NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, March
17, 2021 (Wednesday)
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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)
** A very big “Thank You” to Dr. Jack
Terhune for spending his evening virtually with Nature Moncton on Tuesday
evening to share his vast knowledge of the world of Seals with us. Jack shared
so much information unfamiliar to most of us that I suspect many of us may not
see a seal in the future and not recall something Jack said in his
presentation. Sharing his knowledge was very much appreciated to provide many positive comments.
**On
Tuesday, March 16 while Marco Vachon was driving East on the Trans-Canada Hwy. near
Summerfield in Carleton County he observed a WILD TURKEY foraging on an open
patch of grass. He was able to pull on the shoulder and took some nice photos
before it slowly walked away into the woods. Its plumage nicely shows the
plumage of the truly Wild Turkey, now an official wild bird of NB.
**Brian Coyle was able to capture photos of a BOBCAT
on his trail camera in woods near his Lower Mountain Road home. This may well
be the animal that Brian was able to get the track/trail photos from recently
as it was in the same area. It appears to be an adult animal. Bobcats usually
travel alone but mating season is just ending which may change that briefly.
.
** Gordon Rattray had an adult SHARP-SHINNED
HAWK [Épervier brun] visit his Weldon yard to stay long enough for some great
photos. The orange eye would suggest that this hawk has recently molted to
adult as it is not the firm red that a complete adult would have. The notched
tail shows nicely in one photo to easily eliminate a Cooper’s Hawk possibility
as well as the uniformity in colour between the crown and nape.
** Carol Shea had a BOBCAT [Lynx roux]
make itself quite comfortable in her back yard in Upham on Tuesday. It seems to
have a bit of a scruffy look to it so I would suspect that this is a teenager
recently sent out on its own and has a bit to learn about getting a bite to eat
and staying away from humans. It made a few unsuccessful lunges at Mourning
Doves under her bird feeders which may mean it needs a bit more practice at
acquiring lunch.
** Brian Stone took advantage of the excellent (but cold) weather on Tuesday to explore the natural areas of south/east New Brunswick including the Caledonia Mountain, Shepody, Harvey and New Horton areas. The weather and scenery were very cooperative but not so much the wildlife. He did manage a few distant shots of COMMON MERGANSERS [Grand Harle] and CANADA GEESE [Bernaches du Canada] in the waters below the Shepody Dam, and of a pair of SONG SPARROWS [Bruant chanteur] on the roadside at Waterside. A suspected distant bird possibility at Dennis Beach turned out to be one of those artifacts we so often strain our eyes to see!
He enjoyed the trip but was left wishing he had gone to visit his
sister Carol Shea at Upham instead to visit with her new feline yard patron. If
only it had appeared a bit earlier in the day, but cats are their own boss and
won’t be held to our schedules.
Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton
