NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, September 19, 2021 (Sunday)
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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
Transcript by: david.cannon@rogers.com
Info Line # 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)
** Yvette Richard caught a pleasant photo of the measured flight of a duo of GREAT BLUE HERONS on Cocagne Bay on Saturday. The all-dark upper bills suggest these are young-of-the-year birds.
Yvette also captured a photo of a young-of-the-year SPOTTED SANDPIPER. The juvenile birds of this species lack the chest spotting and coloured bill of the parents and the white flash just curling up just ahead of the front of the wing is quite pronounced.
** Gabriel
Gallant came across the striking BEDSTRAW HAWKMOTH AKA GALLIUM SPHINX MOTH CATERPILLAR
in his Sainte-Marie yard. The colouring and markings of this caterpillar can
vary but the signature red horn at the tail is always present. When seen
travelling about this time of year, they are usually ready to go into their
pupil cocoon stage. If put into an enclosed area with several inches of earth,
and left at an outside winter temperature, the equally striking adult moth with
emerge next spring if the caterpillar has not been parasitized.
**Jane LeBlanc got a
photo of a MONARCH BUTTERFLY CATERPILLAR in her St. Martins yard on Sunday
morning that was barely an inch long. It will be cutting it close for it to get
to adult flying butterfly to wend its way to Mexico for the winter.
Jane also got a photo
of a MOURNING CLOAK BUTTERFLY that will be staying with us for the winter
just as is (adult) with closed wings against tree bark to stay cryptic and
unnoticed until the warmth of next spring.
** Aldo
Dorio got a photo of a RED-BELLIED SNAKE on Saturday. This snake comes as grey,
brown, or black on the dorsal surface, but the underbelly is always a red
orange. Aldo’s photo is the brown form. This species is a small snake, not
usually longer than 12-16 inches and pencil thickness. I keep black boot mats out
in the yard of our camp that are normally very attractive for this species to
get under. This year, for some reason, I have seen none. Aldo also got a photo
of the NORTHEASTERN SAWYER BEETLE. This species is one of our larger
Sawyer Beetles.
** Brian Stone went to the Hillsborough
wetlands for a walk on Saturday. He walked down to the large pond near the
river and found one of the GREAT EGRETS still present but distant. Birds
were relatively scarce in the area, but he saw a TURKEY VULTURE flying
far overhead and some MALLARD DUCKS (the male appears to be moving back
into breeding plumage from its summer eclipse plumage) and GREEN-WINGED TEALS
dabbling for lunch. Four HOODED MERGANSERS were diving at too great a
distance for decent photography and 2 DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS were
perched and wing drying. A lone SONG SPARROW felt sorry for Brian and
posed for a close up photo.
** A
‘heads-up’ that the first Nature Moncton meeting of the season, next Tuesday,
September 21st, will consist of a live session at the Rotary Lodge
at Mapleton Park. Due to the COVID scenario at the moment, this meeting will be available
as a virtual/Zoom presentation as well, for those who choose to attend that way
instead. Masks are very strongly recommended and will be available for anyone
who may not have one at the time. Physical distancing will be observed, and
hand sanitizer available. The presentation will be on ‘Invasive Species in
New Brunswick’ and the write-up is attached below. Also at this meeting,
Michele Nadeau, the Executive Director of the Moncton YWCA, will give a short
presentation on a bird calendar project she is doing as a fund-raiser for the
YWCA Center for Women and Children that she heads up.
NATURE MONCTON SEPTEMBER MEETING
“Invasive Species of
New Brunswick”
Date: Sept. 21, 2021
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: Rotary Pavilion, Mapleton Park
Presenter: Shelby Heath,
Engagement Coordinator for the NB Invasive Species Council.
As naturalists and
bird watchers we are always “out in nature” looking for birds, plants,
insects and many other things. But do we always know if what we are studying is
native to our region or introduced? And if
introduced, what effect does it have on our native species? The presentation for our first meeting of the
2021/22 Nature Moncton season on September 21st will focus on these
questions. The New Brunswick
Invasive Species Council (NBISC) is a collaborative organization that works to
protect our province’s environment, economy, and recreational interests from
the threat of invasive species. This presentation will provide an overview of
invasive species ecology and impacts, particular species of concern in the
province, how to ID them and what steps you can take to prevent their
introduction and spread. Whether you are a birder, hiker, gardener, camper,
boater, or simply enjoy walking with your dog, everyone has a role to play!
** September is also time to renew Membership
that is so important to the year’s operation of Nature Moncton. One can do it
at the meeting (please have correct change ready), via e-transfer from the
website, or mail in form printed from the website.
Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton
