Nature Moncton Nature News: July 30 2024

NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS

July 30, 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.

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Proofreading courtesy of Louise Nichols at nicholsl@eastlink.ca

**Tomorrow night’s Nature Moncton Wednesday evening walk is written up at the end of this edition.

**Jane LeBlanc is having Ruby-throated Hummingbirds fight over her Common Milkweed plants. Jane believes the hummingbird shown in her photo, with one lone red feather on its throat, is a first-year male.

Also, there are lots of butterflies around, including an Atlantis Fritillary and American Lady.

**It’s that time of the season when a multitude of different caterpillars start appearing.

Lynn Dube got a nice photograph of the Saddled Prominent moth caterpillar (Cecrita guttivitta). This caterpillar forages on deciduous tree foliage with a special preference for oak. This caterpillar was photographed in Pictou, NS in an area with many oak trees.

**Pat Gibbs spotted a Merlin falcon land on her neighbour's lawn Monday afternoon and spread his wings and belly down to the wood chip mulch next to her hostas.

It would appear as though it is mantling over prey which if so, the prey is well hidden. It is unlikely to do this mantling due to heat as it would probably do so in the shade and not on hot wood chip mulch.

Pat was in the right place at the right time to get this spread-winged photo.

**On Monday Brian Stone joined Louise Nichols in a visit to her Blue Dasher dragonfly site to get some photos of this fairly recent addition to the New Brunswick dragonfly lineup. The male dashers were very cooperative and two or three perched frequently close by, but the females were absent and must have had business elsewhere that day. Brian includes a photo of a female Blue Dasher that he took years ago in Perth, Ontario, to show the difference in the female version.

Brian also got a Great Spangled Fritillary butterfly, a male Twelve-spotted Skimmer dragonfly, a Leopard frog, a patch of Red Sandspurry flowers, a deposit of Horse fly eggs on a pond reed, and a pair of mating Bluet damselflies.

**Nelson Poirier adds some photos from the NB Botany Club field day to the Escuminac Point area on Sunday to add to the photos Gordon Rattray shared yesterday.

A significant area of this special part of New Brunswick is now owned and protected into perpetuity by the Nature Conservancy of Canada.

A patch of Mare’s Tail caught the attention of the group as many had not seen it before. It was not expected in this habitat. Foxtail was flashing its distinct inflorescence and the variety of berry-producing plants had berry connoisseur wildlife attentive.

Native Phragmites was abundant and the leaders pointed out the identification features including the red on the stem, and smaller inflorescence than the invasive non-native Phragmites.

Saltmarsh caterpillars were enjoying the Sea Rocket plants.

The photos contributed by Gordon and Nelson were only a small sample of what was gleaned from the day's experience.

** JULY 31^th WEDNESDAY EVENING WALK

Location: Ducks Unlimited Compound (Upper Coverdale)

Start time: 6:30

Host: Gordon Rattray

Starting Location: The compounds are found in Upper Coverdale at the end of Tucker Street. Tucker Street is located at approximately 1569 Coverdale Road - Route 112; this is 9.3 km on Coverdale Road starting from the intersection of Buckingham Street and Coverdale Road; there is a large Shoppers Drug Mart at this corner. Coming from Salisbury it is 11.1 Km on Rte. 112 from the intersection with Rte. 106. Go to the very end of Tucker and where is ample space to park.

This walk must be classified as difficult because of the extremely steep and long hill that is the access road. The trails around the compounds are flat and mowed. We can expect to see some returning shorebirds with the usual contingent of ducks.

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

All are welcome, Nature Moncton members or not.

Nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nature Moncton