Nature Moncton Nature News: Sept 24 2018

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, Sep. 24, 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 Richard sends some photos of a few items she took note of at Fundy National Park. A photo of the PIGSKIN POISON PUFFBALL [Scléroderme vulgaire] mushroom shows its thick warty outer layer and the inside being black, even when fresh. It is our only non-edible puffball. Another mushroom common in the woods this time of year is the SPINDLE-SHAPED YELLOW CORAL [Clavaire fusiforme]. Some larval caterpillars noted were the bright yellow ELM SAWFLY larvae and the AMERICAN DAGGER MOTH [Acronicte d’amérique] larvae.

** Brian Coyle met head on with a WHITE-TAILED DEER [Cerf de Virginie] encounter on Sunday morning; it demonstrated some expected behavior. A doe will often allow year-old young to join her and any young-of-the-year in later season. Brian came across year-old White-tailed Deer siblings, a doe and a young buck, with its antlers developing. They soon bolted away but while he was photographing the pair, an adult doe stepped out of the woods not more than 40 feet from him, looking him over intently, sniffing the air, advancing slowly, and occasionally stamping a foot. She then loudly “huffed”, put her flag up and trotted into nearby trees, only to come out moments later to repeat the same thing, and entered the woods again. This time Brian saw the reason for her display was an almost full-grown fawn with her. She repeated the behavior two more times before taking off for good, huffing repeatedly. The yearling buck and doe then reappeared and followed her retreat. Brian considered himself told to take his leave, and accommodated, but with a few photos.

** The FULL MOON [pleine lune] phase is coming on. Shawn Cormier got a photo as it appeared on Saturday night. He also got a close-up of a BEE [abeille] gathering pollen. There appears to be a well-packaged pocket of pollen on the hind-leg basket.

** Aldo Dorio got photos of SANDERLINGS [Bécasseau sanderling] and BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER [Pluvier argenté] in the Néguac wharf area on Sunday. It seems like a productive area for shorebird foraging.

** Brian Stone checked the area behind Crandall University on Sunday to note both CABBAGE WHITE [Piéride du chou] and CLOUDED SULPHUR [Coliade du trèfle] butterflies. Dragonflies noted were the AUTUMN MEADOWHAWK [Sympétrum tardif] showing its signature brown legs and a WHITE-FACED MEADOWHAWK [Sympétrum éclaireur]. WILD LILY-OF-THE-VALLEY, a.k.a CANADA MAYFLOWER [Maianthème du Canada] was showing some berries as red ripe, with others still maturing. The ASTERS [Asters] were putting on that great show they annually do so prolifically. A COMMON YELLOWTHROAT [Paruline masque] cooperated, and EVENING PRIMROSE [Onagre] was showing fresh blooms as well as mature pods. Some pods look like they had been eaten by the PRIMROSE MOTH [Noctuelle rose de l’onagre] caterpillar, which should be on the plant now, but it’s very cryptic and one has to look closely to see them; they look so much like just another pod. A colourful SPOTTED TUSSOCK MOTH [Halisidote maculée] caterpillar also posed for a photo.

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton