October 10 2026

 

Nature Moncton Nature News

 

Clicking a photo enlarges it for closer viewing. Please note that clicking on any photo enlarges it full screen and then clicking on the black area on either side of the photo brings one right back to the main page.

 

 

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.

 

If you would like to share observations/photos with Nature News, contact the editor, nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

 

Please advise the editor at nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com, as well as proofreader nicholsl@eastlink.ca, if any errors are noted in wording or photo labelling.

  

Proofreading courtesy of Louise Nichols at nicholsl@eastlink.ca

 

**We have only a few photographs and reports to share today. Is everyone out chasing turkeys or cooking pumpkin pies?? Please submit your observations and photos at this beautiful time of year.

 

 

** Sue and Fred Richards were out enjoying a beautiful afternoon around their annual flower bed, which is still blooming abundantly as is typical of an annual plant garden.  There was an abundance of their own domestic honey bees as well as many wild bees when a prime, fresh, colourful painted lady butterfly made a visit and was kind enough to stay still long enough for a photo.  

PAINTED LADY BUTTERFLY. OCT 9, 2026. FRED RICHARDS

PAINTED LADY BUTTERFLY. OCT 9, 2026. FRED RICHARDS

 

**Nelson Poirier photographed a netted stinkhorn mushroom on one of the Mill Creek Nature Trail trails in Riverview on Friday.

This mushroom starts off looking like an egg on the ground at first and bursts into the mature mushroom shown in the photograph. Normally, at this stage, the net-like structure is covered with a foul-smelling mass of spores, but Thursday's rainfall washed it off, and it had no smell.

Fred Richards came across one in the egg stage a few weeks ago.

 

NETTED STINKHORN MUSHROOM. OCT 9, 2026. NELSON POIRIER

 

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Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton

 

 

 

  

October 9 2026

 

Nature Moncton Nature News

 

Clicking a photo enlarges it for closer viewing. Please note that clicking on any photo enlarges it full screen and then clicking on the black area on either side of the photo brings one right back to the main page.

 

 

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.

 

If you would like to share observations/photos with Nature News, contact the editor, nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

 

Please advise the editor at nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com, as well as proofreader nicholsl@eastlink.ca, if any errors are noted in wording or photo labelling.

  

Proofreading courtesy of Louise Nichols at nicholsl@eastlink.ca

 

 

**Nature Moncton could not record Josh Christiansen September presentation because the regular recorder could not attend.

Nature Miramichi had Josh give the same presentation for them via Zoom on October 6, which they recorded. The link to listen to that recording is below:

https://youtu.be/Ku-uI7Bc2Gg?si=Lp_JzjnH_LvOXO94

 This presentation focused mainly on salamanders, but Josh made many interesting, thought-provoking side comments.

 

**Jane LeBlanc had monarch butterfly number 17 hatch on Thursday, a female. She still has two or three chrysalises left to hatch.

 (Editor’s note: it is looking like we're not finished seeing monarch butterflies yet! Jane LeBlanc and Ted Sears both still have chrysalises that haven't emerged yet.

One might wonder whether these emerging adults have a better chance of making that migration to Mexico if they're still developing in one of New Brunswick's warmest spots?)

 

MONARCH BUTTERFLY (FEMALE). OCT. 8, 2026. JANE LEBLANC

**David Lilly shares a photo of an eastern grey squirrel seemingly enjoying the fall colours as much as the rest of us!

 

 

EASTERN GREY SQUIRREL. SEPT 8, 2026. DAVID LILLY

**Brian Stone sends a few older photos from back on September 30 that he finally got around to processing. At Highland Park, he photographed a Wilson's snipe and a young-of-the-year great blue heron that sharp-eyed Cathy Simon spotted for him, plus a displaying ruffed grouse (at super long distance) and a shaggy mane mushroom he found on his own. It sure helps to have a good spotter (and listener) along as often as possible. 

 

 

WILSON'S SNIPE. SEPT. 30, 2026. BRIAN STONE 

RUFFED GROUSE. SEPT. 30, 2026. BRIAN STONE

GREAT BLUE HERON (YOUNG-OF-THE-YEAR). SEPT. 30, 2026. BRIAN STONE 

 

SHAGGY MANE MUSHROOM. SEPT. 30, 2026. BRIAN STONE

FALL COLOURS. SEPT. 30, 2026. BRIAN STONE

**This Week’s Sky at a Glance, 2026 October 3 – October 10 
With the Square of Pegasus appearing higher in the east after twilight, look under it (or outside the first base line of the diamond) for a circle of fainter stars. This asterism is the Circlet of Pisces which forms the head of one of the two fish that make up this zodiac constellation. The other fish head is to the left of Pegasus. Below left of the Circlet is the Vernal Equinox, the point where the Sun crosses the equator to mark the beginning of our spring season. At times it is still called the First Point of Aries, despite having moved well to the west of the zodiacal ram.

The two fish represent Aphrodite and her son Eros, who tied their ankles together with a cord before leaping into the sea and changing into fish to escape the fearsome monster Typhon. The star where the fishes’ tails meet is called Alrescha, which means “the cord.”

This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 7:29 and sunset will occur at 6:42, giving 11 hours, 13 minutes of daylight (7:33 and 6:47 in Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 7:39 and set at 6:29, giving 10 hours, 50 minutes of daylight (7:42 and 6:35 in Saint John).

The Moon is new this Saturday and near Antares on Wednesday. A challenging target very low to the southwest, Mercury is at greatest elongation and near the Moon on Monday. Saturn is at its best for observing in late evening. Mars continues to edge toward Jupiter in the morning sky over the week while both sneak up on Regulus, the heart of Leo the Lion. Venus is too close to the Sun for viewing. Rural observers might see the zodiacal light in the east an hour or two before sunrise. 

Tune in to the Sunday Night Astronomy Show at 8 pm on the Facebook page or YouTube site of Astronomy by the Bay. There will be public observing at the Irving Nature Park in Saint John on October 16 from 7 to 10 pm, with a back-up date the following evening,

Questions? Contact Curt Nason at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.

Pisces

 

 

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Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton

 

 

 

  

October 8 2026

 

Nature Moncton Nature News

 

Clicking a photo enlarges it for closer viewing. Please note that clicking on any photo enlarges it full screen and then clicking on the black area on either side of the photo brings one right back to the main page.

 

 

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.

 

If you would like to share observations/photos with Nature News, contact the editor, nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

 

Please advise the editor at nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com, as well as proofreader nicholsl@eastlink.ca, if any errors are noted in wording or photo labelling.

  

Proofreading courtesy of Louise Nichols at nicholsl@eastlink.ca

 

 

**It would seem surprisingly late, but Ted Sears in St. Martins is still getting monarch butterflies emerging from chrysalises and even has one chrysalis still to emerge.

(Editor’s note: It surely would be interesting if one of the new tags being tried could be attached to some of these individuals to see how they fare with potential migration to Mexico at this late date.)

 

MONARCH BUTTERFLY (EMERGING). OCT 7, 2026. TED SEARS

MONARCH BUTTERFLIES EMERGING AND ONE CHRYSALIS. OCT 7, 2026. TED SEARS

**Katie Girvan just noticed that a cocoon attached itself to the inside of her shed door. Based on recent observations, she suspects it's a hickory tussock moth pupa cocoon. It appears ready to overwinter and come out in April or May of next spring as an adult. Katie plans to keep checking to see if it’s still there and what it’s up to.

(Editor’s note: Katie’s photo nicely shows how these hairy caterpillars use that hair (setae) to construct the cocoon around them for their winter stage.)

HICKORY TUSSOCK MOTH COCOON (SUSPECTED). OCT 7, 2026. KATIE GIRVAN 

HICKORY TUSSOCK MOTH COCOON (SUSPECTED). OCT 7, 2026. KATIE GIRVAN 

 

 

**Bob Blake has had a white-breasted nuthatch coming to their feeders for some time, but now it has brought a friend along, and they now have a pair, hopefully.

(Editor’s note: there would seem to be a lot more white-breasted nuthatches appearing at feeders. One would wonder if this species is increasing in number or if they are just being reported more?)

 

 

 

 

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Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton

 

 

 

  

October 7 2026

 

Nature Moncton Nature News

 

Clicking a photo enlarges it for closer viewing. Please note that clicking on any photo enlarges it full screen and then clicking on the black area on either side of the photo brings one right back to the main page.

 

 

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.

 

If you would like to share observations/photos with Nature News, contact the editor, nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

 

Please advise the editor at nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com, as well as proofreader nicholsl@eastlink.ca, if any errors are noted in wording or photo labelling.

  

Proofreading courtesy of Louise Nichols at nicholsl@eastlink.ca

 

** As an early heads-up to mark on the calendar, the Nature Moncton activities committee is planning a field trip for October 17, with a write-up at the end of this edition and upfront as the day draws nigh.

 

**Early on Tuesday morning, the Moon moved between the Earth and the planet Jupiter, temporarily blocking it from view. This is called an occultation, and it is infrequently seen in a nicely dark sky. On this morning, the waning crescent Moon approached the planet Jupiter and slowly blocked it from view for about an hour before the planet popped back into view on the dark limb of the Moon, creating a visual spectacle for the astronomically minded naturalist. Brian Stone put together a composite image showing the Moon slowly covering the planet and then uncovering it as it moved past. Zoom in on the image for closer details of Jupiter being occulted. Brian also shares a Stellarium screenshot showing the names of Jupiter's visible moons which can be seen in some of the photos when zoomed in enough.

(Editor's note: With days getting shorter and more dark skies, it’s a good time of year to look up and take note of some of the interesting events that are happening in the sky. Let’s start to take the time to share these with Nature News.)

 

STELLARIUM SCREENSHOT -JUPITER AND ITS MOONS

MOON OCCULTS JUPITER. OCT. 06, 2026. BRIAN STONE

**As it's the mushroom year of the decade, there is always another interesting mushroom scenario to share.

Nelson Poirier shares a photo of a barometer earthstar mushroom seen recently. This relative of the puffball group uses its flaps (avoiding technical terms) to close over when humidity and temperature conditions aren't right but opens up when there is enough moisture and the temperature is cool.

When mature, it detaches from the ground, gets blown around by the wind, and lets its spores spread to develop a new territory. They seem to like sandy dune conditions and can be seen from the boardwalk at the Bouctouche dune.

 

BAROMETER EARTHSTAR MUSHROOM. SEPT 2026. NELSON POIRIER

**Autumn Colours Outing:  Discover Highland Park in Salisbury 🍂

Looking to enjoy the best of fall in Greater Moncton? Join Nature Moncton for a peaceful and scenic autumn walk through Salisbury's Highland Park on Saturday, October 17, 2026.

Highland Park features vibrant fall foliage, rich wetland habitat, and fantastic opportunities for birding and mushroom spotting. We’ll take a relaxed, 1.5-hour loop (approx. 3 km.) over easy, flat, and well-groomed terrain, complete with water views and cozy benches along the way.

Event Details

📍 Where:  Meet at the unpaved parking area at the bottom of MacDonald Road, Salisbury. (From Route 112/Main St, turn left onto MacDonald Road just past the Pizza Mill).

⏰ When:  Saturday, October 17, 2026, 10:00 AM

🎒 Tip:  Wear comfortable footwear and bring bug spray for the wetland trail.

All are welcome. Whether you're a long-time Nature Moncton member or joining us for the first time, we'd love to see you there! Don't forget your Nature Moncton name tag if you have one.

 

 

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Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton