NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, Aug 2, 2021 (Monday)
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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
Transcript by Fred Richards fredrichards@rogers.com
Info Line #: 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)
**Brian
Coyle went out to check his trail cameras on Saturday morning and initially
wasn’t going to take his camera along but was sure glad he did. It was an
extraordinary day. He called in a mob of CHICKADEES at two separate
locations a few kilometers apart and both times a HUMMINGBIRD joined the
fray along with MAGNOLIA, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT and YELLOW RUMPED
WARBLERS. In addition to bird photos
Brian includes some plant photos such as PURPLE FRINGED ORCHID, ARROW-LEAVED
TEARTHUMB, LADIES FINGER and HEMP NETTLE which is in the mint family
with square stem and opposite leaves.
The Arrow-leaved Tearthumb grows in wet areas and he often finds it right
beside JEWELWEED. If you attempt
to walk through a thicket of the Tearthumb you will find extremely difficult as
the rearward facing barbs act as Velcro in clothing. Brian’s photo shows those barbs nicely. An EASTERN KINGBIRD was very defensive
and vocal, apparently having a nest or fledgling nearby, the fledgling YELLOW-BELLIED
SAPSUCKER was right below the Kingbird.
A COMMON YELLOWTHROAT was agitated and must have had young nearby
as well.
**Even
without MILKWEED (even though they have tried to grow it) Louise and
Glen Nichols had a MONARCH BUTTERFLY visit Glen’s flower beds Sunday
afternoon. Louise attaches two photos of
the same butterfly which she saw in the flowerbed and which then flew across
the yard and landed on some dried-up clover in the grass for a second
photo. Louise comments “It sure was nice
to see”. Glen’s ECHINACEA aka
Coneflower are a strong magnet for GREAT SPANGLED FRITILLARY butterflies
which were all over them Sunday afternoon.
Louise got a video of the action.
Take a look at the attached link.
**Bob
Blake who normally reports weather statistics from his second North River home
but as he was away 13 days in July, he is only reporting precipitation which is
significant. We had 78 mm. of rainfall
in July of 2020 and 267 mm. in July of 2021.
Obviously why everything seems so lush this year and abundant fruit
being set.
**Aldo
Dorio photographed a BONAPARTE’S GULL still in full breeding plumage at
Hay Island on Sunday. We can soon expect
this gull to soon be abundance in the Maritimes as it moves our way from
breeding grounds to the North-West of us.
Aldo also photographed a MOURNING CLOAK butterfly a species that
seems to be very abundant this year and assumed to be now in its second brood
of the season.
**I
visited Hay Island on Sunday as well.
There was no abundance of migratory shorebirds as yet but a few GREATER
YELLOWLEGS and a LEAST SANDPIPER.
I was able to note the slight droop at the bill tip and the brown tones
of out smallest peep. In some photos the
legs look dark as there was not enough light to let the pale-yellow show. One WILLET was noted which is a Hay
Island breeding bird.
The
prize of the day was a NELSON’S SPARROW apparently feeling the rock
background was sufficient cover for one only quick photo.
I am also attaching a few photos of WOOD
NETTLE taken recently and forgot to post.
Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton
