NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS
October 21, 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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courtesy of Louise Nichols at nicholsl@eastlink.ca
The Pectoral
sandpiper is a juvenile and the Hooded Merganser was in a group of five far
across the pond.
On Sunday,
October 20, Gordon visited the Prosser Brook UNESCO Lookout. This is the
location that was cancelled for rain earlier in the fall. Gordon
found the path to be very colourful with its bed of leaves. The path is part of
the Dobson trail foot path. There is a marker on this section that
indicates the 34 KM point on the pathway. The lookout looks back, in
part, at the Kent Hills wind turbine farm.
**Christine Antle has been enjoying the company of American Lady Butterflies on the last of the marigold plants in her garden this week. The warm afternoon temperatures have the butterflies out nectaring.
**Susan Richards captured a photo of a Red-bellied Snake to show the striking reddish underbelly of this small snake that we
don’t often get to see.
**Black-crowned Night-Herons appear to be finding the
Neguac wharf a destination stop.
Aldo Dorio photographed a juvenile Black-crowned Night-Heron
there on Sunday and also got a documentary photo of a Sanderling near
the wharf.
**Tony Thomas sends word that finally, after seven nights without any moths, three species were in the trap on the morning of 20 September 2024.
- male Fall Cankerworm, named after its
caterpillar; the female lacks wings and looks more like a spider than a moth.
- Juniper Carpet, this is an introduced
European species. The caterpillars feed on our garden Juniper.
- The Wedgeling, a very widespread species
occurring over most of North America and as far south as Guatemala.
** Tony Thomas points out that the Northern
Pearly-Eye butterfly Louise Nichols photographed on Oct 19 is a new late record
for the species.
Peak flight is in early July. The absolute latest
record for the Maritimes is Sept 21, so Louise’s Oct 19 record beats it
by many weeks.
Congratulations to Louise!
**Nelson Poirier took note of the variety of berries
on the Nature Moncton field trip to the Sackville Waterfowl Park on Saturday
that will cling to their plant into winter to attract fruit connoisseur birds.
This could make it interesting for expected and unexpected bird visitors.
Berries noted were Mountain Ash, barberry, Multiflora rose, Bittersweet Nightshade,
and Highbush cranberry.
Autumn Meadowhawk dragonflies were surprisingly numerous in the pleasant warm sun.
Nelson Poirier
Nature Moncton
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