Nature Moncton Nature News: August 21 2025

NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS

August 21, 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

To respond by e-mail, please address your message to the information line editor, nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com .

Please advise the editor at nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com if any errors are noted in wording or photo labelling.

For more information on Nature Moncton, check the website at www.naturemoncton.com .

Proofreading courtesy of Louise Nichols at nicholsl@eastlink.ca

**Dan Hicks, Moncton’s director of Parks and Recreation, led a very intent group of Nature Moncton Wednesday evening walkers along the Riverfront Trail, concentrating on the Bore Park area of Moncton on a beautiful August evening. It was very appreciated by all. Dan’s knowledge of the area, both past and present, held the captive interest of the group until the arrival of the tidal bore at dusk was a finale to a great evening.

Dan showed us there is a lot to learn and observe in our backyard!

Photos from the event are shared in today’s photo lineup.

**Gordon Rattray joined Dale Gaskin at the Hillsborough lagoon at sundown on Tuesday evening, looking for the group of common nighthawks that Dale had spotted on Monday. They did arrive again and put on an aerial display, feeding on insects. Gordon was able to capture some high-flying fast birds to get passable photographs.

**Suzanne Rousseau in Sussex got an excellent photograph of a spongy moth (gypsy moth) cocoon on Wednesday. The cocoon is housing the larva, which will soon emerge as an adult moth. The caterpillar of this moth has a voracious and varied menu, but I’m not sure if it includes the bitter milkweed plant, about which Suzanne is most concerned.

Google suggests they do not typically feed on milkweed, choosing broad-leaved trees instead.

**Rosita Lanteigne, Pierrette Breau, and Corinne DeGrace were able to observe and Pierette got photographs of a male bronze copper butterfly at the wastewater treatment plant in Caraquet on Wednesday.

This is the 62nd butterfly Rosita has observed in the Acadian Peninsula to add to her butterfly life list.

**Matt Nguyen shares photos he took while out walking and geocaching earlier in the afternoon Wednesday along the riverfront trail behind TransAqua. This is where there is a small trail that leads off into a gazebo that looks over the Petitcodiac River.

You can really tell how hot and dry it's been the last few weeks with how cracked the surface of the Riverview Marsh has become.

Matt comments “It was a fun coincidence that he would be walking on the other side of the river for the Wednesday night walk.”

**Among the many things Dan Hicks demonstrated on Wednesday night, one was the method being used to save park ash trees from the emerald ash borer insect. A photo is shown of one of the small holes used to inject a newer insecticide preparation that protects the tree for two years, after which it needs to be reapplied.

Another is the photo of the interesting foliage of the dawn redwood tree that has been planted in the park area.

**Nelson Poirier had a few surprises on Wednesday from the few birdfeeders up and the water bath.

A Baltimore oriole made repeated visits to drink and bathe, but Nelson did not see it eating even although ripening grapes were nearby.

Suddenly, it changed its mind and fed several times on sunflower chips.

A male house finch came to the water to drink and bathe as well, and it fed freely at the available menu. It was a young-of-the-year male bird in the process of molting into its adult plumage.

Nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton