Nature Moncton Information Line

Wednesday, 21 October 2020

Oct 21 2020

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, October 21, 2020 (Wednesday)

To respond by e-mail, please address your message to the information line editor, nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com .

Please advise the editor at nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com if any errors are noted in wording or photo labelling.

For more information on Nature Moncton, check the website at www.naturemoncton.com .

Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Transcript by: Brian Stone bjpstone@gmail.com

Info Line # 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)

** Mac Wilmot hit the jackpot when he arrived home in the late afternoon on Tuesday to spot a strange bird to him perched on the clothes line. It sure was. Mac got great photos of a SULPHUR-BELLIED FLYCATCHER [Tyran tigré], a rare vagrant drop by to New Brunswick. Mac lives at 1091 Hillsborough Rd., 4.7Km from the Gunningsville Bridge travelling east towards Fundy National Park. Visitors are welcome and the bird is still present on Wednesday. It was feeding on Virginia Creeper berries but Mac says that the plant is nearly cleaned of fruit. I believe there has only been 2 previous confirmed records of this species in New Brunswick.

To top that off Mac had his first NORTHERN CARDINAL [Cardinal rouge] visit. It was a male. We sometimes get a bit of a fall flush of cardinals in the area. I wonder if this is the start. In past years they usually moved on, but someday they are going to stay. The Sussex and Saint John area can’t have them all! Mac’s brother who happens to live next door to him had a dozen EASTERN BLUEBIRDS [Merlebleu de l'Est] arrive to chow down on Virginia Creeper berries and he was so awestruck that he forgot to get photos.

** Stella and Jean-Paul Leblanc were in the Cap Lumiére area on Tuesday. They saw 30 GRAY SEALS [Phoque gris] approximately 1 Km north of the wharf and were able to get some distant photos. They would all appear to be Gray Seals, some very clearly showing the signature “horse head” appearance. A group that size would suggest a significant food source in the area of some species of fish present in numbers to attract them. Stella and Jean-Paul comment that they could hear them vocalizing from the shore.

** Aldo Dorio is still enjoying the HORNED LARK [Alouette hausse-col] continued presence at Hay Island with one offering a pleasant portrait.

** All thanks to John Klymco for sharing a great presentation on dragonflies and damselflies virtually on Tuesday evening to Nature Moncton. Unfortunately many folks had problems getting on board with the learning curve for the new system which will be worked on to get some bumps smoothed down. If the presentation can in any way be placed on the website, or with a link for later consumption, stay tuned.

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton

SULPHUR-BELLIED FLYCATCHER. OCT 20, 2020. MAC WILMOT

HORNED LARK. OCT 20, 2020. ALDO DORIO

GREY SEALS. OCT 20, 2020. STELLA LEBLANC

Tuesday, 20 October 2020

Oct 20 2020

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, Oct. 20, 2020 (Tuesday)

Please advise editor at nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com if any errors are noted in wording or photo labeling.

For more information on Nature Moncton, check into the website at www.naturemoncton.com

Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Transcript by Susan Richards susan_richards@rogers.com

Info Line # 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)

To respond by e-mail, please address your message to the information line editor nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com.

**The route of virtual presentations is a new scenario to many of us, but surely has been of value during the present Pandemic. President Fred Richards has worked hard to get the Nature Moncton meeting on for tonight, Tuesday evening October the 20th to be available to all, Nature Moncton member or not. The instructions from Fred are attached below just after the write-up of the evening’s presentation. It is hoped John Klymko’s presentation can be recorded in a link prepared for folks to hear it if not available tonight.

“Dragonflies and Damselflies of New Brunswick”

Date: Oct 20, 2020

Time: 7:00 pm

Location: https://meet.google.com/ixv-qwyc-wxs

Speaker: John Klymko

Dragonflies and damselflies, collectively known as the Odonata, are a group of insects that have long fascinated naturalists. Here in New Brunswick, we are lucky to have a relatively rich Odonata fauna, with 139 species recorded; only Ontario and Quebec have more! Join John Klymko, zoologist at the Atlantic Canada Conservation Data Centre, for an introduction to the natural history, diversity, and conservation status of our Odonata.

Instructions for connecting to the meeting.

If you are connecting from a PC or Mac Computer click on the link below. No software is required.

https://meet.google.com/ixv-qwyc-wxs

You may be asked to log in to Google. This should be optional.

Please mute your microphone during the meeting (or I will do it for you) to keep the background noise down.

There is a symbol for people () on the screen once you are in the meeting that will open a window to allow chat features. You can ask questions through this feature and we will try to answer all of them during or after the presentation.

If you are joining from a handheld device (tablet or Phone) then you will need to download and install the App. This App is called “Google Meet client” and it is free. If you have any questions, please contact fredrichards@rogers.com.

**Stella LeBlanc spotted a NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD [Moqueur polyglotte] in their Bouctouche yard last week but it flew off before allowing a photo, however it returned to their yard on Monday and gave Stella some nice photo ops. It was attracted to a Barberry hedge and foraging on the berries. They comment, like many others, they have PINE SISKIN [Tarin des pins] patrons to their feeder yard. It is looking like there is a major eruption of Pine Siskins happening this past week and they sure do know where the feeder yards are.

**Jim and Therese Carroll took a day trip to Pagan Point Nature Preserve on Monday. They encountered a Tufted Titmouse, Solitary Sandpiper and a lone American Golden Plover. Jim comments “Lovely day and location”. Jim's photo of the American Golden-plover nicely shows the bold supercilliary line over the eye and the smaller bill to help separate it from the more common Black-bellied Plover.

Pagan Point Trail is a recommended short easy trail to visit when in St. Andrews. It can be accessed by Salt Marsh Rd. The Tufted Titmouse appears to be moving nicely into St. Andrews and has been nesting there in recent years.

**Georges Brun got photos Sunday October 18, 2020 of a flock of Pine Siskin at the Landing (near Chateau Moncton). He estimated 100 + birds.

Georges also notes there is now water in the Riverview ponds in the Riverview Marsh area after the lack of water there this past summer.

**We seem to be getting more reports of WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH [Sittelle à poitrine blanche] outside their traditional areas recently. Peter and Deana Gadd had their first White-breasted Nuthatch in more than 5 years appear in their Miramichi yard late Monday afternoon. It was in a Hawthorn bush perhaps ten feet from the house. It was moving about a great deal as this species does. Suddenly it froze. Deana at the same time, saw a HAWK. Shortly after, Peter was able to get one quick photo of a seemingly significantly sized hawk perhaps 150 ft. away in a neighbour’s bare Maple tree. It was a distant photo in poor light and difficult to be sure of identity. Cooper's Hawk or a female Sharp-shinned Hawk are rule-outs

The male, RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER [Pic à ventre roux] dropped by the Gadd’s yard late Monday afternoon again for a quick snack and seemed to dismiss the BLUE JAYS [Geai bleu]. It seemed more vocal Monday but perhaps, Peter said, he was in the right place at the right time. There are plenty of Oak trees in his neighbourhood, a favourite of Red-bellied Woodpeckers and that is where the calling was coming from.

**Jane LeBlanc was surprised to hear a thump at her window screen and see a HAIRY WOODPECKER [Pic chevelu] clinging to it. She assumed that it accidentally struck the screen and was hanging on to it as it revived from the blow. Jane also got a PINE SISKIN [Tarin des pins] portrait; looking like it will be a species we will see a lot of possibly for the whole winter.

**Aldo Dorio got a nice photo of a TRI-COLOURED BUMBLE BEE [Bourdon tricolore] still active at Hay Island on Sunday. The identity markings show well, showing T1 as yellow, T2 and T3 as orange T4 as yellow and T5 that does show in one photo as black. The thorax is yellow with a black band between the wing bases with a triangular black wedge pointed toward the tail. These features make it easily distinguished from the RED-BELTED BUMBLE BEE [Bourdon à ceinture rouge]. A fertilized Queen is the only member of the hive that will survive the winter to start the whole cycle again next spring.

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton

AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER.OCTOBER 19, 2020. JIM CARROLL

SOLITARY SANDPIPER.OCTOBER 19, 2020. JIM CARROLL

TUFTED TITMOUSE.OCTOBER 19, 2020. JIM CARROLL

NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD, OCT 19, 2020. STELLA LEBLANC

WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH. OCT 19, 2020. PETER GADD

PINE SISKIN. OCT. 19, 2020. JANE LEBLANC

PINE SISKINS. OCT 18, 2020. GEORGES BRUN

RAPTOR. OCT 19, 2020. PETER GADD

HAIRY WOODPECKER ON WINDOW SCREEN. OCT. 19, 2020. JANE LEBLANC

TRI-COLORED BUMBLE BEE (BOMBUS TERNARIUS). OCT 19, 2020. ALDO DORIO

Monday, 19 October 2020

Oct 19 2020

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, Oct. 19, 2020 (Monday)

Please advise editor at nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com if any errors are noted in wording or photo labeling.

For more information on Nature Moncton, check into the website at www.naturemoncton.com

Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Transcript by: Susan Richards susan_richards@rogers.com

Info Line # 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)

To respond by e-mail, please address your message to the information line editor nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com.

**On Sunday morning around 10 a.m. Pat and Jill McLaughlin clearly saw a large cat running across a field in Sussex. They were travelling from Quispamsis going towards Moncton. In Sussex, just as they crossed the Kennebecasis River they saw the animal in the field on the right. Jill immediately said “It’s a big cat” and indeed it was. Pat comments that he has heard all the stories of COUGAR [Couguar] sightings in the Province and always thought people were seeing COYOTE(S) [Coyote], FOX(ES) [RENARD], Lynx(S) [LYNX] or maybe Fishers [PÊCHEUSES]. He thought he would only believe there are Cougars here when he saw one. Sunday he felt he did. So, this is what they saw; it was a large cat, with a long rope-like tail, about a hundred yards away, running towards the corner of the field by the highway. They could not give a good estimate of weight but surely it was over 70 pounds maybe closer to a hundred pounds. It was not a Lynx or a BOBCAT [Lynx roux], the long tail was easy to see. Sunday was a bright and clear beautiful sunny day. They turned off the highway at the next ramp to see if they could get another look at it but it was out of sight. Pat comments there may not be a breeding population of Cougar in New Brunswick but there was one in Sussex on Sunday. Pat McLaughlin is a very experienced woodsman, hunter and naturalist. I feel Pat’s report is very reliable and folks in this area should be on the watch especially with a camera for that illusive photo of a Cougar in New Brunswick.

**For the past two mornings at 5 minutes before sunrise Peter and Deana Gadd have had brief visits from a male RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER [Pic à ventre roux].
Brief visits because their feeders even at this time are dominated by 6 or 7 BLUE JAY [Geai bleu]. Deana has read that the Red-Bellied Woodpecker at a feeder will hold its own against other birds but not Blue Jays. It was tricky lighting of course at that hour, because there just wasn’t much of it so the picture is a bit grainy. They had been hoping for a visit for the past few years from this species; this is a ‘lifer’ for the both of them. It was nice to be able to report it yesterday on Global Big Day. It was indeed great to have two reports this past week of Red-Bellied Woodpeckers to feeder yards. John Inman had a female arrive earlier in the week. Apparently, this species is doing well to the south of us, so great to see them possibly expanding into New Brunswick. In the past when they arrived at a good feeder yard, they often tended to return to it all winter. It was enjoying unsalted shelled peanuts in the Gadds’ feeder yard.

**Fred and Sue Richards were in the right place at the right time to witness a natural scenario take place. The New Moon tides were very high on Sunday. Susan and Fred went for a hike along the dike along the Memramcook River at the base of their property in Taylor Village. They noted gulls seemingly in a feeding frenzy after what the Richards assumed must be small fish let up into the marsh by the high tide. Surprisingly they realized the target of the gulls was small rodents, assumedly SHREW [Musaraigne] and Voles [CAMPAGNOL], that had been flooded out of their burrows and trying to get to higher ground and being intercepted by opportunistic gulls. I assume this must happen at these very high tides but most of us would never witness it happening, however, the fish were up in the flooded areas as well as Susan photographed a GREAT BLUE HERON [Grand Héron] up in the flooded vegetation, quite content with the fish prey.

**Gabriel and Tania Gallant had a visit from an adult WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW [Bruant à couronne blanche] and an immature with it. They stayed in the driveway for a while to forage. Editor’s Note: The immature White-crowned Sparrow in Gabriel’s photo appears to have a reddish blush on it. This is due to the photo reflection, as the crown stripe is brown.

During a visit with family on Thanksgiving weekend in the Jaquet River area they drove up by a field that had a huge flock of CANADA GEESE [Bernache du Canada], with them were two adult Snow Geese [Oies de neige] and five immature White morphs and one immature Blue Morph. They weren’t able to report this at the time due to internet issues. They were on Hayes Road in Nash Creek New Brunswick, just off the highway near the Nash Creek exit. They may still be present.

Back to their own yard in Ste-Marie-de-Kent a group, of 5 EASTERN BLUEBIRD [Merlebleu de l'Est] are making frequent visits to feed on insects. Also, Gabriel has been seeing a WILSON'S SNIPE [Bécassine des marais] and an AMERICAN WOODCOCK [Bécasse d'Amérique] on his Ste-Marie-de-Kent property.

Tania and Gabriel checked out one of their reliable Oak trees in Albert County for Hen-of-the-Woods mushroom and found one that weighs in at 4 pounds and there was a second one just starting to grow. Unfortunately, in the excitement a photo was forgotten. It is an ideal time to look for the very delicious Hen-of-the-Woods mushroom in association with Oak trees.

**Mac Wilmot sent photos of a beetle larvae in a dead Spruce tree that he was cutting to Saturday’s edition. The woodpeckers obviously heard the comments on Saturday’s Info line and NORTHERN FLICKER [Pic flamboyant] and a HAIRY WOODPECKER [Pic chevelu] arrived to check out the booty. Mac also sent a photo of the tailings of the beetle larvae as they chew in the wood. We will have to go on a quest to decide what the tailings actually are…. till later.

**Jane LeBlanc had a RUFFED GROUSE [Gélinotte huppée] appear outside their bedroom window for a photo. Their Irish Setter Lucy went on point! Jane also got a very pleasant portrait of a male PURPLE FINCH [Roselin pourpré] in their St. Martins’ yard.

**Aldo Dorio photographed a Bald Eagle surveying the activity at Hay Island on Sunday morning. There seems to be a modest amount of yellow in the bill to suggest it may be at least two years of age.

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton

RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER (MALE). OCT 18, 2020. PETER GADD

SNOW GEESE ACCOMPANYING CANADA GOOSE FLOCK. OCT 3, 2020. GABRIEL GALLANT

SNOW GOOSE (BLUE MORPH) ACCOMPANYING CANADA GOOSE FLOCK. OCT 3, 2020. GABRIEL GALLANT

WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS (ADULT AND IMMATURE). OCT 9, 2020. GABRIEL GALLANT

RUFFED GROUSE. OCT. 17, 2020. JANE LEBLANC

PURPLE FINCH. (ADULT MALE). OCT. 17, 2020. JANE LEBLANC

NORTHERN FLICKER SEARCHING OUT BEETLE LARVAE. OCT 18, 2020. MAC WILMOT

HAIRY WOODPECKER SEARCHING OUT BEETLE LARVAE. OCT 18, 2020. MAC WILMOT

HOLES AND TAILINGS OF BEETLE LARVAE. OCT 18, 2020. MAC WILMOT

GREAT BLUE HERON. OCT 18, 2020. SUSAN RICHARDS

BALD EAGLE. (SUBADULT) OCT 18, 2020. ALDO DORIO

Sunday, 18 October 2020

Oct 18 2020

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, October 18, 2020 (Sunday)

To respond by e-mail, please address your message to the information line editor, nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com .

Please advise the editor at nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com if any errors are noted in wording or photo labelling.

For more information on Nature Moncton, check the website at www.naturemoncton.com .

Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Transcript by: Louise Nichols nicholsl@eastlink.ca

Info Line # 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)

** Eric Wilson who lives in Moncton’s north end in a newer but well-treed subdivision has had good patronage from RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES [Sittelle à poitrine rousse]; however, he was very pleased to have a WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH [Sittelle à poitrine blanche] show up 3 times to his feeder area on Saturday, and he is hoping it stays as he is very much looking forward to hearing them both and watching the different cadence and behaviour of these related species. He had one visit approximately 5 years ago. His wish list now has expanded to Northern Cardinal.

** The monthly October meeting for Nature Moncton scheduled for Tuesday night (October 20) is going to happen. John Klymko will give a presentation on dragonflies and damselflies. This will be a virtual meeting, and anyone can listen to it from home, and questions can be fielded by the moderator, Fred Richards. Fred has been working hard to decide what system we will use of the several that have become available, and more details will follow about how to join the meeting and hopefully view it afterward if necessary as we plan to record it. There are several things we all must adapt to in order to use the system which may seem different at first but is really quite simple. Participants will go to a link to hook up with the meeting. I’m expecting to get the link on the Nature Line on or before Tuesday, so people can click on it to join the meeting and the presentation Tuesday evening at 7:00 PM.

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton

Saturday, 17 October 2020

Oct 17 2020

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, 17 October 2020 (Saturday)

To respond by email, please address your message to the information line editor, nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Please advise the editor at nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com if any errors are noted in wording or photo labelling.

For more information on Nature Moncton, check the website at www.naturemoncton.com

Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com Transcript by: Catherine Clements

Info Line #: 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)

**Jane LeBlanc had a DICKCISSEL [Dickcissel d'Amérique] visit her St. Martins yard on Friday. The plumage can be a bit confusing, but we feel it is either an immature male or an adult female. Dickcissels are relatively uncommon visitors to New Brunswick, and some usually show up sporadically each fall and winter, and some can even overwinter at feeder yards. Their expected breeding range includes the central portion of the U.S.

**Leigh Eaton reports they are noting a nice diversity of birds at their new location at Turnberry Court in the Evergreen subdivision area of Moncton. Leigh reports seeing many WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS [Bruant à gorge blanche] the last few days, and DARK-EYED JUNCOS [Junco ardoisé] becoming more frequent visitors to their new address. A flock of RING-NECKED PHEASANTS [Faisan de Colchide] love the offering of peanuts and cracked corn. It appears like at least three generations/broods are coming to their yard several times a day, and yesterday two adult males at the same time. A surprise visitor yesterday was a male PILEATED WOODPECKER [Grand Pic]. On Saturday he saw 2 to 3 PINE SISKINS [Tarin des pins] but initially thought they were immature AMERICAN GOLDFINCH [Chardonneret jaune].

**Mac Wilmot noted some larval caterpillars in a Spruce tree [Épinette] block he was splitting. The tree was sound, but dead. One would have to wonder if this may be the larvae of one of the Long-horned Beetles [Longicornes] that can be quick to recycle dead wood. Beetles and mushroom fungi (mushrooms) play a major role in recycling dead wood. The larval caterpillars Mac photographed were ¼ in.+ in diameter and 1 1/4 in. long. The beetles contribute very significantly to the cuisine of some birds like woodpeckers.

**Friday was Gordon Rattray’s turn to have PINE SISKINS [Tarin des pins] arriving. He had 6 spend most of the day in his Weldon feeder yard, and now knows he does indeed have two WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCHES [Sittelle à poitrine blanche], and they are enjoying a peanut butter feeder. A pair of male and female DOWNY [Pic mineur] and HAIRY WOODPECKERS [Pic chevelu] joined them at the peanut butter bar.

**Lois Budd visited the Tantramar Wetlands on Friday after chatting with Louise Nichols. Around noon there were 20 Hudsonian Godwits that she could see and count from the lookout benches with her scope. Her camera was not strong enough to get a good photo from that distance as the light was also against her.

It seems morning is the best time if anyone wishes to see them.

**There have been lots of mentions of WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS [Bruant à gorge blanche] in significant numbers recently. Daryl Doucet got a photo of a sharply-dressed specimen enjoying his feeder area. Most White-throated Sparrows migrate, but a small number do overwinter with us, especially at feeders.

**More PINE SISKIN [Tarin des pins] activity again for Aldo Dorio, who photographed them foraging on the seeds of a group of maturing flower heads going to seed. Gart Bishop feels the plant of their interest is BOG GOLDENROD [Verge d'or des marais] (Solidigo uliginosa). Aldo also photographed a Gall [Galle] on what appears to be on an Oak leaf. These are usually made by insects of varying species. Galls are a whole story on their own and do tend to like Oak!

Nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton

DICKCISSEL. OCT. 16, 2020. JANE LEBLANC

WHITE-THROATED SPARROW. OCT 16, 2020. DARYL DOUCET

PINE SISKIN. OCT 16, 2020. GORDON RATTRAY

PINE SISKINS FORAGING BOG GOLDENROD (Solidago uliginosa). OCT 16, 2020. ALDO DORIO

WOOD BEETLE LARVA. OCT 16, 2020. MAC WILMOT

WOOD BEETLE TRAILS FOUND IN SPRUCE BLOCKS. OCT 16, 2020. MAC WILMOT.jpg

GALL ON LEAF. OCT 16, 2020. ALDO DORIO

Friday, 16 October 2020

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, October 16, 2020 (Friday)

To respond by e-mail, please address your message to the information line editor, nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com .

Please advise the editor at nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com if any errors are noted in wording or photo labelling.

For more information on Nature Moncton, check the website at www.naturemoncton.com .

Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Transcript by: Louise Nichols nicholsl@eastlink.ca

Info Line # 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)

** On Nature Moncton Infoline published on Wednesday, Louise Nichols reported the presence of HUDSONIAN GODWITS (Barge hudsonienne) at the Tantramar Wetlands (Sackville). Yves Poussart visited this site on Thursday morning looking for them and he did find a group of twenty of them.

His expectation was high because this is a new species to him, and he was able to take several photos. After having visited other sites, Yves returned to the site during the afternoon to benefit from a better orientation of light, but it was then not possible to find them. At the Waterfowl Park, AMERICAN WIGEONS (Canard d'Amérique) are by far the most abundant species.

** It sure has been awhile since there has been multiple reports of PINE SISKINS [Tarin des pins] in yards and feeders. In many cases over the past few years, this species was in flocks in the wild, but in many instances, not coming to feeders. I am assuming that their wild food supply was abundant and that they chose that over feeders. One would wonder if their favourite food source of birch catkins is diminished in some cases this year. Daryl Doucet got a nice photo of a group in his Moncton feeder yard. Daryl also got a nice photo of an adult WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW [Bruant à couronne blanche]. We have had several photos of immature White-crowned Sparrows submitted, but this is the first one in adult plumage. It is a short time window that we have to see this species in the fall as they migrate to the south of us, and in the spring as they migrate to breeding grounds to the north of us.

** Brian and Annette Stone drove to Fundy National Park on Thursday to enjoy what might be one of the last nice days of the year (but hopefully not). They took the scenic route through Harvey and Waterside to get there and enjoyed the bright coloured foliage still on display along the way. At Fundy Park they decided to walk the Caribou Plain Trail (a 2.1 km loop) and examine all the beauty that it had to offer, and it had a lot to offer. All the public areas of the park, both inside and outside and trails, are "mask required" at the moment and loop trails are "one way" only. They actually had the trail all to themselves on Thursday, as well as the picnic area at Bennett Lake where they had their lunch. It really felt wild being out there all alone.

Along the trail boardwalk areas they saw dozens of AUTUMN MEADOWHAWK DRAGONFLIES, many mushrooms and other fungi, a dozen or more small fish in a stream running out of the lake, some colourful foliage still hanging on to their trees, an old looking beaver lodge out in the Caribou Lake itself, a nice group of PITCHER PLANTS, a RED SQUIRREL surveying his local habitat, a nice flyover by a RED-TAILED HAWK, and on the bark of a birch tree Brian noticed a tiny, 5 mm long spider that was identified as a NORTHERN LONG-TOOTHED SHEETWEAVER SPIDER. Brian also made a 6-image panorama of Annette posing at the Caribou Lake lookout platform. On the way out of the park they spotted a healthy-looking RED FOX wandering along the roadside.

** It’s Friday and time to review the next week’s Sky-at-a-Glace, courtesy of sky-guru Curt Nason, as days get shorter and some dark nights coming up with a new moon which we will not see during the day and which means we can expect high high tides and low low tides.

This Week’s Sky at a Glance, 2020 October 17 – October 24
With the Square of Pegasus appearing higher in the east after twilight, look under it (or outside the first base line of the diamond) for a circle of fainter stars. This asterism is the Circlet of Pisces and forms the head of one if the two fish that make up this zodiac constellation. Below left of the circle is the Vernal Equinox, the point where the Sun crosses the equator to mark the beginning of our spring season. It is still at times called the First Point of Aries despite having moved well to the west of the zodiacal ram.

The fishes represent Aphrodite and her son Eros, who tied their ankles together with a cord before leaping into the sea and changing into fish to escape the fearsome monster Typhon. The star where the fishes’ tails meet is called Alrescha, which means “the cord.” This autumn Pisces is hosting a prominent visitor: the planet Mars.

This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 7:39 am and sunset will occur at 6:28 pm, giving 10 hours, 49 minutes of daylight (7:43 am and 6:34 pm in Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 7:49 am and set at 6:16 pm, giving 10 hours, 27 minutes of daylight (7:52 am and 6:23 pm in Saint John).

With the new Moon at perigee on October 16, we can expect extreme tides this weekend. The Moon passes below Jupiter and Saturn on Thursday, and at the first quarter phase on Friday a telescope will reveal the Lunar X just inside the shadow line around 8 pm. Mars is now in the eastern sky at sunset, attracting attention throughout the night. Jupiter continues to edge toward Saturn, and this Saturday telescope users might catch the shadows of Jupiter’s moons Callisto and Io on the planet’s cloud tops until 8:42 pm. Venus dominates the morning sky and rural stargazers might see it within the zodiacal light 90 minutes before sunrise. The Orionid meteor shower peaks on Tuesday night, best seen Wednesday morning when Orion is highest.

With astronomy meetings and outreach activities on hold, you can watch the local Sunday Night Astronomy Show at 8 pm, and view archived shows, on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAEHfOWyL-kNH7dBVHK8spg

Questions? Contact Curt Nason at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.