NATURE
MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, July 27, 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
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.
** Kerry-Lee Morris Cormier advises the timing for
this weekend’s Sandpiper Festival is spot on, starting today, Friday July 27th. The PDF of the line-up of events is attached
to today’s email version of the Nature Line, but I am not able to add it to the
BlogSpot. The skies over the bay at the
Johnson’s Mills Centre are filled with black clouds of sandpipers. Roger
Leblanc is giving a free shorebird workshop at 10:30 to 11:30 on Sunday
morning, followed by an outdoor field trip on shorebirds as a follow-up from
1:00 to 3:00 pm on Sunday afternoon. The
workshop will take place at 11 School St, right next to Richard Park. As Kerry-Lee comments, “peeps and good
tides.”
** Jamie and Karen Burris have joined the MONARCH
BUTTERFLY [Monarque] landlord folk. They
had a female visit two days in a row and lay at least 7 eggs that they are
aware of on Swamp Milkweed.
** David Cannon points out a Monarch Butterfly
Monitoring Blitz that is taking place July 28th to August 5th. Details are in the attachment below that
David has forwarded. With all the
Monarch butterfly activity in New Brunswick, it may be a very worthwhile
contribution to make.
From
July 28 to August 5, 2018, citizens from Canada, Mexico and the United States
are invited to join the second International Monarch Monitoring Blitz (the
Blitz) to help identify the monarch butterfly's breeding sites that are
essential to its survival.
The majestic monarch butterfly, a flagship North American pollinator and symbol of international cooperation, is on its spectacular annual migration from Canada and the United States to Mexico and it needs your help.
Scientists from across North America still have much to learn about monarchs and milkweed plants, the only food source for monarch caterpillars. Both the eastern and western populations of North American migratory monarchs have suffered steep declines over the past 20 years. Observations from citizens can help scientists gain valuable information that will support continental efforts to protect the monarch butterfly and its habitat.
What is the International Monarch Monitoring Blitz?
The International Monarch Monitoring Blitz aims to provide a valuable snapshot for scientists of monarch population status across the monarch migration paths in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The Blitz is an initiative from the Trinational Monarch Conservation Partnership, created through the Commission for Environmental Cooperation. Through the Blitz, scientists from the Insectarium/Montréal Space for Life, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), Monarch Joint Venture, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and Mexico's Comisión Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas (Conanp) are asking the public to help them understand monarch distribution and occurrence throughout North America.
Each country has something to learn from monitoring monarchs during the same time period, and comparing these observations year-to-year. Observations reported in Canada and the northern United States will provide scientists with a snapshot of the peak breeding monarch population and the presence of milkweed. Reports from the southern United States will document whether early migration and breeding are occurring. Data collected in Mexico will document any monarch breeding taking place in traditionally migratory areas.
Canadian citizens interested in taking part in the Blitz can visit the Mission Monarch website, US citizens are invited to visit the Monarch Larva Monitoring Project page, and Mexican citizens can learn more on the iNaturalista website.
The majestic monarch butterfly, a flagship North American pollinator and symbol of international cooperation, is on its spectacular annual migration from Canada and the United States to Mexico and it needs your help.
Scientists from across North America still have much to learn about monarchs and milkweed plants, the only food source for monarch caterpillars. Both the eastern and western populations of North American migratory monarchs have suffered steep declines over the past 20 years. Observations from citizens can help scientists gain valuable information that will support continental efforts to protect the monarch butterfly and its habitat.
What is the International Monarch Monitoring Blitz?
The International Monarch Monitoring Blitz aims to provide a valuable snapshot for scientists of monarch population status across the monarch migration paths in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The Blitz is an initiative from the Trinational Monarch Conservation Partnership, created through the Commission for Environmental Cooperation. Through the Blitz, scientists from the Insectarium/Montréal Space for Life, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), Monarch Joint Venture, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and Mexico's Comisión Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas (Conanp) are asking the public to help them understand monarch distribution and occurrence throughout North America.
Each country has something to learn from monitoring monarchs during the same time period, and comparing these observations year-to-year. Observations reported in Canada and the northern United States will provide scientists with a snapshot of the peak breeding monarch population and the presence of milkweed. Reports from the southern United States will document whether early migration and breeding are occurring. Data collected in Mexico will document any monarch breeding taking place in traditionally migratory areas.
Canadian citizens interested in taking part in the Blitz can visit the Mission Monarch website, US citizens are invited to visit the Monarch Larva Monitoring Project page, and Mexican citizens can learn more on the iNaturalista website.
** We don’t often get to see the small and
colourful RING-NECKED SNAKE [Couleuvre
à collier américaine]. Brian
Stone came across one recently to get some great photos. One photo shows the dorsal dark surface with
that very distinct complete yellow ring on the neck. These are gentle snakes, and a few photos of
it in hand show the brilliant yellow-orange underside.
** Aldo Dorio photographed a doe WHITE-TAILED DEER [Cerf de
Virginie] in his Neguac yard on Wednesday. Note the pleasant brown of summer
plumage. She is in nice condition if
raising or if she has raised fawn. Aldo
also saw adult RUDDY TURNSTONE [Tournepierre à collier] at Hay Island
on Thursday.
** A plant that is blooming with abandon at the
moment in the New Horton/Cape Enrage area is QUEEN OF THE MEADOW
[Reine-des-prés]. It was once
cultivated, but has now escaped. Its
pure white blooms are a pleasant addition to roadsides where it occurs. Also in the same area, the odd QUEEN OF THE
PRAIRIE plant is blooming. It seems to
like the company of FIREWEED [L’Épilobe en épi]. EVENING PRIMROSE [L’Onagre bisannuelle] is
also in bloom at the moment, preferring to open wide on cloudy days and at
night when it gets its pollen spread by moths, especially the PRIMROSE MOTH. Watch the wing of the adult moth to be
protruding from blossoms at this time.
When the larvae arrive, they will be very cryptic, looking like the
Evening Primrose seed pods which they forage upon.
** This week’s Sky-at-a-Glance is included in this
edition, courtesy of sky-guru Curt Nason.
This Week’s Sky at a Glance, July 28 – August 4
They say it is the little things that count, and if you are counting constellations there are four little ones lined up in the southeast toward late evening. Start your search with the Summer Triangle, which is composed of the brightest star in each of three constellations: Vega in Lyra the Lyre, Deneb in Cygnus the Swan, and Altair in Aquila the Eagle. Sagitta the Arrow is a distinct shape between Altair and Albireo, which is at the head of Cygnus. The arrow, poisoned with the blood of the Hydra, is one of those shot by Hercules to kill the Stymphalian birds as his sixth Labour.
Between Sagitta and Albireo is obscure Vulpecula the Fox, which at one time was two constellations called the Little Fox and the Goose. Vulpecula is known best for having the binocular object M27, the Dumbbell Nebula, within its borders. Below Sagitta is the eye-catching Delphinus the Dolphin, seen leaping out of the watery constellations that hug the horizon below. The dolphin was given its place of honour in the sky by Poseidon for convincing beautiful Amphitrite to be his wife. Below Delphinus and just off the snout of Pegasus the Flying Horse is Equuleus the Little Horse, the second smallest of the 88 constellations. Perhaps representing the foal Celeris, an offspring or brother of Pegasus, it was one of the 48 constellations included in Claudius Ptolemy’s second century map of the sky.
This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 5:56 am and sunset will occur at 8:53 pm, giving 14 hours, 57 minutes of daylight (6:04 am and 8:56 pm in Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 6:04 am and set at 8:44 pm, giving 14 hours, 40 minutes of daylight (6:12 am and 8:47 pm in Saint John).
The full Puny Moon occurs on Friday, July 28, and it is at third quarter on Saturday, August 4. Mars is at opposition on July 27 and closest to Earth on July 31. Normally, the outer planets are closest at opposition but Mars has a more elongated orbit than the others. Its continued sunward motion brings it about 100,000 km closer after opposition before Earth pulls farther ahead in orbit. Mars looks brilliant to the naked eye but a global dust storm still obscures much of its telescopic treasures. Venus shows its nearly half-lit phase in a telescope, best seen in twilight, while Jupiter and its moons and Saturn’s rings more than make up for the Martian disappointment. The South Delta Aquariid meteor shower peaks this Saturday morning, a harbinger of the more prolific Perseid shower in a few weeks.
The Saint John Astronomy Club meets in the Rockwood Park Interpretation Centre on August 4 at 7 pm. All are welcome.
Questions? Contact Curt Nason at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.
They say it is the little things that count, and if you are counting constellations there are four little ones lined up in the southeast toward late evening. Start your search with the Summer Triangle, which is composed of the brightest star in each of three constellations: Vega in Lyra the Lyre, Deneb in Cygnus the Swan, and Altair in Aquila the Eagle. Sagitta the Arrow is a distinct shape between Altair and Albireo, which is at the head of Cygnus. The arrow, poisoned with the blood of the Hydra, is one of those shot by Hercules to kill the Stymphalian birds as his sixth Labour.
Between Sagitta and Albireo is obscure Vulpecula the Fox, which at one time was two constellations called the Little Fox and the Goose. Vulpecula is known best for having the binocular object M27, the Dumbbell Nebula, within its borders. Below Sagitta is the eye-catching Delphinus the Dolphin, seen leaping out of the watery constellations that hug the horizon below. The dolphin was given its place of honour in the sky by Poseidon for convincing beautiful Amphitrite to be his wife. Below Delphinus and just off the snout of Pegasus the Flying Horse is Equuleus the Little Horse, the second smallest of the 88 constellations. Perhaps representing the foal Celeris, an offspring or brother of Pegasus, it was one of the 48 constellations included in Claudius Ptolemy’s second century map of the sky.
This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 5:56 am and sunset will occur at 8:53 pm, giving 14 hours, 57 minutes of daylight (6:04 am and 8:56 pm in Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 6:04 am and set at 8:44 pm, giving 14 hours, 40 minutes of daylight (6:12 am and 8:47 pm in Saint John).
The full Puny Moon occurs on Friday, July 28, and it is at third quarter on Saturday, August 4. Mars is at opposition on July 27 and closest to Earth on July 31. Normally, the outer planets are closest at opposition but Mars has a more elongated orbit than the others. Its continued sunward motion brings it about 100,000 km closer after opposition before Earth pulls farther ahead in orbit. Mars looks brilliant to the naked eye but a global dust storm still obscures much of its telescopic treasures. Venus shows its nearly half-lit phase in a telescope, best seen in twilight, while Jupiter and its moons and Saturn’s rings more than make up for the Martian disappointment. The South Delta Aquariid meteor shower peaks this Saturday morning, a harbinger of the more prolific Perseid shower in a few weeks.
The Saint John Astronomy Club meets in the Rockwood Park Interpretation Centre on August 4 at 7 pm. All are welcome.
Questions? Contact Curt Nason at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.
Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton
EVENING PRIMROSE. jULY 26, 2018 NELSON POIRIER
Four Little Ones
MONARCH BUTTERLY EGG JULY 23 2018 JAMIE BURRIS
MONARCH BUTTERLY (FEMALE) JULY 23 2018 JAMIE BURRIS
MONARCH BUTTERLY (FEMALE) JULY 23 2018 JAMIE BURRIS
QUEEN-OF-THE-MEADOW. JULY 25, 2018. NELSON POIRIER
QUEEN-OF-THE-MEADOW. JULY 25, 2018. NELSON POIRIER
QUEEN-OF-THE-MEADOW. (LEAF ARRANGEMENT). JULY 25, 2018. NELSON POIRIER
QUEEN-OF-THE-PRAIRIE. JULY 25, 2018. NELSON POIRIER
QUEEN-OF-THE-PRAIRIE (LEAF ARRANGEMENT). JULY 25, 2018. NELSON POIRIER
RING-NECKED SNAKE. JULY 25, 2018. BRIAN STONE
RING-NECKED SNAKE. JULY 25, 2018. BRIAN STONE
RING-NECKED SNAKE. JULY 25, 2018. BRIAN STONE
RUDDY TURNSTONE. JULY 26, 2018. ALDO DORIO
RUDDY TURNSTONES. JULY 26, 2018. ALDO DORIO
WHITE-TAILED DEER (DOE). JULY 26, 2018. ALDO DORIO
