Nature Moncton Nature News: June 23 2024

NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS

June 23, 2024

Nature Moncton members, as well as any naturalist in New Brunswick or beyond, are invited to share their photos and descriptions of recent nature sightings to build a fresh (almost) daily edition of Nature News

To respond by e-mail, please address your message to the information line editor, nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com .

Please advise both the editor at nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com and the proofreader nicholsl@eastlink.ca if any errors are noted in wording or photo labelling.

For more information on Nature Moncton, check the website at www.naturemoncton.com .

Proofreading courtesy of Louise Nichols at nicholsl@eastlink.ca

**Carolyn Roach comments “Just want to say I was so happy to learn about the live feed and have been watching since the eggs were laid.
I read on the blog that the feed was going to be discontinued on Friday and was pleased to see this beautiful sight before it was turned off [Carolyn’s screenshot is attached.]
Thank you to you and your group for all that you do.”

**Jane LeBlanc was hiking over the sea caves in St. Martins and came across a very active family of Common Yellowthroat warblers. She also sends a photo of the view from above the caves. There is a short but scenic trail above the caves (on the right at the top of the hill, there is a dirt road going towards the caves). This is government property, so anyone can hike there. Quite a view and the birding is good as well. In season, yummy blackberries, too!!

**On Saturday Brian Stone visited the back end of the White Rock Recreational Area in Hillsborough to try and find his favourite little butterfly, the Western Tailed-Blue butterfly, that was originally spotted there by Gordon Rattray a few years ago. In the glorious heat and sunshine Brian was successful with the help of his butterfly spotting wife Annette. She was rewarded for her excellent use of her observational skills and went on to find more photo subjects for Brian to record. More from that outing to come soon.

(Editor’s note: this species was found in eastern New Brunswick for the first time during a Nature Moncton field trip to the White Rock Recreational Area several years ago. Before that, it was thought to be restricted to Northern New Brunswick and areas further west. )

**Rheal Vienneau is rearing Red Admiral butterflies that are passing through the stages rapidly. Rheal sends photos of a 4th instar stage, a caterpillar that has gone into a chrysalis, and a caterpillar that is in the J position about to go into a chrysalis.

**Nelson Poirier joined the Nature Sussex group on a paddle and stop field trip on the Kennebacasis River on Saturday with some interesting observations to share. Many stops were made to observe birds, plants, and the group made a striking historical stop.

Bullhead Lily was in prime bloom and photographed. This lily produces a huge rhizome that is popular with Muskrat, Beaver, and Moose.

Oak Apple gall was found. This is a large marble-sized gall and on cutting into the gall, larvae of a small oak gall wasp could be observed as a spongy mass.

The angular-seed pod of Wild Oats was noted and photographed.

Poison Ivy was abundant on Trillium Island. Take note of the three-leafed arrangement. Look for at least one leaf of the plant to have one half of the leaf smaller than the other as a helpful ID feature which is arrowed in the photo.

One interesting historical stop was to view the remnants of the first steel hull steamboat on the St. John River, the Majestic, built circa 1897. It remained in active service until 1942. It was 200 feet long and was called a market boat carrying a variety of products, people, eventually cars, and used for many social events. With the advent of rudimentary highways and cars, its use became limited, and it was decided to turn it into a floating restaurant; however, a serious hurricane hit that resulted in its mooring. It was broken and ended up on its side on the shore where the group saw the remnants of it on Saturday many years later.

The repellent Deet was successful in warding off mosquitoes but the Deer Flies considered it barbecue sauce!