NATURE
MONCTON NATURE NEWS
March 1, 2022 (Tuesday)
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Edited by:
Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
** Mac Wilmot has watched an unfortunate Crow that has been on foot for at least 2 months now. Its right wing is damaged, but it sure is proficient at walking and is quite able to climb trees. He's living on welfare between Mac and his brother's place. On Monday when Mac was out, a Raven showed up and tried to kill it; had it on it's back on their pond and grandson Andy rushed out to drive off the aggressor, but before he got there, a gang of crows arrived and drove off the Raven. The Crow was able to walk away.
**It
is difficult to say whether Canada Jays are having a good year as contributors are able to find them and get photographs. Encounters with this
species are always special. Wayne Corcoran in Chelmsford had a pleasant
opportunity to come across a pair in a wooded area near his home where they
cooperated for photos.
Wayne also found a nest last weekend in a small maple
tree. It was approximately 6 feet off the ground in the crotch of a branch. It
was approximately 9 inches in diameter, 2 1/2 inches deep, and 2.5 inches across. It was
constructed with straw, grass, and shingled with white birch bark pieces with
spiderwebs as a significant component. This construction and position is very
typical of a Vireo. Wayne got nice photos of the nest very much intact
indicating a strong well-fabricated structure.
** Jamie Burris shares some recent photos from around
Riverview. Note the immature Bald Eagle has quite a number of feathers missing.
The adult is showing the soiling of Bay of Fundy mud in its white tail. Jamie
comments the American Robins must be getting very hungry as they have started to
feed on our Highbush Cranberry which is often a fruit of last resort among
berry connoisseurs.
**Brian Stone visited Hartlen Point in Dartmouth on
Monday and stood on the rocky beach in the freezing wind taking photos of the
amazingly resilient bird life there. He saw a small group of European
Starlings foraging in the thick seaweed clumps accompanied by some American
Pipits, a few Horned Larks, and one Ipswich Savannah Sparrow.
(Editor’s note: this subspecies of the Savannah sparrow breeds on Sable Island.
A small portion of the population do stay on the island year-round, but the
majority migrate to the eastern seaboard of the US. It does seem early, but it
is to be assumed this bird is on its migratory route back to Sable Island for
the upcoming breeding season).
An adult Bald Eagle soared low overhead
for a few moments and a large group of at least 40 Purple Sandpipers
were resting peacefully along the water's edge on the rocky beach. The
sandpipers were puffed up to an extreme amount to try and retain their heat in
the face of the brutally cold wind. (Editor’s note: this sandpiper species nests
far to the north of us but is one of the sandpiper group that chooses to spend
its winter solace in our area on rocky shores and is often difficult to find. They
are very cryptic among the rocks. Several photos of Brian’s fortunate find are attached).
Also added
to today’s edition are several of Brian’s gull photos from February 26 to show
the Herring Gull in its 1st and 2nd winter plumage of development as well as some Ring-billed Gull photos to peruse.
****Ann-Marie Stone who lives in Thunder Bay, Ontario was having the snow removed from her driveway when the driver of the snow machine spotted 4 Lynx meandering about the roadway in front of him to capture some cell phone photos. The long-legged posture of the Lynx shows as well as the totally black tail tip in the video he got.
Take a look at the action in the link attached below:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ir80tkiit5vth55/4%20Lynx%20at%20Thunder%20Bay%20.mp4?dl=0
**Bob Blake maintains daily temperatures and monthly
precipitation from his 2nd North River home and has assembled a
table to compare February 2021 to February 2022.
It appears we experienced a cool February this year
compared to last year but precipitation rates are surprisingly similar.
Bob’s table is attached below as he forwarded it:
|
February 2021 |
February 2022 |
||
|
morning
temperatures |
daily highs |
morning
temperatures |
daily highs |
|
-18-1 day -17-1 -14-1 -13-2 -12-4 -11-2 -9-2 -7-1 -6-1 -5-1 -4-2 -3-2 0-1 +1-4 +2-1 +3-1 |
+5-1 +4-3 +3-3 +2-2 +1-1 78 cms. snow 20 mms. rain |
-28-1 -24-1 -19-1 -17-1 -16-2 -14-1 -13-1 -11-3 -10-3 -9-1 -7-1 -6-2 -5-1 -2-1 0-1 +1-3 +5-2 +6-1 +8-1 +10-1 |
+11-1 +10-1 +7-2 +5-1 +4-3 +3-1 +2-1 76 cms. snow 32 mms. rain |
**Ann-Marie Stone who lives in Thunder Bay, Ontario was having the snow removed from her driveway when the driver of the snow machine spotted 2 Lynx meandering about the roadway in front of him capture some cell phone photos. The
Nelson Poirier
Nature Moncton
