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Hi Nancy & All, Sept 20, 2014
One factor to consider, when dead Star-Nosed Moles are found, is
rainfall in the preceeding 10-20 days and changes in surface drainage,
subsurface drainage or habitat continuity in recent years.
They, I think, need relatively moist soil in order to feed (always
underground ?). If they have hitched their wagon to an isolated swamp that
dries to the point that feeding is impossible then they will have to start,
weakened by hunger, to search for a wet area and often walk until they drop
dead.
I don't know about the rest of the province but in the Kentville area it
has been relatively dry for several weeks; good if you want to haul wood
over silty-loam soil with poor surface drainage but perhaps desperate if you
are a Star-Nosed Mole.
Yt, Dave Webster, Kentville
----- Original Message -----
From: "nancy dowd" <nancypdowd@gmail.com>
To: <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Sent: Thursday, September 18, 2014 5:50 PM
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] re dead uneaten star-nosed moles
>I have found dead shrews in the house at times- not injured just lying
>there as if stopped in their tracks. I read somewhere that their super-high
>metabolism means a quick death if they remain w/o food for any length of
>time. A confused shrew that gets into a home probably does not last long
>due to lack of prey.
>
> Possibly Star-Nosed Moles, who also have high metabolic rates, also
> quickly succumb if they end up displaced above ground away from their
> usual feeding grounds for some reason (i.e. by predators or rival SN
> Moles)?
>
> Nancy
> On 2014-09-18, at 3:33 PM, chris kennedy <cjkennedy66@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> I can add to this apparent phenomena. In July I found a dead star-nosed
>> mole in an overgrown pasture in the Saint John, NB, area. It had no
>> apparent injuries, visible blood, etc. I was baffled.
>>
>> Chris Kennedy in Dartmouth
>>
>> On Wed, Sep 17, 2014 at 6:04 PM, Jim Wolford <jimwolford@eastlink.ca>
>> wrote:
>> Of course, moles are Insectivores and therefore related to shrews, which,
>> especially short-tailed shrews, are frequent but uneaten prey of house
>> cats — 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
>>>
>>> Was it something poisonous?
>>>
>>> Sent from my iPad
>>>
>>> On Sep 17, 2014, at 5:05 PM, Kate Steele <katefsteele@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> 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.
>>>>
>>>> On Mon, Sep 15, 2014 at 6:22 PM, Ken McKenna <kenmcken@eastlink.ca>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> 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.
>>>>
>>>> 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!
>>>>
>>>> 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.
>>
>>>> Also saw a dead star-nosed mole on Doris Mason lane. (yes the singer).
>>>>
>>>> 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.).
>>>>
>>>> Complete list at Big I can be viewed at
>>>> http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S19842994
>>>>
>>
>>
>
>
> -----
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