Nature Moncton Nature News: January 1 2015

** Brian Stone has been trying to capture a photo of the new comet LOVEJOY (C/2014Q2) since the week before Christmas however sky conditions did not cooperate until Wednesday evening. Look for the green glowing spot in the bottom right area of Brian’s photos to see the comet. This is not the same comet LOVEJOY that was visible last year. Brian shows a photo taken with the telescope from space-weather .com as well. While out watching Brian photographed the MOON as well which was tending to wash out the comet’s brightness.

** After a snowstorm in December John Foster had lots of broken branches in his yard as a result. He put them all in a pile that became a TREE SPARROW magnet with the SPARROWS very much appreciating the area to feed under. I also noted a surge in SPARROW activity as the temperature plummeted. There had been several AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS [Bruant hudsonien], a WHITE-THROATED SPARROW [Bruant à gorge blanche], and two SONG SPARROWS [Bruant chanteur] appearing regularly but the sudden cold seemed to put them into a feeding frenzy.

** Jack Perry reports a pair of NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRDS [Moqueur polyglotte] seem to have a territory around his daughter’s front yard on Honeysuckle Drive in West Saint John. They had been seen in the area earlier in the season as well in the same area.

Bob Blake maintains daily morning temperatures and daily high temperatures as well as monthly precipitation from his Second North River home.

Bob leaves a comparison from his records between Dec, 2013 and Dec 2014 that show noticeable contrast.

For Dec 2013, there were 17 mornings recorded -10 C or above with a high morning of +7C

For Dec 2014, there were 25 mornings recorded -10 C or above with a high morning of +6C

For Dec 2013, there were 10 mornings recorded below -10 C with a low morning of -24C

For Dec 2014, there were 5 mornings recorded below -10 C with a low morning of -19C

For Dec 2013, the highest daytime temperature recorded was +8C and lowest daytime temperature was -14C

For Dec 2014, the highest daytime temperature recorded was +15C and lowest daytime temperature was -8C

The whole picture seems to suggest a warmer Dec 2014 than Dec 2013

Precipitation for Dec 2013 was 136 cm snow, 8 mm of rain

Precipitation for Dec 2014 was 10cm snow, 236 mm of rain

A very notable shift in type of precipitation with lots of precipitation as rain during Dec 2014 and lots more precipitation as snow in 2013

To view the photos mentioned in this edition go to http://nminfoline.blogspot.ca/. To see them in higher resolution if the original photo was taken that way, click on the Nature Moncton Photo bucket option at the Blogger site. In Photo Bucket, hovering on the photo will show the Photo Credit.

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca