Nature Moncton Nature News: Sept 17 2016

**Louise Richard got a Mushroom [Champignon] surprise on Friday when she came across an eight-pound HEN-OF-THE-WOODS Mushroom [Polypore en touffe] happily growing under an OAK [Chêne] tree in downtown Moncton. With the property owner’s permission, it went home with her. This is the time this choice edible species will pop up under Oak trees and can grow to incredible sizes if left for a time. It does not tend to become insect-infested.

**Aldo Dorio got some photos of an AMERICAN PIPIT [Pipit d'Amérique] at Hay Island on Friday. This is the time window to expect to get to see this species, especially along coastline areas, as it migrates south from their northerly breeding grounds. Note the dark pink-tinged legs, the white side tail feather can be noted, and sharp eye-ring and eyeline. This bird is a large Sparrow [Bruant] size, is a real tail-bobber, and is a bird to watch for now. Aldo also got some photos of BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS [Pluvier bronzé] on Saturday.

**Brian Stone was in the right place at the right time on Friday to find a group of 10-12 AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVERS [Pluvier bronzé] in a field near Sackville. Note the small bill compared to what would be expected with the more common BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER [Pluvier argenté] and very obvious superciliary white line over the eye. Other differential features can be noted, especially in flight, and vocalization. Brian also got a striking photo of the HARVEST FULL MOON [Pleine Lune des moissons] over the Tantramar Marsh on Friday evening.

Louise Nichols also got some nice photos of BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS in basic plumage to compare with Brian and Aldo’s photos. Louise got these photos at Petit-Cap.

**We all have our bucket lists. One of mine was to go to the summit of Big Bald Mountain in Northumberland County past Miramichi. It’s in a very thickly wooded area and hard to find for such a significant promontory. With the help of nephew Larry Sherrard, we visited it on Saturday, and would surely recommend it. What an incredible vista of wooded New Brunswick from the top of this promontory! Clearcuts, reforested areas, and lakes. Most of the route can be driven on back roads but a half-hour uphill hike will take you to the summit from the last section of travellable woods road. It was appropriate on the summit to find DWARF BIRCH [Bouleau glanduleux] and MOUNTAIN CRANBERRY [Airelle vigne d'Ida, Graines rouges]. Not far from the summit we encountered a bull and cow MOOSE [Orignal] that were not particularly impressed with some intruders on their matrimonial plans. A family of SPRUCE GROUSE [Tétras du Canada] were contentedly going about their business farther down the mountain near the entry point. Another of New Brunswick’s special places.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton