Nature Moncton Nature News: Sept 5 2022

NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS

Sept 5, 2022 (Monday)

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

**Gordon Rattray took a walk around several paths near Hillsborough looking for fall activity. Gordon located several of our fall bloomers: Rough Stemmed Goldenrod and near the river a Seaside Goldenrod. Gordon also located three of the fall asters: Purple Stemmed, Calico and Flat-Topped White Asters. Along an old railway bed Gordon observed Common Mullein, Northern Wild Raisin, Common Blackberry and LADY'S TEAR THUMB AKA ARROW-LEAVED TEAR THUMB [Persicaria sagittata]. At Gray's Island Landing, Gordon photographed Sulfur Cinquefoil and Common Fleabane.

Gordon also was able to photograph several fall insects: Honeybee, Common Yellowjacket Hornet, Clouded Sulfur Butterfly, Cabbage White Butterfly and a fall Meadowhawk – suspected to be the Cherry-faced Meadowhawk.

Gordon also photographed Northern Bush Honeysuckle (Diervilla lonicera) in fruit. Gart Bishop helped to confirm its identification.

**John Inman had what appears to be a young-of-the-year Blue-headed Vireo drop by his yard to show off its delicious caterpillar meal.

Shannon Inman photographed a Garter Snake going about its daily mission. It appears to be showing more rufous tones than usual to show the variability of this snake.

**Aldo Dorio photographed a mature Broad-winged Hawk on Sunday. The large white area on the breast would be due to a portion of the photo in bright sunlight with the remainder of the bird in more shaded area.

**Lisa Morris photographed White-tailed Deer hoof prints in wet beach sand which can be an excellent substrate to see detail in tracks.

The dewclaws at the rear show well as the foot is sinking deeply into the substrate. The dewclaws don’t always show in the White-tailed Deer like they do in the Moose as they are situated higher on the leg than in the Moose. It can also be noted in some tracks that the front of the hoof is pointed and tending to point to each other whereas the Moose would be more rounded and front points not curved to each other and as expected, much larger.

**Nelson Poirier photographed a young-of-the-year Great Blue Heron that shows the juvenile neck striping, lack of plumes, and dark crown.

Nelson also photographed a female Monarch Butterfly acting much different from a few months ago with more interest in the lawn dandelions than the milkweed plants. She probably had thoughts of Mexico on her mind.

Nature Moncton

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