Nature Moncton Nature News: July 5 2016

** Janet Cormier reports they made a visit to Richibucto Village and then on their way to Rexton stopped by to visit Indian Island and commented what an interesting spot it was to visit, with GREAT BLUE HERONS [Grand Héron] and CEDAR WAXWINGS [Jaseur d'Amérique] photographed. They came back via Grand Barachois to find all four of the OSPREY [Balbuzard pêcheur] nests there still occupied. The most active one was by the Barachois church. They watched them tossing sticks out of the nest and then suddenly the heads of two chicks popped up for a nice photo. One nest by the Route 15 overpass had one chick in it continuously vocalizing which continued on for the twenty minutes they observed, yet it got no response.

** Brian Stone got a photo of an AMERICAN TOAD [Crapaud d'Amérique] on Monday, a species we are hearing vocalizing at the moment. He also got a nice photo of a LACEWING FLY.

** Ethel Douglas reports that the Mason Bee house that she built at the Nature Moncton workshop in April has had three holes taken. This is at their cottage in Tidnish, N.S. In my case the one built at the workshop that is in our Moncton yard has had no takers. I built four more but with five and a half inch holes instead of the three inch holes recommended at the workshop and they have approximately seventy five percent occupancy with Mason Bees and Potter Wasps, the latter at our camp in Miramichi. There is a lot to learn about these insects, I don't know why there is a difference in acceptance.

** Aldo Dorio got a photo of a KILLDEER at Hay Island on Monday. He also saw two SHORT-TAILED SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLIES [Papillon queue-courte] on Sunday.

** I as well stopped by for a brief visit at Hay Island on Sunday and saw two Short-tailed Swallowtails as well, and assumed there were more but did not have time to roam very far. Some NELSON'S SPARROWS [Bruant de Nelson] were calling, and I managed a photo of one. They sure do not stay put long. SEA MILKWORT was also in full bloom, and I also got a photo of a Short-tailed Swallowtail. The two I saw were mostly nectaring on Clover with brief visits to the abundant Scotch Lovage, which is their larval food plant where they lay their eggs.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca