Nature Moncton Nature News: May 9 2022

NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS

May 9, 2022 (Monday)

To respond by e-mail, please address your message to the information line editor, nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com .

Please advise the editor at nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com if any errors are noted in wording or photo labelling.

For more information on Nature Moncton, check the website at www.naturemoncton.com

Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

** Gordon Rattray was on the Malpleton Acadian Forest field trip on Saturday and made some observations and got some photos. The forest in many places showed trees that were of the untouched Acadian Forest types: these included the Yellow Birch, Iron Wood and White Ash. These were joined by very large Hemlock trees and White Pine.

Several plants were observed but none showed blossoms making identification more difficult. There were extensive patches of what appeared to be members of the Pyrola group. Another vegetative growth showed leaves with a lot of soft hairs. In a wet patch Gordon found new fern growth of a fiddlehead stage that had last year’s fronds still attached. The fronds are Mountain Wood Fern. An old rotting stump was turned over to reveal a Red-backed Salamander. On a Fir twig, our youngest member, with very good eyesight, spotted a small arachnid working through the needles, suspected to be a Crab Spider.

** Louise Nichols saw her first butterfly species on Sunday that was not a Mourning Cloak when she noted a number of Northern Azures flying in a sunny spot close to the bog in their woods in Aulac. On Sunday evening, she spotted a number of Yellow-rumped Warblers foraging in their yard trees but noticed one that was different which turned out to be a Pine Warbler. She was able to get a distant photo.

**Attached are a few photos of Yvette Richard's last week of birding.

The Double-crested Cormorant was seen at McManus Reserve sunning itself and very photogenic showing its double crests of breeding plumage.

The Great Blue Heron was cruising by in front of her place on Cocagne Bay.

The Northern Gannets were seen feeding off Caissie Cape wharf. They have been active there for a few days now.

** While driving across the Gunningsville Bridge Sunday, Lynn and Fred Dube spotted what they thought were a few cormorants on the riverbank waiting for the Bore to arrive with dinner. They pulled into the parking lot for the Riverfront Trail for a closer look with binoculars. To their surprise, there were 3 adult and 7 immature Bald Eagles. It was a great sight to see. After doing a couple of errands, they headed home with the bore having arrived and all the eagles were hunting along the river. It was the most eagles they have seen in one place for a long time.

**Steve Wilson shares a few photos of the Meduxnekeag River near Woodstock coming to life. One photo shows a striking mixture of the ephemeral plants Bloodroot, Red Trillium, and Trout Lily all in one large patch.

Another photo shows a panoramic view of the Meduxnekeag River.

**The Sackville Waterfowl Park is always a wonderful place to visit. Anna Tucker visited the park on Sunday to find everything coming alive for the season. She photographed a pair of American Wigeon.

**Brian Stone got a photo of a Virginia Ctenucha Moth caterpillar on the Mapleton Acadian Forest outing that is added today. The adult of this caterpillar is out and moving on the first warm days of spring. The medium-sized fluorescent blue adult with an orange head is often seen day flying in later season.

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton