Nature Moncton Nature News: Sept 30 2017

NATURE MONCTON’S INFORMATION LINE – 30 September 2017 (Saturday)

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Transcript by: Catherine Clements

Info Line #: 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)

**Dave Christie got a call from Sharon Wells at 7:25 a.m. this morning that a strange bird flew across the road in front of her, near civic #5095 Route 114 in the Shepody area. It was the CRESTED CARACARA [Caracara du Nord], so it is still around and seems to enjoy making itself more visible in the mornings.

**We often see shorebirds standing on one leg with the other tucked up into the feathers. One site Georges Brun came across explains it as a method to reduce the heat loss in the unfeathered parts. The explanation is explained at the attached link. Check it out for your perusal. If it will not open for you copy and paste it into your browser

birdnote.org/show/why-birds-stand-one-leg

**The HUDSONIAN GODWITS [Barge hudsonienne] and HORNED LARKS [Alouette hausse-col] are continuing their visit to Hay Island. Aldo Dorio got photos of them again on Friday.

**Mushrooms seem to be emerging this week, regardless of the dry conditions in some areas. Jack Perry sends a photo of a FLY AGARIC [Amanite tue-mouches], a very common Mushroom that sprouts up in lawns, woods, and a variety of habitats. It is not an edible, due to its hallucinogenic properties that are not necessarily pleasant.

**Brian Stone came across a sizable group of freshly-emerged Mushrooms at Cornhill Nursery on September 15th. The photos suggest them to be the MALODOROUS LEPIOTA, one we don’t tend to find all that often. They have a white spore print,, very pungent odour and the flesh does not reddish when cut or bruised. It is not an edible as considered toxic. A link to learn more on it is http://www.mushroomexpert.com/lepiota_cristata.html

Brian visited Mapleton Park on Friday afternoon to find lots of activity in the ponds there, to include 2 male WOOD DUCKS [Canard branchu], 6+ AMERICAN WIGEONS [Canard d'Amérique], 4+ NORTHERN SHOVELER DUCKS [Canard souchet], and MALLARD DUCKS [Canard colvert]. The photos really show the massive bill of the Northern Shoveler. The males are still in remnants of eclipse plumage, but it will not be long before these species take on their more colourful breeding plumage well ahead of spring, that would seem a long way away yet. Brian also noted BEAR scat and a COMMON YELLOWTHROAT WARBLER [Paruline masqué] in the park.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton