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Editor: Nelson Poirier    Proofreader: Louise Nichols

Friday 1 June 2018

June 1 2018

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.

For more information on Nature Moncton, check into the website at
www.naturemoncton.com

Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelson@nb.sympatico.ca
Transcript by: Louise Nichols nicholsl@eastlink.ca
Info Line # 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)
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** 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.


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