NATURE
MONCTON NATURE NEWS
May 19, 2025
Nature Moncton members, as
well as any naturalist in New Brunswick or beyond, are invited to share
their photos and descriptions of recent nature sightings to build a fresh
(almost) daily edition of Nature News
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respond by e-mail, please address your message to the information line
editor, nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com .
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To
view the live feed of the Peregrine Falcon nest cam on the summit of Assumption
Place in Moncton, go to:
**Jane LeBlanc found a chipping sparrow at her neighbour's yard on Saturday which cooperated for an excellent photo.
**Gordon Rattray took a drive into Fundy National Park on the Laverty Lake
Road and spotted several blooming plants: fly-honeysuckle (Lonicera canadensis), hobble bush
(Viburnum lantanoides), red trillium (Trillium erectum)
and trout lily (Erythronium americanum). At home, Gordon
found some more flowers in bloom: starflower (Trientalis borealis),
small white violet (Viola minuscula), pin cherry (Prunus
pensylvanica), and marsh blue violet (Viola cucullata).
Gordon also had a visit from his newly arrived male ruby-throated hummingbird
and two chipping sparrows.
**Nelson Poirier was on the other side of the
province from Gordon with a group of botany enthusiasts on a protected trail to
the Meduxnekeag River (Woodstock) known as the Bell Forest that hosts many of
the spring ephemerals plus a few plants very specific to the area. It is
located at 200 Bell Settlement Rd. and is a very recommended area for a spring
visit. A few of the plants singled out and photographed are listed below:
Wild ginger- This plant produces one flower
(arrowed) that blooms at the plant's very base (ground-level) and is pollinated
by ants.
Blue cohosh-just coming into bloom.
Trout lily seedpod that had formed was photographed. This plant reproduces best by its bulb (corm) but also produces a fruiting body that sheds 2-3 seeds.
Kidney-leafed buttercup
Orangefruit horse-gentian (Triosteum
aurantiacum). This is an uncommon plant in New Brunswick that is better
known in the Meduxnekeag River area as wild coffee.
Christmas fern was photographed
showing its evergreen fronds from the previous year, with the fresh
fronds of the year standing upright.
Silvery glade fern was unfurling its
fiddleheads.
Goldie’s fern,
an uncommon New Brunswick fern, and our largest fern, was found, but photography
failed.
Red baneberry was sporting blooms
Red elderberry was sporting blooms
Garlic mustard, an invasive species,
was photographed.
Many
more emerging plants were observed, but will not be mentioned to avoid
competing with a telephone book!
Nelson Poirier.
Nature Moncton
