Nature Moncton Nature News: December 24 2023

NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS

December 24, 2023

Nature Moncton members as well as any naturalist in New Brunswick or beyond are invited to share their photos and descriptions of recent nature sightings to build a fresh (almost) daily edition of Nature News

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Please advise the editor at nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com if any errors are noted in wording or photo labelling.

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Proofreading courtesy of Louise Nichols at nicholsl@eastlink.ca

**Louise Nichols went out to High Marsh Rd near Sackville late Saturday afternoon, hoping to scan for hawks and owls. She did see a couple of Rough-legged Hawks far out with her scope and noted about 3 Bald Eagles high up on the hydro towers. As the sun set lower, several Short-eared Owls appeared on the hunt, occasionally flying close to the road. They never landed super close to Louise, but she did manage to get a couple of distant photos.

Earlier in the day, Glen Nichols was walking around his vegetable garden when he noticed a large hole in the dirt of one of the garden rows. The hole was about 6 to 8 inches deep (that they could see) and several inches in diameter. Alongside the hole was a bird's foot and not far from that were remnants of a bird that could possibly have been a grouse. Louise and Glen wondered how the bird remnants were connected to the hole dug in the ground if indeed the two were connected, but it seemed to Glen that neither was there a short time ago. Louise attaches some photos of the scenario.

(Editor’s note: this ground hole/burrow suggests a mystery requiring resolution as to whodunit and whether there is a connection with the bird remnants. Reader comments would be very welcomed!)

A trail camera is now aimed at the hole-in-the-ground burrow for a Christmas Eve surprise

**Brian Coyle often gets Bobcat coming into view around a trail camera that he has set up near a Beaver pond not far from his Lower Mountain Road home. Take a look at the attached link:

IMG_0007 - Copy (2).MP4

(Editor’s note: note the tip of the bob tail is dark on top and white on the bottom; as well, the hind legs and front legs are the same height which would eliminate the less common, in southeastern New Brunswick, Lynx.)

**It’s that time of year when we start to notice mosses and lichens that we tend to bypass during the summer when foliage is green and when birds are in the trees.

We plan to feature more moss and lichen photos over the next few months.

Brian Stone and Nelson Poirier noted a bright green evergreen moss in Mapleton Park which needed a consult with bryologist Bruce Bagnall.

Bruce identified it as Shaggy Moss ( Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus), noting it is found commonly in disturbance areas in the forest, often along trails or edges of clearings, or sometimes on grassy edges of lawns near woods. It can also be found on rock outcrops or wet ground along brooks and streams.

Bruce attaches a photo posted recently on a listserv for bryologists and others interested in all things bryological which is very appropriate for posting on Christmas Eve.

**John Inman was able to catch a few quick photos through his Harvey window of a Brown Creeper going around a birch.

John comments he is not getting chances to send bird photos as some days the Merlin, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Northern Goshawk, and Peregrine Falcon put the run to everything all in the same day!

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**A few weeks ago, Nelson Poirier and Brian Stone were watching a Red-breasted Merganser struggle with fish prey at Green's Point when a Great Black-backed Gull appeared out of nowhere and stole it from the merganser. The fish prey showed itself nicely for a consultation with our fish species guru Alyre Chiasson.

Alyre confirmed it as a Northern Sea Robin, a bottom feeder but at times frequents the upper water column. It moves offshore to warmer water once winter really sets in. More info here: https://www.marinebio.org/species/northern-sea-robins/prionotus-carolinus/.

They carry lots of parasites. That fat belly is probably a tapeworm. You can see the tapeworms moving in live specimens. Personal experience -- it's not a pleasant site. Some people catch them while Mackerel fishing, so they do sometimes feed near the surface.

(Editor’s note: I have caught a few of these while bait fishing in salt water. They can be beautifully ugly-looking critters that appear to be 75% mouth.)

Nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton