[NatureNS] Martinique Beach/whale carcass/eagles

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From: Randy Lauff <randy.lauff@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 6 Jan 2010 15:35:31 -0400
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  until I noticed the prese
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If this is the same whale (I think it's likely), there are some interesting
questions here. It hasn't been scavenged much - are the coyotes too afraid
to come out that much in the open (how close is the nearest forest edge?),
or was the whale already "ripe" when it washed up (Blake?). Birds, even
eagles, have a hard time getting through the skin of a whale and tend to
need a mammalian carnivore (or a biologist with a really big blade [
http://people.stfx.ca/rlauff/photos/firstslice.jpg]) to open things up for
them.

That jaw bone may be salvageable, and would look great on the wall of a
local highschool biology lab! Salvagers may need shovels and ropes to
extract it. Maybe even a big knife. And a gas mask.

Randy

2010/1/6 Laurie Murison <gmwhale@nbnet.nb.ca>

>  Is this not the minke whale that has been on this beach for several
> months - reported October 6 by Blake Maybank and again November 11 by
> Jennifer Rowlands via Randy Lauff?
>
> The recent surf had rolled it exposing the right side that has obviously
> been protected from the elements and still has skin on it.  The jaw bones
> are sticking out and the outline of the vertebrae are visible along the
> back.
>
> Laurie Murison
> Grand Manan, NB
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> *From:* Paul Evans <evans@hfx.eastlink.ca>
> *To:* naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
> *Sent:* Wednesday, January 06, 2010 2:35 PM
> *Subject:* [NatureNS] Martinique Beach/whale carcass/eagles
>
>  Hello,
>
>
>
> This morning while walking on Martinique Beach (Eastern Shore) we saw som=
e
> bird activity at a far distance near the end of the beach (gulls, crows, =
and
> two large bird of prey).  We suspected something had washed up =96 which
> turned to be a whale.
>
>
>
> http://www.pbase.com/ns_astronomer/martinque_beach_whale
>
>
>
> I would appreciate someone helping with identification. I paced off the
> length at about 7.5m or 8m.
>
>
>
> The birds of prey moved off long before we were close. Later we could see
> them at a distance. I had trouble identifying them at first until I notic=
ed
> the presence of a mature Bald Eagle as well  =96 therefore I=92m pretty s=
ure
> they were two immature Bald Eagles (sorry for not being sure as we didn=
=92t
> get a close look).
>
>
>
> Paul Evans
>
>
Randy
_________________________________
RF Lauff
Way in the boonies of
Antigonish County, NS.

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If this is the same whale (I think it&#39;s likely), there are some interes=
ting questions here. It hasn&#39;t been scavenged much - are the coyotes to=
o afraid to come out that much in the open (how close is the nearest forest=
 edge?), or was the whale already &quot;ripe&quot; when it washed up (Blake=
?). Birds, even eagles, have a hard time getting through the skin of a whal=
e and tend to need a mammalian carnivore (or a biologist with a really big =
blade [<a href=3D"http://people.stfx.ca/rlauff/photos/firstslice.jpg">http:=
//people.stfx.ca/rlauff/photos/firstslice.jpg</a>]) to open things up for t=
hem.<div>

<br></div><div>That jaw bone may be salvageable, and would look great on th=
e wall of a local highschool biology lab! Salvagers may need shovels and ro=
pes to extract it. Maybe even a big knife. And a gas mask.</div><div><br>

</div><div>Randy<br><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote">2010/1/6 Laurie Murison =
<span dir=3D"ltr">&lt;<a href=3D"mailto:gmwhale@nbnet.nb.ca">gmwhale@nbnet.=
nb.ca</a>&gt;</span><br><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0=
 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;">







<div lang=3D"EN-CA" vlink=3D"purple" link=3D"blue" bgcolor=3D"#ffffff"><div=
 class=3D"im">
<div><font face=3D"Arial" size=3D"2">Is this not the minke whale that has b=
een on this=20
beach for several months - reported October 6 by Blake Maybank and again=20
November 11 by Jennifer Rowlands via Randy Lauff?=A0 </font></div>
<div><font face=3D"Arial" size=3D"2"></font>=A0</div>
<div><font face=3D"Arial" size=3D"2">The recent surf had rolled it exposing=
 the right=20
side that has obviously been protected from the elements and still has skin=
 on=20
it.=A0 The jaw bones are sticking out and the outline of the vertebrae are=
=20
visible along the back.</font></div>
<div><font face=3D"Arial" size=3D"2"></font>=A0</div>
<div><font face=3D"Arial" size=3D"2">Laurie Murison</font></div>
<div><font face=3D"Arial" size=3D"2">Grand Manan, NB</font></div>
</div><blockquote style=3D"padding-right:0px;padding-left:5px;margin-left:5=
px;border-left:#000000 2px solid;margin-right:0px"><div class=3D"im">
  <div style=3D"font:10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </div>
  <div style=3D"background:#e4e4e4;font:10pt arial"><b>From:</b>=20
  <a title=3D"evans@hfx.eastlink.ca" href=3D"mailto:evans@hfx.eastlink.ca" =
target=3D"_blank">Paul=20
  Evans</a> </div>
  <div style=3D"font:10pt arial"><b>To:</b> <a title=3D"naturens@chebucto.n=
s.ca" href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca" target=3D"_blank">naturens@ch=
ebucto.ns.ca</a> </div>
  <div style=3D"font:10pt arial"><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, January 06, 2010 2=
:35=20
  PM</div>
  <div style=3D"font:10pt arial"><b>Subject:</b> [NatureNS] Martinique=20
  Beach/whale carcass/eagles</div>
  <div><br></div>
  </div><div><div></div><div class=3D"h5"><div>
  <p class=3D"MsoNormal">Hello,</p>
  <p class=3D"MsoNormal">=A0</p>
  <p class=3D"MsoNormal">This morning while walking on Martinique Beach (Ea=
stern=20
  Shore) we saw some bird activity at a far distance near the end of the be=
ach=20
  (gulls, crows, and two large bird of prey). =A0We suspected something had=
=20
  washed up =96 which turned to be a whale. </p>
  <p class=3D"MsoNormal">=A0</p>
  <p class=3D"MsoNormal"><a href=3D"http://www.pbase.com/ns_astronomer/mart=
inque_beach_whale" target=3D"_blank">http://www.pbase.com/ns_astronomer/mar=
tinque_beach_whale</a></p>
  <p class=3D"MsoNormal">=A0</p>
  <p class=3D"MsoNormal">I would appreciate someone helping with identifica=
tion. I=20
  paced off the length at about 7