Nature Moncton Nature News: January 17 2015

**Brian Stone's yard Crabapple [Pommetier] tree continues to attract

fruit-eating birds. It started with a RING-NECKED PHEASANT [Faisan de

Colchide], then a ROBIN [Merle d'Amérique], and on Friday morning a

small group of PINE GROSBEAKS [Durbec des sapins] arrived and fed.

There appeared to be no adult males among the Pine Grosbeak group.

**Jules Cormier had a first visit from a NORTHERN SHRIKE [Pie-grièche

grise] to his Memramcook feeder yard on Monday. The COMMON REDPOLL

[Sizerin flammé] contingent is swelling and the RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER

[Pic à ventre roux] and WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH [Sittelle à poitrine

blanche] continue to be regular.

**Marlene Hickman had a lively Friday morning at her Dorchester feeder

with new arrivals and increased numbers of others. New arrivals were a

flock of PINE SISKINS [Tarin des pins] and Common Redpolls and two

AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS. The EVENING GROSBEAK [Gros-bec errant] flock,

now numbering 40, have become regular patrons. The Redpolls seem to be

late arriving to feeder yards this year, probably finding adequate

wild food, however they seem to be moving into the feeder yards now.

**Dave Christie comments Friday was the first day Redpolls were the

dominant Finch [Fringillidés] at his feeder area, numbering

approximately 35, taking over in numbers from the Pine Siskins and the

AMERICAN GOLDFINCH [Chardonneret jaune]. The Flying Squirrel

[Polatouche] was back again to Dave's window feeder on Friday night,

and a NORTHERN GOSHAWK [Autour des palombes] made a pass but seemed to

have no particular interest in the Finch-sized patrons.

**The VESPER SPARROW [Bruant vespéral] continues to be a regular

patron at Roger LeBlanc's feeder yard in Notre Dame. Roger's address

is 3764 Route 115, which is the main route from Moncton to Notre Dame.

It's a white house with blue trim. The bird comes to feeders in front

of a large window in the addition built behind the house. Just park at

the end of the driveway next to the back entrance, and look under the

tray feeders and it will be to your left under the Maple [Érable]

tree. Roger comments a Northern Goshawk is checking out the yard but

suspects it has MOURNING DOVES [Tourterelle triste] more on its mind

than Vesper Sparrow.

**Curt Nason comments on Friday night he was watching COMET LOVEJOY.

In his 8 x 42 binoculars the comet was in one corner of the field, and

the PLEIADES was just outside the 7.5º field of view.

This Week’s Sky at a Glance, January 16 – 24

Comet Lovejoy is still at its predicted brightest this week, and it's high in the evening sky with no Moon yet. The comet is glowing at about 4th magnitude more or less west of the Pleiades. It's very obvious in binoculars, and it's dimly visible to the unaided eye if you have a very good dark sky.

Early this week, Mercury is still fairly easy to pick up as it moves away to the right of Venus.

Bright Capella high overhead, and bright Rigel in Orion's foot, are at almost the same right ascension — so they cross your sky’s meridian at almost the same time around 10:30 p.m., Whenever Capella passes its very highest, Rigel marks true south over your landscape. Both shine brilliantly at zero magnitude.

On Saturday, January 17, Comet Lovejoy is 8° west-southwest of the Pleiades this evening and Sunday evening as well.

Sirius twinkles brightly after dusk below Orion this week. Around 9 p.m., Sirius shines precisely below fiery Betelgeuse in Orion's shoulder. Sirius leads Betelgeuse early in the evening; Betelgeuse leads later.

Orion shines high in the southeast in early evening now. Orion is the showiest constellation, but his main pattern is surprisingly small compared to some of his dimmer neighbors.

Gemini shines high in the east these evenings, off to the left of Orion.

The Moon will go into its new phase on Tuesday, January 20 meaning it will rise at midnight and set at noon. Expect higher high tides and lower low tides.

On Friday, January 23, the Moon, dim Mars, and bright Venus form a big diagonal line in the west in twilight.

Every week, brilliant Sirius, the Dog Star, glitters higher in the southeast after dusk. Look high above it for Betelgeuse in Orion's shoulder, shining reddish-orange.

On Saturday, January 17, the sun rose at 7:55 a.m. and will set at 5:03 p.m. giving 9 hours 7 minutes of daylight hours. On Saturday, January 24, the sun will rise at 7:49 a.m. and set at 5:12 p.m. to give 9 hours 22 minutes of daylight hours (These values are for Moncton, New Brunswick).

This Week's Planet Roundup

Mercury is coming off its close pairing with Venus. Look for them in low the southwest in the afterglow of sunset. Venus is by far the most obvious, shining at magnitude –3.9. On Friday the 16th Mercury was still just 2.2° to Venus's lower right, and still magnitude –0.5. But Mercury fades rapidly day by day, while falling away farther to the lower right. By week's end it's essentially gone.

Mars (magnitude +1.2) continues to glow in the southwest at dusk, to Venus's upper left. It still sets around 9 p.m.

Jupiter (magnitude –2.5) rises around 7 p.m. in the east-northeast. Nearly an hour later, fainter Regulus (magnitude +1.4) rises below it. By 10 p.m. They're shining high in the east.

Saturn (magnitude +0.5) glows in the southeast before and during dawn. Below Saturn by 10°, look for orange Antares.

To view the photos mentioned in this edition go to http://nminfoline.blogspot.ca/.

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca