Nature Moncton Nature News: Jan 30 2018

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, January 30, 2018 ( Tuesday )

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

Transcript by: Brian Stone bjpstone@gmail.com

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

** Jean Paul Leblanc photographed an adult BALD EAGLE [Pygargue à tête blanche] keeping an eye on the action around the Bouctouche Rotary Park on Sunday. There is often one on sentry duty there.

** Aldo Dorio photographed some COMMON MERGANSERS [Grand Harle] enjoying the cold water in Tracadie on Monday. It's hard to believe that they will enjoy the warm waters of summer as much.

** The next, upcoming Nature Moncton event will be the "Track, Scat and Sign Workshop" on this coming Saturday, February 03, at the Tankville school starting at 10:00 am. If conditions are right we will head out along some of the trails near the school after the indoor workshop to look for tracks, trails and scat. If time allows we will take note of some winter buds on trees. This is something that we don't tend to take too much note of, yet every tree species sports a different winter bud. Field trips for tracks can be "iffy" but the long term forecast is looking rather good. The write up is attached below and at the website at www. naturemoncton.com.

NATURE MONCTON

MINIWORKSHOP AND FIELD TRIP

WINTER TRACKS, SCAT AND MORE

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 3, 2018.

STARTING 10:00AM AT THE TANKVILLE SCHOOL

WHO’S BEEN THERE AND WHO DONE IT!

The tracks, trails, and scat left behind in winter snow can tell us lots about who’s been there and maybe what they’ve been up to. Looking for animal tracks, trails, and scat can add a whole new dimension to a winter cross country ski or snowshoe sortie. Let’s spend an indoor session with Nelson Poirier looking at tracks and trails, the paws/hooves that made them, and put the two together to know how the behaviour of the animal may decide the particular trail left. And yes, we’ll look at those telltale droppings of scat too!

Meeting time will be 10:00 am at the Tankville School. We will spend a few hours as “class time”. As an option for those who wish, we will then head out into a few areas of the adjacent Irishtown Nature Park and put theory to practice. If the conditions are poor for track observation, there will be lots of winter buds to peruse and whatever else catches attention.

The Tankville School is located at 1665 Elmwood Dr., 1.9 km north of the Irishtown Nature Park and just before the Royal Oakes Golf Course. Bring a lunch, dress warmly; bring snowshoes if appropriate, and the normal enthusiasm.

A fee of $8 will be requested at the door to cover expenses.

All are welcome, Nature Moncton member or not. Bring a friend.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton