NATURE
MONCTON NATURE NEWS
Jan 23, 2022 (Sunday)
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Edited by:
Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
** Grant Ramsey got a photo of what a Pileated Woodpecker can do to a dead tree as it forages on the insects that seek dead and dying trees. Both may be doing the job Mother Nature wants them to do by recycling the tree. However, it can be surprising how quickly a Pileated Woodpecker can work the tree it chooses. It would appear this was done very rapidly as the tailings at the bottom of the tree have not been covered by the recent snowfall.
**Ed and Jane LeBlanc in St. Martins heard a bird
strike their window on Saturday morning. Looking out, they saw an AMERICAN
GOLDFINCH lying a few feet away. Ed went out and gently picked it up, and put
it next to the house, out of the wind and in the sun. It flew off a short time
later. Jane also noticed a BLACK CAPPED CHICKADEE finally trying out the peanut
butter she had put out a few days before. (Editors note: another method to help
window strikes is to put them in a paper bag, fold over the top, and place them
inside a warm room until you hear active motion in the bag and then release
them outside)
**Pat Gibbs
took photos of frost on her screen door
and noticed that some of them show blue. She didn't do anything to
artificially create that colour and the blue and white ones were all on the
same door and photos taken at the same time. She thought it was a bit odd but
interesting and wondered if anyone in the group knows why that would happen?
We have
lots of volunteers on the consult list but no one I can think of for frost
formations. Comments please.
In wait for
those comments, an online search suggests Pat’s photos are Window Frost which
forms when a pane of glass is exposed to below freezing temperatures on the
outside and moist air on the inside. Water vapour from the air condenses as frost
on the inside surface of the window. Brian’s photos are suggestive of what is
called Hoarfrost which develops on objects in the outdoors when
conditions are right. The photos are labelled as these 2 types of frost until
corrections come in.
**Brian Stone walked some trails in the White Rock
Recreational Area on Saturday during the clear, cold weather. The park was
a joy to walk in as the trails were all groomed to be firm, flat, hard packed
snow, but not slippery snow. No ice either. He did not find any bird life or
other wildlife to photograph but he sends some scenery of the trails and the
frost art. The first, wide main trail is open to snow mobiles so caution is
advised until you make it to the walking trails which are closed to motor
vehicles and are a pleasure to walk on.
A Nature Moncton Field Trip was planned to this area but had to be cancelled/postponed due to Covid-19 restrictions,
Nelson Poirier
Nature Moncton
