NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, June 22, 2021 (Tuesday)
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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
Transcript by Susan Richards susan_richards@rogers.com
Info Line #: 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)
**In case anyone missed it the Nature
Moncton first regular Tuesday evening hike is postponed to this coming Thursday
night.
**Clifford Twist got an excellent photo with front and rear views of a
mature BROAD-WINGED HAWK while he was in the Turtle Creek reservoir area on
Monday. It shows the heavy dark terminal
tail band and wide space between the tail bands. It is a good example of using the buteo
versus accipiter to narrow down choices in identification.
Gilles Belliveau points out, the tail is far too short for an accipiter. The tail would project well beyond the wing
tips if this raptor were an accipiter. A
nice point to keep in mind when narrowing number of choices; buteo or accipiter.
** Maybe yesterday’s comment on
NORTHERN CARDINAL was too hasty. Some like Yolande LeBlanc in Memramcook, who
were lucky enough to have Northern Cardinals over the winter, are still
enjoying their company. They hear them... all day.
Yolande believes they have
2 couples around, or they're good ventriloquists! They come for sunflower
seeds, millet, and peanuts, in feeders and on the ground. She is watching for
fledglings and hope to hear from Yolande with a birth announcement if she sees
some.
**Jane Aikman commented on a small duck actively diving in the large
pond at Mapleton Park. Brian Stone went
to check it out to find a lone appearing to be this spring’s hatch HOODED
MERGANSER diving for food and staying under for seemingly long periods. Note the orange lower mandible to indicate a
female. No sign of other family members was
present.
**Louise Nichols has been hearing a fledgling HERMIT THRUSH calling from
her Aulac home. It vocalized for the
entire day on Sunday. Louise recorded a
video with audio, and you can tune into it at the link below and see it calling:
Louise also came across a plant anomaly in Baie Verte she took at first
glance to be a caterpillar. The enlarged photo shows it appears to be a plant
that has developed joined flower heads for some unknown genetic reason that
surely makes for a good caterpillar imitation. We are not sure of the plant’s identity,
but Pineapple Weed is a rule out. Any further suggestions welcomed.
**Aldo Dorio photographed another beautiful LUNA MOTH day perching for many
to admire on the wall of Tim Horton’s in Neguac. Aldo also spotted the first SHORT-TAILED
SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLY of the season at Hay Island on Monday. This butterfly has a very narrow range that
includes Hay Island and does not seem to be expanding its range significantly. Its global range is restricted to
areas surrounding the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
Aldo’s photo did not catch some of main identification clues to
distinguish it from the much more common Black Swallowtail but expect more
photos will be out during the next few weeks of its flight period. Aldo’s photo does show the more pointed and
less bulging forewing. Its favourite
food is Scotch lovage but has a liking for Cow Parsnip where it will oviposit
as well. Jim Edsall agreed it looked
good for a Short-tailed Swallowtail.
**The White Rock area in Hillsborough has got lots of attention since
Gordon Rattray introduced it to a Nature Moncton field trip a few years
ago. Gordon was back to the site on
Monday to photograph more plants, such as Mountain Fly Honeysuckle, Viper’s Bugloss
and King Devil; a Northern Crescent butterfly as well as a White Admiral got
into the mix as well as Blueberry blooming in a nearby commercial field. Gordon comments the Northern Cloudywing
Skipper butterflies were still there but starting to look worn as their flight
season starts to terminate soon.
**Daryl Doucette photographed a RED-HEADED CLICK BEETLE amid blooms on
Monday. Identity help, courtesy of Will Linnard. A most recognizable feature with the click
beetle is the sound they make when grabbed or flipped upside-down. We have several species of click
beetles. Some adults will feed on
nectar, pollen, flowers, or soft-bodied insects such as aphids as a chaser.
Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton
