Nature Moncton Nature News: July 1 2023

NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS

July 1, 2023

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Edited by Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Proofreading courtesy of Louise Nichols at nicholsl@eastlink.ca

** Early Friday morning, Georges Brun witnessed the juvenile Peregrine Falcon atop its nest box on Assumption Building. It was testing its wings while in an open form and holding its balance with strong winds. A parent was atop the antenna. When the juvenile flew towards the parent, it did not have enough knowledge to make the perch permanent, trying to make it next to the parent. It dropped 3 or 4 feet but could take flight, make it around the top structure, then head towards the Bell Aliant Tower. Again, a miscalculation trying to make a safe landing but when it was unable, dropped and regained flight with it proceeding just below the parent still perched atop the antenna.

If Pam Novak at the Atlantic Wildlife Institute still has the 2 other juveniles, then this is the 3rd bird. In the past, the male has stayed for a bit after the chicks hatch, and then it is gone. Last winter, Georges feels quite certain that the female was at the site with one of the juveniles.

Georges also photographed a visible sunspot on Friday. Brian Stone outlined the area of the visible sunspot with an inset photo onto George’s photo.

When the week began, sunspot AR3354 didn’t exist. Now it is 10X wider than the Earth and still growing. The sunspot burst into view on June 27, breaching the sun’s surface, then blossoming into a giant over the next 48 hours.

(Editor’s note: to avoid eye damage, one should never look directly at the sun or even through a camera viewfinder. It is quite safe to take a photograph via the indirect slide-out viewfinder.)

**Marguerite Winsor’s Salisbury yard is traditionally very attractive to the Black Swallowtail Butterfly.
A female deposited her eggs on Marguerite’s Lovage plant, which is of the Celery family. She now has found 6 caterpillars.
It will be soon that fresh, newly minted adults will appear, which will raise a second brood this season.
(Editor’s note: one of Marguerite’s photos shows a caterpillar that has just gone into its third instar beside its freshly molted skin that it has not consumed yet. A second photo shows a caterpillar in its second instar)

**On Friday, Louise Nichols was kind enough to guide Nelson Poirier and Brian Stone out to an area of Missaquash Marsh at the edge of the N.S. border (terns were on NB side of the border) to look for the Black Terns that have been seen there lately by Louise and other birders. They were lucky enough to spot 4 Black Terns flying, vocalizing, and occasionally perching on their favoured post to get great views as the terns came close and even flew overhead. Even the omnipresent rain held off long enough to make the outing successful. Brian and Louise share their best photos that took patience to achieve due to the cloudy dim light conditions and fast movements of the terns.

(Editor’s note: it is always special to find Black Terns in New Brunswick. The jet-black body and near fluorescent white underwing are striking when in flight. This is a small tern averaging 9 ¾ inches, only 1 inch larger than the numerous male Red-winged Blackbirds so common among them. The Common Tern is significantly larger, averaging 14 ½ in.

We are sharing many photos today to savour the moment, as photograph opportunities do not often happen.

A colony of Black Terns will be seen on the planned Nature Moncton visit to Gagetown Island on July 13.)

Back at Louise's Aulac property, Brian got photographs of a young adult Garter Snake at the point of shedding its skin, as shown by the deep blue condition of the usually clear scales covering its eyes. Brian thanks Glen Nichols for spotting the snake for him, as his 'snake radar' seemed to be failing him then. Brian blames the weather and/or any other excuse to cover up his poor observation skills at that moment.

A visit to the bog on Louise’s property netted some great observations of Calopogon aka Grass Pink and Arethusa aka Dragon’s Mouth Orchids, in their splendid prime bloom and pleasant numbers. Several other plants that are found in bogs as their choice habitat were photographed, which will be featured in tomorrow’s edition.

**Shannon Richard at the New Brunswick Environmental Network posts a schedule each month of upcoming events for the month. These are attached below, and more information can be seen on each event by clicking on it.

Upcoming Events for the Month of July.

July 2nd: