NATURE
MONCTON NATURE NEWS
Dec 5,
2022
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Edited by
Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
**They
just keep on coming!
Daryl
Doucette had a female Northern Cardinal comfortably
arrive to his deck birdfeeder tray on Sunday and pose for a very pleasant photo.
**Brian
Coyle shares more very interesting action he captured on his trail cameras.
There is a very large boulder at the edge of a woodlot near Brian’s home that
seems to be a magnet for wildlife to visit. Brian has coined it ‘coyote rock’ as
Coyote seems to be one species that has a particular fondness for checking it out. A recent video capture of a Coyote
visitor shows the variability in pelage of the Coyote. This one shows the
striking rufous pelage tones some Coyotes have. Take a look at the link below:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/gd54fvzfyu7cevb/STC_0127_x264.mp4?dl=0
Brian has another
trail camera set up at a River Otter latrine
near a beaver pond. The River Otter has the habit of establishing community
latrines. In one video capture, a female Coyote intrudes by leaving a scent
mark on the River Otter latrine area. Scent marking by wildlife will become a
popular activity in the coming days as they start future planning for
territories. Check out that activity at the link below:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/6avuqy7ycwauxha/STC_0007%20%2819%29_x264.mp4?dl=0
A Bobcat checks
out the same site at the video link below. (Editor’s note: note the tail tip of
the Bobcat with its black top half and white under half. The Lynx would have a
totally black tail tip).
https://www.dropbox.com/s/2b37owkcj7fz2gd/STC_0029%20%285%29_x264.mp4?dl=0
A River
Otter was captured during the ‘poop dance’ at its community latrine as Brian’s
video clip captures below:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/5v1pkqquwbq2lnp/IMG_0044%20-%20Copy.MP4?dl=0
**The
melanistic form of the Grey Squirrel, which is almost entirely black, is
becoming more predominant in certain populations and in certain geographic
areas especially in southeastern Canada. It is caused by a rogue gene.
The black morph
has a variant form of a specific gene that produces more dark pigment; in other
words, they have a rogue gene. (Editor’s note: Nelson Poirier was advised the black
morph Grey Squirrel is the predominant pelage of the very common Grey
Squirrel in the Kitchener Waterloo area of southeastern Ontario).
This morph
is not nearly as common in the Maritimes; however, Nelson Poirier spotted one
in Fredericton on Sunday that cooperated for a photo.
**Nelson
Poirier has 2 winter plumage Chipping Sparrows as patrons to his birdfeeder
yard. The two of them cooperated nicely to provide a photo of a side view and a back view to show the grey patch from a rear view.
Nelson
Poirier
Nature
Moncton