Nature Moncton Nature News: February 26 2015

** Brian Stone photographed two female woodpeckers at work in Mapleton Park on Wednesday, a HAIRY WOODPECKER [Pic chevelu] and a DOWNY WOODPECKER [Pic mineur]. The Downy appeared to be excavating a nest-hole cavity. It sure may not look like it, but the days are getting longer and thoughts of spring house-keeping could be on her mind.

Brian also photographed the MOON [Lune] aside the bright star ALDEBARAN and the HYADES star cluster in a clear sky in later Wednesday evening. This V-shaped group of stars is composed of the head of the bull in the constellation TAURUS. Brian includes a Stellarium screen shot to show the Hyades V-shape.

Brian’s COMMON REDPOLLS [Sizerin flammé] continue to give portrait photos.

** Several people have commented on the possibility of a BARN OWL [Effraie des clochers] escaping from the Magnetic Hill Zoo collection to account for the recent Saint-Marcel visitor. That question was asked; the keepers said that two individuals escaped approximately 20 years ago, but since that time all tagged birds are accounted for. So, there’s no need to remove the Saint-Marcel bird from your New Brunswick list, or to more accurately phrase it, not from any Magnetic Hill escapees.

** A NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD [Moqueur polyglotte] scenario is starting to develop in Moncton’s West End, similar to last year. Rosemary Macaulay has two regulars at her Bessborough Avenue feeder yard and I have one. We are not far apart, but the activity and schedule suggest that there are three birds. Others have been reported in the nearby Lorentz Drive area. Last summer we thought that there were at least 4 in the area, and possibly 6.

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca