NATURE
MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, June 1, 2018 (Friday)
Please advise editor at nelson@nb.sympatico.ca if any errors are noted in wording or
photo labeling.
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For more information on Nature Moncton, check into the website at www.naturemoncton.com
Transcript by: Louise Nichols nicholsl@eastlink.ca
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your message to the information line editor nelson@nb.sympatico.ca.
** Kevin Renton reports they have a pair of EASTERN BLUEBIRDS
[Merlebleu de l'Est] are nesting in one
of their nest boxes at their Stilesville site.
Great to hear the Eastern Bluebird reports.
** Dave Christie has a pair of MERLINS [Faucon émerillon]
nesting in one of the tall Spruce trees near the
Mary’s Point cottage. He first heard one
screaming in the area on May 3rd, to advertise that the area was
taken and for everything else to butt out.
On May 27th, he spotted one very robustly putting the run to
an AMERICAN CROW [Corneille
d'Amérique], chasing it to the beach area where the crow
landed and the Merlin almost landed on its head in protest. On May 30th, a few TURKEY VULTURES [Urubu à
tête rouge] were floating by to get one of the Merlins to put
the run to them, as well as choosing one to go after resulting in all the
Turkey Vultures promptly leaving the area.
It would appear that one Merlin is in incubation while the other is very
much protecting the home site chosen.
Dave is also
hearing the vocalization of ALDER FLYCATCHERS [Moucherolle des aulnes] at the moment
in Alder bushes at the edge of fields.
** Fertilized queen BUMBLEBEES [Abeille] are flying
at the moment soon to start nests and egg laying for summer colonies. Krista Doyle got a nice photo of one picking up a bit of fuel on Lewis Mountain.
** The nights seem to have been quite cool for
moths to be flying. My moth sheet with
UV light has attracted very few moths so far.
However, Jean-Paul Leblanc came across one of the large sphinx moths – a
NORTHERN APPLE SPHINX – resting under the overhang of his home on
Thursday. There should be lots to come,
just a bit later this year. Jean-Paul’s
specimen appears very fresh, probably just starting out on its seasonal mission
for a few short weeks.
** Aldo Dorio got a nice photo to show the front
and rear view of a HERMIT THRUSH [Grive solitaire] on
Thursday. Note the distinct rusty tail
with the back and nape all brownish. The
breast spots are also larger than that of a VEERY [Grive fauve] which I was
wondering about at first until Gilles Belliveau corrected me. Aldo also had a CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER
[Paruline à flancs marron] at Hay Island
on Thursday.
** Brian Stone had a few nice surprises in his
Moncton yard in the warmth of Thursday.
A bright CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER [Paruline à flancs marron] posed for a
photo. Two GRAY CATBIRDS [Moqueur
chat] that appeared to be acting as a pair were foraging
on the lawn. A TREE SWALLOW [Hirondelle
bicolore] checked out his deck nest box. And he thought he heard a YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER
[Paruline à croupion jaune] singing in yard
side bushes.
** This week’s Sky-at-a-Glance is added to this
edition, courtesy of sky guru Curt Nason.
This
Week’s Sky at a Glance, June 2 - June 9
When Charley
Pride sang “Snakes Crawl at Night” he wasn’t talking about the constellations,
but he might as well have been. When twilight gives way to darkness there are
two snakes stretching nearly halfway across the sky. The first is Hydra the
female water snake, which is also the largest constellation. It is so long it
takes eight hours to rise completely. At 11 pm these evenings it stretches
along the horizon with its head in the west and its tail to the south. In this
position the snake takes only three hours to nestle underground
Almost as long but more U-shaped is Serpens, the only constellation that is in two parts, separated by Ophiuchus the Serpent Bearer. The western half is called Serpens Caput, the head of the snake, and the eastern half is the tail, Serpens Cauda. Ophiuchus represents Asclepius, a son of the Greek god Apollo, who learned the healing arts by watching a snake bring another back to life. The Rod of Asclepius, a snake entwined around a staff, is the symbol of medicine and health.
If your like things in threes you can look at serpentine Draco as a snake instead of a dragon. Its tail begins above the bowl of the Big Dipper, with the body curling around the Little Dipper before arcing back toward the foot of Hercules. If that doesn’t suit you then you can go Down Under to see Hydrus the male water snake slithering around the south celestial pole.
This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 5:30 am and sunset will occur at 9:04 pm, giving 15 hours, 34 minutes of daylight (5:38 am and 9:06 pm in Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 5:28 am and set at 9:09 pm, giving 15 hours, 41 minutes of daylight (5:36 am and 9:11 pm in Saint John).
The Moon is near Mars on Sunday and is at third quarter on Wednesday. Venus and Jupiter dominate the western and southeastern sky, respectively, during the evening. If you can landmark where they are in bright twilight, try to see them before sunset without optical aid the next clear evening. Saturn is slowly moving westward over the lid of the Sagittarius Teapot asterism, and by the end of the month it will be rising before sunset. Mars continues to brighten in the morning sky; it will be the main attraction for observers this summer. Mercury is in superior conjunction on Tuesday, passing behind the Sun.
The Saint John Astronomy Club meets in the Rockwood Park Interpretation Centre on June 2 at 7 pm. All are welcome.
Questions? Contact Curt Nason at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.
Almost as long but more U-shaped is Serpens, the only constellation that is in two parts, separated by Ophiuchus the Serpent Bearer. The western half is called Serpens Caput, the head of the snake, and the eastern half is the tail, Serpens Cauda. Ophiuchus represents Asclepius, a son of the Greek god Apollo, who learned the healing arts by watching a snake bring another back to life. The Rod of Asclepius, a snake entwined around a staff, is the symbol of medicine and health.
If your like things in threes you can look at serpentine Draco as a snake instead of a dragon. Its tail begins above the bowl of the Big Dipper, with the body curling around the Little Dipper before arcing back toward the foot of Hercules. If that doesn’t suit you then you can go Down Under to see Hydrus the male water snake slithering around the south celestial pole.
This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 5:30 am and sunset will occur at 9:04 pm, giving 15 hours, 34 minutes of daylight (5:38 am and 9:06 pm in Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 5:28 am and set at 9:09 pm, giving 15 hours, 41 minutes of daylight (5:36 am and 9:11 pm in Saint John).
The Moon is near Mars on Sunday and is at third quarter on Wednesday. Venus and Jupiter dominate the western and southeastern sky, respectively, during the evening. If you can landmark where they are in bright twilight, try to see them before sunset without optical aid the next clear evening. Saturn is slowly moving westward over the lid of the Sagittarius Teapot asterism, and by the end of the month it will be rising before sunset. Mars continues to brighten in the morning sky; it will be the main attraction for observers this summer. Mercury is in superior conjunction on Tuesday, passing behind the Sun.
The Saint John Astronomy Club meets in the Rockwood Park Interpretation Centre on June 2 at 7 pm. All are welcome.
Questions? Contact Curt Nason at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.
Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton
BUMBLE BEE. MAY 31, 2018. KRISTA DOYLE
CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER. MAY 31, 2018. ALDO DORIO
CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER. MAY 31, 2018. BRIAN STONE
CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER. MAY 31, 2018. BRIAN STONE
GRAY CATBIRD. MAY 31, 2018. BRIAN STONE
HERMIT THRUSH. MAY 31, 2018. ALDO DORIO
HERMIT THRUSH. MAY 31, 2018. ALDO DORIO
NORTHERN APPLE SPHINX MOTH. MAY 31, 2018. JP LEBLANC
Snakes 2018
SPOTTED SANDPIPER. MAY 31, 2018. ALDO DORIO