Moncton Nature News: Aug 12 2018

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NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, Aug. 12, 2018 (Sunday)

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Transcript by: David Christie maryspt@mac.com

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

** Jean-Paul and Stella LeBlanc were able to capture some great photos of local birds during the past few days. They were able to see and photograph the TRICOLORED HERON [Aigrette tricolore] going about its day at the Bis Marsh off Louis Street in Dieppe on Friday. The bird was first located there by Georges Brun recently and seems to be enjoying its stay there.

Jean-Paul also got a photo of the normally elusive NELSON’S SPARROW [Bruant de Nelson] at the Rotary Park in Bouctouche on Saturday. On Thursday, Stella got a few photos of a GREEN HERON [Héron vert] that is visiting the Rotary Park. They also got photos of a BELTED KINGFISHER [Martin-pêcheur d’Amérique] that was on the hunt at that park on Thursday. Some great birding days for Jean-Paul and Stella.

** Gary Gilbert came across several large clumps of the JACK O’LANTERN [Clitocybe de l’olivier] mushroom on Milner Road, near the sidewalk around a buried dump, and sends a photo. This mushroom could be confused with the very edible CHANTERELLE [Chanterelle commune], which many folks use as a delicious edible. The gills of the Jack-o-lantern are much finer than those of the Chanterelle, and the difference is easily noticeable by experienced chanterelle connoisseurs. The Jack o’lantern grows in tight clusters, while the Chanterelle may grow in groups but not tight clusters. The Jack o’lantern is toxic but not deadly. It causes gastric upset that could last for a few hours to a few days, but is not considered harmful to the touch. When the Jack o’lantern is fresh and taken into a dark room the gills give off an eerie green glow that give it its common name, the Jack o’lantern. It is not as numerous as chanterelles but tends to grow in very noticeable groups when it is found. I have attached a few photos of my own from several years ago of close-ups of gills to show that the gill structure is different from that of the chanterelles, and the cluster fashion of its growth. The spore print is not helpful as it is a pale cream, not dissimilar from a chanterelle.

** Dale Gaskin is enjoying watching EASTERN BLUEBIRDS [Merlebleu de l’Est] foraging insects along a fence at his Dawson Settlement home. Dale comments that he has not seen the MONARCH [Monarque] butterflies as so many others are, but he found it interesting to have one around most of the day last week, but nectaring on white clover. As he always does, Dale is hosting a large number of RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRDS [Colibri à gorge rubis].

** Aldo Dorio photographed BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS [Pluvier argenté] near the Néguac wharf on Saturday. The photos show adult birds with retained remnants of breeding plumage.

** Brian Stone made a round of Mapleton Park and Crandall University on Saturday, to get several photos of Mother Nature’s community there, including LEOPARD FROG [Grenouille léopard], the dragonflies TWELVE-SPOTTED SKIMMER [La gracieuse], nicely showing its signature 12 wing spots, a LYRE-TIPPED SPREADWING [Leste onguiculé] dragonfly, and saw more WANDERING GLIDER [Pantale flavescente] dragonflies. The Wandering Gliders are pumpkin coloured dragonflies but are not in the habit of alighting, so have to be photographed on the wing. The butterflies CABBAGE WHITE [Piéride du chou], WHITE ADMIRAL [Admiral], CLOUDED SULFUR [Coliade du trèfle] and MONARCH [Monarque] were moving about. BLACKBERRY [Murkier] plants are starting to form fruit, with red berries now starting to turn towards their black, delicious mature state, and the small flowering plant EYEBRIGHT [Euphrasy du Canada] was in bloom. A CICADA [cigale] still happened to be low enough to provide close-up observations. The warm days arriving back will have them stridulating their mating vocalization again. Brian noted a very small Monarch butterfly caterpillar in an early instar, along with a few in a much more advanced instar stage.

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton