Nature Moncton Nature News: Sept 7 2020

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, September 7, 2020 (Monday)

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Transcript by: david.cannon@rogers.com

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

** Jane LeBlanc was very rewarded by all the efforts she has put forth to create a yard

of native

diversity at her St. Martins home. An adult male RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD [colibri roux] arrived to her yard hummingbird feeder from 6 p.m. until dusk on Sunday evening. It came back 6-8 times but it didn’t stay long each time and the bird appeared to be very leery. Jane got some documentary photos out a window to avoid spooking it. The bird has returned this morning, Monday. This example surely shows the value of leaving fueled hummingbird feeders up in later season, even into October, to get the potential chance of seeing strays we rarely get to see and of course, late Ruby-throated Hummingbirds that welcome that boost to get them on their way

This was a great ending to Jane’s photo day; she sends some shorebird action from the St. Martins area. She got a nice photo of a juvenile SANDERLING [Bécasseau sanderling], a stage we don’t get to see much of. Jane also comments the LEAST SANDPIPERS [Bécasseau minuscule] seem everywhere, and she had to take care not to step on them, and they seemed to be the most numerous species along with SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS [Pluvier semipalmé].

Jane got a flight shot of a group of peeps. Gilles Belliveau comments he sees Sanderlings, Semipalmated Sandpipers and Least Sandpipers.

** TURKEY VULTURES [Urubu à tête rouge] are spreading their presence out over more of New Brunswick. Georges Brun spotted one gliding over Babineau Road near Shediac River on September 4^th. The effortless flight of this species, as it uses air currents and its open V dihedral wing posture to allow for little energy used to glide about, is beautiful to watch.

**Anna Tucker and family visited the Fundy Park Trailway on Sunday to send photos of the protected covered bridge leading to the Trailway and a vista en route. She spotted a large caterpillar. It is a LUNA MOTH CATERPILLAR. We are used to seeing this beauty as mint green but Jim Edsall comments as it approaches its prepupal stage, it takes on a pale colour as Anna’s photo shows. This is the time period this is occurring at the moment. The pupa will form a cocoon that will overwinter to emerge next spring as the striking adult, if it is not parasitized.

** It continues to be a very special time frame to observe a diversity of shorebirds dropping by to fuel up before continuing their migratory journey. Aldo Dorio sends photos of good numbers of SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS [Bécassin roux] relaxing and fattening up at Hay Island. An adult BALD EAGLE [Pygargue à tête blanche] astutely watches over the action, no doubt wishing a few could be lunch, but not likely to happen! Aldo also photographed a BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER [Paruline noir et blanc].

** Brian Stone and Louise Nichols did some sleuthing about Louise’s Aulac yard on Sunday. A photo we don’t often get is… Brian taking photos… but Louise got that opportunity while Brian was putting all his skills to work photographing a LADIES’-TRESSES ORCHID we are not certain of the identity of yet. He also took a photo of GROOVED FINGERNAIL CLAMS in the Nichols’ freshwater pond as well as a SHINER minnow. SOLITARY SANDPIPERS [Chevalier solitaire] continue to visit Louise’s pond; 2 were present Sunday.

Brian went home via the Tantramar Marsh Road to note 2 RAPTERS too distant to identify, and a pair of gently sailing Turkey Vultures which got photographed.

** I set my trail camera out on some fish entrails and kitchen compost on a woods trail in the Miramichi area on Thursday night. The area surely was polished clean by a very happy BRUIN(S) and a COYOTE [coyote]. It’s that time of year when the BLACK BEARS [Ours noir] are starting to forage heavier for hibernation in a few months.

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton