[NatureNS] re dead uneaten star-nosed moles

From: Jim Wolford <jimwolford@eastlink.ca>
Date: Wed, 17 Sep 2014 18:04:20 -0300
References: <5C2FC317-4776-4E36-926C-B7FE214F9B50@xplornet.com>
Cc: Mark Elderkin <elderkml@gov.ns.ca>
To: naturens <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Precedence: bulk
Return-Path: <naturens-mml-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>
Original-Recipient: rfc822;"| (cd /csuite/info/Environment/FNSN/MList; /csuite/lib/arch2html)"

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Of course, moles are Insectivores and therefore related to shrews, =
which, especially short-tailed shrews, are frequent but uneaten prey of =
house cats =97 thus perhaps moles are distasteful (not necessarily =
poisonous although short-tailed shrews have toxic saliva).  Perhaps more =
interestingly, we can wonder what the predators were in these two =
places? (Three Fathom Hbr. & Big Island).  I imagine the star-nosed =
moles are rarely near or at the surface of their burrows except at dusk, =
overnight, or dawn, so perhaps owls might be suspected? or a variety of =
mammals?

Cheers from Jim in Wolfville.

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Annabelle Thiebaux <hamst@xplornet.com>
> Subject: Re: [NatureNS] recent Pictou Co. observations
> Date: September 17, 2014 at 5:31:59 PM ADT
> To: "naturens@chebucto.ns.ca" <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
> Reply-To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
>=20
> Was it something poisonous?
>=20
> Sent from my iPad
>=20
> On Sep 17, 2014, at 5:05 PM, Kate Steele <katefsteele@gmail.com> =
wrote:
>=20
>> Over the past year or so, I have found three or four dead star-nosed =
moles on a trail where I walk frequently in the fall in Three Fathom =
Harbour, HRM. They always appear unharmed from what I can see. Any idea =
what is killing these neat creatures and leaving them on the trails? =
There are frequently hawks around, lots of dogs, and I have seen a cat =
as well.=20
>>=20
>> On Mon, Sep 15, 2014 at 6:22 PM, Ken McKenna <kenmcken@eastlink.ca> =
wrote:
>> =20
>> Ken McKenna
>> Box 218 Stellarton NS
>> B0K 1S0
>> 902 752-7644
>> Hi all
>> Got news today that a imm Piping Plover seen by myself and Polly =
Szantor at Melmerby Beach PP Sept 11 and supporting a black leg flag =
with H3 in white letters was banded in Escuminac Beach NB July 18 as a =
chick. It had been fitted with a temporary nanotag transmitter but I saw =
no evidence it was still present.
>> =20
>> There are what probably are a couple thousand Northern Gannets last =
few days in the Northumberland Strait off the Caribou lighthouse. Gray =
Seals and Herring also abundant!
>> =20
>> At Big I today I saw a dead Minke? Whale ( it was a small baleen =
whale) on the Strait side of the causeway to the island.( rocks marked =
with red ribbon). Ann Doull indicated the whale was first seen evening =
of Sept 13. =20

>> Also saw a dead star-nosed mole on Doris Mason lane. (yes the =
singer).=20
>> =20
>> Passerines were not overly abundant but I did see and photograph and =
empid that looks like a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher to my eye.  Had my =
first Big I fall Dunlin (4) today. Had 1 yesterday afternoon at Gull . =
(Caribou I.).
>> =20
>> Complete list at Big I can be viewed at =
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=3DS19842994
>>=20


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<html><head><meta http-equiv=3D"Content-Type" content=3D"text/html =
charset=3Dwindows-1252"></head><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; =
-webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;">Of =
course, moles are Insectivores and therefore related to shrews, which, =
especially short-tailed shrews, are frequent but uneaten prey of house =
cats =97 thus perhaps moles are distasteful (not necessarily poisonous =
although short-tailed shrews have toxic saliva). &nbsp;Perhaps more =
interestingly, we can wonder what the predators were in these two =
places? (Three Fathom Hbr. &amp; Big Island). &nbsp;I imagine the =
star-nosed moles are rarely near or at the surface of their burrows =
except at dusk, overnight, or dawn, so perhaps owls might be suspected? =
or a variety of mammals?<div><br></div><div>Cheers from Jim in =
Wolfville.<br><div><br><div>Begin forwarded message:</div><br =
class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type=3D"cite"><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px;"><span style=3D"font-family:'Helvetica'; color:rgba(0, =
0, 0, 1.0);"><b>From: </b></span><span =
style=3D"font-family:'Helvetica';">Annabelle Thiebaux &lt;<a =
href=3D"mailto:hamst@xplornet.com">hamst@xplornet.com</a>&gt;<br></span></=
div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: =
0px; margin-left: 0px;"><span style=3D"font-family:'Helvetica'; =
color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1.0);"><b>Subject: </b></span><span =
style=3D"font-family:'Helvetica';"><b>Re: [NatureNS] recent Pictou Co. =
observations</b><br></span></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;"><span =
style=3D"font-family:'Helvetica'; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1.0);"><b>Date: =
</b></span><span style=3D"font-family:'Helvetica';">September 17, 2014 =
at 5:31:59 PM ADT<br></span></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;"><span =
style=3D"font-family:'Helvetica'; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1.0);"><b>To: =
</b></span><span style=3D"font-family:'Helvetica';">"<a =
href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens@chebucto.ns.ca</a>" =
&lt;<a =
href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens@chebucto.ns.ca</a>&gt;<br=
></span></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;"><span =
style=3D"font-family:'Helvetica'; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, =
1.0);"><b>Reply-To: </b></span><span style=3D"font-family:'Helvetica';"><a=
 =
href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens@chebucto.ns.ca</a><br></s=
pan></div><br><div><meta http-equiv=3D"content-type" content=3D"text/html;=
 charset=3Dutf-8"><div dir=3D"auto"><div>Was it something =
poisonous?<br><br>Sent from my iPad</div><div><br>On Sep 17, 2014, at =
5:05 PM, Kate Steele &lt;<a =
href=3D"mailto:katefsteele@gmail.com">katefsteele@gmail.com</a>&gt; =
wrote:<br><br></div><blockquote type=3D"cite"><div dir=3D"ltr">Over the =
past year or so, I have found three or four dead star-nosed moles on a =
trail where I walk frequently in the fall in Three Fathom Harbour, HRM. =
They always appear unharmed from what I can see. Any idea what is =
killing these neat creatures and leaving them on the trails? There are =
frequently hawks a