NATURE
MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, July 17, 2020 (Friday)
To view the photos mentioned in this
edition go to http://nminfoline.blogspot.ca
Please advise editor at nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com if any errors are noted in wording or
photo labeling.
For more information on Nature Moncton, check into the website at www.naturemoncton.com
Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
Transcript by: Louise Nichols nicholsl@eastlink.ca
Info Line # 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)
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your message to the information line editor nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com.
** Last call for the Nature Moncton
field trip to White Birch Ducks Unlimited impoundment (near Sackville) and its
accompanying bog. See the write-up
below. Please register with Louise
Nichols at nicholsl@eastlink.ca. Field
trip guide, Roger Leblanc, recommends bringing a pair of rubber boots that
could be easily carried and changed into for the bog portion of the trip.
NATURE MONCTON FIELD TRIP
WHITE BIRCH RD IMPOUNDMENTS and BOG.
DATE: Saturday July 18th, 2020
(Rain date: Sunday July 19th,
2020)
TIME: 9:00 am
PLACE: Meet in the parking lot of Lillas
Fawcett Park, off Morice Dr. by Silver Lake, Sackville
GUIDES: Roger Leblanc as birding guide; Louise
Nichols who is familiar with the area
**
PLEASE REGISTER WITH LOUISE NICHOLS AT nicholsl@eastlink.ca
Two interesting habitats to explore in one day! After meeting at Silver Lake, we will travel
up to White Birch Rd. which provides access to an extensive area of marsh and
impoundments. As this is one of the few
areas where Black Terns breed, we may possibly see some of these birds flying
and even be lucky enough to see the adults with juveniles. Waterfowl, warblers and other songbirds will
also be present as we visit some of the marsh area along the road and walk on
the dyke through a very large wetland.
After exploring the impoundments, we will turn our
attention to a bog which runs alongside one of the impoundments where we will
be able to see bog plants, insect life and even more birds. Keep in mind that much of this walk – and the
walk through the wetland and the bog -- will be in the sun without benefit of
shade, so a hat will be a good idea. The
bog is not extremely wet, but shoes that can withstand some wet ground or
rubber boots should be worn, at least for that part of the trip.
In addition, bring a lunch, water, sun screen and
insect repellant.
All are welcome, Nature Moncton member or not.
** Sybil Wentzell got a photo of
something I suspect few of us have seen – a BASKETTAIL DRAGONFLY [Épithèque] egg mass. Gilles Belliveau was able to find a photo
similar to Sybil’s at the link below.
Scroll down to get to the photo.
https://uwm.edu/field-station/three-spring-dragonflies-plus-two/
Gilles confirms the large dragonfly on
the surface is a SPINY [Épithèque épineuse] or BEAVERPOND BASKETTAIL [Épithèque
canine]. I’m also adding a written description that I
found online which explains more. A very
interesting find.
“The right spot has shallow water with floating-leaved
vegetation, and there are different accounts of what happens when she finds it.
She either attaches her ball of eggs (hundreds of them) to a submerged plant
and then departs, or she drags/taps her abdomen along the water’s surface,
unraveling her string of eggs as she goes. In either case, the once-compact egg
mass swells into a long strand, from six inches to several feet long and an
inch wide.
Females fly with the end of the abdomen curled upwards, the
forked, finger-like vulvar lamina holding a ball of eggs as in a basket, which
gives the group its English name. To lay the eggs, a female dips the egg mass
into the water and it uncoils in long, gelatinous strands that float near the
surface. Many females may contribute to communal egg masses.”
** Sybil also comments that she saw the
first flock of shorebirds sweeping over the Shepody River on Wednesday evening.
She comments “Their arrival is always such an emotional one.” I guess lots of us would agree on that
comment.
** Return migration has begun for the
shorebirds alright. Deana and Peter Gadd
were fortunate to find a WHIMBREL [Courlis corlieu] at Oak Point near Miramichi, then a
second one at Hay Island on Thursday.
There were 4 LESSER YELLOWLEGS [Petit Chevalier] at Hay Island as well. The Whimbrel at Hay Island was walking and
feeding along the sandy shore as was a WILLET [Chevalier semipalmé] which was feeding just in one spot. It chased the Whimbrel off twice in order to
protect its spot. Peter comments “he
would have thought in a sword fight, the Whimbrel would have had its own way,
but perhaps the Willet had some shore advantage!” Peter got some excellent photos of the
Whimbrel to refresh us all of this striking shorebird as well as the Willet
walking it elsewhere.
