These is my regular column for perspectivesmag.com
Sky Events: The 6th of March is the best time to view the planet Mercury, as it reaches its highest point above the horizon. Try and locate it at the eastern sky just before dawn. The Vernal Equinox happens this year on Saturday, March 20 at 09:27 UTC, marking the first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere and the first day of autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. With spring equinox arriving, day and night are almost equal in length.
Tides:
1st - 4nd March - Spring
5th - 10th March - Neap
11th - 19th March - Spring
20th - 26th March - Neap
27th - 31st March - Spring
Positive Ecological Restoration News:
New tigers have been spotted in western Thailand
Images have been released revealing new tigers in a region of western Thailand where they have not been seen for years.
Images were taken by camera traps which was part of a wildlife monitoring program by the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), Panthera and the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), this is in an area adjacent to the largest remaining breeding population of Indochinese tigers in the world.
“These sightings are extremely encouraging for the future of tigers in our country and beyond,” says Dr. Saksit Simcharoen, chief of the Wildlife Research Division for DNP.
The Lynx Iberian lynx is out stalking again
According to the surveys, the lynx population on the Iberian peninsula has multiplied ninefold over two decades, to a population of almost 900 lynx. Ecologists are saying that if we can keep this momentum going for another two decades, the species will cease to be on the endangered list by 2040.
Record-breaking year for the Roseate Terns - UK
130 breeding pairs have been recorded on Coquet Island, which is the only breeding colony in the UK. This is a record-breaking moment as the Roseate Terns almost went extinct back in the 19th century. Mainly it was due to their feathers being fashionable in ladies hats.
Paul Morrison, RSPB Northumberland Coast Site Manager, said: “I want to say a huge thank you to the staff and volunteers who have worked tirelessly to help these special birds. I am truly
optimistic that, with such continued commitment, we can bring roseate terns back from the brink of extinction in the UK.”
Nature Notes: March 2021
As the erratic weather of February subdues, we can now confidently mention the word we have all been waiting for: Spring. With sunny days ahead, we can start to hear the warm song of a blackbird and sense the faint perfume of buds unfolding. Although most trees are still in hibernation, seeds are now stirring. The cherries and magnolias will be courageous enough to break into flower in between the windy weather reports. Look up in the skies for the male buzzard as he is courting his partner. The courtship of a buzzard is called a “roller coaster” as he spirals down and then surges up again in an aerial display seeking to impress. Buzzards mate for life which makes the display even more marked should you witness it. For the gardeners amongst you, this is the moment to start a grand project: the asparagus patch. Get ready and prepare a bed of rich soil this month and get planting. Also for the seed dreamers, now is the time to sow the seeds of herbs, tomatoes, squash, courgettes, and cucumbers in little pots on your windowsill. Go on, get your hands in the soil, and you may win a harvest!
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