There's still at least one hummingbird at our feeders here in Waverley.
It was much busier a few weeks ago, but they've almost all departed.
--- Peter Payzant
Dear All,
This year continues to advance in ways that resemble an Alice in
Wonderland nightmare. For starters Erigeron annuus 56"tall; breast high
mint, much taller evening primrose ....all on soil which has never
received any mineral fertilizer, manure or compost and in previous years
had stubby weeds calf high or less.
This must mean a very high Nitrogen content in ppt this year on my
Kentville lot. I am wondering if this high N, presumably in ppt, or as
an aerosol drift, is purely local or if it has been experienced
elsewhere in NS.
The entirely strange behavior of Black Currant this year is what
set me wondering; what next. I planted some rooted Black Currant shoots
in 1990 and they started bearing enough to bother recording in 1999.
There was a huge crop in 2020 and, consequently as expected, a
fairly small crop in 2021. As usual I thinned and headed them back on
July 30; just after the last fruit were picked.
But now many of the leaf buds, which should have remained dormant
until spring 2022, have opened to form a second flush of leaves in 2021.
The only N I have ever applied to the Black Currants is as a bark
mulch, usually crumbled decayed spruce bark which would deliver some N
in the lichens.
Dave Kentville.
For those who are interested, eBird is making some taxonomy changes that
may change your species counts. Here is the article:
https://ebird.org/canada/news/2021-ebird-taxonomy-update
Don
--
Don MacNeill donmacneill(a)bellaliant.net
*https://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/bwdsite/learn/top10/attract-birds-with-water.php?mc_cid=7cc0c283c0&mc_eid=c0adf27074*
In Nova Scotia, we have had a few instances of Trichomonosis in birds.
Studies indicate that the Trichomonosis gallinae parasite has a limited
life outside the host. In water, it lasts longer when there are organic
materials present (such as in puddles) and a very short time in clean,
chlorinated water (see
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/275585628_Trichomonas_gallinae_Per…).
To me this means that birdbaths supplied with chlorinated water may keep
the birds from having to drink from puddles and be better for them in
the hot, summer months.
The Canadian Wildlife Health Association recommends: "Due to the
potential risk that bird feeders and bird baths pose as transmission
sites for /Trichomonas/ it is recommended that these are emptied and
taken down during outbreaks. Remove feeders and baths for at least two
weeks to encourage birds to disperse from the area, reducing the
potential for disease transmission". (see
http://www.cwhc-rcsf.ca/docs/fact_sheets/Trich_Factsheet_EN.pdf)
The British Trust for Ornithology, where 1.5 million Greenfinches died
from Trichomonosis, recommends: "Empty and air dry any bird baths on a
daily basis. You may wish to consider stopping feeding if you have an
outbreak of the disease at your feeding station, in an attempt to force
the birds to feed elsewhere at a lower density (although in reality they
may end up visiting another feeding station and possibly one where no
hygiene measures are in place)". (see
https://www.bto.org/our-science/projects/gbw/gardens-wildlife/garden-birds/…)
Don MacNeill donmacneill(a)bellaliant.net
Hi Angus & All,
As part of understanding effects of soil profile features on Apple
root development and tree productivity I examined many, some down past 3
metres. And became familiar with earthworm activity at depth.
Earthworm holes tend to have long sections with nearly vertical
orientations and upward branching side 'shoots' each ending in a global
chamber. These chambers provide a way to escape temporary saturation
after heavy rains.
But with other than transient soil saturation, soil Oxygen is
quickly depleted, especially if soil is warm, and savvy earthworms will
head to the surface. And if they happen to take a wrong turn and get on
wet pavement they are unlikely to have enough traction to turn around
and get back to worm friendly soil.
Dave, Kentville
On 8/20/2021 11:11 AM, Angus MacLean wrote:
> Dave, I had not considered the lack of earthworms but your observation
> is true in my area (Coldbrook) too. We have a (larger than normal)
> asphalt driveway and in past years after rains the surface is littered
> with earthworms (no idea why they do this?). Not this summer however.
> Must have an effect on Robins in particular.
> Angus
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> *From:* David Webster <dwebster(a)glinx.com>
> *Sent:* August 19, 2021 7:28 PM
> *To:* Naturens <naturens(a)chebucto.ns.ca>
> *Subject:* [Naturens] Cluster flies and dry spring.
> Dear All,
>
> Perhaps not true elsewhere but it was very dry here in what is
> normally a wet time of year. Earthworms did not build their compost
> structures by pulling petioles and other yard debris into the soil and
> I saw almost no worm activity after the dry spell was broken. The
> ongoing impact of this did not click until the corn season arrived.
>
> Normally when I eat corn outdoors the cobs are swarming with
> cluster flies as soon as the kernels are not excessively hot. This
> summer I have eaten corn in the yard many times (top notch corn is grown
> just a few miles away) and have not seen one fly near the cobs ; cluster
> or otherwise.
>
> And I dug a fair sized garden this year and saw very few
> earthworms. So it suddenly clicked; unusually dry weather early in the
> period of soil warming has ramifications which extend far beyond the
> period when topsoil becomes moist.
>
> Dave, Kentville
>
> _______________________________________________
> Naturens mailing list -- naturens(a)chebucto.ns.ca
> To unsubscribe send an email to naturens-leave(a)chebucto.ns.ca
Dear All,
Perhaps not true elsewhere but it was very dry here in what is
normally a wet time of year. Earthworms did not build their compost
structures by pulling petioles and other yard debris into the soil and
I saw almost no worm activity after the dry spell was broken. The
ongoing impact of this did not click until the corn season arrived.
Normally when I eat corn outdoors the cobs are swarming with
cluster flies as soon as the kernels are not excessively hot. This
summer I have eaten corn in the yard many times (top notch corn is grown
just a few miles away) and have not seen one fly near the cobs ; cluster
or otherwise.
And I dug a fair sized garden this year and saw very few
earthworms. So it suddenly clicked; unusually dry weather early in the
period of soil warming has ramifications which extend far beyond the
period when topsoil becomes moist.
Dave, Kentville
I just had a report of a yellow-crowned night heron at Bell's Island in Lunenburg County. The bird was seen by Debra Dula but reported to me by Jennifer Browdy.
James R. Hirtle
LaHave
