Nature Moncton Nature News: July 16 2024

NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS

July 16, 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

**As a heads up on this week’s Nature Moncton Wednesday walk tomorrow night, the destination and write up is below:

JULY 17^th WEDNESDAY EVENING WALK

Location: Victoria Park

Start time: 6:30

Host: Dan Hicks

Starting Location: The Cenotaph, Victoria Park, 223 Weldon St.

Join us on a guided tour of trees planted by the City of Moncton, seeing interesting trees in Victoria Park. Trees may be interesting due to form, species and cultivar or just simply great specimens in the right location. There are also a few trees that have interesting stories behind them as well.

Don’t forget to wear your name tag! All are welcome, Nature Moncton members or not.

**More Monarch butterflies!!

Despite the heat, Cathy Simon enjoyed sharing the trail at Mapleton Park on July 14 with the first Monarch Butterfly she's seen this season. The Monarch Butterfly fluttered along from clover to clover, keeping pace with Cathy as she walked.

(Editor’s note: the editor was sure surprised when after reading Cathy’s note, a female Monarch Butterfly arrived to his yard milkweed and oviposited for some time. Hopefully, grandchildren are 'in the oven'!!)

**Patricia Pelletier sends a photo of three American Crows that she has gotten to know over the last couple of years in the Lower Coverdale area. What is amazing about them is that one of them has a broken wing and the other two have been watching over it, protecting it for years. They no longer swoop or poop in Patricia’s direction when she heads out there now and she was glad that her trail camera caught the attached photo of them all together.

**During the recent Nature Moncton visit to the bog trail at Kouchibouquac National Park, a colony of colourful ants crossed the boardwalk seemingly on a mission.

Tony Thomas reviewed the photos and commented “These are a species of Formica; some can be quite common. Difficult to ID as many have this colour pattern - need close (microscope) examination."

**Jane LeBlanc added two dragonfly photos to the odonata lineup on July 14 with the Spot-winged Glider dragonfly and a female Common Whitetail dragonfly. Gilles Belliveau confirmed the identity.

(Editor’s note: we don’t often get photos of the Spot-winged Glider. They are constantly on the wing being a challenge to photograph.)

**Like many others at the moment who have milkweed patches in their yard, John Inman is catching lots of activity.

He photographed a Monarch Butterfly, Canadian Tiger Swallowtail butterfly, and a Great Spangled Fritillary butterfly all in the same frame. John also photographed the Yellow Velvet Long-horned beetle (Lepturobosca chrysocoma) that, as an adult, is attracted to flowers foraging on the petals. Their hairy coat picks up pollen to make this beetle an effective pollinator.

**Georges Brun monitors activity along the Petitcodiac River and often uses the vantage point near the junction of Hall’s Creek.

He has not forgotten the Peregrine Falcon family and notes if they are on the Assumption Place Building they tend to roost on the upper levels of the communication tower or on the A logo. They also visit the Aliant Tower either on the platforms if they have prey or near the microwaves. They use the latter to hide or get out of the Sun.

Georges assumes the eldest of the immature females has been landing on the top of Chateau Moncton. He has seldom seen the adult female roost there.

Most noticeable is the absence of starlings since the Peregrines have been flying in the area. For quite a while, the number of Rock Pigeons under the McMonagle Bridge on Main St was a dozen or so but he suspects perhaps four to six is what remains.

Georges has been noting immature male Common Eiders and Common Loons (adult and Immature) in the chocolate waters. Bald Eagles constantly monitor the area with many immature birds that can mimic an uncommon but possible Golden Eagle. The Golden Eagle maintains the golden nape at all stages of maturity and if white appears on the underwing, it would be very minimal.

Nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nature Moncton