Nature Moncton Nature News: June 24 2024

NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS

June 24, 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

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**As a heads up, this week’s Wednesday evening Nature Moncton walk is written up at the end of this edition and it will be upfront on Wednesday morning.

**Ducks Unlimited was very prompt in rectifying the problem at Wilson Marsh with the overflow basin that was trapping ducklings.
Maureen Girvan sends a photo of those reparations.

**Barbara Smith found a White-spotted Sable moth clinging to the mosquito netting inside their Riverview gazebo on Saturday. They coaxed it into a glass and let him go and it seemed happy to be on his way, doing his moth thing.

(Editor’s note: we have several small moth species that look similar to Barbara’s specimen and are commonly seen during the day.)

A Northern Flicker seems to spend a lot of time visiting an anthill in their neighbour's backyard. No photo, just an observation.

(Editor’s note: Anting is a favourite pastime of the Northern Flicker. Some birds take dust baths in anthills. Some literature suggests the formic acid produced by ants is helpful in removing external parasites, but that may be up for debate. Maybe having a dust bath is just plain enjoyable!)

**Cathy and Isabelle Simon, with Maureen Girvan, spent part of Sunday morning completing the second yearly marsh survey of the Bell Street Marsh for Birds Canada. In addition to surveying several bird species, they saw a False Crocus Geometer moth.

Isabelle Simon also found a Goldenrod Borer Plume moth in her yard in Lutes Mountain.

**Aldo Dorio photographed a Killdeer at Hay Island on Sunday. One photo nicely shows the reddish-orange rump patch of this species that we don’t often see unless in flight or spread wing.

**Norbert Dupuis captured a photo of a Cedar Waxwing enjoying a very plump moth lunch.

**Brian Stone made an attempt to video some of the more impressive lightning events of the storm late on Sunday evening but found that most of the lightning appeared to be just bright flashes either up in the clouds or possibly hidden by the heavy rain. Only on the one brightest and closest strike was he able to get one frame that showed the lightning bolt itself. He made a still frame of that bolt and processed it a bit to bring out its detail.

**JUNE 26 WEDNESDAY NIGHT WALK

Mapleton Park

Start time: 6:30 pm

Host: Brian Stone

Starting Location: The parking lot P2 on Gorge Road, next to Highway 2. (There will be a Nature Moncton sign at the parking lot.)

Join us for a Wednesday Night Walk at Mapleton Park. Our walk will cover about 3.5 km, over an estimated 1.5 hours. Walkers can expect the trail to be groomed, wide and flat paths of dirt and fine gravel. The walk is mainly easy, with the exception of one short but steep hill.

Bug spray and protective clothing are recommended. Don’t forget to wear your name tag too!

All are welcome, Nature Moncton members or not.