Nature Moncton Nature News: Oct 27 2016

** Kevin Renton reports that a trip to local Stilesville woods on Tuesday netted ten to twelve pounds of fresh Oyster Mushrooms, all being prepared for winter storage.

** Georges Brun is another over the past few days to comment on the sudden appearance of large groups of American Robins, noting approximately a hundred in his Churchill St. neighborhood on Tuesday.

** Catherine Hamilton shares a few photos she got near her Petitcodiac home in mid October. One is of a TURKEY VULTURE [Urubu à tête rouge] in flight, a bird that she has seldom seen in that area. Another is of a COYOTE [Coyote], a mammal we don't tend to see much of due to their secretive lifestyle. This particular animal shows the variance in the pelage that we see in our Eastern Coyote. A third photo is of a RED FOX [Renard roux].

** The photo of Clarence Cormier's AMERICAN TREE SPARROW [Bruant hudsonien] is added today. It may not show some of the more common identification features like the bi-colored bill and the clear, dark breast spot. The reddish-brown post-ocular line and the rusty spot on the breast, near the wing band, distinguish it without the dark spot being visible. Also the grey face, rufus crown, and bright pattern on the wings and back also fit American Tree Sparrow. Thanks to David Christie for pointing these features out.

** Brian Stone got a nice close up photo of one of our LAND SNAIL species outside his home on his front door. Note the extended foot and the eyes at the tips of the two major tentacles.

** Heads up on the Nature Moncton birding field trip to visit some selected local lagoons that can be hot spots this time of year. Roger Leblanc will lead this field trip on Saturday, November 05. The write up is attached below.

NATURE MONCTON FIELD TRIP

WATERFOWL TOUR OF SEWAGE LAGOONS

GUIDED BY ROGER LEBLANC

NOVEMBER 5TH, 2016

Not too many people find pleasure in visiting sewage lagoons, but birders know how rewarding they can be -- especially at this time of year when species of waterfowl are in migration and anything can turn up! Roger LeBlanc knows his sewage lagoons and has offered to give a field trip where we will travel to some choice locations to see what we can find.

We will meet in the parking lot behind the Burger King across from Champlain Place to arrange car pooling and depart at 8 :30 AM. From there, Roger will guide us to the most productive (for birders) sewage lagoons in the general area around Moncton. Bring binoculars and a scope if you have one. Dress warm and bring a lunch.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca