Nature Moncton Nature News: July 23 2016

**Brian Coyle submits a photo of the plant HIMALAYAN BALSAM [Balsamie de l'Himmalaya]. This plant happens to be at the seashore but will grow in upland sites as well. It is an introduced plant that is very common in some areas of Saint John, assumed brought there in ship ballast, and has spread around New Brunswick, especially in the southeast. It will grow very tall. It has been planted in gardens with resulting escapees as well.

**Louise Richard comments on the wild plant CHICORY [Chicorée] in full bloom at the moment, noting a cluster at the corner of Gordon and High Street in Moncton on Friday.

**Gordon Rattray, Brian Stone and I did a Sackville area run on late Thursday afternoon. The first target was the RUFF [Combattant varié] at the Amherst wastewater ponds. It continues to be present, favouring the company of LESSER YELLOWLEGS [Petit Chevalier]. Several photos of it are shared with Lesser Yellowlegs and others for comparison. Approximately 200 shorebirds were present there, including SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER [Bécassin roux], SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER [Bécasseau semipalmé], LEAST SANDPIPER [Bécasseau minuscule], and an adult KILLDEER [Pluvier kildir] among them. Other species were suspected but not confirmed. We then visited the White Birch Ducks Unlimited impoundment. It was getting dusky but Brian did get some documentary photos that show the distinct plumage difference between the adult BLACK TERNS [Guifette noire] and the now-flying juvenile birds. A few shorebirds in these ponds could not be identified due to the dim light. The last stop was the Coles Island Road on the Tantramar Marsh that had the now-expected SHORT-EARED OWL [Hibou des marais] show at approximately 9:30 p.m. after the NORTHERN HARRIERS [Busard Saint-Martin] retreated for the night.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton