Observations: May 24, 1995 Time: 10:30 am Weather: Hot and Sunny, cool breeze from bay

Fish Hunter in the Sky From the trail lookout over the bay you may see an eagle sized, long-winged bird gliding by carrying a fish, torpedo-style , in its feet. This bird of prey is an Osprey (Pahndion haliaetus) who hunts for fish from high flight along the shallow coastal waters. The Osprey has grey-white underparts streaked with dark feathers on the breast, a dark back and wings, and a black streak across its eyes. Spiny projections on the bottom of its feet help the Osprey hold its slippery dinner tightly. Ospreys build large stick nests in the tall trees along the coastal waters.
New Brunswick's Sensitive Ferns Fiddleheads found under dead leaves along damp trails in Irving Nature Park are not good to eat. The pink curled fiddleheads are the Sensitive Fern (Onocles sensibilis) that grows tall (91.5 cm) with triangualar deep-cut fronds. At the end of the summer the fronds fall off, leaving behind dark brown beans attached to the fern stalk. Where you see a dry, beaded stalk, you'll find new fern fiddleheads.
Ladybugs Signal Spring's Arrival The small glossy red-backed insects scuttling on the forest floor are Ladybird beetles (Adalia bipunctata)., waking up from their winter hibernation. Their bright shiny red wing covers with a black dot in the centre make this black beetle easy to see. In the spring Ladybirds lay masses of spherical yellow or orange eggs on the underside of plants infested with aphids. When the larvae hatch the aphids become their food supply. Canadian children changed the insect's name to "lady bug" for the old nursery rhyme "Lady bug, Lady bug, fly away home".

The Naturalist's Notebook is published quarterly. If you have any questions or topics that you would like to see addressed, please call John Gilbert, Manager, Fish and Wildlife, J.D. Irving, Limited, (506) 632-7777.