Nature Moncton Nature News: July 17 2017

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, July 17, 2017 (Monday)

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelson@nb.sympatico.ca
Transcript by: David Christie maryspt@mac.com
Info Line # 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)

** Louise Nichols, Elaine Gallant and Wendy Sullivan went out to Grande-Digue for a potential audience with the SANDHILL CRANE [Grue du Canada] that Maria Alain recently reported, and successfully found it at rue Louis A. Charles et Carl, off Chemin des Soeurs in Grande-Digue. It went down the road in front of them. This sounds like a bird that may linger comfortably in that area, but there were no reports I am aware of it on Sunday.

** Louise also went out on a field trip with the Chignecto Naturalists at Pink Rock near Rockport and shares some photos of that.

** Chris Wilbur, came across two colourful insect stages, near her Trois Ruisseaux home in the Cap-Pelé area recently, a fresh colourful VICEROY [Vice-roi] butterfly and the caterpillar stage of the GALIUM SPHINX MOTH [Sphinx du gaillet]. The Galium Sphinx is quite variable in colour. It's favourite food plants are the bedstraws and Fireweed, but it is not restricted to them. I sure would like to get a few live specimens to keep through the winter and release next spring. Any offers would be appreciated.

** Ted Currie has had a pair of AMERICAN KESTRELS [Crécerelle d'Amérique] nesting in a tree cavity near his Ammon Road home. On Sunday he found a fledgling male on a pile of lumber in his yard. The bird seemed confused with the new world out of the nest and did not move when approached. Ted encouraged it into some nearby grasses, because he has seen COMMON RAVENS [Grand Corbeau] in that area that could be problematic for the young kestrel. He found it later in the morning, perched on their back steps, and placed it in some apple trees. I would wonder where the parents are. I hope all goes well.

** Dave Christie reports that he is not yet noting much in the shorebird line-up around Mary's Point beach. There were 3 GREATER YELLOWLEGS [Grand Chevalier] In the Harvey Dam area on Friday and he saw a flock of approximately 50 small 'peeps' [bécasseaux],flying out over the bay that day. A planned round of the point to check for more on Sunday was cancelled because of heavy fog.

Dave has been viewing a male WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL [Bec-croisé bifascié] very actively vocalizing around his home for the past several days and is wondering about a late nesting effort.

He also saw a RED-THROATED LOON [Plongeon catmarin] at Cape Enrage on Saturday, an uncommon species in this area in mid-summer.

** Brian Stone got some photos of items on the Lake Charles Trail in Dartmouth on Saturday, including one of the FISH-FLY species that we can see this time of year. They are often attracted to lights and are surprisingly large. These are mating flights, with most of the life-cycle spent underwater. Also photographed was a NORTHERN CRESCENT [Croissant nordique] butterfly, starting to wear, a sharp, fresh NORTHERN PEARLY-EYE [Satyre perlé] butterfly showing some of the spotting on the top part of the wing, and a striking photo of a male VARIABLE DANCER [] damselfly.

** I'm attaching some photos of the sizable fields of CANOLA noted on Prince Edward Island on Sunday. The striking colour of these fields with the plants in full bloom is hard to miss. I'm including a photo of the flowering plants as well. Huge acreages of this plant can be seen in western Canada at the moment. There is some farming of it in New Brunswick as well, I believe concentrated in the Woodstock and Bass River areas.

The canola plant was developed in Canada and the oil production is a huge commodity. I'm not sure where the Maritime product is processed.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca
Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton