Nature Moncton Nature News: August 12 2024

NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS

August 12, 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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**This Wednesday evening’s Nature Moncton walk write-up is at the end of this edition. It will be up front tomorrow and Wednesday.

** Deana and Peter Gadd spent a couple of hours on Sunday at Hay Island. With regards to shorebirds the Lesser Yellowlegs were quite abundant and seemed to outnumber the Greater Yellowlegs, which is unusual. There were a handful of Least Sandpipers as well as Semipalmated Sandpipers and Semipalmated Plovers. The bird of the day however was an American Golden Plover which is not sighted all that often at seashore sites in NB. It was still in breeding plumage, so was easily distinguished from the more common Black-bellied Plover. This sighting was first reported by Louise Duguay last Friday.

**Lynn Dube was surprised to see butterflies very interested in overripe peaches on their Coverdale yard peach tree. The two species noted were White Admiral butterfly and Red Admiral butterfly. Lynn also got a nice video of the Red Admiral butterfly enjoying the booty. Take a look at the action in the link below:

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/c4gpxttvkjza7sczi501m/Red-Admiral-Butterfly-Lynn-Dube.mp4?rlkey=zsvzlvlbc89lvsftuo917p2bv&st=gc5v1079&dl=0

Lynn captured a photo of the Katydid of which we have only a handful species in New Brunswick. They have very specific vocalizations (stridulations) that help identify the species by sound.

**Shorebird migration time has arrived. John Inman photographed a large flock doing a fly pass over the Shepody River by his Harvey home.

** Jane LeBlanc was very surprised to have a Sharp-shinned Hawk arrive at her feeder on Sunday. The fact that she saw it and had time to photograph it was a bonus.

Jane also sends a photo of her rain gauge when it finally stopped raining.

Jane and Ed LeBlanc saw the Northern Lights on Sunday night. They were faint, but Jane managed to get a shooting star in a couple of shots.

**The number of Viceroy butterflies being seen at the moment is notable and assumedly part of their second brood. Aldo Dorio got a nice photograph of an open-winged specimen at Hay Island.

**The New Brunswick Botany Club spent a beautiful day in the pleasant sunshine of Sunday with the mission of exploring bryophytes (mosses, liverworts, and hornworts) by trecking up the trail to an old hardwood forest on a mountain in Berwick near Sussex. This was led by expert bryologist Bruce Bagnall. Bryophytes were indeed investigated but many eyes were alerted to the amazing biodiversity such a habitat is home to.

It was a surprise to find a happy colony of Psocid Barklice completing their mission under a growth of tree moss. It is unfortunate these rather striking insects get the derogatory name of lice. They feed on fungi and lichens and as in the photograph, the adults and nymphs are often seen together. They are not uncommon but uncommonly seen as they are very easily overlooked.

We don’t often see a Red Trillium sporting its red fruit capsule. The leaves were disintegrating but the fruit capsules were common in this rich habitat.

Beech trees were common in this rich old forest habitat which made for patches of Beach Drops. This plant is an obligate parasite of the Beech tree and therefore produces no chlorophyll. Some plants were in prime bloom showing their purple-tinged yellow-brown flowers. These 8-12 in. plants are easily overlooked.

White Baneberry plants were starting to fruit. These plants would normally be found only in rich hardwood habitat.

Some Striped Maple trees were observed that were very mature. Note the difference in the bark with the often observable stripes more separate and faded with age.

Many frogs and American toads were noted exhibiting their astounding camouflage.

Lunch was held at a mountaintop café under a canopy of mature hardwood trees which had possibly not seen contented diners in the past.

** AUGUST 14th WEDNESDAY EVENING WALK

Location: Water Retention Ponds (Sackville)

Start time: 6:00 pm

Host: Louise Nichols

Starting Location: Parking available along the side of St. James St. in Sackville. Driving the Trans Canada, take Sackville exit #504. Go through the lights and continue along Main St. (Rte 940) as it veers to the left. You will reach a 2nd set of lights at the intersection of Main and Bridge St. Turn left onto Bridge St. Turn right on the next street (Lorne St). Turn left on St. James St.

The Sackville Retention Ponds were created in the heart of Sackville to divert rainwater through a series of ponds connected by culverts and ditches out to the Tantramar River. Not only does the system provide flood protection to the town, but it is also a potentially significant area for waterfowl, shorebirds, and other bird and insect life. The ponds are surrounded by easy walkable trails, so this walk is classified as an easy walk of approximately two to three km. In mid-August, we should see some ducks and shorebirds, but familiarity with the site is also worthwhile because shorebird activity may pick up as fall approaches and people may wish to return. In past years, many species of shorebird have been present, including the uncommon Stilt Sandpiper and Hudsonian Godwit.

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

All are welcome, Nature Moncton members or not.