** Laura Rogerson got a photo of a
cloudscape from Hillsborough on Thursday morning over the Petitcodiac River to
show a scenario called CRESPUSCULAR RAYS.
The attached link suggests that they are more apt to be seen with the
setting sun, but Laura’s photo shows it can occur as well in the morning. Check out the attached link to learn more.
https://www.britannica.com/science/crepuscular-ray
** Jane LeBlanc got a nice photo of
juvenile COMMON
MERGANSERS [Grand Harle] practicing
their race-across-the-water-surface abilities, looking very pleased with
themselves.
** Normally, crossing a river is a very
simple matter for a WHITE-TAILED DEER [Cerf de Virginie].
Georges Brun saw a White-tailed Deer get spooked at Bore Park and it
bolted across the Petitcodiac River at low tide, but it was still able to
navigate the silt banks quite quickly as the times on Georges’ photo show. Georges also got some dramatic action photos of
an adult PEREGRINE
FALCON [Faucon pèlerin] seeming
to have one of the youngsters on a training mission. Georges got these photos over a few minutes
between the nest box on Assumption Place and the Bell Aliant tower right over
the city.
On Thursday evening, Georges spotted a
GREY SEAL in the Petitcodiac River. Those noting it took it to be a log at
first. One would wonder what this large mammal’s interest would be there. They
usually follow fish to prey on to leave the question…what species?
**Rheal Vienneau got a photo of a
PRIMROSE MOTH well camouflaged in an EVENING PRIMROSE bloom on the Fundy Trail
on Thursday. This moth has a very unique relationship with the Evening
Primrose. The adult pollinates the flowers and lays its eggs in the bloom to
have the larvae that result feed on a few seed pods of the plant. Both the
plant and the moth win!
** There have been several comments on
the invasiveness of the common plant we are seeing now, covering some
fields: VALERIAN [Valériane officinale].
Judy Whalen comments that she goes after it by pulling it out by the
roots and letting it fry in the sun before the seeds are set. Judy comments that she does not care for its
sweet odour, and it wants to take over any area it grows in. Judy’s suggestion – just keep at it and you
will win.
** It’s Friday and this week’s Sky-at-a-Glance is
included with this edition, courtesy of sky guru Curt Nason.
This
Week’s Sky at a Glance, 2020 July 18 – July 25
Constellations are not the only stellar figures in the night sky. Any
imaginative figure seen that is not one of the 88 constellations is called an
asterism. The Big Dipper in Ursa Major and the Sagittarius Teapot are two of
the most prominent. Others require binoculars or a telescope, such as the
Coathanger and ET star clusters. One I read about in Sky & Telescope
magazine a few years ago is a smiley face in Cygnus the Swan. Scan with
binoculars just below the swan’s right (western) wing near the brightest star
in that wing, and look for a pair of eyes above a semicircle grin of five
stars. You will probably smile back.
This summer, spend some time scanning the night sky randomly and let your
imagination run wild. Pareidolia is a phenomenon in which your mind sees a
familiar pattern where none exists. Just as we imagine figures in clouds by
day, we can imagine them in the stars at night. Let me know what you see.
This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 5:46 am and sunset will occur at 9:04 pm,
giving 15 hours, 18 minutes of daylight (5:54 am and 9:06 pm in Saint
John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 5:53 am and set at 8:56 pm,
giving 15 hours, 3 minutes of daylight (6:01 am and 8:59 pm in Saint John).
The slim waning crescent Moon is near Mercury on Sunday morning, and it is new
on Monday. Mercury is at greatest elongation from the Sun on Wednesday, while
Venus slides along the southern horn of Taurus away from Aldebaran. Jupiter is
now rising before sunset, and Saturn is at opposition on Monday The two gas
giants will make a splendid evening sight throughout the summer and autumn. By
the end of the week Mars will be rising before midnight, slowly appearing
bigger and brighter as it moves toward a spectacular opposition in October.
Beautiful comet C/2020 F3 NEOWISE is circumpolar most of this week, moving
westward along the feet of Ursa Major. It is best seen in the evening sky now,
when it is highest above the horizon.
With astronomy meetings and outreach activities on hold, you can watch the
local Sunday Night Astronomy Show at 8 pm, and view archived shows, on YouTube
at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAEHfOWyL-kNH7dBVHK8spg
Questions? Contact Curt Nason at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.
nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton
