** Susan Richards reports on the mason bee house they built and
installed at the Nature Moncton workshop. They saw the first MASON BEE [Abeille
maçon] using the house on Sunday, and soon noted a hole plugged with the mud
nest. Photos are attached.
** Many Nature Moncton fold took advantage of Jim Wilson’s offer of SWAMP
MILKWEED [Asclépiade incarnata] seed and instructions for planting. My own
seedlings went into the ground on Sunday, and the seedlings Jim gave out at the
Festival of Nature last year in Sackville are doing well in my home yard.
** Alain Clavette shares that he has found SWAMP MILKWEED available at
the Kent Hardware location on Dieppe Boulevard, and also some SWAMP MILKWEED
[Asclépiade incarnata] at McArthurs’ — the plant at McArthurs’ is the
orange-coloured bloom. Kent also has BEE-BALM [Monarde écarlate], in two
varieties. One may have to check the plants scientific names on the label to not
confuse it with other plants meant to attract butterflies which of course are of
value as well
Alain says that the milkweed patch at his Memramcook home is now at 60+
heads, and if anyone would like some, e-mail him soon aclavette@rogers.com, as he has to
prepare the plants before removing them. This effort is to provide plants for
the MONARCH [Monarque] butterfly.
** Brian and Annette Stone visited the Buctouche Dune on Sunday. They
noted a number of CEDAR WAXWINGS [Jaseur d’Amérique] possibly interested in the
number of ripening serviceberries. TREE SWALLOWS [Hirondelle bicolore] were
active around the nest boxes provided, and SAND-DOLLARS [clypéastre] were noted
on the beach. They could hear and see NELSON'S SPARROWS [Bruant de Nelson]
there, but as usual they were very difficult to get photos of.
** The EASTERN PHOEBE [Moucherolle phébi] usually builds its moss and mud
nest under bridges or on a prominence under an eave. We have a pair nesting each
year around our Miramichi camp. As of Sunday, a nest under the eave is bulging
over with nestlings which will probably fledge soon. They sometimes will raise a
second brood, occasionally in the same nest. A photo is attached.
Nelson Poirier
Nature Moncton
CEDAR WAXWINGS. JUNE 26, 2016. BRIAN STONE
EASTERN PHOEBE NEST. JUNE 26, 2016.NELSON POIRIER
MASON BEE HOUSE SET-UP WITH ONE HOLE FILLED.JUNE 26, 2016.SUSAN RICHARDS
MASON BEE HOUSE SET-UP .JUNE 26, 2016.SUSAN RICHARDS
SAND DOLLAR. JUNE 26, 2016. BRIAN STONE
BOUCTOUCHE DUNES. JUNE 26, 2016. BRIAN STONE
TREE SWALLOW. JUNE 26, 2016. BRIAN STONE
