Nature Moncton Nature News: Feb 23 2023

NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS

Feb 23, 2023

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Edited by Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Proofreading courtesy of Louise Nichols at nicholsl@eastlink.ca

**Ed and Jane LeBlanc from St. Martins spent the day in Moncton on Wednesday. While there, they enjoyed a walk through the Irishtown Nature Park. The catch of the day was a Ruffed Grouse at one of the feeders along the trail. It was very tame and allowed close-up views...even with an Irish Setter pup on a very tight leash and 'on point' right beside it.

(Editor’s note: what a very beautiful bird!)

**Georges Brun captured a photo of a Sharp-Shinned Hawk that was successful in capturing its prey! Georges comments it was difficult to get a good focus since navigation was needed to get between the branches but he got some great photos with that challenge.

**Deana and Peter Gadd visited the always open water pond next to the water treatment plant on Rue de la Riviere in Bouctouche where there is in winter always a sizable flock of Mallard Ducks (about 100 or more on Wednesday) and American Black Ducks (at least 40).

Sometimes this pond hosts special guests. Enjoying the amenities on Wednesday was a single Canada Goose and a female American Wigeon. Also nearby were 2 Iceland Gulls which seem to be at that location most winters.

**Brian Stone walked hiking trails and snowmobile trails behind Irishtown Park on Wednesday afternoon for about 3 hours and enjoyed the fine weather and scenery but saw only 2 Black-capped Chickadees for all his effort. Later that evening, at sunset, he photographed the grouping of the Moon, Venus, and Jupiter again as he did on Tuesday evening to show the changing position of the Moon as it passes close by the planet Jupiter. He also sends close-up photos of Tuesday's 3% full Waxing Crescent Moon and Wednesday's 7% full Waxing Crescent Moon to show the difference a day makes.

Tuesday evening, at sunset, Brian photographed a nice lineup of the 3% illuminated waxing crescent Moon below the bright planets Venus and Jupiter. (Editor’s note: these photos were accidentally missed in yesterday’s edition and appear as the last two photographs in today’s line-up).

**Debbie McPherson, Kathie Breaton, and Nelson Poirier were able to watch the Tidal Bore on Wednesday morning as it arrived at the bend of the Petitcodiac River and passed Bore Park. It arrived bang on as scheduled at 11:11 AM.

It was a good show but not quite as high as expected, possibly due to the heavy flow of water going downstream to meet it. Click the link below and watch it as it came around the corner at the bend, quickly wending its way to below us at the park and then off into the bright sunlight upriver, with which the camera was not impressed.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/to7hmadrf24pc9n/Tidal%20Bore.MP4?dl=0

Nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton