Nature Moncton Nature News: Aug 17 2022

August 17, 2022 (Wednesday)

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

**Aldo Dorio was able to photograph a fall edition of a Palm Warbler at Hay Island on Tuesday. (Editor’s note: as many of us are painfully aware, some but not all fall warblers can be problematic but less so with the help of Gilles Belliveau). The near constant flicking tail would have been very helpful to suggest Palm Warbler to ID this sharply dressed fall warbler)

**Pat Gibbs was able to photograph a Ruby-throated Hummingbird in a plumage we don’t often see. The Sibley guide does illustrate it nicely as a subadult male. Sibley points out this plumage can be seen September to December. Pat’s specimen may be in a bit of a rush but that is pleasantly excused so this photo could be shared!

**Tuesday night’s Nature Moncton walk to Dieppe’s Bis Marsh and trail area provided the usual fellowship and pleasant surprises. As seems to be getting the norm, the group tarried a bit late as is shown by Brian Stone’s photo of the sun disappearing behind the Moncton skyline. As the tide was high, only a few expected shorebirds were seen which possibly left a Merlin to cooperatively stay perched, allow it to be patiently photographed, and get everyone present on its day list. The ripe berries of Chokecherry, Pin Cherry, Honeysuckle, and Glossy Buckthorn were prevalent.

A surprising amount of blooming Alfalfa was noted along the trail making the group wonder if was planted there.

Many sparrows flitted about in the thick foliage defying identification as not an opportune time for them to be vocalizing. Hundreds of ducks present.

Another pleasant evening in the memory bank!

**Brian Stone visited Fundy National Park on Monday and sends some photos of interest. There were many samples of Ghost Pipe Plant (name changing from Indian Pipe) along the Caribou Plains Trail and Brian photographed several. (Editor’s note: the pink blush in some groups of plants in Brian’s photos is normal in some plant groupings as shown by a literature search. It is also interesting to note that some of the plants are now forming seed capsules within their bowed ‘head’ and starting to straighten up as they mature to soon become very dark and expire).

A young-looking bird at the trail's entrance appeared to be an immature Dark-eyed Junco to Brian but he is awaiting correction if he is wrong with that ID (Editor’s note: Gilles Belliveau suspects he is correct).

At a beaver pond close to the start of the trail Brian photographed a mating pair of Band-winged Meadowhawk Dragonflies temporarily perched on a twig. The boardwalk offshoot section of the trail led to a viewing platform overlooking a large bog pond with many large dragonflies patrolling the area and Brian noted a Bullfrog resting at the pond's shallow edge.

A Thread-waisted Mud Dauber Wasp was examining a white clover flower, and 2 fritillary butterflies were photographed, the Atlantis Fritillary Butterfly and the Silver-bordered Fritillary Butterfly which was quite distant. A pair of Pileated Woodpeckers flew among the trees low to the ground to give nice views but not great photos as the photographer decided to take a tumble, luckily into a large patch of soft moss (face first, of course).

At the end of the trail a small, young Maritime Garter Snake crossed the path and stopped long enough to be picked up for a better photo op. Other plants noted along the way included Broad-leaved Helleborine and Hobblebush.

At the park Headquarters area, a pair of American Crows perched long enough for a couple of portraits (Editor’s note: note the rounded tail in flight versus the wedge -shaped tail of a Common Raven).

**Fred Dube and Nelson Poirier were able to watch and photograph several shorebirds at low tide in the Pictou area recently. All were of the expected species but one photo gave an ID challenge. It is suspected to be a Sanderling but very open to a second opinion as only the one photo to peruse.

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com