** Four of us made a visit to the Tantramar Marsh on Thursday to enjoy the
recent activity there. There was lots to see, with the high number of NORTHERN
HARRIERS [Busard Saint-Martin], followed by a nice showing of ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS
[Buse pattue], similar to what Louise Nichols reported the day before. A special
bonus was seeing two SHORT-EARED OWLS [Hibou des marais], unexpectedly hunting
at noon hour along the Anderson Marsh Road.
However, we did not see them again later in the day.
The flocks of SNOW BUNTINGS [Bruant des neiges] were large, suspected to be
in the 500+ range but no tagalongs were noted. The number of RING-NECKED
PHEASANTS [Faisan de Colchide] were very significant on the Anderson Marsh Road,
especially around the corn fields.. BALD EAGLES [Pygargue à tête blanche] were
moving about the area, but the GOLDEN EAGLE [Aigle royal] was not spotted. Two
RED-TAILED HAWKS [Buse à queue rousse] were seen on the Jolicure Road, and again
as Louise had reported, Rough-legged Hawks were seen on the road to Paunchy
Lake. The Tantramar Marsh is surely a lively spot at the moment, and it’s a
good time to visit there, because the marsh roads were not plowed last winter,
and that’s apt to be the case again this year.
** I’m adding more photos of the ENGLISH IVY [Lierre] berries that we
observed on Wednesday, as the photo line-up yesterday was quite full.
** This week’s sky at a glance is added courtesy of Curt Nason.
This Week’s Sky at a Glance, November 28 – December
5
Like Nate the pirate in the Overboard comic, some people do not want to let go of summer. I usually don’t succumb to the cold right away, waiting for -10 C before my winter coat gets worn regularly. But you have to accept the inevitable, so around 8 pm this week don your coat and imagination to say goodbye to the summer constellations as they sink below the western horizon.
The first thing you might notice is the Summer Triangle, balanced on Altair and tipping to the right. Aquila the Eagle, with Altair at its head, is flapping furiously and futilely to stay above ground, a battle it will lose over two hours. To its right, Hercules is diving head first, hopefully into a lake. Between them, if you are in the country, you might see the haze of the Milky Way spilling over the ground, perhaps to become frost. Four smaller constellations form a line above Altair, highlighted by Lyra to the right with its brilliant star Vega. Foxy Vulpecula, Sagitta the Arrow and eye-catching Delphinus the Dolphin are balanced across the eagle’s wingspan. While you are at it, try for the triangular head of Equuleus the Little Horse, who leads his big brother Pegasus by a nose.
You will have more time to pay regards to the main summer constellation. Cygnus is into its swan dive but it is head doesn’t go under until late evening. In fact, one wing never sets to remind us that summer will be back, sometime. It is this time of year that Cygnus lives up to its asterism nickname of the Northern Cross, which stands upright over the western horizon all evening.
This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 7:37 am and sunset will occur at 4:37 pm, giving 9 hours of daylight (7:39 am and 4:45 pm in Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 7:45 am and set at 4:34 pm, giving 8 hours, 49 minutes of daylight (7:47 am and 4:42 pm in Saint John).
The Moon is at third quarter on Thursday morning, rising around midnight and setting around 1 pm. On Friday it joins the parade of three morning planets, starting with Jupiter and ending with a special event on December 7 when it makes a daylight occultation of Venus.
Mercury is now in the evening sky but is still too close to the Sun for viewing. By next weekend it sets nearly half an hour after sunset. Midweek Mars is greater 10 degrees to the upper right of Venus and more than 15 degrees lower left of Jupiter. The bright star Spica in Virgo is within a binocular width to the lower right of Venus this weekend. Saturn is in conjunction with the Sun on Monday.
Comet C/2013 US10 Catalina has moved into the morning sky after treating southern hemisphere stargazers to binocular views in the summer. It slides up to the left of Venus this week, about a binocular width away, but it might not be bright enough for binoculars yet, especially with the Moon in the area. On New Year’s Day it will be very close to bright Arcturus and it skims past the handle of the Big Dipper in mid-January.
Questions? Contact me at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.
Like Nate the pirate in the Overboard comic, some people do not want to let go of summer. I usually don’t succumb to the cold right away, waiting for -10 C before my winter coat gets worn regularly. But you have to accept the inevitable, so around 8 pm this week don your coat and imagination to say goodbye to the summer constellations as they sink below the western horizon.
The first thing you might notice is the Summer Triangle, balanced on Altair and tipping to the right. Aquila the Eagle, with Altair at its head, is flapping furiously and futilely to stay above ground, a battle it will lose over two hours. To its right, Hercules is diving head first, hopefully into a lake. Between them, if you are in the country, you might see the haze of the Milky Way spilling over the ground, perhaps to become frost. Four smaller constellations form a line above Altair, highlighted by Lyra to the right with its brilliant star Vega. Foxy Vulpecula, Sagitta the Arrow and eye-catching Delphinus the Dolphin are balanced across the eagle’s wingspan. While you are at it, try for the triangular head of Equuleus the Little Horse, who leads his big brother Pegasus by a nose.
You will have more time to pay regards to the main summer constellation. Cygnus is into its swan dive but it is head doesn’t go under until late evening. In fact, one wing never sets to remind us that summer will be back, sometime. It is this time of year that Cygnus lives up to its asterism nickname of the Northern Cross, which stands upright over the western horizon all evening.
This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 7:37 am and sunset will occur at 4:37 pm, giving 9 hours of daylight (7:39 am and 4:45 pm in Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 7:45 am and set at 4:34 pm, giving 8 hours, 49 minutes of daylight (7:47 am and 4:42 pm in Saint John).
The Moon is at third quarter on Thursday morning, rising around midnight and setting around 1 pm. On Friday it joins the parade of three morning planets, starting with Jupiter and ending with a special event on December 7 when it makes a daylight occultation of Venus.
Mercury is now in the evening sky but is still too close to the Sun for viewing. By next weekend it sets nearly half an hour after sunset. Midweek Mars is greater 10 degrees to the upper right of Venus and more than 15 degrees lower left of Jupiter. The bright star Spica in Virgo is within a binocular width to the lower right of Venus this weekend. Saturn is in conjunction with the Sun on Monday.
Comet C/2013 US10 Catalina has moved into the morning sky after treating southern hemisphere stargazers to binocular views in the summer. It slides up to the left of Venus this week, about a binocular width away, but it might not be bright enough for binoculars yet, especially with the Moon in the area. On New Year’s Day it will be very close to bright Arcturus and it skims past the handle of the Big Dipper in mid-January.
Questions? Contact me at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.
nelson@nb.sympatico.ca
Nelson Poirier
Nature Moncton
ENGLISH IVY.NOV 25, 2015.NELSON POIRIER (2)
ENGLISH IVY.NOV 25, 2015.NELSON POIRIER (2)
ENGLISH IVY.NOV 25, 2015.NELSON POIRIER (2)
ENGLISH IVY.NOV 25, 2015.NELSON POIRIER (2)
Goodbye Summer
