Nature Moncton Nature News: February 14 2024

NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS

February 14, 2024

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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Proofreading courtesy of Louise Nichols at nicholsl@eastlink.ca

**Norbert Dupuis reports this is the 95th consecutive day that 2 female Northern Cardinals have come to enjoy the menu he offers from his Memramcook East deck. On Monday, he was joined by a colourful White-throated Sparrow. Norbert also shares a photo he captured of the sun setting over the Memramcook Valley with the reflection on the Memramcook River brightly showing.

**Brian Stone walked half of the Humphrey Brook Trail on Tuesday morning and finally found a few subjects to photograph. A mushroom that appears to be a weathered Cinnabar Polypore mushroom was photographed and some winter sporophytes of Sensitive Fern were also photographed.

(Editor’s note: one has to be careful with these as folklore has it that witches use them to cast evil spells on curious naturalists!)

Several Dark-eyed Juncos and Golden-crowned Kinglets were seen but evaded the camera although the Black-capped Chickadees seemed content to be approached for portraits.

A cereal bowl-sized nest (suggestions as to previous owner are welcome) was snug in a convergence of tree branches and a local, non-wild denizen (cat) stared intently at the photographer with that steady, concentrated stare of a consummate hunter. On his way out of the trail, a last-minute prize was the appearance of a high-flying Sharp-shinned Hawk circling overhead.

**Aldo Dorio shares some photos of some woodcarvings, one of a male American Kestrel and one of an adult Hooded Merganser, both carved by Joseph Gratton in Tabusintac.