Nature Moncton Nature News: November 9 2023

NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS

November 9, 2023

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Edited by Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Proofreading courtesy of Louise Nichols at nicholsl@eastlink.ca

**Aldo Dorio is continuing to see Horned Larks at Hay Island.

**Georges Brun glanced toward the horizon in the East on Thursday morning (this morning) in the twilight before sunrise. He was able to witness a beautiful clear view of the thin waxing crescent Moon with Venus rising aside it and get a photograph.
If the sky is clear, this striking site should be available for folks arising to greet the day for the next few days.

**When Brian Stone and Nelson Poirier were visiting Rue Niles wharf in the Cap-Pelé area on Sunday, 3 ducks were noted at a distance which were suspected to be Harlequin Ducks. Fortunately, they gradually swam closer to confirm their identity as 3 female Harlequin Ducks and allowed nice photographs.

**A very interesting observation by Barbara Smith. Barbara was walking along a beach in October and noted an approximately 8-inch accumulation of something she was not familiar with.

A consult with Alyre Chiasson and the mystery was solved (as it often is!)

Alyre’s explanation is quoted below:

“You have the remains of a fish. The round disks, the vertebrae, and the small pile of toothpick-like bones are the bacheostegal rays (the bones that form the floor of the gill chamber in the back of the brain case, see image below). The bracheostgal rays are more abundant in primitive fish (of ancient lineage) than in recent origin. So, it is probably in the Salmonidae family or the Cupeadae family (herring and relatives).”

Alyre’s illustrations appear below Barbara’s photo in the photo lineup of the day.

(Editor’s note: the editor was ready to write this off as an accumulation of human garbage. The day's surprise!)

Nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton