Nature Moncton Nature News: June 10 2020

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, June 10, 2020 (Wednesday)

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Transcript by: Brian Stone bjpstone@gmail.com

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

** Paul Langelaan spotted 2 BLACK-BILLED CUCKOOS [Coulicou à bec noir] in the Second North River area on Tuesday and Rhonda got some great photos. One photo shows one of them enjoying their favourite fare, caterpillars, not minding if they are hair (setae) covered or not. Today’s menu was Eastern Tent Caterpillar that we see so frequently in Choke Cherry trees as this one is. The Black-billed Cuckoo can be very secretive and seeing and photographing them is special. Know their cuckoo calls to know when one is in the vicinity.

** Jane Leblanc sends a photo of a beautiful YELLOW LADY’S SLIPPER [fleur de pantoufle jaune dame] which happens to be the very uncommon smaller Yellow Lady’s Slipper. Although the photo is not able to show it the labellum (the lower lip) of this variety is much smaller than the more common larger Yellow Lady’s Slipper. The 2 side petals are quite twisted and dark brown in colour , a suspected clue not knowing size. Gart Bishop points out that the 2 Yellow Lady’s Slippers that we have in New Brunswick are not different species but are 2 varieties of the same species. As common names they get called “Greater” and “Lesser” Yellow Lady’s Slipper and Gart also emphasizes that the larger one is fairly common in suitable alkaline habitat and the smaller is considered rare in New Brunswick. Actually, however, this plant was rescued from a construction site in Ontario 20 years ago and has done well in Jane’s St. Martins yard ever since. Usually transplanted orchids do not survive due to their need to grow in association with a specific fungus but this one obviously has that and did well.

** Susan Richards got a photo of the EASTERN-EYED CLICK BEETLE that we often just refer to as Click Beetle. It is an interesting beetle being usually longer than an inch. It is relatively easy to ID with its large eye spots which are not real eyes but are scary looking to predators. When threatened they often play dead and roll over. However when the danger is over with a click they bounce back upright and continue on their mission. They are harmless to humans and the adult beetle’s diet consists of nectar and plant juice while their larvae feed on grubs and wood boring beetles. Susan commented that it made a very audible click as it flew into her to scare her away. It didn’t work but no harm came to the Click Beetle, only some great photos.

** Mac Wilmot comments that there are situations when you can hear an Owl fly. He chanced upon a big female GREAT HORNED OWL [Grand-duc d'Amérique] and became aware of her because he could hear the wind from her wings. A glance to his left showed expanding ripples in a small nearby pond in his woods. She was soaking wet from her morning ablutions and her silencer leg feathers were somewhat ineffective. When dry an Owl’s flight feathers are arranged so that absolutely silent in flight and thus more easily able to surprise prey.

** Ewan Dobson came across a nest of HAIRY WOODPECKERS [Pic chevelu] that were busy feeding their young family near his York County location. He offered them some bird pie in his hand which as one can see was very quickly appreciated. A video of the action is attached below as is a link to the bird pie.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bewr0Zc7wyE

https://www.zehrs.ca/Home-%26-Lifestyle/Pet-Food-%26-Accessories/Bird-Food-%26-Accessories/Wild-Bird-Seed-Pie/p/20042424_EA

I put out the same bird pie which is made in Black Rock, N.S. I purchase it at Sobeys and the woodpeckers surely have a passion for it as well as several other species. It could challenge the bird feeder budget, even though a package is only $1.99.

** Aldo Dorio photographed an assumed pair of COMMON LOONS [Plongeon huard] at Hay Island in full breeding plumage, very likely planning on heading to a nearby fresh water pond to set up housekeeping. One of them is fueling up with what appears to be a crab.

** Brian Stone didn’t get out on his walk on Tuesday but a few things came to him to be photographed to include a female EBONY JEWELWING DAMSELFLY, one of our larger damselflies, and a SYRPHID FLY, aka Flower Fly showing its camo suit to deter predators.

** Two very freshly minted LUNA MOTHS arrived to my moth light on Monday night and were very cooperative for photos with one allowing a quick photo of a side view of the body. The moth attractor I am using is a de-zapped bug zapper with a white window blind as background and landing pad, but these two chose the case of the zapper itself to day perch.

I also came across a TWIN-SPOTTED SPIKETAIL DRAGONFLY that had been hit by a car but not badly damaged except for the head area to allow for some close up still photos to show nicely its twin spots on the top of the abdomen and the spiked tail tip used to deposit eggs in sediment in moving water.

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton