Nature Moncton Nature News: August 3 2019

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, 3 August 2019 (Saturday)

To view the photos mentioned in this edition go to http://nminfoline.blogspot.ca

To respond by email, please address your message to the information line editor, nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Please advise the editor at nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com if any errors are noted in wording or photo labelling. Note that corrections, deletions, or delayed additions may not always appear on the info line and email transcript but will always appear on the BlogSpot. For this reason, it is recommended that those wishing to look at historical records use the BlogSpot rather than the email transcript. The BlogSpot can always be accessed from the website.

For more information on Nature Moncton, check the website at www.naturemoncton.com

Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Transcript by: Catherine Clements

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

**Roger LeBlanc did some rounds of local shorebird sites on Friday. Roger does a census at Demoiselle Creek near Hopewell Rocks, as well as the Riverview Marsh. At the Demoiselle Creek site, he estimated 55,000 shorebirds on the mudflats. At Riverview Marsh there were approximately 50 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS [Bécasseau semipalmé], but he expects more variety to start soon. He dropped by Johnson’s Mills to find an estimated 100,000 shorebirds near the viewing area, making it good for the upcoming long weekend. Roger also dropped by Petit-Cap to note a variety of nine species there, so things are building up there as well. Roger was surprised to see a PEREGRINE FALCON [Faucon pèlerin] adult and young-of-the-year in the nest box on the summit of Assumption Place. He finds this a very late date for a young of the year to be still in the box. He wonders if the late cold spring made the nest start later, or if there’s some other reason to see young still in the box at this late date.

**An interesting scenario for red CROSS FOXES [Renard croisé] for Clarence Cormier. He was seeing a red Cross Fox and a normal-pelaged RED FOX [Renard roux] in company around his Grand Digue site during the spring. He is now seeing 2 playful red Cross Fox kits and 2 normal pelage Red Fox kits chasing each other and frolicking about the forest paths. These are obviously offspring from these two adults. The genotype of the normally-pelaged Red Fox must have been carrying genes for the dark pelage for two of four young to exhibit the dark pelage. This has the potential for more red Cross Foxes to appear in that area in years to come. It will be an interesting scenario to watch. Clarence comments getting photos of the two youngsters is proving to be quite a challenge.

**An interesting comment from Louise Richard. Louise was at Cornhill Nursery on Friday and a lady was buying Milkweed [Herbe à coton] plants, as she had so many MONARCH BUTTERFLY caterpillars [chenille du Monarque] to feed that she ran out of food. Apparently Cornhill Nursery does indeed have milkweed plants in 10-gallon buckets for sale for $10. I called the desk out of curiosity and the receptionist said she had a lot of calls this week asking the same.

**The success rate of bird nestings on Hay Island must have been good this year. Aldo Dorio is continuing to see fledglings in good numbers. It is often hard to tell from photos for certain just what species they are, without seeing the parent birds that shouldn’t be too far off. A Cape May Warbler fledgling did identify itself for Aldo on Saturday morning and a Red Admiral Butterfly joined the photo lineup.

The Queen-of-meadow (Philipendula ulmaria) is a Eurasian escapee invasive plant that is very much in full bloom at the moment and very prevalent along roadsides, especially in the new Horton-Waterside area of Albert County. Its bloom is very showy and its compound leaf arrangement with small leaflets in between the large ones readily identifies it. A relative of this plant, Queen-of-the-prairie (Philipendula rubra) is also in bloom in that area but much less prevalent. It is a native to the south of us and has become an escapee in this area. I found it on Friday as it often seems to be with Fireweed. Its pink inflorescence and different palmate leaf again readily identify it.

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton