Nature Moncton Nature News: Feb 12 2016

** The Nature Moncton bird feeder tour is taking place tomorrow, Saturday February 13th. The notice and itinerary is attached.

Well, the time for Nature Moncton’s Winter Bird Feeder Tour is fast approaching.

Date: Saturday, February 13, 2016, and we hope to see a good turnout this year.

I want to thank the members who have allowed us to come to view the birds visiting their feeders. Special thanks to two members who will be welcoming us into their homes as well. The first stop on the tour will be at the Renton’s home as they have once again graciously invited us to watch the variety of birds visiting their many feeders while enjoying some warm refreshments. The tour will end at the Poirier’s where we will be able to see first hand Nelson’s great ideas for bird feeding stations.

Remember: Come prepared with a supply of water, your binoculars, camera etc. You will need to wear warm layers of clothing and boots as we will be out most of the day.

General schedule:

1. 8:45 am: Meet at Coliseum parking lot to organise car pooling.

2. 9:00 am: Leave promptly to drive around to 29 Courtenay St. The feeders are in the front yard and easily visible.

3. 9:30-11:30 am: The Renton's

4. 12:15 pm: Jamie Burris

5. 1:00 pm: Bob and Shirley Childs

6. 2:00 pm: Nelson & Pat Poirier

A printout of the final itinerary with addresses and directions will be available when we meet at the Coliseum parking lot. The contact cell phone number is: 506-381-3284.

This now annual winter outing has been organised by the Nature Moncton Activities Committee members.

** Jules Cormier leaves a report of activity at his Memramcook bird feeder yard which does seem lively. A flock of approximately 10 PINE SISKINS [Tarin des pins], which have been low in numbers in the area this year, has shown up. PURPLE FINCH [Roselin pourpré] are also getting more regular; he has approximately 150 AMERICAN GOLDFINCH [Chardonneret jaune], and more woodpeckers than usual. Jules had 5 SONG SPARROWS [Bruant chanteur], but now he's only seeing one occasionally.

** Georges Brun was pleased to find approximately 30 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS [Jaseur boreal] roosting in his small urban forest on Churchill St. early on Friday morning before heading out on their fruit harvesting mission. Flocks are now being seen frequently everyday within the central Moncton/Riverview area.

** Clarence Cormier again had large flocks of BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS [Jaseur boreal] fly towards his Grande Digue site, hovering, landing and leaving quickly. Approximately 800 came over at 9:00 am on Thursday, followed by smaller groups. In later morning, 12 CEDAR WAXWINGS [Jaseur d'Amérique] came to a nearby Mountain Ash tree that was also being visited frequently by AMERICAN ROBINS [Merle d'Amérique]. In spite of the large number of birds, Clarence notes there are lots of berries left. Clarence's AMERICAN GOLDFINCH [Chardonneret jaune] contingent has increased from 30 to 40, and a PURPLE FINCH [Roselin pourpré] was a new arrival.

** Mac Hunter also reports seeing a flock of approximately 1000 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS [Jaseur boreal] moving about the town of Shediac.

** Marlene Hickman is yet another enjoying WAXWINGS [Jaseur] coming to her Dorchester flowering crab tree. I'm starting to put out culled apple caches that brought hundreds to our feeder yard last winter.

** This is not a local scenario, but would like to share an experience Pat and I had a week ago. We were standing on the deck of a ship overlooking the Atlantic ocean, being fascinated watching what are called FLYING FISH [Poisson volant] making their glides over the waves. Suddenly two good-sized birds appeared, gliding and circling the waves, and suddenly diving for fish. We did not recognize the birds or know why these fish made their glides over the waves. A check with Mr. Google told us Flying Fish glide the waves to escape predators. Mr. Google also told us the birds we were seeing were the pelagic species the BOOBY bird [Fou] that consider Flying Fish haute cuisine. Suddenly the scenario we were seeing blended. If you'd like to view the type of behaviour these fish were doing, check on this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAjzH0vWSIA as the small fish were too far away to get meaningful photos; however, the fast flying Booby birds did allow a few photos, one just after it left the water after a dive for lunch.

** This week's Sky-at-a-Glance courtesy of Curt Nason is attached below. It's a great time to be watching the sky on clear evenings before the days become longer again.

This Week’s Sky at a Glance, February 13 – February 20
After writing last week’s sky report around Jason and the Argonauts I
decided to watch the movie again, and discovered that I had perhaps
omitted a constellation related to the tale. The old movie diverged from
the classic tale by having the multi-headed Hydra guard the Golden
Fleece, rather than a dragon. The Hydra, an offspring of the most
fearsome Titan, had noxious breath and poisonous blood. If one of its
heads was cut off, two more grew in its place.

The constellation Hydra is the largest of the 88 and it represents a
female water snake. I mention the gender because there is a male water
snake constellation, Hydrus, in the southern hemisphere. A small
trapezoid of stars, located about halfway below a line between Procyon
in Canis Minor and Regulus in Leo, represents the snake’s head. To its
lower left is a solitary bright star called Alphard, the heart of the
snake. The rest of the constellation is a long serpentine string of
fainter stars that stretches to Virgo. It takes about eight hours for
the entire constellation to rise. Two other constellations, Corvus the
Crow and Crater the Cup, are sitting on Hydra’s back.

In mythology, Hercules had to kill the multi-headed Hydra as the second
of his famous labours. Knowing the creature could only be killed by
severing all of its heads, and that two grew in where one was severed,
he placed a tree stump in a fire. When he cut off a head he cauterized
the wound with the glowing stump to prevent the regrowth. When Hera saw
that Hercules might win she sent a crab to distract him, but he easily
stomped it dead. That explains the presence of the dim constellation
Cancer the Crab just above the head of Hydra. Hera despised Hercules
because he was the illegitimate son (one of many) of her husband Zeus.
When the Hydra was slain, Hercules dipped his arrows in the Hydra’s
poisonous blood for later use.

This Week in the Solar System

Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 7:26 am and sunset will occur at
5:42 pm, giving 10 hours, 16 minutes of daylight (7:29 am and 5:48 pm in
Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 7:15 am and set at 5:52
pm, giving 10 hours, 37 minutes of daylight (7:18 am and 5:58 pm in
Saint John).

The new Moon is at first quarter on Monday, rising at 11:30 am and
setting more than two hours after midnight. Mercury and Venus remain
about five degrees apart all week, the width of a typical binocular
view. Saturn, Mars and Jupiter stretch further westward along the
ecliptic, continuing the morning parade of planets. Jupiter rises by
7:30 pm later in the week.

The provincial astronomy club, RASC NB, meets at the Rockwood Park
Interpretation Centre in Saint John on Saturday, February 20 at 1pm. All
are welcome.

Questions? Contact me at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton