NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS
September 16, 2025
Nature Moncton members as well as
any naturalist in New Brunswick or beyond are invited to share their photos and
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**The
first Nature Moncton meeting of the season is on for tonight, Tuesday September 16,
on wild mushrooms. The drought has surely held the fall flush of mushrooms at bay,
but be assured, they are there waiting to explode into action with the first
fall moisture events, and we will be ready!
I was
sure surprised to drop by David and Anita Cannon’s home on Sunday evening and
see approximately 50 beautiful horse mushrooms at their prime and in dry soil!!
Take a look around for surprise specimens.
All
details
Wild Mushrooms
Tuesday, September 16 at 7:00 PM
Moncton Rotary Lodge
Speaker: Nelson Poirier
Mushrooms always seem to
attract the attention of naturalists, especially in fall as nights cool.
September and October usually are the prime months for these gems to appear,
but dry conditions can affect that.
Nelson Poirier will give
a presentation on Tuesday, September 16, to delve into the magic of the world
of mushrooms, where they come from, what they’re up to, some clues to identify
some of the common ones especially those incredible edibles, as well as ones to
avoid and why, or whatever participants want to hear about or contribute to the
exchange.
Participants are asked
to start gathering specimens up to 5 days in advance to set up show-and-tell
tables, where specimens can be identified and discussed. Try to gather fresh
specimens where possible. Place them in a paper bag or with damp moss in a flat
container and refrigerate with a large felt marker labeled "Do Not
Eat." Do not store them in
plastic bags. The collections participants bring in will be an important
part of the event, as we will get to see a much greater variety of specimens
this way than on an outing to just one habitat.
(This could be a tall
order this season!)
As always, all are
welcome, Nature Moncton member or not. Just bring your enthusiasm and mushrooms
if possible!
This presentation will
be given in person but it is also available on the zoom link below and anyone
anywhere is welcome to join in.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83529464672?pwd=bbP8MWqwz37da5NNEheuK7zaaMjMcb.1
**Brian Coyle did spot a beautiful mushroom in its prime high in an
oak tree on Saturday, which we will see tonight. The photo is in today’s line-up, but
identity withheld to increase anticipation.
It’s a beauty!
**Shannon Inman
photographed a deer fly (a type of louse fly) that moves quickly sideways
like a crab and feeds on blood, which can cause severe itching and can
potentially carry pathogens.
Shannon also watched a distant double-crested
cormorant attempt to eat what is presumably a fish numerous times, but
finally gave up and left, realizing its eyes may have underestimated the size of
its prey.
**Brian Stone adds a few excellent photos of a solitary
sandpiper he was able to photograph at the Reid McManus nature reserve
recently.
Brian also went mushroom hunting in
Mapleton Park on Monday but found nothing to bring to the mushroom workshop on
Tuesday evening. Everything was just too dry, it seems. He did manage to get a
distant photo of a female pileated woodpecker in a tree top but that was
all for the day.
(Don’t be discouraged, folks. Brian
looks up for birds. You often have to look down for mushrooms!)
Nelson Poirier
Nature Moncton
