Nature Moncton Nature News: June 11 2020

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, June 11, 2020 (Thursday)

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Transcript by: Brian Stone bjpstone@gmail.com

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

** Another great cuckoo day for Rhonda and Paul Langelaan. Paul heard the vocalization of a YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO [Coulicou à bec jaune] in the Second North River area and Rhonda was able to get more great photos. It surely shows the value of birding by ear. The Yellow-billed Cuckoo is much more uncommon to encounter in New Brunswick than the Black-billed Cuckoo. Paul and Rhonda are becoming a great birding combo to share with the rest of us. Fortunately 5 other birders were nearby and were able to see the Yellow-billed Cuckoo as well.

** Chris Antle had a fresh, beautiful LUNA MOTH [Papillon lune] day perch on her potting shed window screen. It was no doubt was attracted to the ultraviolet light emitted from the grow lights. The Giant Silk Moths are really on the prowl.

** Aldo Dorio got a nice photo of a dragonfly but it would be difficult for most of us neophytes to identify. As Gilles Belliveau points out this is an immature CHALK-FRONTED CORPORAL DRAGONFLY. Dragonflies complicate things with their immature “plumage” just as birds do.

** The GROVE SANDWORT is a very common flowering plant in a variety of habitats. It is a low plant with relatively small flowers that can grow in carpets of plants. Brian Stone photographed some on Wednesday. Brian was also able to get a nice array of Mother Nature’s world on Wednesday getting several butterflies including LITTLE WOOD SAYTR [Petit satyre des bois], COMMON RINGLET [Satyre fauve], and SILVERY BLUE [Bleu argenté]. Brian got the Silvery Blue Butterfly from both upper and lower surfaces to show the sharp difference when folded to the open wings and folded wings. The folded wing individual appears to be ovipositing. His resident yard GROUNDHOG [Marmotte commune] posed at a distance.

Brian also got some pleasing photos of PINK LADY’S SLIPPERS in prime bloom … one with an apparent predatory SPIDER waiting for lunch to drop by. A CRANE FLY was nicely perched for a photo and as always Brian cannot pass up a SOLAR HALO (22°). The MILKWEED patch on the Gorge Rd. is doing very well and is ready for Monarch Butterfly patrons.

Ants obviously make attacks on caterpillars and this is the second one we have received. Brian got a video of such an attack and it was not looking good for the caterpillar. Take a look at the action at the attached link.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/wgv0aqhq4u34cz0/Caterpillar%20Under%20Attack.MOV?dl=0

** I’m sharing the last bit of action from my trail camera on fish entrails on a backwoods trail. The TURKEY VULTURES [Urubu à tête rouge] are still numbering 6 for sure and are the main diurnal diners and are seeming to get along better with the AMERICAN CROWS [Corneille d'Amérique] and RAVENS [Grand corbeau]. A small BLACK BEAR [Ours noir] appeared a few times during the day rather assuming it to be a 2nd year cub sent out on its own. A much larger BLACK BEAR [Ours noir] came to the booty during the night to suggest an adult, possibly a male boar as it seems quite large. A RACOON [Raton laveur] appeared briefly which was the first time. I suspect that they prefer foraging near human dwellings as there are lots of Raccoons around but this was the first appearance over several night watches. You never know where a trail camera might be in the woods. Three folks came down the trail for a Sunday afternoon hike and unknowingly put on a bit of a show which is not available for public showing!

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton