Nature Moncton Nature News: March 11 2021

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, March 11, 2021 (Thursday)

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Transcript by: Brian Stone bjpstone@gmail.com

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

** Mac Wilmot’s trail camera efforts to get the attention of a Bobcat] on his Lower Coverdale property continue to attract a RED FOX [Renard roux] and a SKUNK [Moufette] which dined after the Red Fox had left. Skunks tend to forage in winter in warmer periods. It appears that -8° Celsius is no problem for this skunk and rather looks like he may be telling the fox to keep his distance in one photo. Trail cameras are surely an interesting way to see who is roaming about on the night shift.

** Rheal Vienneau was a bit surprised to find a burrow opening freshly excavated/opened by his Dieppe yard and was able to get a video of tracks leading to it, but unfortunately the tracks appear to be altered by the warm conditions to make it harder to guesstimate.

A short video is attached. (Editor’s note: video would not attach)

The 6-inch opening could suggest skunk or groundhog as rule-outs. Yes, it would seem early for a groundhog to be emerging but it is well documented that they go down to hibernate in early fall but emerge in early spring and survive on fat reserves until first foliage appears. It seems like an odd scenario but that has to be a rule-out. I have seen groundhogs motoring across the snow in early April. Also, from other photos today, skunks are active at the moment to give 2 possibilities.

** Up until 10 days ago I had an unbelievable number of feeder birds in our yard, very predominantly COMMON REDPOLLS [Sizerin flammé]. That has all changed dramatically by 2 visiting raptors that do fly-throughs very frequently. One is acting like a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK [Épervier brun] and the other is acting like a COOPER'S HAWK [Épervier de Cooper] but I have no photos to substantiate that. Also BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES [Mésange à tête noire] are in and out of the 2 bird boxes in the yard quite frequently, apparently investigating the real estate possibilities.

** Pam Fowler is arranging 2 sessions on “Learning with the Land”. I am attaching her message so interested participants can got to the link directly:

Hello friends from all over!

Attached are two Learning from the Land/Kisokehkimkunen Skitkomiq programs I am helping to organize

on behalf of EECD/Office of First Nation Ed. If you’re interested in joining any of the sessions please reach out

with your session requests so I can be watching for you in the waiting room!

This series is brought to you primarily, but not exclusively, from the Wolastoq Watershed!

Links are below as well as at the bottom of each attachment/program.

If the link doesn’t take you directly to the waiting room, simply “copy and paste” it directly into your browser.

Feel free to share with your peeps

Cheers,

Pamela Fowler

Cell 850-7855

Home 852-3375