Nature Moncton Nature News: July 3 2022

NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS

July 3, 2022 (Sunday)

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

**Leon Gagnon leaves some observations from the area around his summer cottage at Wilson point on Miscou Island.
He photographed a male Gadwall duck and a female Hooded Merganser in the marsh near his property. He also got a nice photo of an Alder Flycatcher that he was able to identify by sound. He finds them very abundant around his property hearing 3+ males.
Leon has a Merlin terrorizing the birds in his woods. He sees it chasing an American Robin often. He also noticed it dusting itself in piles of dry earth resembling the practice of “anting” of other birds. He is hearing a beautiful male, very loudly-singing Bobolink around his cottage and at least 7 Tree
Swallow nest boxes are occupied out of the approximately 25 that are erected at Wilson point. He has heard Common Loons flying over on 3 different days recently.
On June 30, he noted 6 Black-bellied Plovers at La Malbaie south lagoon. It seems early to be seeing the shorebirds in late June. The editor is seeking explanations at the moment to be commented on later. Possibly even the plovers only know the answer for sure!
Two species Leon has not seen yet that he often sees is the Short-eared Owl or the Olive-sided Flycatcher.

**Lucille Landry and Rejean LaForge hosted a group of naturalists for the New Brunswick Botany Club from around the province to a Cedar bog and adjoining bogs in the Caraquet area on Saturday. A group of very keen participants missed little, and many photos were taken which will be shared over the next days. Lots more very interesting botany was observed and shared.

One longhorned beetle that got lots of attention due to it cooperatively wanting to join the group was a Yellow Velvet Longhorned Beetle (Lepturobosca chrysocoma), and some early photos of it are shared today.
Some of the striking orchid photos and other plants will appear on tomorrow’s edition.

**On Thursday Brian Stone returned to the Hall's Creek Trail in Moncton to have a longer outing than the club had the day before on the Nature Moncton Wednesday evening walk, but Brian's walk was rained out by intense thunderstorms. He returned on Friday in better weather but much of the life seemed to have gone into hiding. Some birds, butterflies, and dragonflies did show up though and Brian sends his photos from the two days. A female American Redstart looked on as another female, a Common Yellowthroat Warbler, complained loudly as Brian likely walked near its nest. One of several Veery was in range of the camera as well as a Northern Parula Warbler.

Dragonflies photographed were male and female Common Whitetail and also seen was a male Ebony Jewelwing Damselfly. Northern Crescent Butterflies were everywhere and European Skipper Butterflies were almost as common. A Northern Azure Butterfly and a Leopard Frog were Brian's final photos of the day.

**Nelson Poirier is noting Virginia Ctenucha moths (many) coming to the moth light. These moths overwinter as the larval caterpillar and have obviously gone into the pupal stage and onto the adult flying moth stage. These medium-sized moths are very commonly seen day flying during the summer. Note the orange head, fluorescent blue sheen on the abdomen, and the narrow white rim on the wing edge to distinguish it from the less common, smaller, Yellow-collared Scape moth that has a yellow collar (instead of head) and lacks the fluorescent blue abdomen and white wingtips.

Nelson is also noting Carpenter Ants that will chew holes in wood to create nesting cavities so are not terribly welcome around log dwellings. They are quite large and note the reddish midsection.

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com