Nature Moncton Nature News: March 12 2023

NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS

March 12, 2023

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Edited by Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Proofreading courtesy of Louise Nichols at nicholsl@eastlink.ca

** Jane LeBlanc noticed some of her native shrubs are budding out in anticipation of spring.

The huge alternate buds of Red-berried Elder are swelling, and Hobblebush appears to have serious plans of letting its naked buds become green leaves.

**In yesterday’s edition, Dale Pugh posted nice photos of 3 mammals contentedly foraging on the bark of trees felled by a beaver at its lodge in Mapleton Park.

The photos were mislabeled as Beaver and have been removed from yesterday’s edition. Dale originally felt they were Muskrat, and consultations coupled with a literature review pointed out she was quite correct.

Photos can be deceiving in showing the size of the animal, but Dale points out that they were domestic cat size. No beaver would be that small at this time of year.

-the tail of the Muskrat is laterally flattened, whereas the tail of the Beaver is horizontally flattened

-the Beaver usually swims with only the head showing, whereas the muskrat usually swims showing its whole body and tail showing

-the enamel on the incisor teeth tends to be yellowish in the Muskrat, whereas in the Beaver it would be darker brown

It was interesting to note that Muskrats often move into Beaver lodges even when the Beaver is there. Muskrats can provide another set of eyes to watch for predators such as Mink, River Otters, Red Foxes, and hawks that can pose danger to Muskrats and baby Beavers.

(Editor's note: several photos are attached as some show the features mentioned).

**Brian Stone was unable to get any productive birding done in recent days, but he sends a few more from his sister's yard showing some of the American Crows patronizing her feeder yard and a pair of Black-capped Chickadees enjoying the suet. A very large ball of leaves high in a tree implies a Grey Squirrel nest, and the presence of an actual Grey Squirrel nearby helps to confirm that identification.

Nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton