I Love Quoddy WILD

CREATURES: Daddy Longlegs - In case you wondered.

noreply@blogger.com (Archive Manager) — Tue, 25 Jan 2022 15:00:00 +0000

Are Daddy Longlegs Really the Most Poisonous Spiders In the World?

A widespread myth holds that daddy longlegs, also known as granddaddy longlegs or harvestmen, are the most venomous spiders in the world. We're only safe from their bite, we are told, because their fangs are too small and weak to break through human skin. It turns out that the notion is false on both counts. But a little clarification is needed.

According to entomologists at the University of California, Riverside, the term "daddy longlegs" is commonly used to refer to two distinct types of creatures: opilionids arachnids with pill-shape bodies and eight long legs that are actually not spiders, and pholcids, which have long legs and small bodies, and thus resemble opilionids, but which are true spiders.

Opilionids true daddy longlegs live in moist, dark places and eat mostly decomposing vegetable and animal matter. "They do not have venom glands, fangs or any other mechanism for chemically subduing their food," the UC entomologists write on their website. "Therefore, they do not have poison and, by the powers of logic, cannot be poisonous from venom. Some have defensive secretions that might be poisonous to small animals if ingested. So, for these daddy longlegs, the tale is clearly false."

Pholcids, or daddy long-legs spiders, are venomous predators, and although they never naturally bite people, their fangs are similar in structure to those of brown recluse spiders, and therefore can theoretically penetrate skin. For these reasons, "This is most probably the animal to which people refer when they tell the tale," the entomologists assert.

But is pholcids' venom extremely poisonous? Surprisingly, because they almost never bite, scientists have never bothered to conduct research to determine their venom's toxicity to humans . In 2004, the Discovery Channel show "Mythbusters" stepped in to fill this knowledge void. The team set out to coax a daddy longlegs spider into biting the arm of the show's co-host, Adam Savage.

Their official conclusion? Myth busted. The spider was able to penetrate Savage's skin, and he reported nothing more than a very mild burning sensation from the venom that lasted just a few seconds.

by Natalie Wolchover | December 08, 2011
Original Article

QUODDY COUGARS ARE NO MYTH

noreply@blogger.com (Archive Manager) — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 15:30:00 +0000

Image via WikipediaThis interesting thread is taken from NBNature's digest:

Date: Wed, 27 Jul 2011 20:33:31 -0300 From: Todd Watts

Subject: Re: Mountain Lion in Connecticut

The cats reported by Steven have been seen by other area residents. One of our closest neighbors reported seeing a long tailed cat cross highway #1 in one or two bounds, a friend observed one near Saint Andrews and people within one kilometer of my home reported seeing Cougar in a field behind their house. I cannot claim to have seen any evidence of these cats. However, it seems likely that one or more of these animals have been visiting this part of the province for many years. As one might expect, I am actively looking for signs of these creatures. Todd Watts Bocabec, NB On 27-Jul-11, at 6:39 PM, Brian Dalzell wrote:

Forwarded to the list with permission of Mr. Smith. >

>> Subject: Re: Mountain Lion in Connecticut >> From: Steven Smith
Date: Wed, 27 Jul 2011 07:44:02 -0300 >> Cc: Steven Smith
To: Brian Dalzell

Good Morning Brian,

I can't understand why there are so many skeptics in the province of New Brunswick regarding the Eastern Cougar. All of my life I have been fortunate to have seen this elusive cat.

As a child in Milltown NB my father caught two red squirrels and put them in a cage and keep them in our barn. My dad heard a noise and quietly called my brother and I too look, the cougar or very large cat was in the barn trying to get our two squirrels! My dad slammed the back door and it leaped out of the barn. One thing that I remember is that the long tail flipped from side to side and it ran away.

A few years later about 1960 my neighbour had a brown boxer dog and it had these brown sort of stand up ears. This dog would chase us not to bite but play with us. This one weekend my grandmother, aunt, a few cousins and my friend went for a walk up through a field filled with tall unmown hay to the the reservoir at Todd's Mountain. As we approached the hill I spotted those two familiar stand up brown ears sticking up out the hay, so we started running up to play with our neighbours dog and as we got closer, to our surprise a very large cougar stood up and started down the hill toward us. We all started running for home. The large cat only followed us for I will say fifty feet turned and walked away. That was a exciting.

In 1971 I worked for my second cousin Charles Bartlett who owned Woolastook Wild Life Park in Longscreek near Fredericton and he trained me for a year as a games keeper especially with the Timber Wolfs and Cougar named "Bob". I became very familiar with his eating habits, how much he would eat at one sitting or what he would hoard to one side and save. I will never forget the first time I had to clean out his pen and picking up his scat, the size of it and it's distinct smell!

In 1977 my wife Gail and I purchased a cottage at the Ledge Road on the banks of the Saint Croix River where we had created the Crocker Hill Studios and Gardens. Around the years from 1980 to about 1990 I would go searching for pieces of granite to use in landscape our property. I found an abandoned granite quarry at Todd's Point on the top of a hill called "Mount Misery". I was blessed I had never seen so much granite. I asked the permission to gather stones and park my car around this quarry. >> This is where I started gathering the stones for my garden design and today in 2011 some of those stones are now here in St. Andrews. We had an English Setter dog named Judd, beautiful guy. I would take him with me on every trip to the quarry. One day as we walked in on this over grown road into the quarry Judd stopped and didn't want to go any further, eventually he did. As we walked over the top on of the quarry which had a lot of old burnt trees and lichens, different mosses and a small pond made from a hole out of a blasted area, I noticed a large patch of moss and earth all tore up and large scratch marks. I felt a bit uneasy. I carried out a few stones and gathered a few other pieces, put in a pile to get tomorrow. Judd and I started back in the same road the next day and he again did not want to go. I had a leash on him and we went in and you would not believe the mess that area around that pile of stones I put there the day before. All the mosses, plants, pieces of wood were tore up and next to this was the largest pile of "Scat" that I had seen! I knew it was a Cougar or the Eastern Mountain Lion.

In 2000 I went to Fredericton to purchase a new VW and I still have it today. Over the years I would make at least four trips a year to Fredericton for VW service. About five years ago I started out at 6:30 am.to Fredericton on route 127 on approaching Watt Junction I saw a movement or something in the ditch maybe 1000 feet ahead of me. There was a car behind me I slowed down and there was a large Cougar strolling out of the ditch and gently crossed the road, flipped his tail and over the years to Fredericton I have see this large cat twice.

In March of 2011 I was on the Airline Highway to Bangor, Maine to pick up Gail at the Bangor Airport. As you get close to Bangor you drive through an area with a lot of high peaks of silver gray granite and very hilly. I was in a string of traffic that I had to follow at their speed or pull over. As we drove I just happen to look over to my right into this sort of a clearing into some trees and up in one of the trees there was a large deer carcass hanging in the crotch of that tree. I could not stop! How did it get up in that tree?? It was getting close to dark on the way home and I could not find that dead hanging deer. I will keep you posted.

steven smith

No videos or pictures in your ILQW email? See them at http://ilovequoddywild.blogspot.com

FISHERIES: Just how much have things changed you ask! |

noreply@blogger.com (Archive Manager) — Mon, 06 Nov 2017 14:38:00 +0000

Some of us remember the Quoddy Region as a bustling centre of activity fed by the abundant fisheries of the area. In only a few decades this has changed dramatically as shown by this report from Fishing Grounds of the Gulf of Maine by Walter H. Rich which first appeared in the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Fisheries, Report of the United States Commissioner of Fisheries, for the fiscal year 1929
**************************

The Wolves. These make a group of small islands lying N. ½ E. from Grand Manan, distant 8 or 10 miles. On the bottom of rocks and gravel, extending about a mile from the shores of these, in depths of from 18 to 34 fathoms, small boats and small vessels take a quantity of fish by trawl and hand line. These are mainly haddock and cod grounds in May and June and pollock grounds in June and July. It is also a winter lobster ground for Canadian fishermen.

The Wolves Bank. This bank lies between The Wolves and Grand Manan, distant about 8 miles from East Quoddy Light, SE. ½ E. Marks: The Coxcomb showing to the eastward and just touching on the western edge of Green Island: bring the heads of Grand Manan to form The Armchair, and White Horse and Simpson Island into range. This is a small-boat ground of scarcely more than 6 acres, with depths of 18 to 30 fathoms on a bottom of rocks and mud. Species and seasons are as on The Wolves. Southeast from The Wolves from 2 to 20 miles lies a piece of muddy bottom where hake are usually abundant in summer.

Campobello and vicinity. Fair quantities of haddock and cod are found between Grand Manan and the American shore in the North Channel (Grand Manan Channel) between West Quoddy Head and Grand Manan in depths of from 40 to 50 fathoms, over a bottom of rocks, mud, and sand in June, July, and August and up to September 15, while hake is the most abundant species present.

No haddock or cod are on these grounds in winter. Halibut are taken in similar numbers in the North Channel in May, June, and July. Pollock are taken on the western side of Campobello Island, near the eastern side of Indian Island, and at the mouth of the channel between Campobello and Casco Bay Island. In all these places are strong tidal eddies. Some fish are taken by seining, but most are caught by hook and line in a small-boat fishery lasting from June 1 to September 1. All around Campobello and Deer Island and on the New Brunswick shore as far as St. John are located weirs, which furnish large quantities of herring to the factories at Eastport and Lubec.

Passamaquoddy Bay. Depths here are from 10 to 24 fathoms, even 30 fathoms where the St. Croix River passes out into the sea. In general the bottom is muddy, although there are rocky patches. In most years a school of cod “strikes” here in April, the early corners being mostly of small size, but the later arrivals may reach 30, 40, or even 60 pounds. Haddock sometimes make their appearance in the bay as early as May 1, remaining through August. Hake, also, are present from June to September, but this excellent fish is held of little account by local fishermen. A considerable flounder industry is developing in these waters, the fish being taken in specially devised traps as well as by the smaller otter trawls.

Passamaquoddy Bay is also a spring netting ground for herring (food fish), and there are also many weirs in operation here each year whose catch goes to the factories of Eastport and Lubec for canning as sardines. Pollock are very abundant, and a great deal of fishing for them is carried on from June to October, both by seine and hand line. At times the pollock completely fill the many herring weirs, until, from their numbers, there is no market for them. Pollock are also abundant at the same season and are taken by the same methods in the St. Croix River, though perhaps they leave the river a month earlier in the fall.

The Mud Hake Grounds. These grounds extend about N. and S. between Campobello and The Wolves and from about West Quoddy Head to Grand Manan. Their length is about 15 to 18 miles and their width 3½ miles. This is a summer ground much used by Canadian fishermen out of Campobello, Grand Manan, and Beaver Harbor. It is said to be the best hake grounds in this vicinity.

When Quoddy was REALLY wild ... with wolves!

noreply@blogger.com (Archive Manager) — Tue, 01 Mar 2016 12:37:00 +0000

When the airline from Calais to Bangor was first opened, this old article claimed wolves were a problem.

From: http://www.calaisalumni.org/

" When the "Airline Stage Company" finally opened a track from Bangor to Calais in the mid 1800's they were awarded the contract for mail delivery to Calais, a contract long held by the Shore Line stage company which came up the coast. This was a serious financial blow to the Shore Line because most passengers took the mail stage and switched to the Airline Route which was also 6 hours shorter. The Shore Line folks took the offensive with the attached ad which was printed in newspapers and posted in public places. They spread false stories of the "Airline" coach being regularily preyed upon by vicious packs of wolves. It didn't work as the Airline stage ran for many years over our beloved Airline even though the road became known as the "Wolf Route". - Al Churchill"

Young bald eagle at Campobello, Joyce Morrell

noreply@blogger.com (Archive Manager) — Sun, 10 Jan 2016 15:01:00 +0000

This young eagle was intent on watching other eagles fishing and did not pay much attention to me. It was dawn and the sun was touching the feathers. Joyce

TO DO: Guaranteed Shark and Whale sighting at Huntsman's Discovery Aquarium!

noreply@blogger.com (Archive Manager) — Thu, 06 Aug 2015 11:02:00 +0000

And you won't even get seasick!!!

EXPLORE: The Strange Rocks of Campobello Island, Bay of Fundy

noreply@blogger.com (Archive Manager) — Wed, 13 May 2015 23:56:00 +0000

Orignally Posted on October 5, 2009 by admin

Some of Campobello‘s young people like to call the ledge off the island’s Liberty Point “Frog Rock.” Some also see the image of a turtle.

With a little imagination, the image of the stone stack below Campobello’s Friar’s Head reveals an “Old Friar.” A Passamaquoddy legend speaks of the stack as a young Indian maiden, turned to stone while awaiting the return of her lover. The cracks in the “Old Friar” indicate he is likely to loose his head in the not too distant future.

WHALES: WOW! Imagine this coming up alongside your Kayak

noreply@blogger.com (Archive Manager) — Wed, 13 May 2015 20:14:00 +0000

From Joyce Morrell. Taken at Wilson’s Beach Campobello. Is this two whales or one (take a close look)? What kind do you think?
Sent by Bobby Hooper who has this to add.

Got it from one of the seasonal residents who was out kayaking and was in the middle of a flock of gulls that was diving for food when.......up came the whale. No conditions are attached to the picture so put it up if you like. Her name is Linda Hallas from Florida.Originally posted in August, 2010

CREATURES: The Hummers and the Hornet.

noreply@blogger.com (Archive Manager) — Wed, 13 May 2015 00:57:00 +0000

Originally posted on August 8, 2012 by Art

Hummingbird_Aerial Acrobatics (Photo credit: stanlupo)

We have a couple of great hummingbird youngsters enjoying our backyard and giving no end of entertainment with their spectacular aerial “dogfights”. We usually keep two or three feeders and Marg’s spectacular kitchen garden has a constantly changing kaleidoscope of flowers to attract them as well.+

One of the feeders is at the window outside my little computer room, so I am constantly entertained by their antics and the occasional visit from one of our squirrels or chipmunks. But over the last week there has been something totally different. Apparently a hornet (A yellow-jacket actually.) decided the feeder was his and has been defending it whenever a hummer shows up. The hummers are respectful of their neighbour and they will flit about looking before they try to feed. Sure enough, the hornet will zip in from somewhere close and engage the hummer. Usually the hornet will win after a brief battle between the two.+

I’ve never seen this before. But, apparently, others have becase a brief internet search brought up some interesting photos, including the one with the little tale.+

Have you seen hummers dueling with insects at your feeder?

Company is back! Crows, Hares, Hummers, Warblers and more

noreply@blogger.com (Archive Manager) — Tue, 12 May 2015 12:04:00 +0000

It must be spring. Working on our lot and gardens but I don't know ... now we have 3 rabbits (varying hares doncha know) that have adopted us and feed in the path of our garden showing no fear of us at all. Same with the 2 crows who adopted us a few years ago and now realize we are back in Bocabec. And the hummingbird(s) and others are back as well. Summer is here ... yeahhhh!

Campobello Eagles

noreply@blogger.com (Archive Manager) — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 10:19:00 +0000

http://casa-del-campo.smugmug.com/Birds/Eagles-2014/i-9vFFZGR/A

Yesterday ( November 29) was a lovely, calm day and I took the blind out to the porch early to see if the eagles would come and sit on the sugar maple and they did! The first to come was the male who sat behind a tangle of limbs that was impossible for the camera to get through. But soon along came the female and sat in a very good spot. The photos start at the blue one with the flying eagle and go to the end. I enjoyed this day very much. Joyce

CAMPOBELLO: Today's eagle from Joyce

noreply@blogger.com (Archive Manager) — Sat, 22 Mar 2014 00:29:00 +0000

Subject: Today's eagle from Joyce

ARTICLE: Reduced vessel speeds have saved eastcoast Right Whales

noreply@blogger.com (Archive Manager) — Sat, 22 Mar 2014 00:28:00 +0000

North Atlantic Right Whale on a Faroese stamp (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The authors of the following article are pleased to announce a new paper
providing evidence that speed restrictions implemented in 2008 to reduce
vessel related deaths of North Atlantic right whales along the East
Coast of the United States have been effective.

Laist, D.W, A.R. Knowlton, and D. Pendleton. 2014. Effectiveness of
mandatory vessel speed limits for protecting North Atlantic right
whales. Endangered Species Research 23(2): 133-147.
http://www.int-res.com/articles/esr_oa/n023p133.pdf

ABSTRACT: To reduce right whale /Eubalaena glacialis/ deaths caused by
ship collisions along the US East Coast, a rule was implemented on 8 December 2008 requiring all
vessels ≥65 feet (19.8 m) to travel 10 knots (18.5 km h−1) or less in 10 seasonal management areas
(SMAs). To evaluate the effectiveness of this rule, we plotted the locations of all right whale
and humpback whale /Megaptera novaeangliae/ carcasses attributed to ship-strikes since
December 1990 in US waters to determine their proximity to SMAs. In the 18 yr pre-rule period, 13 of
15 (87%) right whales and 12 of 26 (46%) humpback whales killed by ships were found inside later
SMA boundaries or within 45 nmi (83 km) of their perimeters during later active dates. In
the first 5 yr after the rule became effective, no ship-struck right whales were found inside or
within 45 nmi of any active

SMA. This was nearly twice as long as the longest pre-rule period
without discovery of a ship-struck carcass in those areas during effective time periods. Based on the 18 yr
pre-rule period, bootstrap resampling analyses revealed that the probability of finding no
ship-struck whales in or near SMAs during the first 5 yr post-rule period would be a statistically
significant reduction in such deaths (p = 0.031). The results suggest the rule has been effective at
reducing right whale deaths.

We suggest enlarging SMAs to include additional parts of the right whale
migratory corridor.

About the Snowy Owl Invasion

noreply@blogger.com (Archive Manager) — Fri, 13 Dec 2013 02:00:00 +0000

Some interesting information about the snowy owl invasion along the east
coast. From Nature NB. One at Bocabec River this past weekend.

*****************************************

Snowy owl. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Date: Mon, 9 Dec 2013 15:19:36 -0400
Subject: Snowy Owl still in Jemseg

Monday afternoon, December 9,

Just saw the SNOWY OWL (Harfand des neiges) coming back from Fredericton
on the new highway perched in a tree just before the Jemseg's bridge.
It was in the same area that Jim Goltz reported this morning. My first
one, finally.

Brigitte Noel
------------------------------

Date: Mon, 9 Dec 2013 17:36:15 -0400
Subject: Snowy Owl at Jemseg update

This afternoon (Dec. 9, 2013) Peter Pearce, Ronnie Phillips and I went
to Jemseg in search of a SNOWY OWL reported earlier today. We proceeded
along Route 105 (old TCH) all the way to Jemseg without success. We then got on Route 2 (new TCH) and headed back toward Fredericton
whereupon we found a Snowy Owl perched atop a tree very near where Jim Goltz reported seeing one this morning. When we reached Route 105 we drove back toward Jemseg and Ronnie spotted a Snowy Owl high in a tree on the bank of the St. John River. We were able to get great looks at it and we felt it looked slightly different from the other one sighted. Since we were only about 700-800 metres away we assumed it must be the same owl. Once again we got on Route 2 and headed toward Fredericton.
Although distant, we could see the owl along the river. We went a bit farther when Ronnie discovered Snowy Owl high in a tree out in the marsh toward Grand Lake. Thus there are two Snowy Owls at Jemseg or one very fast one.

Don Gibson

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 9 Dec 2013 22:03:59 -0400
Subject: SNOWY OWL INFORMATION

I'm taking the liberty of re-posting a submission from Maine Birding
which addresses two key points about the current owl irruption: aging &
sexing individuals by plumage and the cause of the irruption.

Hello Maine Birders:

A friend and former colleague of mine at Hawk Mountain, Jean-Francois
Therrien, conducted his Ph.D. research on Snowy Owls in NE Canada
recently. He continues to spend time in northern Quebec in the summer
doing research. There are several aspects to Snowy Owl behavior and
plumage which seem to get debated frequently so I reached out to JF for
some clarity. I thought some members of this birding community might be
interested in his reply.

In regards to plumage, most sources are in agreement that males tend to
be whiter/lighter than females and immature birds tend to be darker than
adults but these are just gross trends. There is a high degree of
variation among individuals and some birds have been documented as
getting darker with age. The darkest males can be darker than the
lightest females. Thankfully, many birders are reporting to east coast
listservs their sightings of Snowy Owls. Often the details include
"immature male" or "adult female." Personally, I am cautious to label
most Snowy Owls but I thought maybe I was missing something so I asked
JF. Here is his reply:

"Concerning age/sex classes: there is no specific criterion to tell them
apart objectively (as of yet). Some folks have developed a way to tell
sex among chicks at nest (see attachment), but in the field, especially
in winter at low latitude, it is pretty much a guess in all cases. The
only group that we can identify with confidence is adult males. For the
rest, (except when you are facing a nest and you can tell female from
male easily), it relies on feelings! People have long thought that
snowies were getting whiter with age. This was mostly based on captive
birds. We got lucky and photograph the same female wearing a satellite
transmitter in 2 winters (2008 and 2010). That female actually got
significantly darker! We were amazed. A specialist of plumage coloration
and molt in birds said he was unable to understand the actual pattern in
snowies (since the number of wild bird being captured remains low). So,
a lot more debates to come!"

When JF wrote: "see attachment" he was referring to a PDF of a paper
published in the Journal of Raptor Research in 2011. (I can forward the
PDF if you contact me directly - not via the listserv). Researchers
accurately predicted the sex of 140 nestlings 100% of the time by
studying the remiges and retrices. Secondaries were best but outer
primaries and central/deck tail feathers worked as well. The dark
"spotting" on the flight feathers of the nestlings were comprised of
pigmentation running the width of the feathers creating bars and circles
of pigmentation on either side of the rachis not reaching the edges
creating spots. Males had more spots than bars and females had more bars
than spots. So if you feel compelled to label the birds you find, be
sure to study/photograph the open wing and spread tail carefully. *Note
- The paper does not talk about the effectiveness of using this protocol
on anything older than a juvenile so you have to accurately age the bird
first. It might work with older birds but it has yet to be studied.

The other area of discussion is the cause of the irruptions. Nobody
debates the predator-prey connection. Lemmings make up the bulk of the
diet on the breeding grounds and their populations are cyclical. The
size of a Snowy Owl clutch is variable. Females assess how successful
their mate is at bringing her lemmings at the beginning of the breeding
season and she lays eggs accordingly. In years with lots of lemmings,
she will lay lots of eggs. Debate comes in when the birds irrupt
southward. So, has the lemming population crashed and starving birds are
forced to migrate or do we see them down here when the Snowy Owls have
big breeding seasons and there are lots of young birds dispersing? I
posed this question to JF as well:

"As for the irruption, you are quite right. Almost every year that we
see a good reproduction in the eastern Arctic, we have some sort of
winter irruption down in QC and New England. Last summer was fantastic
in Northern Quebec. I was there at the tip of the province and we found
several nests, all of which having large clutches and several lemmings
piled up on the surrounding. We expected to see some irruption because
all of those chicks are starting to wander around, and they are now
reaching our latitudes."

Die-offs eventually follow these spikes as nature corrects itself but I
for one will be riding the high this winter.

Good birding,

Eric Hynes

Hinesburg, VT

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 9 Dec 2013 21:09:28 -0500
Subject: Maine Snowy Owl map...update

Updated map of Maine Snowy Owls as of 9 Dec 2013

http://bit.ly/1bsxEns
------------------------------

Date: Mon, 9 Dec 2013 23:49:22 -0400
Subject: Re: SNOWY OWL INFORMATION

Hello Ralph and all.

Interesting stuff. But my question would be : Why all of these Snowies
in N.-B.? In good years we get a couple here and there and I remember
something like six or seven on the Tantramar maybe 10 years ago but
nothing like this. I am counting something like 40 + already. Now last
year at this time if you would have asked I would have said that owls
are reluctant in general to cross big bodies of water so that would
explain why we don't get as many here as more to the West (were the
Saint -Lawrence become more narrow) but while talking with Joël Betty
last spring (works with J-F Therrien on the nesting grounds) he
explained that recent research seems to show that Snowies are quite
adapted to water and that some might even live on the ice flows during
winter where they hunt sea ducks that hold out in the opening in the ice
sheet. So crossing the Gulf is probably not a problem. But still why so
many on the coast compared to other years? Maybe there are just so many
(there is some talk of record year in Québec) that they are overflowing
even here. Or maybe something else but what? Any other ideas out there?.
In any case enjoy, cause it might not come around again for a very long
time.

Good birding.

Roger Leblanc
Moncton

Related articles

Least Sandpipers at Campobello

noreply@blogger.com (Archive Manager) — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 12:26:00 +0000

More at: http://casa-del-campo.smugmug.com/Birds/More-sandpipers

From: Owen House

Subject: sandpipers from Joyce

Thought you might enjoy a brief sojurn on the beach looking at least sandpipers. Joyce

Adopt Right Whale News: Catspaw's Fourth Calf

noreply@blogger.com (Archive Manager) — Tue, 07 May 2013 10:18:00 +0000

Adopt Right Whale News: Catspaw's Fourth Calf

The head of Catspaw. The callosities or rough patches of skin, are used to identify individuals. These rough patches of skin develop in the first six months and remain a reliable method to identify individuals throughout their lives.

Catspaw has a new calf this season. We only see Catspaw in the Bay of Fundy when she has a calf, the same as Wart who also never comes to the Bay unless she has a calf, so we look forward to seeing both of them this summer in the Bay.

This is Catspaw's fourth calf. She has had calves in 2002, a female, 2005, a male, 2008, another male,
and now one in 2013. We don't know the sex of this calf yet, but because a small skin sample was taken from the calf while it was in the calving area, the sex of the calf will be known once the genetic material is analyzed.

The New England Aquarium right whale researchers are attempting to get skin samples from every calf. The newborns are not individually recognizable because they have no callosities. If they are not seen with their mothers after the callosities emerge, they can not be identified through their mothers except with the genetic fingerprinting. This will hopefully help when juvenile whales are photographed and a match can not be found in the right whale catalogue. Getting a skin sample from the juvenile and comparing it to calf samples can determine whose its mother is. There is still a percentage of the right whale population who have not been genetically profiled so it makes it difficult to work backwards to find the parents.

Catspaw has had an interesting sighting history, identified in 1986, seen for two years and then disappearing from the camera lens until 2000. She was put on the probably dead shelf but was happily "resurrected" and went on to become a mother.

Warblers, Campobello, end of April, 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Archive Manager) — Tue, 07 May 2013 10:08:00 +0000

http://casa-del-campo.smugmug.com/Birds/warblers/palm-warblers/29168224_47TfLG#!i=2484449880&k=hcnkcHV

A neglected marshy area on Campobello was filled with a dozen palm warblers and half a dozen yellow-rumped warblers today. They were flycatching near the surface of the water and in the air. They were very busy. I took a lot of photos and liked the contrast of the pale stumps and limbs and the bright birds.

SPRING! Woodcock, Roosevelt Park, Campobello, March 25, 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Archive Manager) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 12:36:00 +0000

http://casa-del-campo.smugmug.com/Birds/woodcock/28600764_j4v23G#!p=1&n=10

Woodcock have arrived. They are along the edges of the wooded roads where the sun has melted the snow. Spring is certainly here! Joyce

Sunbury Shores Welcomes Cara Coes at Exhibit Opening Friday

noreply@blogger.com (Archive Manager) — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 10:51:00 +0000

The Board of Sunbury Shores is very pleased to welcome

Cara Coes as its new Director of Operations!

Cara joined our team on February 19, and is settling in to her new position,

working with Jamie and our Board of Directors, to ensure that Sunbury Shores

continues to be the cultural fibre of our St. Andrews and Charlotte County community

Cara comes to Sunbury Shores after working for a number of years as

Manager of Membership and Programs at the Saint John YMCA / YWCA.

She has two young daughters and although not yet living in St Andrews,

they will be looking for a permanent home here soon.

Please drop in to Sunbury Shores over the next few weeks, and welcome Cara in person.

In fact feel free to attend the Exhibit Opening on Friday March 15th and meet her then.

THIS FRIDAY, MARCH 15th 5pm - 7pm

EXHIBIT OPENING

BIRDS: Dovekie reported in Back Bay

noreply@blogger.com (Archive Manager) — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 11:45:00 +0000

Little Auk in winter plumage (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

NB Nature reported a DOVEKIE in Back Bay Harbour on Monday. Great change to see this tiny interesting bird as well as a THICK-BILLED MURRE that might be there as well.

More loon photos from Campobello - After the storm.

noreply@blogger.com (Archive Manager) — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 12:22:00 +0000

Here are several more of the same loon who is hanging around for a
while. Joyce

BIRDS: Loons in the Snow at Campobello

noreply@blogger.com (Archive Manager) — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 18:52:00 +0000

http://casa-del-campo.smugmug.com/Birds/Loons/27924990_X6Czgc#!i=2356861136&k=JKvhmWq

A common loon and a young one waiting out the storm. Hopefully better photos tomorrow or the next day. Joyce Morrell

ENERGY: LNG company president unbowed by Canadian opposition to proposed plant in Robbinston — Down East — Bangor Daily News — BDN Maine

noreply@blogger.com (Archive Manager) — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 01:07:00 +0000

“The idea that a U.S. company is going to dictate what comes through Canadian waters is not only laughable but is offensive,” Williamson stated. “A private firm is not going to dictate what comes through Canadian waters.”

A liquefied natural gas tanker arrives in Boston, MA (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

LNG company president unbowed by Canadian opposition to proposed plant in Robbinston — Down East — Bangor Daily News — BDN Maine

Related articles

CAMPOBELLO: Redpolls at the thistle feeders yesterday

noreply@blogger.com (Archive Manager) — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 00:12:00 +0000

http://casa-del-campo.smugmug.com/Birds/Redpolls/27515341_sWxzS5#!i=2315630187&k=FhKcJnj

Redpolls at the thistle feeders yesterday. Enjoy! Joyce

ST. ANDREWS: Changes at the Fundy Discovery Aquarium...beginning Monday Jan. 14th

noreply@blogger.com (Archive Manager) — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 16:52:00 +0000

Happy New Year!

The Fundy Discovery Aquarium – like many of us – is already thinking about summer. We have plans to redevelop some of the
exhibits and gallery space - to do this, the aquarium will be open to visitors on an ‘appointment only’ basis…(Click to read more)

JOIN YOUR FRIENDS AT SOME OF THE UPCOMING EVENTS AT THE AQUARIUM (click icon for details):

Playing January 18^thMarch Break Camp Every Friday

The aquarium can be transformed to host a variety of unique events. Click to watch the short video!

For more information, please call 506-529-1200 or email huntsman@huntsmanmarine.ca

Marlene Chase

Manager Business Development

Huntsman Marine Science Centre

1 Lower Campus Road St. Andrews, NB E5B 2L7

T: 506-529-1222 F: 506-529-1212 E: mchase@huntsmanmarine.ca W: www.huntsmanmarine.ca

Private function space available for meetings, banquets, conferences, accommodation and much more.

P	Please consider the environment before printing this email.