Nature Moncton Nature News: Sept 8 2016

** Jamie Burris shares some photos of one of a patch of the ORANGE LATEX MILKY MUSHROOM that he found in the Grey Brook Marsh area. This is an easy mushroom to identify when fresh as Jamie's photo shows. It is a bright orange color, and when cut it exudes a bright orange liquid latex. This is classed as a choice edible. I personally agree with that, but rarely find enough in one spot to make it worthwhile. This may be the year to watch for this one.

Jamie also photographed a DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT [Cormoran à aigrettes] lounging with a group of MALLARD [Canard colvert] ducks at the Grey Brook Marsh.

** Brian Stone has been off to Kejimkujik National Park this past week and got photos of three species of snakes, two of which are native to New Brunswick as well. The RING-NECKED SNAKE [Couleuvre à collier] is seldom seen as it is secretive and nocturnal. Note the yellow underbelly and the complete neck ring to separate it from the RED-BELLIED SNAKE [Couleuvre à ventre rouge] which many of us see more of in New Brunswick. Brian also got a photo of a RIBBON SNAKE, which is not native to New Brunswick. I think it is only found in the Kejimkujik Park area in the Maritimes. One of the relics that survived from a time when Nova Scotia was connected to the eastern seaboard by a land bridge.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca