NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, 3 July 2021
(Saturday)
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Edited
by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
Transcript
by: Catherine Clements
Info
Line #: 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)
**As
an early heads-up to next Tuesday evening’s regular Nature Moncton walk, it will
be to the Tankville Trail of the Irishtown Nature Park, and all details are
attached below. The first two have been lively successes, as this one will be
too. As a taste of the surprises, you can happen upon on the trail, Louise
Nichols sends a few photos of the WILSON'S
SNIPE that popped up for her on that trail.
Nature Moncton Tuesday evening
hike, Tuesday, July 6, 2021.
Spot:
Tankville School Trail
Guide: Roger Leblanc
Meeting place: Tankville School Community Center
parking lot at 1665 Elmwood Drive (Route 115)
Meeting time: 6:30 PM
Difficulty:
The walk will be about 4 Km in and out on a
level well-groomed trail and boardwalk which makes for easy walking.
About the outing:
In the words of our guide Roger Leblanc, “this
has to be one of the best birding spots in the Moncton City limits.” This is
explained by the fact that the trail, a less traveled part of Moncton’s
Irishtown Park, crosses in a short distance, several natural habitats which in
turn promote the presence of a wide variety of species. Starting in an upland mixed forest near the
parking lot we will next follow an old train track bed with a brook and some
wetlands on both sides. We will then head to an open marsh area where the city
has built an impressive boardwalk that makes access much easier than it was
before. Then, time and energy permitting, we could continue into a mature mixed
forest. In the forested parts, warblers and other woodland species abound and
in the marshy area, typical residents of this type of habitat, such as several
species of swallows, flycatchers, raptors, blackbirds etc. should be present.
Of course, plants and insects (butterflies and dragonflies etc) will also be abundant. But do remember that some insects might like you
just a little more than you like them. With the habitat and the recent rain
bugs might be a factor, so bring your spray and dress for it. But remember
without bugs, there would be no birds.
**Aldo Dorio photographed a lone COMMON MULLEIN plant at Hay Island. This plant can grow very tall.
**Brian Stone shares some catch-up photos he got over the past week. On a visit to Caledonia Mountain on June 27th, he got a photo of a BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER, a SWAINSON'S THRUSH, a HAIRY FLOWER SCARAB BEETLE on an OX-EYE DAISY, and the plant VIPER'S BUGLOSS in full bloom. A few photos of the SPREADWING DAMSELFLY at Highland Park in Salisbury on June 28th. Also, SERVICEBERRY in fruit there, the very attractive SPREADING DOGBANE in bloom that is so attractive to butterflies, day-flying moths and other insects, SULPHUR CINQUEFOIL, TWELVE-SPOTTED SKIMMER DRAGONFLY, a WOOD DUCK family, a male Wood Duck going into eclipse plumage, a male YELLOW WARBLER showing its prominent reddish breast stripes, an AMERICAN WIGEON family, BLUE MUD DAUBER WASP (Editor’s note: A solitary wasp that takes over small mud nests of the BLACK AND YELLOW MUD DAUBER. It is a non-aggressive wasp), a CABBAGE WHITE BUTTERFLY with that telltale black spot on the forewing, a BULLFROG showing the dorsal line curving down around the tympanum to identity it versus the GREEN FROG, COW-PARSNIP, HARRIS'S CHECKERSPOT BUTTERFLY, LEAST SKIPPER BUTTERFLY showing the thickened black edge to part of the wing, ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK male, EASTERN KINGBIRD, perched and in flight, nicely showing that white band to the apex of the tail. Brian also photographed fledgling COMMON GRACKLES and EUPOPEAN STARLINGS in his yard. Starlings may not be our favourite bird, but Brian’s photo shows the brown striping on the wing that is in all plumages of the Starling. There is a lot of photos to peruse here, but all show some very helpful identification features.
**I
have noted the last days that there are lots of PURPLE FINCHES at the bird feeders that would appear like the high
majority are females. I would offer a few reasons for that. First, I suspect
many of these are this year’s fledged birds that are plumaged like the females,
and the adult females are at the feeders more now, as nesting is complete.
Also, the Purple Finch male does not take on its reddish plumage until the
second fall. However, there is one bird among them (with photos attached) that could
have different explanations. As seen in the photo, it is showing yellowish
orange in the head and side of rump. Could this be a female with a bit of
colour expressed, as the odd one does, or is this actually a male preparing for
its moult to adult male reddish plumage? An interesting specimen that is the
sole one like it among a few dozen plus birds.
nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
Nelson
Poirier,
Nature
Moncton
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