Nature Moncton Nature News: Nov 4 2015

** More photos from the Sackville field trip last Saturday that Vicki Daley shares some photos that include that PIED BILLED GREBE working down a very large fish prize, AMERICAN WIGEON and a male GADWALL side by side, a cooperative DOWNY WOODPECKER and a pair of YELLOWLEGS doing a duet.

** Marlene Hickman had a flock of 20 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS arrive to glean a mountain ash tree near her Dorchester home on Tuesday morning then perching on a nearby apple tree. Marlene comments it was so still and quiet she could clearly hear their buzzing vocalizations.

** Dave Christie filled his hummingbird feeder for the last time on Saturday to accommodate any late strays or unexpected species that can occur in late fall. On Sunday to his surprise a BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE arranged itself on the wire upside down part of the feeder to take sips of the nectar then fly off to the sunflower seed for a chaser. On Monday he saw it feeding the same way several times then suddenly a second black-capped chickadee started feeding the same way, seemingly a learned behaviour or else that the monkey-see-monkey-do scenario. This is the first time Dave has ever seen a black capped chickadee using a hummingbird feeder although he has had orioles and some warblers partake.

** Bob Blake comments a flock of ROBINS is very actively feeding around their Second North River home gleaning the abundant mountain ash crop. Bob also comments DARK-EYED JUNCOS are starting to drop by the feeder yard.

** Clarence Cormier spotted a dozen PINE GROSBEAKS on Tuesday morning foraging on mountain ash berries near his Grande Digue home. He only noted one reddish adult male among them. Clarence comments he has seen them before almost on the exact date in this area for the first time on the seasons that they appear.

I was in that area later in the day and checked out the site however they had gone elsewhere but was amazed at the massive crop of mountain ash crop in the area of Clarence's home.

While in the area I checked out the LARK SPARROW at Jean-Paul and Stella Leblanc's. It was in and out of its protected lobster wire enclosure several times and looking very comfortable at that site.

Also on Tuesday a WESTERN CONIFER SEED BUG was on our screen looking for a place to overwinter. I felt it was welcome to come in to spend the winter, however other family members didn't agree. This western bug is getting a lot more common in the maritimes in recent years and is easily identified by the swollen tibial leg segments and unique markings.

** There is a very busy lineup coming up this weekend in Sackville for anyone with astronomy interests and taking the note from Catherine Lovekin that will tell more about it and am attaching the lineup schedule of events as the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada holds its annual general meeting in Sackville this weekend with lots of scheduled sessions and activities going on that the public is welcome to join in.

This Friday will be the next Starry Sackville! I'll be talking about the mysterious dips in light in KIC8462852, and we'll look at whether these could really be caused by alien megastructures. The talk will be at 7:30 pm in Dunn 113, with observing to follow if the weather is good.

Saturday and Sunday there will be more chances to learn about astronomy and observe, as the New Brunswick Royal Astronomical Society of Canada is holding their annual meeting here. The schedule is attached. There will be telescope clinics in the morning, astronomy talks in the afternoon, and more observing in the evening. If the weather is good, we'll also go out to the telescope Sunday morning and look at the Sun. The weather forecast for the weekend looks good, so I hope to see you there!

Catherine Lovekin
Assistant Professor
Department of Physics
Mount Allison University
clovekin@mta.ca
phone: (506) 364-2582
fax: (506) 364-2583

Schedule Of Events

Friday November 6th, 2015

7:30: Starry Sackville Talk by Dr. Catherine Lovekin with observing at

the Mount Allison Gemini Observatory to follow.

Saturday November 7th, 2015

9:00-10:00: Telescope Clinic in Dunn 113

10:00-11:00: Astro Buy/Sell/Swap (Dunn 104)

11:00-12:00: RASC NB Centre’s Annual Meeting in Dunn 106

1:00-1:45: Talk by Catherine Lovekin in Dunn 113

1:45-2:45: Talk by Tim Doucette in Dunn 113

3:10-4:40: Talk by Damien Lemay in Dunn 113