Nature Moncton Nature News: August 5 2019

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, August 5, 2019 (Monday)

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

To respond by e-mail, please address your message to the information line editor, <nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com>

Please advise the editor 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 <http://naturemoncton.com>.

Edited by Nelson Poirier, <nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com>

Transcript by David Christie, <maryspt@mac.com>

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

** Clarence Cormier was able to get photos of two of the four "cross fox" pups that he has frolicking around his Grand-Digue site. Some very, very different pelage! It will be very interesting to see these 4 mature and what influence they may have when they reproduce. If crossing with a RED FOX with normal pelage, if it does not carry the gene for black, all offspring should be the normal red, but if the cross is with two carrying the black gene, there may be some interesting foxes in Grand-Digue.

Clarence also has two WHITE-TAILED DEER fawns, probably siblings, that recently appeared in his driveway. They appear to be a good size for early August.

On Sunday evening two of the fox pups were playing under Clarence's kitchen window, foraging on serviceberries, when a STRIPED SKUNK arrived on the scene, with its tail up, running across the lawn towards one of the pups, clearly announcing that the pup should leave, which it did, skunk in pursuit. Clarence comments that he was not aware that skunks could be that aggressive.

** Jane LeBlanc got a nice photo of a resting NORTHERN PEARLY EYE BUTTERFLY, while walking the St. Martins beach. Note the prominent eye spot on the inner hind wing margin and the spots of unequal size on the hind wing margin, spots that distinguish it from the EYED BROWN butterfly where the inner eye spot is not particularly prominent and the eye spots along the hind wing margin would be of equal size.

Aldo Dorio got a photo of a COMMON WOOD NYMPH butterfly and Hay Island on Sunday. One of the yellow bordered large eye spots on the fore wing underside is hidden under the hind wing. The spots on the hind wing underside margin also tend to be quite small.

Brian Stone and I made 3 sleuthing visits on Sunday afternoon. The first was to Rheal Vienneau’s incredible yard set up for Monarch butterfly propagation and release. Rheal’s techniques to produce more Monarch Butterflies to get a chance to make the flight to Mexico are nothing short of awesome and creative. A photo shows a line-up of chrysalids and caterpillars about to go into a chrysalis.

A second stop was to Louise Nichol’s bog on their Aulac property. Many of the bog plants had gone to seed but it was surprising to see some Calopogon Orchids still in peak bloom in August. Several Bog Copper butterflies were flying. One did provide a good photo op but unfortunately the cooperation was due to being in the claws of a crab spider that had gone into pink camo to hide itself in the Calopogon Orchid bloom that fooled the butterfly. The Ragged Fringed Orchid that Louise had photographed several days ago was still in perfect bloom. A Red Admiral butterfly posed nicely and the very small low parasitic plant Cow Wheat was noted.

The third stop was to the Sackville Waterfowl Park. The usual Yellowlegs and confusing fall ducks were present but the highlight of the stop was 5 river otters that put on an awesome show, assuming them to be a family unit. I was able to get a few videos of their antics. Take a look at the attached links

https://www.dropbox.com/s/b1eqw5lrsfuzbpo/RIVER%20OTTERS.%20AUG%204%2C%202019.%20%20NELSON%20POIRIER.MOV?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/r04mpfp4tclfc5p/RIVER%20OTTERS.%20AUG%204%2C%202019.%20NELSON%20POIRIER.MOV?dl=0

Nature Moncton

Nelson Poirier

Nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com