Dear All,
   Over the last few days I have seen several copies of a tiny
elongated insect; ~0.3 mm wide, 3mm long, dark, narrow transparent wings
held horizontal in line with and over body.
   At 6x it suggest Hymenoptera of some kind.
   Does this approximate description ring any bells ? I do not recall
having seen these in previous years.
YT DW, Kentville
Monarchs are in the province and laying eggs at this time. I have surveying several plots of milkweed in my area over the last couple of weeks. There are fewer adult Monarchs this year than we have had in the last couple of years but I have found them in about half of the plots.
Our large field of milkweed has at least 3 (maybe 4) this year and we have collected nearly 30 eggs and larvae for protection inside. At the present time the larvae are just emerging from eggs and are in the first or second instar and are very small.
In a week's time the caterpillars will have grown and will be larger and easier to see. It will be also the beginning of the annual Mission-Monarch Blitz that citizen scientists are asked to help with. The blitz is the week between 27 July and 2 August. If you know of milkweed plots, I urge you to survey them and report all the Monarchs that you see, whether egg, caterpillar, chrysalis or adult.
The Monarch Monitoring Blitz is international and information is available
http://www.namonarchs.org/international-monarch-monitoring-blitz/
In Canada we are asked to report our results to Mission-Monarch at
https://www.mission-monarch.org/
The Monarch is listed as one of the endangered species in Nova Scotia and we need to know how it is doing during its breeding season here. So please help.
Larry
Larry Bogan
Brooklyn Corner, Nova Scotia
Hi all:
Today at the Back Oler Farm Marsh in Garden Lots there were 78 short-billed dowitchers, seven greater yellowlegs, six lesser yellowlegs and three willets.
James R. Hirtle
LaHave
Wildflowers of Nova Scotia:
a pocket guide to common native flowers and shrubs
“This book fills a useful gap in Nova Scotia: it is a pocket-sized, accessibly-written, and beautifully-imaged reference guide for identification of common wildflower species and groups in the Province. The guide is written for the average reader and slips easily into a pocket. This book will help Nova Scotians from many different backgrounds to engage with the botanical world in a user-friendly way, and it will probably join its owners for more hikes and walks than other guides.â€
–Dr. Sean R. Haughian, Curator of Botany, Nova Scotia Museum.
170 species of plant; 75 pages of full colour photographs with text to aid identification.
Size: 10 cm by 17 cm, waterproof and spiral bound. It fits easily into a pocket
published by Blomidon Naturalists Society, June 2020
Price: $20 ($4 for postage)
Available from: https://blomidonnaturalists.ca/publications/
Patrick Kelly
159 Town Road
Falmouth NS B0P 1L0
Canada
(902) 472-2322
Nobody here has mentioned Corvid 19 as a probable cause so I guess I'll
do it.
Don
Don MacNeill donmacneill(a)bellaliant.net
On 7/9/2020 11:05 AM, Sean Dzafovic wrote:
> I've heard that crows gather around and have "funerals" because they
> are trying to determine what happened to their fellow corvid and if
> it's a danger to others.
>
> Sean Dzafovic
>
> On Thu, Jul 9, 2020 at 9:09 AM Anne Woolaver <awoolave(a)hotmail.com
> <mailto:awoolave@hotmail.com>> wrote:
>
> Don,
>
> Of the two possibilities presented, mourning or lurking, logic
> would suggest that the former is more likely.
>
> If you're planning to ambush someone, it works better if you don't
> round up 50 of your pals and then all advertise your presence.
>
> I'd like to think crows are smart enough to know that!
>
> (And of course, their behavior could mean something else entirely.)
>
> AW
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> *From:* Don MacNeill <donmacneill(a)bellaliant.net
> <mailto:donmacneill@bellaliant.net>>
> *Sent:* July 8, 2020 9:03 AM
> *To:* NaturenNS <naturens(a)chebucto.ns.ca
> <mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>>
> *Subject:* [Naturens] Re: Crow fledgling DEAD, IWK driveway
> It is so easy to attribute human behaviour to these events. You
> wonder if they are mourning the dead bird or waiting for the
> killer so they can dive-bomb him.
>
> Don
>
> Don MacNeill donmacneill(a)bellaliant.net
> <mailto:donmacneill@bellaliant.net>
> On 7/8/2020 8:55 AM, Anne Woolaver wrote:
>> This morning before 8:30, there was a fledgling crow dead in the
>> middle of the University Avenue driveway (between the play garden
>> and the parkade), with mostly adult plumage but still some downy
>> feathers. Dozens of "mourners", all nicely physically-distanced,
>> lined the rooftops of both the IWK Children's site and the
>> parkade, with others flying in and wheeling overhead, all
>> vocalizing loudly. I picked up a discarded Timmies cup and
>> managed to slide the corpse off to the side, next to the curb. No
>> one dive-bombed me, so perhaps they appreciated the gesture.
>>
>> So much parental effort, for naught except the experience.
>>
>> A. Woolaver
>>
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There was a very white buck out in an open field between Melanson and
Wallbrook, Kings Co., today. He is not albino, in my opinion, as his eyes
don't appear pink and he does have some shading. His antlers are still in
velvet but he seems to have 6-8 points i.e. no youngster. This link should
take you directly to his photo. Two following ones show normal deer with
him.
https://rickwhitman.smugmug.com/Nature/Mammals/i-w845TFF/A
Regards,
Rick W.
A pair of Loons on L Torment, E Dalhousie, Kings Co, were seen several days ago with two newly hatched chicks. A person out kayaking this morning related this incident:
"Tuesday morning I was kayaking and watched them from a safe distance. While I was watching the two parents and two chicks, another loon came into view. One parent fought the intruder while the other parent stayed between the fighting two and the chicks. After a bit the intruder was no longer seen. I watched them for awhile, both parents reunited with the chicks and swam together for awhile. That was between 7-8 a.m. this morning. At 1 p.m. I saw them again and there was only one chick. I saw them again around two, still only one chick.â€
She found an article indicating that such behaviour between Loons is fairly common and attacks by a territorial intruder are a big source of mortality among Loon chicks. I had never seen nor heard of such behaviour and wonder if anyone here who observes Loons may have any further insights.
Of course, whether the third Loon killed the chick in this case is unknown, although likely. One can never rule out the ever-patrolling eagles.
Thanks
Nancy D
The Tree Swallows got away just past their usual date of July 1st. They have
returned several times to swoop about the property. It seems so quiet now
they have left. Starlings raised several families here as have Sparrows both
Song and White Throated.. The Orioles are still here and must be feeding
young. I head great commotion yesterday when a young Raven decided to go
aboard their nest. I am not sure what happened but last sight of the raven
it was being attacked by the male Oriole and feathers were flying. I feared
for any survivors but the female has been coming regularly today to the
hummingbird feeders. (I tried Bananas, oranges and watermelon, none of those
were shown any interest. ) Just about noon, a very soggy looking male turned
up at one of the feeders and seems to be back in business.
I have yet to see a Monarch around anywhere in the past month. My milkweed
is flourishing despite a few nibbles from a young deer most likely. This is
very unusual. Actually we aren't seeing butterflies in general, likely due
to the fog. I am not seeing but the occasional bees, wasps or Hornets. Very
strange.
We have a lots of Earwigs though, if anyone is short a few. We'll happily
share.
Beat reagrds, stay safe, wash hands and enjoy life.
"Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul
And sings the tunes without the words
And never stops-at all." (Emily Dickinson)
