[NatureNS] Recent Nature Notes

Date: Sun, 04 Mar 2007 18:39:03 -0400
From: Hans Toom <Htoom@hfx.eastlink.ca>
To: "Naturens@Chebucto.Ns.Ca" <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
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We enjoyed a splendid  view of yesterday's lunar eclipse at Portuguese =
Cove, at least until about 8:45PM when the clouds moved in.  The eclipse =
was a photographic challenge much better suited to a high resolution =
long focal length telescope than a telephoto lens, but I use what I =
have.  I've posted one cropped image of the event taken about 8:30PM.

I am enjoying my chickadees this winter, both Black-capped and Boreal.  =
I've posted several portraits of these cheerful and vibrant birds, so =
full of life that they never seem diminished by even the worst =
weather......and they are always so eager for and appreciative of hand =
outs!

I was somewhat astonished by the recent news that January was the =
warmest January in our historical record.  So quickly we adapt to change =
as do our birds that this can happen without my notice.  Our home site =
situated at the tree line above Chebucto Head was a challenge for many =
overwintering birds such as the Mourning Dove and the Dark-eyed Junco =
but not this year.  The junco usually gone by early December, never =
left, and the doves normally devastated by winter are surviving in good =
numbers.  Our regular winter denizen the Tree Sparrow has been leaving =
for northern climes at least a month earlier than they have done in =
previous years.  Overall the diversity of bird life out here on the =
southern end of the Chebucto peninsula is the lowest I've witnessed. I =
surmise that no birds got trapped by the onset of winter this year so =
the overwintering population consists only of our regular winter birds.  =
Birds getting trapped by winter simply infers that food found and =
consumed during the day's forage provides just enough energy for the =
bird to overnight successfully with no morning reserves left for an =
extended flight, much like living "hand in mouth".  Instincts probably =
play a larger role.=20

Hans

http://www.hanstoom.com/Highlights/Highlights50.html
_______________________________________________________________
Hans Toom
E-mail: htoom@hfx.eastlink.ca
Migration Count: http://hanstoom.com/NAMC/Index.html
Nature Website: http://hanstoom.com=20
_____________________________________________________________=

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<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>We enjoyed a splendid&nbsp; view of yesterday's 
lunar eclipse at Portuguese Cove, at least until about 8:45PM when the clouds 
moved in.&nbsp; The eclipse was a photographic challenge much better suited to a 
high resolution long focal length telescope than a telephoto lens, but I use 
what I have.&nbsp; I've posted one cropped image of the event taken about 
8:30PM.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I am enjoying my chickadees this winter, both 
Black-capped and Boreal.&nbsp; I've posted several portraits of these cheerful 
and vibrant birds,&nbsp;so full of life that they&nbsp;never seem diminished by 
even the worst weather......and they are always so eager for and appreciative of 
hand outs!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I was somewhat astonished by the recent news that 
January was the warmest January in our historical record.&nbsp; So quickly we 
adapt to change as do our birds that this can happen without my notice.&nbsp; 
Our home site situated at the tree line above Chebucto Head was a challenge for 
many overwintering birds such as the Mourning Dove and the Dark-eyed Junco but 
not this year.&nbsp; The junco usually gone by early December, never left, and 
the doves normally devastated by winter are surviving in good numbers.&nbsp; Our 
regular winter denizen the Tree Sparrow has been leaving for northern climes at 
least a month earlier than they have done in previous years.&nbsp; Overall the 
diversity of bird life out here&nbsp;on the southern end of the Chebucto 
peninsula is the lowest I've witnessed.&nbsp;I surmise that no birds got trapped 
by the onset of winter this year so&nbsp;the overwintering population consists 
only of our regular winter birds.&nbsp; Birds getting trapped by winter simply 
infers that food found and consumed&nbsp;during the day's forage provides just 
enough energy for&nbsp;the bird to overnight successfully with no morning 
reserves left for an extended flight, much like living "hand in mouth".&nbsp; 
Instincts probably play a larger role.&nbsp;</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hans</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><A 
href="http://www.hanstoom.com/Highlights/Highlights50.html">http://www.hanstoom.com/Highlights/Highlights50.html</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial 
size=2>_______________________________________________________________<BR>Hans 
Toom<BR>E-mail: <A 
href="mailto:htoom@hfx.eastlink.ca">htoom@hfx.eastlink.ca</A><BR>Migration 
Count: <A 
href="http://hanstoom.com/NAMC/Index.html">http://hanstoom.com/NAMC/Index.html</A><BR>Nature 
Website: http://hanstoom.com 
<BR>_____________________________________________________________</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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