Nature Moncton Nature News: March 2 2016

** The black invasion continues at John Inman's feeder yard on Tuesday morning by approximately 9:30 a.m. 9 COMMON GRACKLES and 9 male RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS had arrived along with the 1 female RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD that may have overwintered in the area. By 1:30 in the afternoon the red-winged blackbird troop had swelled to 14 males when a large hawk came over to disperse the lot of them.

Dave Christie took another cruise around the Shepody area but saw no newcomers or hawks but did see the 4 CANADA GEESE that have overwintered at the mouth of Shepody Bay.

** Louise Richard comments her brother-in-law in Quispamsis has had a NORTHERN FLICKER coming to his yard all winter, using a snag tree as a perch. Georges Richard comments there appears to be two pair in the area in summer that raise young and he often sees them gleaning ants in a sandy area of his yard. Georges got a photo of his yard patron on its favourite snag tree.

** Georges Brun recently noticed 6 DARK-EYED JUNCOS flying about his small urban forest on Churchill St. to get a photo of one peeking through the spruce branches. Georges also noted an adult BALD EAGLE perched on the ice near the outlet of Jones Lake seemingly interested in where the water level has recently been lowered. A group of CROWS were also interested either in the eagle or what the eagle was looking for.

** The BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS are roaming, as they characteristically do. Clarence Cormier had only 3 Bohemian waxwings around his Grand Digue site on Tuesday compared to huge numbers recently, however 150 AMERICAN ROBINS were still in his yard area.

9 RING-NECKED PHEASANTS came to ground spread seed, 7 of which were female. And a very healthy looking RED FOX checked out a nearby field.

It's been a great winter for ring-necked pheasants so far this winter with the low snow levels or bare fields.

** Bob Blake's monthly weather comparison with the month last year is attached.

** Bob Blake maintains a record of daily morning low temperatures, daily highs, and monthly precipitation from his Second North River home. He compares February 2015 and February 2016 to show that February 2015 was a much colder month overall than February 2016 with much less snow for February 2016, more precipitation as rain, and a much warmer month than last year.

FEBRUARY 2015:

14 mornings -10 ° C and below, 1 morning at 0 °C and none registering above 0° C with a low day temperature of -28° C and highest day temperature at 3 ° C. Precipitation was 238 cm snow.

FEBRUARY 2016:

11 mornings -10 ° C and below, 8 mornings between -11° and 0 ° C and 10 mornings above 0° C with a low day of -18° C and highest day temperature of 15°C. Precipitation was 60 cm snow, 25 mm rain.

If the days don’t add up correctly for one month, it is due to Bob not being available those days however the general trend can be seen.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton