Nature Moncton Nature News: July 26 2016

** Louise Nichols got some excellent photos of the juvenile BLACK TERNS [Guifette noire] being fed by the parent birds at the White Birch Ducks Unlimited Impoundment on Sunday morning near Sackville. Louise comments that some of the juveniles appear to be attempting to feed on their own but the adults coming to feed them gave excellent photo opportunities. Louise also noted LESSER YELLOWLEGS [Petit Chevalier] in the marsh ponds there as well.

** Brian Stone paid a visit to the Caledonia Rd. trail adjoining the Irishtown Nature Park on Friday, July 22, to come across a patch of the not commonly found BLACK TRUMPET MUSHROOMS. Also a patch of the parasitic plant PINESAP that seems to be maturing and starting to become erect, the plant WATER ARUM in fruit, an ATLANTIS FRITILLARY BUTTERFLY [Argynne de l'Atlantique], a CLOUDED SULPHUR BUTTERFLY [Coliade du trèfle], an ELM SAWFLY, and other butterflies that seemed to be showing signs of wear.

** Aldo Dorio got some photos of a COMMON MERGANSER [Grand Harle] with a soldierly lineup of ducklings in tow. They surely are getting to be of notable size at this point. There are a lot of chicks for one hen, so possibly this is part of another clutch that joined in or there is a second hen somewhere in the lineup.

** With David Christie's help there are a few more labels added to Dave Miller's bird photos of western Canada to include a BLACK TERN [Guifette noire] going into non-breeding plumage ... a CLAY-COLORED SPARROW [Bruant des plaines] ... a HOUSE WREN [Troglodyte familier], and a WESTERN KINGBIRD [Tyran de l'Ouest] with the white edges worn off the outer tail feathers. Thank you for your help David Christie.

** On Sunday night among the many moth visitors to the moth light were four CANADIAN SPHINX MOTHS, and one worn looking POLYPHEMUS MOTH. I expect to normally see these species earlier in the season, over midsummer.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca