[ValleyNature] nature notes - red & silver maple, feeder birds, etc.

[James W. Wolford]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: "James W. Wolford" <jimwolford at eastlink.ca>
> Date: April 6, 2009 4:49:57 PM ADT
> To: naturens at chebucto.ns.ca
> Subject: nature notes - red & silver maple, feeder birds, etc.
>
> APR. 4, 2009 - Yesterday and today got very warm, today up to about  
> 18 C., and there were SONG SPARROWS SINGING everywhere in  
> Wolfville.  At our feeders there was a single COMMON REDPOLL, the  
> first one of these seen by me in a long while.  Also there were  
> still an AM. TREE SPARROW and an adult WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, plus 3 
> + white-throated sparrows, a junco, a mourning dove, 3 pheasants, a  
> crow, a blue jay, and 2 bl.-c. chickadees.
>
> A single RED MAPLE tree has male flowers open (probably opened  
> yesterdaty) in Wolfville, and a planted HAZELNUT? has open male  
> catkins in our neighbourhood (Hilda & Mark Taylor's old home on  
> Chestnut Ave.) -- for the hazelnut, either the plant is totally  
> male or the female flowers are not yet open (perhaps this may  
> ensure that outbreeding occurs in this species?).
>
> At Greenwich, SPECKLED ALDER now has male catkins opening.
>
> At Waterville the CORNWALLIS RIVER water level is extremely HIGH,  
> swollen greatly with melt-water and rain-water.
>
> Marg Millard at White Point reports she thought she heard one  
> SPRING PEEPER last night, and someone told me that one or more were  
> heard on April 2/09 in Shelburne County (report was heard on CBC  
> Radio).  I should check the FROGWATCH records on the Web site of  
> the N.S. Museum of Natural History.  Also today Dorothy Cameron of  
> Woods Harbour (sw. corner of N.S.) reported hearing SPRING PEEPERS  
> today, and yesterday Chris Callaghan and Andy Moir heard peepers at  
> Freeport.
>
> APR. 5, 2009 - WHITE-CROWNED and AM. TREE SPARROWS, one of each,  
> still present at our feeders.  Male CARDINAL singing nearby, and  
> male FLICKER has found another nearby CHIMNEY on which to drum.
>
> Also a male MOURNING DOVE was aggressively COURTING a presumed  
> female (a bit smaller), who acted as if she was anything but  
> receptive to his advances.  Three other mourning doves were also at  
> the feeders, along with 2 starlings, 3 chickadees, our NORWAY RAT  
> (who apparently overwintered in a system of burrows adjacent to the  
> feeders), and a red squirrel.
>
> APR. 6, 2009 - A planted SILVER MAPLE has FEMALE FLOWERS open just  
> west of the Acadia Univ. Arena parking lot.
>
> Adult WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW with dark lores still at home feeders.
>
> Cheers from Jim in Wolfville
>
> Jim (James W.) Wolford
> 91 Wickwire Ave.
> Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada
> B4P 1W3
>
> phone 902-542-9204
> e-mail <jimwolford at eastlink.ca>
>
> "In wildness is the preservation of the world" -- Henry David Thoreau
>

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