NATURE
MONCTON NATURE NEWS
July 17,
2023
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Edited by
Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
Proofreading courtesy of Louise Nichols
at nicholsl@eastlink.ca
**The
write-up for this Wednesday’s Nature Moncton walk is at the end of this edition
today and up front on Wednesday morning.
**On July 12, Gordon Rattray led the weekly walk in Hillsborough with a small but eager group. The group saw a wide variety of nature’s offerings, from a Bobolink singing high in a nearby tree snag to a Horned Grebe teaching a young one to fish. Gordon sends photos of some of the findings. Plants photographed were Alfalfa, Bindweed, Black Medick, Fireweed, Wormseed Mustard, and St. John’s Wort. Gord also sends photos of an American Black Duck family on a pond and a sunset shot of the pond. This walk was on land formerly used by the gypsum manufacturing company and a photo is included of the shipping silos for loading boats from the Petitcodiac River.
Gordon had his family of Eastern Phoebes fledge at his Weldon home and includes pictures of the young.
**Lisa
Morris got a nice photo of an interesting bee mimic insect. BugGuide has
tentatively identified it as a Scarab Beetle in the genus Trichiotinus.
The
adult feeds on the pollen and nectar of flowers.
**Shannon
Inman came across a buck White-tailed Deer with developing antlers
covered in smooth ‘velvet’ which supplies the rich blood supply to the very fast-growing
antlers. The velvet will be rubbed off as the rut begins in late
September/early October.
**Brian Stone
shares his photos from the Gagetown Island Nature Moncton Foray outing last
Thursday, including many items already seen but sending anyway. Brian sends
photos of the people, the scenery, and the cows encountered on the
expedition, along with some examples of plants and wildlife:
Bald Eagles looking
ready to leave the nest, Osprey, Leopard Frogs aplenty, and a Twelve-spotted
Skimmer Dragonfly. A pair of small Downy Woodpeckers hopped along a
branch, and Red Soldier Beetles and Honeybees decorated the Common
Milkweed flowers along the way.
Some of the
other plants seen were Swamp Milkweed, Agrimony, Jack-in-the-Pulpit,
Bloodroot, Common Elderberry shrub, Red Baneberry
including the white berry version, Broadleaf Enchanter's Nightshade, Broad-leaved
Helleborine, Canada Anemone, Canada Lily, Pickerel Weed and Thistle. An Eastern Forktail Damselfly hitched
a ride on one participant's arm while out on the river.
Also in the photo line-up are photos of the remnants of Mount House on Gagetown Island, which must have a very interesting history that we have not been able to assemble as of yet.
(Editor’s
note: Ron Arsenault has suggested the large split at the tree’s base could well
have been from a former lightning strike. It appears like an old porcupine den,
but no evidence of that was found. The upper part of the tree was very much
alive and in full foliage.)
**NATURE
MONCTON WEDNESDAY NIGHT WALK
JULY 19, 2023
OGDEN LOOP TRAIL, SACKVILLE at 7:00 pm, guided by
Louise Nichols
This Wednesday’s walk will be at the Ogden Loop Trail
in Sackville, part of the beautiful Walker Rd trail system which is maintained
by the Tantramar Outdoor Club for snow-shoeing and cross-country skiing in the
winter. The loop begins with a brook and
then enters the woods, eventually coming out at what used to be the town’s
water reservoir before going back into the woods. The loop is 2.6 kms, but there are ways of
making the walk shorter if we wish. The walk
is rated moderate, on fairly flat ground with some areas of tree roots.
To get there, take the Trans Canada highway toward
Sackville and exit at Walker Rd. Turn
right off the exit ramp and follow Walker Rd until it becomes a gravel
road. Just after that happens, you will
see a parking area on the right. Park
there or on the road (not much traffic).
The trail we will take is across the road from the parking area.
Lots of nature activity on this trail which passes
through some different habitats. Hope to
see a good number of you there!
Nelson Poirier
Nature Moncton
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