Nature Moncton Nature News: Sept 21 2019

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, September 21, 2019 (Saturday)

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Transcript by: Catherine Clements

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

**Louise and Glen Nichols have set up a trail camera around their Aulac property and have some interesting, especially nocturnal, visitors. There has been some BLACK BEAR [Ours noir] sign around the property, but no evidence of the real McCoy until recently, when two Black Bears put in a cameo appearance. The bear in image (a) appeared to be followed by a smaller one in image (b). The same camera captured a photo of an apparent wild feline, showing as much smaller than the bear, as it was taken from the same location and distance. By default, this should be a BOBCAT [Lynx roux], as they are much more common in southeastern New Brunswick. However, the legs do appear quite long like those of a LYNX [Lynx]. The telltale tail tip markings and footpad size are not clear, but the footpads do appear smaller than a Lynx’s would be. Trail cameras are widely used in the hunting fraternity, and they get great surprise photos. Naturalists are starting to use them more and more, and as well, getting lots of surprises.

**Susan Richards shares some interesting activity in their Taylor Village yard. A male BELTED KINGFISHER [Martin-pêcheur d'Amérique] stopped by to check out their yard pond. A GREEN FROG [Grenouille verte] stayed very still, in the event the visitor may be an amphibian connoisseur. Susan also had a doe WHITE-TAILED DEER [Chevreuil] in their yard, with two young of the year fawns. One fawn still has some faint fawn spotting, while the other appears to have lost its spots. Susan had two does with fawns around, so is not sure if both of these are mothered by this doe, or if she has adopted one. I would be suspicious these are indeed twins, and one has developed faster than its sibling.

**It’s quote day, and I’m going to quote an interesting scenario given by Yves Poussart, which is as follows.

“Following a successful visit to Petit-Cap last Monday (Sept. 16), Yves Poussart contacted the Biology professor Diana Hamilton at Mount Allison University, to ask her if the tagged Semipalmated Sandpipers he had seen and photographed were part of her research program. Some of his photos were attached to the email. Yes, they are. She then put me in contact with her graduate student Rebeca Linhart who keeps the banding data. During this season, they tagged / flagged 811 birds between the Northumberland Strait and the Bay of Fundy. Among other things, they are specifically interested in whether birds tagged in one area move to another or if they stick to particular areas within the region. Some birds received a nanotag to be able to track them with the Motus Wildlife Tracking System. From the information Yves received, 6 of those seen on Sept. 16 were flagged at Petit-Cap on September 12th or 13th, 5 were flagged on August 3rd and N2P was tagged with a nanotag on August 16th. They were happy to hear that these sandpipers survived the hurricane and still going strong at Petit-Cap. They welcome any additional information. “

It has been pleasant to have recent contact with Diana Hamilton, who pointed out the program is done in cooperative combination with the Mount Allison shorebird research team led by Diana, and Climate and Environment Change Canada, led by Julie Paquet with Bird Studies Canada. They do incredible work, and any way we naturalists can help with reporting tagged birds is very helpful citizen science.

**An insect photo submitted by Aldo Dorio on August 15th was sent to BugGuide. They

found the photo took time to confirm, but feel it is the BLACK AND YELLOW MUD DAUBER [Pélopée maçonne]. This is a solitary Wasp [Guêpe] that makes mud nests, usually in a group, then deposits an egg and a paralyzed insect (often a Spider [Araignée]) in the closed chamber for the hatched larva to feed on, to emerge as an adult the next spring. They are non-aggressive wasps.

Ron Steeves’ diabolical behaviour has been up to no good, so I’m going to quote a recent report from Ron that I’m sure he will follow up on when he gets a report from Mr. Tingley to settle the mystery. From the pen (fingers) of Ron Steeves comes the following:

“We cut a couple of large spruce trees down in our back yard last fall and this bird showed up on one the other day. It seems to be sticking around and is not disturbed by the lawn mower. I am wondering if I can count it on my yard list or life list but need help to identify the species. It seems a bit flat on the head as it must have crashed into a tree. I sent this photo to Stu Tingley. Maybe he can identify it and put it on the bird alert.”

A clear photo is attached to assist Mr. Tingley in making an appropriate decision as to whether it should go to the New Brunswick Birds Records Committee or be sacrificed for Don McAlpine at the New Brunswick Museum, to be preserved in perpetuity.

**The YELLOW BEAR CATERPILLAR [chenille de la Diacrisie de Virginie] contributed by Marguerite Winsor ten days ago with the potted Mums [Chrysanthème] it was found on is doing great and seeming very content. It has grown in size somewhat and is devouring the mum petals at a surprising rate. Really interesting to watch its progression.

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton