Nature Moncton Nature News: July 9 2017

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, July 09, 2017 (Sunday)

Please advise editor at nelson@nb.sympatico.ca if any errors are noted in wording or photo labeling.

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelson@nb.sympatico.ca
Transcript by: Catherine Johnson johnson2@xplornet.com
Info Line # 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)
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**A great Shorebird report. Louise Nichols visited Anne's Acres near Tormentine on Friday afternoon and to her surprise found lots of shorebird activity. There were 25-40 short-billed dowitcher, a few dozen LESSER YELLOWLEGS, at least 1 GREATER YELLOWLEGS, 24 LEAST SANDPIPERS and approximately a dozen WILLETS. The willets were nesting and showed their displeasure at Louise's visit by flying around her and vocalizing. What a great opportunity to refresh shorebird photos and know they are arriving. Also NELSON'S SPARROWS could be heard vocalizing in the grassy areas behind the beach area there.

**The mayfly acts similarity to the caddis fly emerging from clean water streams in swarms of mating flights. Brian Stone noted one in progress recently and got a photo of a typical MAYFLY showing the sailboat style wings when perched and two tails. We have several species in New Brunswick but the appearance is similar and they can sometimes swarm in incredible numbers. They are no problem to humans and are a sign of an area of unpolluted water and are a welcome treat for birds feeding teenage nestlings at the moment.

**The Northern Catalpa is a tree that seems to grow well as a cultivar in our climate and is very striking this time of year loaded with orchid like blooms. There is a beauty at the moment at the corner of Elmwood Drive and Donald Ave at the rear of the Elmwood Car and Truck Wash. Some photos are attached.

A bit of a Nature of Moncton story attached to this tree species. Janet MacMillan brought a pod into a Nature Moncton meeting some 15 years ago wondering what the tree was. It was a northern catalpa tree seed pod. I planted some of the seeds that were in the pod. They grew and one has now been transplanted twice ending up in the yard of our Little South-west Miramichi camp yard. It is now approximately 25 feet high and Janets tree now blooms yearly.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton