Nature Moncton Nature News: Oct 29 2022

NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS

Oct 29, 2022

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

**We are today one week away from Petitcodiac River Appreciation Day coming up next Saturday, November 5, with the Tidal Bore having been piped in by the RCMP Pipe and Drum band by the time you read this edition!

For those planning to attend, if you have not secured tickets, best to do so promptly.

**Georges Brun spotted 7 Hooded Mergansers that were enjoying the pond waters of Jones Lake on Friday between Milner Road and Mount Royal Blvd. (east of the St. George Street fire station).

George comments most visits to this site are giving him a chance to see Double-crested Cormorant.

Georges photographed an immature male Common Eider that usually follows the Tidal Bore 15 to 30 minutes after its arrival.

He photographed it across from the Moncton Landing or mouth of Halls Creek at confluence with the Petitcodiac River.

A Bald Eagle (the photographed one an immature) is often seen opportunistically following the Tidal Bore as it arrives.

**Shannon Inman shares a few mushroom photographs.

One photo does appear to be Horse Mushrooms but unfortunately, I cannot see the underside to be more confident of identification. The smudge of yellow blush on the top surface is suggestive as is the background habitat. Shannon also got a photo of a group of the not often seen earthstar mushrooms. We have several species of that genus. The puffball appearing in the center will burst at maturity to release its spores. (Editor’s note: a third surprising photo needs more identification effort!).

**Peter Gadd paid a return visit to Escuminac Point on Friday in pursuit of some interesting sightings reported Wednesday that Deana and Peter didn’t see when we they were there (in the fog – my excuse!...Peter’s words).

He didn’t see them Friday either, but it was not in any way a waste of time.

At Horton’s Creek on the way Peter saw an adult Bald Eagle brunching on a Double-crested Cormorant. (Napkins optional!)

At another seemingly un-named estuary near Gardiner Pt. there was a Hudsonian Godwit palling around with some Greater Yellowlegs.

At Escuminac Point he was fortunate to see a few juvenile Northern Gannets that had learned to fish for themselves. What a technique!

**It’s surely as pleasant to see reports of Northern Cardinals in the southeast as in the north of New Brunswick, areas where they seem to be swelling a number.

Aldo Dorio captured a photo of a cooperative female Northern Cardinal in Tabusintac on Friday.

**Grant Ramsey photographed a large spider getting prepared for a Halloween outing. It appears to be the Fishing Spider (Dolomedes tenebrosus). However, as remnants of a web appear in the background, confirmed identification is pending.

**Brian Stone took some photos of the 14% illuminated waxing crescent Moon on Friday evening just after sunset. He took several photos at different exposure times and settings to try and get the best details possible with the camera he had, and he decided to combine 3 of the photos to show the different appearance of the crescent Moon at different camera exposures. He also photographed the planet Jupiter and its 4 largest moons, with two of the moons so close together that they appear as one messy blur.

Nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton