Nature Moncton Nature News: July 6 2022

NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS

July 6, 2022 (Wednesday)

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

**Unfortunately, tonight’s Wednesday night Nature Moncton

walk to the Tankville Trail has had to be cancelled due to the

heavy rains forecast that, even if the rain lets up, will leave the

trail very wet and muddy.

** Yolande LeBlanc reports the Monarch Butterflies have made it to 251 Central St. in Memramcook. The past few days, she has seen multiple individuals ovipositing.

Yolande has not seen a female Northern Cardinal in weeks and no juveniles. Two different males come around, and she sees one many times a day. One male comes from, and goes to, the other side of the street. This one is quiet and has never made a peep until Tuesday night. Their resident is very vocal, loud and proud, announcing itself before dropping in to feed. Monday night, they were singing, or threatening, each other. Yolande’s neighbour down the street from her is hosting the second family and has photos of a healthy juvenile.

**Fred Dube was able to get cooperative photos of a Blinded Sphinx Moth getting a photo of the cryptic closed upper wing with the second photo flashing the underwing to show the ‘eye spots’ designed to alarm predators.

**On Monday Brian Stone visited Highland Park in Salisbury and sends a few photos of the nature he observed along the trail. The American Coot came close as it was feeding and then left to chase a Mallard Duck across the pond. A small family of American Wigeon Ducks was present and 3 young looking ducks clustered together for a group photo. Several Cedar Waxwings came close (editors note: note red ‘wax’ drops on wing in Brian’s photo), and a newly fledged Red-winged Blackbird was calling noisily while blending in with the cattails. On the far side of the pond an Eastern Kingbird was perching patiently as a Sora appeared and ran along the nearside marsh edge. Least Skipper Butterflies were in large numbers as were Damselflies of various types. Dot-tailed Whiteface Dragonflies seemed to be the only ones around -- at least they were the only ones seen. A Cabbage White Butterfly posed nicely with wings open, but some other types kept Brian running with no photo reward for his efforts. Bur-reed was blooming alongside the pond as well as Jewelweed (aka Spotted Touch-me-not), Spreading Dogbane, and wild Roses.