Nature Moncton Nature News: Sept 10 2018

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, Sep. 10, 2018 (Monday)

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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)

** Louise Nichols visited Petit-Cap on Friday. She got some great photos of the diversity of shorebirds present there, including no less than 14 species, including specialties like RED KNOT [Bécasseau maubèche], DUNLIN [Bécasseau variable], SANDERLING [Bécasseau sanderling], and AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER [Pluvier bronzé]. There was also a group of 10 CASPIAN TERNS [Sterne caspienne]. Two photos are special as they compare the profile of the BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER [Pluvier argenté] and the Am. Golden Plover. They may be in different plumage stages, but the smaller bill, prominent white supercilium, and the sharp angle of the bill and head of the Golden Plover are very noticeable. A SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER [Bécassin roux] was tagged, one of several noted at Petit-Cap this summer. The RED KNOT nicely shows the intermediate bill length and silver plumage, but not the black tail that is often a tip-off.

Louise was also able to get out to the Tantramar Marsh to see American Golden Plover and two BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS [Bécasseau roussâtre] that were found earlier by Mitch Doucet, Gary Dupuis and Shawn Chapman. The plovers are still showing ample remnants of breeding plumage.

** Jill Greening shares an interesting experience with CAT-FACED SPIDERS (Araneus gemmoides), a.k.a. Jewel Spiders, from her home in Edam, Saskatchewan. These are orb-weavers that become nicely plump this time of year, especially the females. There are at least 12 of them just above their deck where they often sit out. Jill comments that they have to keep fly-swatters nearby to battle flies and wasps. They started putting the fresh carcasses up in the webs, where the spiders quickly accepted them and rolled them up in the webbing for later snacking. It has become quite a hit with her young family, especially a 6-year-old who will now grow up with no fear of spiders. The two pronounced lumps on the top of the abdomen that are signature identification features of this spider are just visible, due to the angle of the photo.

** Shawn Cormier share a very detailed close-up photo of a CLOUDED SULPHUR [Coliade du trèfle] butterfly, showing identification features nicely. Note the colour and pattern of the eye. Sean also got another close-up view of a EASTERN CHIPMUNK [Suisse] that bit off the leaf of a sunflower plant, but promptly spit it out, apparently deciding that it had chosen the wrong part for a taste test.

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton