NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS
July 10, 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
**The write-up for tonight’s Nature Moncton Wednesday night walk is
below:
JULY 10th WEDNESDAY EVENING WALK
Location: Mill Creek Trail (Riverview)
Start time: 6:30
Host: Wendy Sullivan
Starting Location: The Mill Creek Nature Park Runneymeade parking lot,
just off Bridgedale Blvd. There will be a Nature Moncton sign at the parking
lot.
The trail will be wide, fine gravel paths. The walk will take
approximately 1 ½ hours and will be mainly easy except for a few stairs at the
dam spillway.
Bug spray and protective clothing are recommended. Don’t forget to wear
your name tag too!
All are welcome, Nature Moncton members or not.
**Louise
Nichols has been observing a Common Grackle (perhaps the same one,
perhaps not?) in her yard for a couple of days. On four different
occasions, she saw it perched high in a tree (the same tree for three of the
occasions) with one or more amphibians in its bill or a big clutch of insects.
She sends four photos -- in one photo, the grackle has a frog and possibly a
winged insect; in another, two frogs (possibly young-of-the-year); in another, a frog and a salamander; and in one more, a large bunch of winged
insects. There is a large pond on the property along with a smaller one,
and also marshy area on either side, so there are various possible nearby
hunting grounds for amphibians. If this grackle has nestlings, they are
being fed well!
(Editor’s
note: I suspect many of us were not aware of the potential ‘galloping gourmet’
items on the menu of the Common Grackle. There have also been reports of them
taking fledglings of smaller birds.)
Louise also
sends a video close-up of a Black Swallowtail butterfly caterpillar
munching down some dill from their garden. Take a look at the action at the
link below:
Nature
Moncton
