NATURE
MONCTON NATURE NEWS
June 3, 2025
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 the editor at nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com and the proofreader
Louise Nichols at 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 Nichols nicholsl@eastlink.ca
To
view the live feed of the Peregrine Falcon nest cam on the summit of Assumption
Place in Moncton, go to:
**For those who may have missed the recent presentation to Nature Moncton by Megan Boucher or may want to listen to it again, the recording of that presentation is available for viewing at the link below:
**There have been no photos yet this season of a black-throated blue warbler, but Deanna Fenwick was able to find
just that when she captured a photo of a beautiful vocalizing male at the
Irishtown Nature Park.
**Norbert Dupuis shares another of his
special yard photographic moments as a male rose-breasted grosbeak
visited his yard.
**It’s that time of year to start enjoying
the pink lady's slipper bursting into bloom.
Penny Clark has been watching one for a week
or so. It finally let its blossom open on Monday, with another one beside it
coming along. The timing is the same week as last year.
**We are not posting many ruby-throated hummingbirds
anymore as we have grown accustomed to their antics by now. However, a photograph
by David Lilly shows something that may confuse some people when we see a dark
throat instead of a ruby throat. The ruby throat of the male usually flashes
like a flag; however, when light is low, as at dusk or on a dark day, that
throat may look very dark, as David’s photo shows. The throat of the female and
juvenile birds is very clearly white.
**A group of Nature Miramichi members paid a
visit to River-Trail Orchard Farm on Wednesday morning, and what a refreshing
experience it was. This is a family farm operated by Jane, Tim,
Lydia, and Micah Baines.
The farm consists of a large fruit orchard
and open fields where the grass is not cut until July to allow the surprising
number of bobolinks to complete nesting. There were many bobolinks
flying about and vocalizing, all male, suggesting there were probably twice as
many as females that would be on nests.
The massive number of blooms at their peak was
attracting many cedar waxwings enjoying harvesting petals, and an equally massive number of bees busy pollinating as they gathered nectar
and pollen.
For some reason, large masses of ground ivy
seemed to enjoy growing under the trees. Hawthorne, in full bloom, was
also eye candy.
Herbicides and pesticides have limited use if
at all to allow free range for pollinators.
A very worn American lady butterfly
was observed, which can be expected to be worn as this species migrates in from
the south, but egg laying will soon provide freshly minted butterflies.
This farm is open to the public with a farm
store, limited camping opportunities, and other events, which are all a work in
progress.
Their website is https://www.rivertrailorchardandfarm.com/ located at Bryenton, 4460, Route 108.
Nelson Poirier.
Nature Moncton
