NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, March, 15 2021 (Monday)
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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
Transcript by Susan Richards susan_richards@rogers.com
Info Line #: 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)
**Brian Coyle was able to capture some good photos of
tracks and trail of a BOBCAT [Lynx roux] as well as a Vole [campagnol] or a SHREW [Musaraigne] trail and
snowplow tunnel in the snow conditions of Wednesday March 10th. I am including several of the Bobcat as it
happened to imprint so well, to show the details nicely, as it would appear
they are quite fresh. Note the C-ridge
between the toepads and the heel pad, the roundness of the print and the lack
of claw marks. The stride was 14” which
is consistent with the Bobcat of 10”– 16” guideline and a 2” diameter
track.
Brian also got a track/trail of a Shrew or a Vole,
probably a Shrew as it was near water where they tend to seek out underwater
insect prey. They normally tunnel under
the snow but assume the lower snow level does not make that as readily
done. The tracks were very close
together for the potential Shrew.
**Chipmunks [tamia] are yet another mammal realizing spring
is soon to be. Connie Colpitts reports
her first of the year Chipmunk made its debut to their Salisbury yard on Sunday
and maybe one hour earlier as well, as many of us found on Sunday morning.
**Kevin Renton reports they are still getting Evening Grosbeaks and Pine Grosbeaks as regulars plus other expected species at their Stilesville feeder yard but 2 Common Grackles were new spring arrivals on Sunday.
**Tomorrow night, Tuesday night March 16th
is Nature Moncton March meeting night with a virtual visit from an expert, Dr.
Jack Terhune, on The Life and Times of Resident Seals and those that visit us
at certain times of the year. This is
surely a subject that we don’t get much information on at Naturalist
presentations, so this is a don’t-miss- presentation for anyone anywhere to
join in and share with us at the link below at 7 o’clock tomorrow night.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87668849964?pwd=K05mdVg1L0pQNjdJVjVLNTJkWDZoZz09
The write-up
is attached below and will be repeated again tomorrow up front.
Nature
Moncton March Meeting
March 16,
2021 7:00 PM
Presenter:
Dr. Jack Terhune
Maritime
Seals: the permanent residents and winter visitors
Harp and
Hooded seals come to the Gulf of St. Lawrence to breed in March, before they
head back to the Arctic for summer feeding.
Harbour and Grey seals live in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and Bay of Fundy
year-round. Their breeding biology
emphasizes avoiding predators and there are two nursing strategies:
stay-at-home mums or working mums. For
Harbour and Grey seals, finding a safe place to rest is important and the high
tidal range in the Bay of Fundy means that they must stay awake on shore.
Dr. Jack Terhune
holds out at UNB Saint John at the moment, but his extensive research career
has taken him to do research in Denmark, ice fields east of Greenland, and
Eastern Antarctica as well as closer to home in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and
the Bay of Fundy.
Jack will
share his wealth of knowledge with us that will be welcome information for
naturalists to have in their backpacks.
Dr. Terhune
comments”, his retirement in 2012 “did not take” and he is still very active
with students and ongoing research collaborations.
A do not
miss presentation!
This
presentation will be virtual with anyone anywhere welcome to join at:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87668849964?pwd=K05mdVg1L0pQNjdJVjVLNTJkWDZoZz09
Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton
