Nature Moncton Nature
News
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Proofreading courtesy of
Louise Nichols at nicholsl@eastlink.ca
**Shannon Inman found a
big area of coral mushrooms, one group in a half ring about 12 feet
across, and some in the area were quite large. Like many mushrooms, the coral
group is having an especially good year with the ideal conditions.
She also photographed a late-flying
moth on an outside window. Identification is difficult with this one we don’t
often see, but it is suspected to be the green cloverworm moth.
**We have many beautiful asters
in prime bloom this time of year, but Nelson Poirier was struck by the
brilliant blue of a very large grouping of New England aster, which stood
out among the other seasonally retiring plants.
**Two weeks ago, Deana and Peter Gadd were continuing their trip to Vancouver. Their first full day took them to the obviously not lost, Lost Lagoon of Stanley Park. (This large freshwater pond was once a saltwater lagoon off English Bay- hence its name.) Some of their encounters included a California tortoiseshell butterfly, and several sunbathing red-eared turtles. There was also a glaucous-winged gull swimming in a nearby closed swimming pool that was identified but unverified on iNaturalist as Olympic gull (a hybrid of the g-w gull and the western gull). Joining the gull was a white-fronted goose keeping close company with a cackling goose.
The next day, they took a
trip to the top of Whistler Mountain and were immediately welcomed by a hoary
marmot. Whistler takes its name from this large ground squirrel who has a
loud, piercing whistling alarm call. Apparently, Peter and Deana were not
considered very alarming, as it kept feeding quietly. The elevation was just
above the tree line, the marmots' preferred habitat.
While walking a few hilly
trails, they encountered some birds. A varied thrush refused to pose, and a Clark’s
nutcracker posed just barely enough.
(Editor’s note: it is
interesting to note the cackling goose and the white-fronted goose that are
quite possibly tagging along with some of our Canada goose flocks in New
Brunswick at the moment. The lack of white front around the bill of the white-fronted
goose suggests it may be a juvenile.
One would also wonder if
the red-eared turtle is a released pet, as we unfortunately experience in New
Brunswick as well.
It is always interesting
to be aware of wildlife in other parts of Canada.)
Nelson Poirier
Nature Moncton
