Nature Moncton Nature News: Aug 27 2018

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, Aug. 27, 2018 (Sunday)

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Transcript by: David Christie maryspt@mac.com

Info Line # 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)

** Susan Metivier has had a SONG SPARROW [Bruant chanteur] build a nest just outside her Riverview home window, which is easily monitored without disturbing the birds. Early last week, Susan sent a photo of the nest; then, a few days later, a photo of three hatched nestlings, ready for their parents’ arrival. This would be a second brood for this species.

** Lois Budd is lucky to have a large GROUNDNUT [Patates en chapelait] vine near her Salisbury home. Last year it didn’t bloom for her, but this year it’s full of this plant’s very unique late-season blooms. Its blooms in our area are triploid and do not produce viable seeds. This plant reproduces via its underground edible tubers, which were used as a food by native people, which gave it its other name of “Indian Potato.” Lois also has a TURTLEHEAD [Tête de tortue] plant in bloom, another late bloomer. Looking closely at its flowers explains the common name very well.

** Jean Renton and her neighbour, Nicole, who are both very interested in wild mushrooms, are having a real field day in the area around their Canaan Forks camp. They are finding a lot of BAY BOLETE (Boletus badius), CHANTERELLE (Cantharellus cibarius), SLIPPERY JACK (Suillus luteus), WOOD BLUET (Clitocybe nuda), the edible variety of the FAIRY RING MUSHROOM (Marasmius oreades), and many LOBSTER MUSHROOMS (Hypomyces lactifluorum), which they say, seem well past their prime at the moment.

They were also entertained by 5 COMMON NIGHTHAWKS [Engoulevent d’Amérique], diving and cavorting for aerial insects very near their camp deck, putting on a very eye-popping show on Sunday night.

** Sterling and Judy Marsh stopped by the yard of the Chateau Moncton on Sunday, to watch an adult BALD EAGLE [Pygargue à tête blanche] perched on a rock in the river, very closely watching for a fresh fish lunch to pass. This has become a very popular spot for Bald Eagles to try their “angling luck” in recent years, as many more fish species are now ascending and descending the Petitcodiac River, as Edmund Redfield’s survey trap nets at Salisbury have impressively shown.

** There are so many species of fish beneath the water surface that we never get to see. Phil Riebel and I were fishing ATLANTIC MACKEREL [Macquereau bleu] in Miramichi Bay, near Baie du Vin Island, on Sunday, when a CUNNER [Tanche-tautogue] took the fly. This is a relatively common salt water fish. I have never seen one above 10 inches, and often less, but assume many folks have never seen one. They have very sharp spines and an impressive set of teeth. They will eat just about anything that fits and can be common bottom feeders around some wharves. A Google search points out that they were once used as a food fish.

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton