Nature Moncton Nature News: July 17 2019

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, July 17, 2019 (Wednesday)

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Transcript by: Judy Marsh marshj@nbnet.nb.ca

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

**Bob Grant reports that all his TREE SWALLOW [Hirondelle bicolore] box families in his Cape Spear yard fledged on Monday and his family of EASTERN BLUEBIRDS [Merlebleu de l'Est] fledged on Tuesday, all except for one, who had stayed at the box all day and into evening. Bob is concerned about it. The young and parents were all flying about for most of the day, but it does not appear to want to make it’s inaugural flight.

**Dan Hicks lives on Elmwood Drive , within Moncton City limits and was able to get nice photos of wildlife activity around his home to share several photos that were taken earlier in the month, with his new zoom camera. Dan put up two SWALLOW BOXES, which were very quickly taken. He promptly built 4 more and they were taken by 3 TREE SWALLOW [Hirondelle bicolore] pairs and one EASTERN BLUEBIRD [Merlebleu de l'Est] pair. Dan got an excellent photo of a fledgling EASTERN BLUEBIRD [Merlebleu de l'Est] to share its unique first molt plumage. He got photos of the female as well. A doe WHITE-TAILED DEER [Cerf de Virginie] started showed up in their yard and when she realized all was well, she brought out two fawns with her. There has been a RED FOX [Renard roux] den behind Dan's home. He got a photo of the assumed female in early July, looking a bit tattered after raising a family. There has been a challange in down loading some of Dan's excellent photos, but hope we can soon correct.

Jane LeBlanc found 5 nice sized MONARCH BUTTERFLY caterpillars on her yard Swamp Milkweed patch on Wednesday. They were 1to1 ½ in. in length. She also found an egg on an unopened flower head with a Crab Spider looking on. Am not sure whether that would be a potential predator or on the lookout for other prey.

**Brian Stone noted the COMMON MILKWEED patch on the Gorge Road, near the exit to the Trans Canada Highway has expanded in size and is in full bloom at the moment. He did not see any MONARCH [Monarque] butterflies, but he did see an ATLANTIS FRITILLARY [Argynne de l'Atlantique] and did get photos to show the black border and gray eye, features that help identify this medium sized fritillary.

**It is that time of year on hot days when the large insects , the CICADAS call (stridulate) often from high in trees and often large PINE TREES. We have two common species in New Brunswick, the DOG-DAY CICADA and the SAY’S CICADA. They can be differeniated by their sound if not seen. Brian got a photo of a SAY’S CICADA low enough in a tree to get a photo op.

Brian comments he was disappointed to see the City of Moncton is mowing the low road side grasses and flowering plants that would support many nectaring butterflies and pollinating bees.

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton