NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, 28 March
2020 (Saturday)
To view the photos mentioned in this
edition go to http://nminfoline.blogspot.ca
To respond by email, please address your
message to the information line editor, nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
Please advise the editor
at nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com if any errors are noted in wording or photo labelling.
Note that corrections, deletions, or delayed additions may not always
appear on the info line and email transcript but will always appear on the
BlogSpot. For this reason, it is recommended that those wishing to look at
historical records use the BlogSpot rather than the email transcript. The
BlogSpot can always be accessed from the website.
For more information on Nature Moncton,
check the website at www.naturemoncton.com
Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
Transcript by: Catherine Clements
Info Line #: 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)
**Judith
Dewar was snowshoeing in woods behind her Springhill Road, Fredericton
home in late February, and heard what sounded very much like a NORTHERN PARULA
WARBLER [Paruline à collier]. She heard it again on March 18th, and this time
got an audio recording, with the link attached below. It is probably not
audible without listening with earphones connected to your device, but if you
can hear it, it sure does sound like a Northern Parula Warbler. It vocalized at
least three times on the audio/video. If you can hear it, I would like to hear
return comments, as a Northern Parula in late February and March on territory
would seem unlikely. Check it out at the attached link.
**We had hoped to get a trail camera
installed to see what was using the winter nest Anita
and David Cannon found in one of their NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL [Petite Nyctale]
nest boxes. That has not happened yet, with present circumstances, but brings
attention to a subject naturalists should be using more. Trail cameras are very
popular with hunters and some limited use with naturalists. Brian Donovan has
developed a passionate hobby of photographing wildlife with still and video
trail cameras, to have seen 20 unique FISHERS
[Pékan], 20+ MARTEN [Martre d'Amérique], 7 unique LYNX [Lynx du Canada],
4-5 RIVER OTTERS [Loutre de rivière], and lots of other wildlife. He shares a
number of videos on a YouTube channel. Search for “Miramichi wildlife” when
you’re in YouTube, and it should be the first channel. I asked Brian about recommendations
and I’m going to quote his suggestions.
Quoting
“Know what you are targeting - Setting a camera in a tree for a Marten will not see the Llynx that walks under it but makes for great Marten Shots.
If you are comfortable using bait (fish etc) to attract animals you will see a lot more - I use suet cages with 1/4 mesh but leave then easy to open. Keeps the jays from emptying them as soon as I leave the site. Once Bears awaken (next 2 weeks?) they will be hungry and will find any bait you have out. Bears are hard on equipment.
Would suggest get the best quality camera you can - 12mp minimum, 20mp preferred, 1080 video
A 20mp costs about $100 cdn delivered - Then batteries (I prefer lithium, last much longer) and SD Cards (I have 2 for each and swap them out)
It’s a great hobby - I've learned a lot especially about fishers and marten.
Brian….(end of quote)
“Know what you are targeting - Setting a camera in a tree for a Marten will not see the Llynx that walks under it but makes for great Marten Shots.
If you are comfortable using bait (fish etc) to attract animals you will see a lot more - I use suet cages with 1/4 mesh but leave then easy to open. Keeps the jays from emptying them as soon as I leave the site. Once Bears awaken (next 2 weeks?) they will be hungry and will find any bait you have out. Bears are hard on equipment.
Would suggest get the best quality camera you can - 12mp minimum, 20mp preferred, 1080 video
A 20mp costs about $100 cdn delivered - Then batteries (I prefer lithium, last much longer) and SD Cards (I have 2 for each and swap them out)
It’s a great hobby - I've learned a lot especially about fishers and marten.
Brian….(end of quote)
Most of the photos/videos Brian got are on Route 108 (the Renous Highway), north of
Miramichi. He shares two recent ones he got of 2 Martens and a Fisher. Brian
also did a write-up for the Giv‘er magazine, which can be accessed at the attached
link, by scrolling a fair ways down until you come to his write-up. Check it
out at the following link.
Brian also has five den boxes set up for
Marten and Fisher, which the animals are indeed investigating. He sends a link
to the site where he purchases the camera he uses. Check it out below.
**Jean Renton reports that the
bird activity has been very active at their Stilesville feeder yard over the
past week, with a big variety of the regularly expected birds, but the sudden
increase in PURPLE FINCH [Roselin pourpré] has been the most notable.
**Brian Stone has had a 10-mm spider
roaming about his home, to get some great photos. BugGuide has identified it as
what is commonly called the BARN FUNNEL WEAVER
[Tégénaire domestique] in North America, but is called the Domestic House
Spider in Europe. They spin a sheet web that leads into a tubular retreat in a
corner of a room or behind furniture. They rarely bite, but if they did, it’s
painless. What gives them a bad reputation is their size, speed, and nocturnal
habits. A female can live for several years, but males have only a few weeks
with a female, dying after mating, and are often consumed by the female. The
large palps in Brian’s photo suggest it to be a male, so he can expect a short
existence if he encounters a female.
**We haven’t been hearing many reports
from bird feeder yards. In my own Moncton yard, AMERICAN GOLDFINCH
[Chardonneret jaune] have dropped dramatically; AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS [Bruant
hudsonien] are reduced in number but still a notable number. MOURNING DOVES
[Tourterelle triste] are showing up any time now, instead of big numbers in the
morning and late day, and are being seen copulating. BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES
[Mésange à tête noire] are much less in number, but are checking out two yard
Nature Moncton nest boxes. HOUSE FINCH [Roselin familier] are in regular
numbers; COMMON GRACKLES [Quiscale bronzé] and RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS [Carouge à
epaulettes] come and go, but not in big numbers. Regular Woodpeckers [Pic] come
to suet and peanuts, but in lower numbers. A male AMERICAN ROBIN [Merle
d'Amérique] is very territorial with other Robins over the Mountain-ash [Sorbier des oiseaux] berries stored from
fall, with some lively dogfights with its kin; however, it will let a
Starling [Étourneau] feed on the berries with it at the same time. A first
PURPLE FINCH [Roselin pourpré] in some time has arrived; a few SONG SPARROWS
[Bruant chanteur] are present, but no raptors noted. BLUE JAYS [Geai bleu] are
occasional and seem to be coming in waves. The CHIPPING SPARROW [Bruant
familier] that has been patronizing most of the winter continues to be present;
however, the bill is not turning dark as yet. However, it is doing some wild
wing-twitching, which I have not seen it do before.
Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton
NORTHERN PARULA WARBLER. JUNE 2, 2019. JUDITH DEWAR
MARTENS. MARCH 2020. BRIAN DONOVAN
FISHER. MARCH 21, 2020. BRIAN DONOVAN
BARN FUNNEL WEAVER SPIDER AKA DOMESTIC HOUSE SPIDER. MAR.26, 2020. BRIAN STONE
