**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.
Nelson Poirier
Nature Moncton
nelson@nb.sympatico.ca
EVENING GROSBEAKS.JAN 16, 2015.DAVE MILLER
PINE GROSBEAK. JAN.16, 2015. BRIAN STONE
ROBIN AND PINE GROSBEAK. JAN.16, 2015. BRIAN STONE
ROBIN AND PINE GROSBEAK. JAN.16, 2015. BRIAN STONE