Nature Moncton Nature News: March 1 2023

NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS

March 1, 2023

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Edited by Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Proofreading courtesy of Louise Nichols at nicholsl@eastlink.ca

**Gordon Rattray made a visit to Mapleton Park on Monday, looking for a Pileated Woodpecker that has been observed by many, but no luck for Gordon. Gordon did observe Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers working on tree trunks for a lunch. A Wild Cucumber vine with its mature seed cases was shining in the sun and made a good photo.

On leaving the park, Gordon stopped on Upland Street looking for Bohemian Waxwings and was rewarded as a small flock was on the crab apple tree. There was also one Pine Grosbeak present at the same time. Gordon met the land owner, and she was happy to share the tree on her lawn with birders.

**Brian Coyle has been taking advantage of the recent light snowfalls to get photos of wildlife leaving their imprints and trails.

He was able to note a Common Raven that made a landing appearing to be after prey and leaving a tail print. Another photo shows the pawprints of a Raccoon that was crossed by a coyote trail.

Coyotes are frequent around Brian’s trail cameras and left some excellent paw prints to be photographed.

Brian also got some video footage of a Bobcat that strolled by and casually rolled over in the snow. Take a look at the action at the link below:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/h01if9rcot4mffw/STC_0001%20-%20Copy%20%288%29.AVI?dl=0

**On Monday night Brian Stone went to a dark site to hopefully photograph an appearance of the Aurora in the northern sky. Brian comments that he missed the good appearance of it on Sunday night, and even though unlikely, he was hoping it would repeat its display again. It seemed to be trying to show up but never got brighter than a slim greenish band with some dim reddish glow above. Also, Brian was unable to get a proper focus, so the image is blurry as well.

**Brian Stone sends some photos from the White Rock Recreational Area in Hillsborough taken on Monday. The trails were firm and easily walkable. He sent some animal track photos that are being analyzed before posting and photos also of the only two birds he saw during his 3-hour hike ... a Black-capped Chickadee and a male Hairy Woodpecker. He took a few scenery photos and a picture of a Cattail's Seeds blowing in the breeze.

(Editors note: a very suggested winter trail at the moment)

**Bob Blake in Second North River maintains daily weather statistics, including morning low temperature, daily high temperature, and monthly precipitation.

Bob shares a table he keeps, comparing those weather statistics for February 2022 compared with February 2023.

Bob’s local record shows we had approximately one-third of the precipitation in February 2023 compared to February 2022, and that precipitation came only as snow (at Bob’s site). Temperatures seemed to be quite similar.

2022

2023

morning temperatures

daily highs

morning temperatures

daily highs and rainfall

-28-1 day

-24-1

-19-1

-17-1

-16-1

-14-1