Nature Moncton Nature News: June 12 2015

** Anna Tucker experienced a RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD [Carouge à epaulettes] scenario she'd never seen before at the Sackville Waterfowl Park. One lone Red-winged Blackbird sounded an alarm after an AMERICAN CROW [Corneille d'Amérique] suddenly descended among the cattails. Suddenly a posse of a dozen plus other males arrived to result in an aerial and ground battle that lasted for 10 minutes before the crow made a retreat.

** Louise Nichols got a photo of a male ELM SAWFLY on Wednesday as well as a FOUR-SPOTTED SKIMMER [La quadrimaculée] dragonfly and a suspect BEAVERPOND BASKETTAIL [Épithèque canine] dragonfly. These were found in the White Birch Ducks Unlimited impoundment area.

** The duck families are coming out fast recently. Susan Richards got a photo of a photo of an AMERICAN BLACK DUCK [Canard noir] female with 9 ducklings in tow near a swampy boardwalk public area in Memramcook.

** Aldo Dorio shares some photos of a NASHVILLE WARBLER [Paruline à joues grises] at Hay Island on Tuesday. The white eye ring shows up nicely as well as the all-yellow breast and throat.

** Alma White and visitor Paul Binney were out along the coast in the Cormierville area. Paul got a nice photo of a GREAT BLUE HERON [Grand Héron] in its graceful flight posture and an OSPREY [Balbuzard pêcheur] in its nest near there. They encountered a scuffle between a BALD EAGLE [Pygargue à tête blanche] attempting to steal a meal from an Osprey. The Osprey was able to hold its own.

** A bit more about the two butterfly species that Brian Stone and I encountered at the Aboujagane bog on Wednesday: the Elfin turned out to be a BROWN ELFIN [Lutin brun], a very small butterfly with a short flight period which is taking place at the moment. Brian got an awesome photo of one in situ at the bog. And remember this butterfly is thumbnail size. I'm adding two photos of the JUTTA ARCTIC [Nordique des tourbières], one with wings folded up which they almost always are in the field, and a second photo shows the wings down to show the top surface which we rarely saw among the hundreds present, all choosing the upright wing position when perched. One of the Odes we got was a FOUR-SPOTTED SKIMMER [La quadrimaculée] which Louise Nichols also got the same day in Sackville. A close-up and a full-bodied photo is added to point out the easy-to-identify features of this dragonfly.

This week’s sky at a glance courtesy of Curt Nason.

This Week’s Sky at a Glance, June 13 – June 20

Saturn sits relatively low in the south during late evening, just upper right of an arc of stars that forms the claws of Scorpius the Scorpion. To their lower right, at the heart of the scorpion, is the red supergiant star Antares. If this star was our sun it would span more than halfway to Jupiter, easily encompassing the four inner planets. Two close stars at the stinger are sometimes referred to as the Cat’s Eyes. A pair of stars, angled about ten degrees apart and 10 degrees upper right of Saturn, are the two brightest of Libra the Balance. These stars are named Zubeneschemali (northern claw) and Zubenelgenubi (southern claw), as they were once part of Scorpius. Being tongue twisters, I prefer to call them collectively Zubie Deux or ZZ Atop. The Sun’s path passes just below the lower star so the Moon and planets often sail between the two, prompting their ancient nickname “The Pillars of Hercules” after the peaks flanking the Strait of Gibraltar.

In mythology, the goddess Gaia sent a scorpion to kill the giant hunter Orion after he boasted he would kill all the animals on Earth. Orion was brought back to life by Asclepius, who learned the healing arts from a snake. The constellation Ophiuchus the Healer, representing Asclepius, stands above Scorpius and divides the constellation Serpens the Snake. The scorpion and hunter are forever separated in the sky, as when one rises the other is setting.

This Week in the Solar System

Today sunrise in Moncton was at 5:27 am and sunset will occur at 9:10 pm, giving 15 hours, 43 minutes of daylight. Next Saturday, a day before the Summer Solstice, the Sun will rise about the same time and set two minutes later, giving 15 hours, 45 minutes of daylight.

The Moon is New on Tuesday, June 16. Watch for it gliding below Venus and Jupiter on Friday and Saturday next week, a nice photo opportunity.

Mercury rises 40 minutes before the Sun this weekend, and an hour before the Sun next weekend when it is a few degrees above the equally bright orange star Aldebaran. It is at its greatest elongation from the Sun on June 24.

Venus sits atop the Beehive star cluster (also called M44) this evening, an interesting sight through binoculars in late twilight. It sets a little past midnight.

Mars is in conjunction with the Sun on June 14. It will return to the morning sky next month.

Jupiter is about 10 degrees upper left of Venus this evening, a fist-width at arm’s length.

Saturn is highest in the sky and best for observing during late evening. Its rings are at their best viewing in a decade so give them a try with your spotting scope, and look for its brightest moon Titan nearby.

On Saturday, June 20 at 1 pm, the NB Centre of the RASC meets in Fredericton for astronomy talks at the UNB Forestry/Geology Building (2 Bailey Drive), Room 203. All are welcome; no fee, no fuss.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton