Nature Moncton Nature News: April 5 2020

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, April 5, 2020 (Sunday)

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Transcript by: David Christie maryspt@mac.com

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

** It’s that time of year when the SNOWSHOE HARE [Lievre d’Amérique] and the WEASELS [Belettes] start to make the dramatic pelage change from winter white to summer brown to provide them with the camouflage from predators for the hare to camouflage from potential prey for the weasels. Jim Saunders got an excellent photo of a Snowshoe Hare in the process of making that transition. It’s a real balancing act. If the change comes on too early their camouflage is not effective. Jim’s photo shows the hare in transition, maybe a bit early for its surroundings. However, it’s the day length that triggers the change, so here it comes ready or not.

** The KILLDEER [Pluvier kildir] are arriving nicely. Jane LeBlanc saw one at St. Martins beach on Saturday morning, the first that she has seen this year. A large section of kelp was washed up on the shore after the recent high winds. Note the holdfast that normally holds this underwater forest in place on the rocky substrate which has let go.

Jane also comments that TURKEY VULTURES [Urubu à tête rouge] are now in significant numbers, flying about St. Martins. Her photo nicely captured that pale portion of the primary and secondary wing feathers that is obvious on a Turkey Vulture in flight.

** Brian Coyle got some photos of WHITE-TAILED DEER [Cerf de Virginie] grazing in fields at Pré-d’en-Haut recently. They are looking in excellent flesh, having enjoyed a good winter in southeastern New Brunswick. No sign of pelage shedding yet to take on their chestnut-coloured summer garb.

Brian also had a visit from a CEDAR WAXWING [Jaseur d’Amérique] in his yard on Friday morning, likely an overwintering bird as those that migrate tend to come back later.

** Mike Plourde shares a visitor that he captured with his trail camera, a BOBCAT [Lynx roux] at Indian Mountain, recently. It shows nicely the bi-coloured tip of the bob-tail, black on top, white under. It also shows the relatively small footpads of the Bobcat, compared to what a Lynx [Lynx du Canada] would have. Take a look at the action at the attached link.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/yjmt7cw88mcipgu/Bobcat%2001%20Mike%20Plourde%20.AVI?dl=0

** Daryl Doucet spotted the SNOW GEESE [Oie des neiges] that seem to be slowly swelling in numbers in the fields on either side of the Petitcodiac River, seen from the Turtle Creek Church area and across the river from the Salisbury Road side. Daryl spotted 3 on Saturday from the Salisbury Road. He alerted me and I went out to the spot and was able to walk down a field using hay bales as cover to get a bit closer. There were 5 Snow Geese in a flock of approximately 300 CANADA GEESE [Bernache du Canada]. The 5 really kept close together within the flock. I also saw them take flight and again the 5 stuck very close together.

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton