Nature Moncton Nature News: Sept 6 2018

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, Sept. 06, 2018

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Transcribed by:johnson2@xplornet.com

Info Line # 506-384-6397 <tel:506-384-6397>(384-NEWS)

**Louise and Glen Nichols new property and home-to-be on Etter Ridge Rd. near Sackville has a larger pond but also a smaller pond that seems to be developing an ecosystem of its own and housing lots of frogs, mostly GREEN FROGS that Louise could see and got several photos of them from various views. The large pond is sporting a large patch of late blooming plant BUR MARIGOLD. This plant is very common around wet areas now colouring the landscape with its yellow floral display. Louise also noted a gelatinous mass that appeared like an egg mass but surprised to see it at this late date. Alyre Chaisson reviewed the photo and comments Yellow Spotted Salamander egg masses frequently have a symbiotic algae in them that provide nutrients and oxygen to the developing larvae and hence are green. Although unusual, they can breed right up to early November, so it would be a potential scenario.

**Recently, Andrea Buckingham in Lower Coverdale had a mystery plant appear in her flower bed that none of us recognized with very large leaves and with a different fruiting structure. Sean Blaney came to the rescue to identify it as VELVETLEAF. This is a common weed of corn and soybean fields farther south with long dormancy in the soil. It is not a frequent weed in the Maritimes, sometimes turning up via what seems to be long distance transport of seeds being possibly a bird seed contaminant or along railroads.

**Lisa Morris comments that she's noticing a lot of BEE activity around flowers at the moment, more so than in the summer despite a floral variety and herbs with intentional flowers for them. She is also noticing STINK BUGS and got a photo of a CHOKEBERRY in fruit. This fruit is very bland in flavour but does attract birds and seems to like coastal areas. It is very plentiful around Cape Jourimain for example.

**Aldo Dorio was able to capture a photo of a female BELTED KINGFISHER (possibly a young-of-the-year) at Hay Island on Wednesday. Note the rust tinged belly band to call it a female.

Aldo also sends some photos of a Merlin from different angles. Note the typical thin supercillium and the weak mustache of a Merlin

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com__
Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton

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