Nature Moncton Nature News: July 13 2022

NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS

July 13, 2022 (Wednesday)

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

**This week’s Nature Moncton Wednesday evening walk is (tonight) with directions repeated at the end of today’s edition.

**Leon Gagnon reports the vast majority of Tree Swallow nest boxes are emptying at Wilson Point on Miscou Island. Family groups are on the wires showing 4, 5, or 6 individuals. The parents were therefore able to feed the young until they fledged as there is no shortage of insects at Wilson point as no chemicals are deposited in the Wilson Point environment.

Leon got some interesting photos of fledglings leaving the nest box with the adults coaching them on their way. Fledging for Tree Swallows is a very crucial time as they must learn very quickly to catch flying insects as the parents do not feed them once they leave the nest.

**Aldo Dorio captured nice photos of a male Common Whitetail Dragonfly, a Four-spotted Skimmer Dragonfly, and a Virginia Ctenucha Moth a.k.a. Smoky Moth at Malpec on Tuesday. A Song Sparrow monitored the action!

The Virginia Ctenucha Moth will now become a very commonly seen day-flying moth. Note the signature orange head, fluorescent blue abdomen, and thin white rim to the trailing edge of the wing.

**Brian Coyle came across a grasshopper that we had a challenge getting an identification for. By chance, it was looked at by Scott Schell at the University of Wyoming, an Extension Entomology Specialist who solved it and I'm paraphrasing his response

“Your grasshopper is a male in the last nymphal instar. The sulci (groove) in the median carina (ridge) on the pronotum (collar like covering behind the head) looks to be an excellent match to Carolina Grasshopper ( Dissosteira Carolina). The colour morph you have there would be similar to this one. https://bugguide.net/node/view/2035007/bgimage

You must have dark soil there. In my area, they are usually a beige to tan color. When it molts to the adult stage, the color and pattern of the hindwings will hopefully confirm it.”

**Brian Stone walked around the ponds at Mapleton Park on Tuesday to check the status of the nest boxes that had been erected there. He could find no evidence that the boxes had been used or were in use, but they would need to be opened to be sure. While he was there, he photographed a young-looking Hooded Merganser that was hanging out with the few regular Mallard Ducks that were left. He also noticed an immature Meadowhawk Dragonfly, Nodding Trillium going to seed, a large patch of Fringed Loosestrife, Dogwood Berries ripening, and a small, new Beaver Dam beside the trail between the ponds and the Gorge Rd. entrance. In Halls Creek Brian saw a water monitoring project placed by the Petitcodiac Watershed Alliance.

Brian then went to the Common Milkweed Patch on the Gorge Rd. offramp from the highway and saw 2 Monarch Butterflies gliding and interacting over the extremely fragrant Milkweed flowers. They flew continuously and frustratingly did not land except for one brief set down that resulted in an unsatisfactory long distance photo. Also seen there was a worn Canadian Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly, and a Slender Crab Spider,

**Some White-tailed Deer have become very comfortable with urban living. Fred Dube got a photo of a doe with her triplets enjoying the greenery on a lawn in downtown Pictou, NS on Tuesday.

**The first Monarch Butterfly that Nelson Poirier has seen around his yard milkweed paid a visit on windy Tuesday. It seemed to be flying quite erratically as males do but a quick photograph when it did settle momentarily on a flower cluster showed it to be a female. It was not seen ovipositing but very much after nectar.

A humorous note to it all was that the cats went ballistic, apparently suspecting a new bird was visiting!

**This week’s Nature Moncton Wednesday evening walk (tonight) will be led by Andrew Darcy. The write up Andrew Darcy submits is below:

“Bell's or Wilson's Marsh as it is often called is a great place for birdwatching and nature observations. It is a moderately sized wetland complex comprised of several lagoons with marsh, forest, and salt marsh habitat beside the Peticodiac River. The area is known for waterfowl and wetland birds but there is also a great diversity of forest bird species and insect life as well. Although the marsh may be quiet compared to spring, as we are in between migration seasons, we hope to see and/or hear resident wetland birds such as Marsh wren, Sora, Virginia Rail, American coot, and possibly even American Bittern, as well as a variety of waterfowl. The area also hosts some interesting insect species (including butterflies, dragonflies, and damselflies). The trail system is mostly flat with little to no inclines or steep sections and therefore would be classified as an easy to moderate walk. The walk will be led by Andrew Darcy. Come join us for a peaceful stroll through the wetland. Hope to see you all there!”

Directions to meeting site: take Salisbury Road 3 km to Toys for Big Boys location, turn left onto Bell Street (South/Riverside), proceed to Bond Street, turn left going to the end corner where a trail leads down to the marsh.

Meeting time is 7 o’clock but be early for prompt departure. Mosquito repellent will be indicated!

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com