[NatureNS] nature trip to Port Bickerton and area, - longish

From: Ken McKenna <kenmcken@eastlink.ca>
To: NatureNS <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Date: Thu, 11 Jul 2013 23:30:28 -0300
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Ken McKenna
Box 218 Stellarton NS
B0K 1S0
902 752-7644

Hi all
Yesterday, July 10, Adele Johnson, John Crabtree and I made a little =
trip to Port Bickerton (Guys) with a goal of finding the Round-leaf Rein =
Orchid (Platanthera obtusata) that last year in this forum, Rick Ballard =
had mentioned was in bloom just off the trails near the lighthouse. =
Thanks for the directions Rick.=20

On the road to the light there were a series of shallow brackish =
pools/ponds. We were puzzled by a plant growing in the pond with =
submerged and exposed parts. None of us had knowingly encountered this =
plant before and we took some photos plus a specimen. It was quite =
common and vaguely resembled horsetails, but likely a flowering plant. =
Wild Radish and Cow Parsnip were other plants noted.  I was happy to see =
my first Northern Blue butterflies of the year along the boggy areas =
along the road in. [back home we were able to ID the pond plant as =
Mare's Tail ( Hippuris vulgaris) and it was confirmed by Nick Hill.=20

With Rick's directions, we were able to see 50+ RL Rein Orchids  in the =
wooded area ( mostly conifer) along the start of trail H just up from =
the little toll booth staffed by a young gal who had no clue what an =
orchid was. Wood Sorrel and  mats of Twin Flowers were in nice bloom.  =
We continued along the trail and ran out of the Rein orchid as the woods =
approached the bog; however in the bog were lots of Calopogon orchid in =
fine bloom. There were quite a number of Bakeapple plants in the bog =
with not as much fruit as one would expect ( fruit not ripe). =
Surprisingly there was still some Labrador Tea in bloom. Foxberry was =
still in bloom and we saw some crowberries. Northern Blues were abundant =
in the bog. Rick had mentioned the presence of Leather-leaf Grape-fern =
back of the beach dunes, but my companions were distracted by dozens of =
plants along the shore just beginning to bloom and one they had not seen =
before. No obvious matches could be found in the Newcombs in my pack so =
we took lots of photos. I had seen this plant before at Sober I. but had =
never been able to ID it. On the way to the lighthouse from the beach we =
came upon a rather nice large patch of One-flowered Pyrola. [back in the =
vehicle Adele found a photo of our mystery plant in the Primrose- Zinck =
book- Senecio Pseudo-Arnica- Sea Beach Groundsel or Beach-Senecio


Birds present along the trail included a couple singing Blackpoll =
Warblers, Lincoln's Sparrow,and Nelson's Sparrow as well as Boreal =
Chickadee. There were 40 DC Cormorants, 18 C. Eider and a handful of =
Northern Gannets passing by. Breeding Willets and Spotted Sandpipers =
were present and scolding visitors in the parking lot. I remember =
Yellow-bellied Flycatchers here other years, but I did not detect any =
today.=20

Butterflies were few only the Northern Blue ( lots in the bog off trail =
H) , Northern Crescent, Arctic Skipper and Cabbage White-the latter =
escaped before I got my photo.=20

We had a quick look at Fisherman's Harbour and noted lack of terns here =
where I think they have bred in the past. Also lacking were the Northern =
Blues that were only a few km away at Bickerton. I was able to photo a =
single Long-dash Skipper.=20

Further down the road we stopped at the big bog between the Country =
Harbour ferry and Fisherman's Harbour. The bog again was lush with =
Calopogon- some were quite pale and approaching white. A single Arethusa =
was noted in bloom.=20

We headed back to Pictou Co. stopping in St. Pauls where I showed my =
botany companions some Canada Lily just coming into bloom. Feverwort =
plants were noted in fruit and Enchanter's Nightshade was abundant and =
in bloom. I managed a shot of a Least Skipper here, my first of the year =
I think.=20

