New Brunswick: Last Stops

 

On June 8, 2012, we left Prince Edward Island by the Confederation Bridge, the longest span over ice-covered waters in the world (1.9 km).  The company that operates it argues that the bridge, opened in 1997 after a great deal of controversy, is an environmental plus because it reduces the fuel expenditures of the old ferry system by 90%.

 

Just off the other end of the bridge, back in New Brunswick, the Cape Jourimain Nature Centre features a number of trails and a wetland area where we made a brief stop so I could chase a few dragonflies.

Leucorrhinia dragonflies can be tricky to identify. This, though, can be identified as a male Hudsonian Whiteface (Leucorrhinia hudsonica), a widespread species in northern and western North America, by the row of red spots along top of its abdomen.

This is probably a female, with the red replaced by yellow.

The only other species I found was the Four-spotted Skimmer (Libellula quadrimaculata).

This is one of the most widespread of dragonflies.  Besides its North American range, it is found throughout much of Europe and northern Asia (it is known in Britain as the Four-spotted Chaser).  Though distinctive, it is not (to my eye) one of our handsomer odonates.

My eye was caught by this attractive emergent plant - but my botanical knowledge did not engage, and I have no idea what it is.

Before leaving New Brunswick we detoured briefly through Kouchibouguac National Park, a coastal area of marshland and forest where beavers have obviously had a lot to do with the look of the landscape.

Kouchibouguac is certainly worth more time than we were able to give it, but we were on our way home to Ontario, and had a lot of ground to cover.