Clear Skies – the Planets and two minor meteor showers

Thank you D. Prud'homme for these amazing facts about what is being seen in our nights skies this week!

Venus is once again an evening “star.”  You will find it shining in the west just after sunset.  Over the next several weeks Venus will climb higher in the sky.  You can’t miss it, as it is the brightest object in that part of the sky.

Jupiter is now rising in the east around 10 p.m.  If you are up early enough, you can catch it just before it sets in the southwest around 7 a.m.  You can’t really mistake Jupiter, since, like Venus, it will be the brightest object low in that part of the sky.  On Monday, April 30, a full Moon will be just to the upper right of Jupiter, and the next day further to the left.  You will note that Jupiter is bright enough to be easily seen even with the glare of the full Moon.

Mars and Saturn are both rising in the east about 2 a.m., however they are still very nicely visible in the south before the Sun rises.  Mars is the brighter of the two, and it is just left of Saturn.

Mars will continue to brighten until mid-summer!  Earth’s orbit is closer to the Sun than Mars, so it takes Earth less time to complete one orbit around the Sun (which is the definition of our year).  For comparison, Mars’ “year” is 778 days.  As Earth “catches up” to Mars, the distance between them goes down until it overtakes Mars, so Mars is actually closer to Earth and shines more brightly.  Remember that it is shining because of sunlight reflecting off it.

Saturn and Mars have a similar situation.  The distance in the sky between them will increase from morning to morning because Mars’ orbit is much shorter than Saturn’s.  The distance between them will clearly increase over the next few weeks, as Mars moves further and further to the left

While you are in that area, look for the bright star that is about the width of your outstretched hand at arm’s length above and slightly left of Mars.  That is Altair, the lowest of the three bright stars that make up the so-called Summer Triangle.  The other two bright stars are much higher up - Deneb on the left and Vega on the right.  Vega, in the constellation Lyra, is the third brightest star visible in the northern hemisphere.

The Moon will be close to Saturn and Mars from May 4-6.  On the 4th, the Moon will be just to the right of Saturn; on the 5th, half way between the two of them and just a bit higher; and on the 6th you will find Mars just to the lower right of the Moon.

If you are up in the hour or so before sunrise, look for Mercury low to the eastern horizon.  It will be at its best on April 29, and will then rise closer and closer to the Sun, making it harder to see.  However, just before 6 a.m. on May 13, you can try to catch a very thin crescent Moon, with Mercury just to its upper left.  This will be a challenge with the morning twilight, but a thin crescent can be very pretty, especially since the rest of the disk of the Moon will be slightly lit up from sunlight reflecting off Earth!

Meteor showers

There are two minor meteor showers coming up, both of which might provide a few nice meteors across the sky if you spend a bit of time watching.  Remember to dress warmly and view the largest patch of sky you can see with the least light around you.

The first one is this Saturday and Sunday (Apr 21/22).  The peak is during the day on Saturday, but Saturday throughout the night or Sunday evening may give you the best possibility of seeing a few.  These are the so called Lyrids, as they appear to originate near the constellation Lyra, of which Vega (mentioned above) is its brightest star.

The so-called Eta-Aquarids (originating near the constellation Aquarius) peak about midnight, Friday, May 4.  So watching during that night may provide you with a few lovely meteors.  There are, however, no guarantees!

In both cases, you don’t need to be able to see the constellation itself, as the meteors may be seen almost anywhere in the sky.

Clear skies.

David

Sunday bird walk cancelled

This Sunday bird walk, January 28, 2018 is cancelled due to wet weather. 

Please Note

Check this site( thebirdstore.blogspot.ca) early Tuesday and Sunday mornings on stormy mornings to see if the walks have been cancelled!

**********************************************

The Tuesday Bird walk on January 30, 2018, will be going the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. Meet at the Parksville Community Park (at the parking lot in front of the Lions Club Playground) at 9:00 a.m. or at the end of Shelly Road (on the oceanside of highway 19A) at about 9:10 a.m.

Good birding

Neil Robins

THE BACKYARD WILDBIRD &  NATURE TORE

6314 Metral Drive
Nanaimo B.C.
V9T-2L8
Phone: 250-390-3669
Fax: 250-390-1633
Email: thebackyard@shaw.ca
Blog:http://thebirdstore.blogspot.ca

SUNDAY BIRD WALK, JANUARY 28, 2018

 

This Sunday bird walk, January 28, 2018 was cancelled due to wet weather. 

Please Note

Check this site( thebirdstore.blogspot.ca) early Tuesday and Sunday mornings on stormy mornings to see if the walks have been cancelled!

**********************************************

The Tuesday Bird walk on January 30, 2018, will be going the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. Meet at the Parksville Community Park (at the parking lot in front of the Lions Club Playground) at 9:00 a.m. or at the end of Shelly Road (on the oceanside of highway 19A) at about 9:10 a.m.

Good birding

Neil Robins

THE BACKYARD WILDBIRD & NATURE STORE

6314 Metral Drive
Nanaimo B.C.
V9T-2L8
Phone: 250-390-3669
Fax: 250-390-1633
Email: thebackyard@shaw.ca
Blog:http://thebirdstore.blogspot.ca

Turkey Vulture

Hi birders,

Marilynne and I were driving along highway 19A when we spotted an Turkey Vulture over the Highway and Resort Way in Parksville at about 12:00 pm, January 25, 2018. First of the year for me.

Cheers
Neil Robins.
Parksville

Spring is near

Hi birders,

Marilynne and I were driving along highway 19A when we spotted an Turkey Vulture over the Highway and Resort Way in Parksville.  first of the year.

                                                Turkey Vulture: Ralph Hocken Photo:

Cheers
Neil Robins.
Parksville

Nestboxes - By: Colin Bartlett

Photo: Chestnut-backed Chickadee leaving a nest box (R. Habro)

It is a busy time for the songbirds in the backyards, as nesting season is beginning. Around my backyard the birds are already paired of as I have a pair of Northern Flickers, Downey Woodpeckers, and a pair of European Starlings making regular visits to the suet feeder. Along with that there have been two pairs of chickadees around checking out the nest boxes, one in the backyard and the other in the front, but they better hurry if they want it because the Red-breasted nuthatch and the Bewick’s Wren have been looking them over too. With all this going on, the swallows are just beginning to return and they have also been busy starting to look for nesting sites.

All these birds that I have mentioned are cavity nesters and nest in cavities that were created by woodpeckers or other natural means such as a broken branch. With less natural habitat in urban areas these birds will use other cavities such as nest boxes, attics, shoes and even pockets in a coat. Nest boxes are an easy way to provide a nesting cavity for the birds in your backyard but there are few things to know about them.

There are a few requirements for nest boxes that are beneficial for the birds and need to be considered, whether the nest box is built or purchased. The entrance hole determines who can get in, including predator birds, and the height of the hole above the floor is also important. The size of the floor will determine how much work and energy needs to be used and bigger is not always better. Ventilation is a must whether there are holes drilled on the sides or some other way, ventilation is very important. Cleaning out a nest box is necessary, so there needs to be some way to easily get into the box. Although we have always seen nest boxes with perches on them it is best not to have a perch on the box. This perch again allows predator birds a place to sit and attack the nest and adult birds.

A nest box for chickadees, nuthatches and wrens will require a one and one eighth hole, with a floor size that is four by four inches. It is also best to keep the entrance hole about six inches above the floor to keep predators from reaching the eggs or young.

Swallows prefer a slightly bigger entrance hole at one and one and a quarter to one and on half inches in size and a floor size of five by five inches. Unfortunately in some areas there are House Sparrows that may take over the nesting box of swallows and these birds will do anything to get the box, including killing the swallows. To deter the House Sparrows use a nest box with and oval hole that is seven eighths of an inch high and three to three and a half inches wide. Swallows are able to fold their shoulders back and get in through this hole where the House Sparrows cannot. 

When deciding on where to place a nest box, try and have it so the wind and rain do not blow directly into the box. Place the nest box in the habitat of the bird species you are trying to attract, such as swallows prefer an out in the open, straight in approach and chickadees, wrens, and nuthatches prefer it near trees or forested areas. One habit chickadees and nuthatches do in our backyard when nesting is to use a tree close by to land on before entering the nest box. This way they can check of predators and make sure no one knows about the nest. Nest boxes do not need to be mounted high, mine are on the side of my shed about 6 to 7 feet high and the Bewick’s Wren and Chickadee’s battle for it ever year and I have also seen swallow boxes that are four feet above the ground and are constantly in use. To help keep the box cool mount it out of the afternoon sun if possible and make sure there are ventilation holes. A nest box can be painted on the outside and it is best to use light colours that will reflect the heat. Lastly, try and give the nest boxes a little distance from bird feeders, as it is the time of year that the birds are territorial and battles may occur if a feeder is near, resulting in no one using the nest box.

Don’t forget to supply a few nesting materials as well. This can be done with short pieces of wool, string, cat and dog hair, and moss. Place these materials in an onion sack, suet cage or loose around the yard, but do not place them in the boxes as the birds may assume the box is being used. I do not use dryer lint as the fine dust is thought to be harmful to the birds. Also do not use dryer lint if dryer sheets are used, as the chemical residue from the sheets may also be harmful to the birds.

Nest boxes are a great addition to the backyard habitat and are very entertaining but sometimes it does take time for the birds to find and use them, so a little patience is needed.

Happy birding!!

Cleaning your nestboxes:

Cleaning your nestboxes can be done after nesting season has completed (September is the earliest date we recommend cleaning your nestbox). The purpose for cleaning the nestboxes is to prepare the box for use by birds next nesting season, as well as to limit the spread of mites to juvenile birds.  To clean your nestbox simply remove the old nest and discard any eggs that were left behind. To disinefect a nestbox we recommend using a vinegar or bleach solution mixed with water (10 parts water to 1 part bleach or vinegar). In the case of wooden nestboxes, this solution can be put in a spray bottle and after removing old nesting material you can spray the inside of the box with the solution and then allow it to air dry.