Nature Moncton Nature News: June 12 2023

NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS

June 12, 2023

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Edited by Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Proofreading courtesy of Louise Nichols at nicholsl@eastlink.ca

**Georges Brun has done it again with a long-distance photo of the Peregrine Falcon nest box on the summit of Assumption Place in Moncton that clearly shows 3 Peregrine Falcon chicks surveying their new territory with a watchful parent on top of the box, no doubt quite busy supplying groceries to insatiable teenage appetites.

**Aldo Dorio photographed some emerging flora in their prime at Hay Island, including Pink Lady's Slipper, Starflower, and Bunchberry.

(Editor's note: note the true flowers in the business center of Bunchberry have not yet bloomed, but the showy white floral bracts are prime and ready to attract pollinators to the central floral disc.)

** Brian Stone went for a short visit to Hampton and Upham on Sunday to look at the immature, Black-crowned Night Heron that has been reported at the lagoons there. Brian got a distant flight photo and a distant perching photo of the shy and reclusive young bird.

While there, he also photographed some of the large numbers of Turkey Vultures warming up at the edge of the first lagoon. They soon spiraled into the warming air and left for local hunting grounds. A male Common Whitetail Dragonfly was photographed, and other varieties were seen.

Brian then photographed some of the cute Common Goldeneye Ducklings and the large, loud, Bullfrogs plentiful in the ponds.

At the nearby Dutch Point Trail system, several varieties of skipper butterflies were seen, including Arctic Skipper Butterfly, Hobomok Skipper Butterfly, and Brian's first-ever Silver-spotted Skipper Butterfly. Northern Crescent Butterflies were out, and Common Ringlet Butterflies were present at all the locations visited.

(Editor’s note: the Silver-spotted Skipper Butterfly is not expected in this area; however, it is Edsall-confirmed.)

At his sister's place in Upham, Brian photographed several moths with the Luna Moth, Rosy Maple Moth, and a Modest Sphinx Moth standing out among the crowd.

Nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com