In Stellarton we looked at a patch of Common Milkweed just starting to =
bloom-no evidence of Monarch presence yet.
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<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>Ken McKenna<BR>Box 218 Stellarton =
NS<BR>B0K=20
1S0<BR>902 752-7644<BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>Hi all</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>Yesterday, July 10, Adele Johnson, John =
Crabtree=20
and I made a little trip to Port Bickerton&nbsp;(Guys) with a goal of =
finding=20
the <STRONG>Round-leaf Rein Orchid</STRONG> =
<EM><STRONG>(</STRONG></EM><SPAN=20
size=3D"+0"><STRONG>Platanthera obtusata</STRONG>) </SPAN>that last year =
in this=20
forum, Rick Ballard had mentioned was in bloom just off the trails near =
the=20
lighthouse. Thanks for the directions Rick. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>On the road&nbsp;to the light there =
were a series=20
of shallow&nbsp;brackish pools/ponds. We were puzzled by a plant growing =
in the=20
pond with&nbsp;submerged and exposed parts. None of us had knowingly =
encountered=20
this plant before and we took some photos plus a specimen. It was quite =
common=20
and vaguely resembled horsetails, but likely a flowering plant. =
<STRONG>Wild=20
Radish</STRONG> and <STRONG>Cow Parsnip</STRONG> were&nbsp;other plants =
noted.=20
&nbsp;I was happy to see my first <STRONG>Northern Blue</STRONG> =
butterflies of=20
the year along the boggy areas along the road in. [back home we were =
able to ID=20
the pond plant as <STRONG>Mare's Tail ( </STRONG><FONT size=3D3=20
face=3D"Times New Roman"><STRONG>Hippuris vulgaris</STRONG>) and it was =
confirmed=20
by Nick Hill. </FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>With Rick's directions, we were able to =
see=20
<STRONG>50+&nbsp;RL Rein Orchids</STRONG>&nbsp; in the wooded area ( =
mostly=20
conifer)&nbsp;along the start of trail H just up from the little toll =
booth=20
staffed by a young gal who had <STRONG>no</STRONG>&nbsp;clue what an =
orchid was.=20
<STRONG>Wood Sorrel</STRONG> and&nbsp; mats of <STRONG>Twin =
Flowers</STRONG>=20
were in nice bloom. &nbsp;We continued along the trail&nbsp;and ran out=20
of&nbsp;the Rein&nbsp;orchid as the woods approached the bog; however in =
the bog=20
were lots of <STRONG>Calopogon</STRONG> orchid in fine bloom. There were =
quite a=20
number of <STRONG>Bakeapple</STRONG> plants in the bog with not as much =
fruit as=20
one would expect ( fruit not ripe). Surprisingly there was still some=20
<STRONG>Labrador Tea</STRONG> in bloom. <STRONG>Foxberry </STRONG>was =
still in=20
bloom and we saw some <STRONG>crowberries</STRONG>. <STRONG>Northern=20
Blues</STRONG> were abundant in the bog. </FONT><FONT size=3D2 =
face=3DArial>Rick had=20
mentioned the presence of <STRONG>Leather-leaf Grape-fern </STRONG>back =
of the=20
beach dunes, but my companions were&nbsp;distracted by&nbsp;dozens=20
of&nbsp;plants along the shore just beginning to bloom and one they had =
not seen=20
before. No obvious matches could be found in the Newcombs in my pack so =
we took=20
lots of photos. I had seen this plant before at Sober I. but had never =
been able=20
to ID it. On the way to the lighthouse from the beach we came upon a =
rather nice=20
large patch of <STRONG>One-flowered Pyrola</STRONG>. [back in the =
vehicle Adele=20
found a photo of our mystery plant in the Primrose- Zinck book- <FONT=20
size=3D3><STRONG>Senecio Pseudo-Arnica- Sea Beach Groundsel or=20
Beach-Senecio</STRONG></FONT>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>Birds present along the trail included =
a couple=20
singing <STRONG>Blackpoll Warblers</STRONG>, <STRONG>Lincoln's=20
Sparrow</STRONG>,and <STRONG>Nelson's Sparrow&nbsp;</STRONG>as well as=20
<STRONG>Boreal Chickadee</STRONG>.&nbsp;There were 40 <STRONG>DC=20
Cormorants</STRONG>, 18 <STRONG>C. Eider</STRONG> and a handful of=20
<STRONG>Northern Gannets</STRONG> passing by. Breeding =
<STRONG>Willets</STRONG>=20
and <STRONG>Spotted Sandpipers</STRONG> were present and scolding =
visitors in=20
the parking lot. I remember Yellow-bellied Flycatchers here other years, =
but I=20
did <STRONG>not </STRONG>detect any today. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>Butterflies were few only the =
<STRONG>Northern=20
Blue</STRONG> ( lots in the bog off trail H) , <STRONG>Northern=20
Crescent</STRONG>, <STRONG>Arctic Skipper</STRONG>&nbsp;and =
<STRONG>Cabbage=20
White</STRONG>-the latter escaped before&nbsp;I got my photo. =
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>We had a quick look at Fisherman's =
Harbour and=20
noted lack of terns here where I think they have bred in the past. Also =
lacking=20
were the Northern Blues that were only a few km away at Bickerton. I was =
able to=20
photo a single <STRONG>Long-dash Skipper</STRONG>. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>Further down the road we stopped at the =
big bog=20
between the Country Harbour ferry and Fisherman's Harbour. The bog again =
was=20
lush with <STRONG>Calopogon- </STRONG>some were quite pale and =
approaching=20
white. A single <STRONG>Arethusa</STRONG> was noted in bloom. =
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>We headed back to Pictou Co. stopping =
in St. Pauls=20
where I showed my botany companions some <STRONG>Canada Lily</STRONG> =
just=20
coming into bloom. <STRONG>Feverwort</STRONG> plants were noted in fruit =
and=20
<STRONG>Enchanter's Nightshade</STRONG> was abundant and in bloom. I =
managed a=20
shot of a <STRONG>Least Skipper</STRONG> here, my first of the year I =
think.=20
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>In Stellarton we looked at a patch of=20
<STRONG>Common Milkweed</STRONG> just starting to bloom-no evidence of =
Monarch=20
presence yet.</DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>

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