NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, September 01, 2021 (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)
** Sterling Marsh was taking photos of
his striking POPPY blossoms on
Monday when he spotted BUMBLEBEES
rolling about in them. I suspect they were enjoying the pollen supply but was
the opium content an unexpected scenario?
** On Sunday Frank Branch observed a RING-BILLED GULL with a band number F-78
on its left leg near Caraquet. He sent the information to the attached site
and quickly received the info that the bird
was hatched on or before 2011 and tagged near Varennes, Quebec by the
University of Quebec via the Montreal Biological Science Department on July 05,
2014. This bird is obviously 10 or more years old.
** Aldo Dorio is still quite frequently
seeing young of the year EASTERN
BLUEBIRDS. A recent photo shows one molting out of its first plumage towards
adult plumage.
** Brian Stone sends more photos from
his camping trip at Kejimkujik National Park in N.S. At his campsite a small BALD-FACED HORNET nest was under
construction very high in a treetop, which seems to be a very late effort.
Some odes seen on his walks were a female
AUTUMN MEADOWHAWK DRAGONFLY, (note
the brown legs to distinguish this species form other meadowhawks), a couple of
BAND-WINGED MEADOWHAWK DRAGONFLIES,
(note broad band on basal half of hindwing) a male and a female VARIABLE or VIOLET DANCER DAMSELFLY, and a pair of SPOTTED DARNER DRAGONFLIES (the Ocelated Darner suspected).
Along the trail he came across an AMERICAN TOAD showing the colour
variability of this species and a rather large LEOPARD SLUG about 5 inches long.
Also, many BEE FLIES of the genus Villa were hovering and landing on the trail
around him. Many birds seen were very curious and cooperative PALM WARBLERS, a young-looking SONG SPARROW, a male AMERICAN REDSTART, and a GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET.
While driving along the park road Brian
noticed a large orb weaver spider web seemingly floating in the air along the
side of the road but actually attached to trees beside the ditch and to the
side of the road by long, thick strands of web. A quick brake and reverse and
the "webmaster" was added to the camping photo album. BugGuide
identified the large orbweaver as the GIANT
LICHEN ORBWEAVER (Araneus bicentenarius).
Many plants and fungus were imaged
including a large group of BEECH DROPS,
an obligate parasitic plant on the roots of Beech Trees, a WINTERGREEN plant with a green berry that will be becoming red at
maturity. Brian also photographed the parasitic plant PINESAP (that is parasitic on certain fungi) which is going to seed
now as well as another parasitic plant, INDIAN
PIPE, that was still white and bowing. It straightens up and turns dark at
maturity. It is parasitic on the mycorrhizal of living plants.
Brian also sends some photos he got of
the night sky on August 24 at Keji. The stars and Milky Way were a bit washed
out by the haze, but some editing showed them better.
** Just a heads up on the Nature
Moncton shorebird field trip planned for this coming Saturday, September 07.
The activities committee advises to watch for alerts on Thursday in event of a
date change due to weather to Sunday September 08.
Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton
