Nature Moncton Nature News: Dec 13 2019

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, December 13, 2019 (Friday)

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Transcript by: Louise Nichols nicholsl@eastlink.ca

Info Line # 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)

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** A lot of us are wondering where the AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS [Bruant hudsonien] are this year, but more are starting to show up at the feeder yards. Doreen Rossiter reports she had her first American Tree Sparrows arrive on Thursday to her Alma yard. She still has a few SONG SPARROWS [Bruant chanteur]; however, Doreen comments she has lots of DARK-EYED JUNCOS [Junco ardoisé].

** Gordon Rattray took some nice bird feeder photos while visiting the INDIGO BUNTING [Passerin indigo] on Wednesday to show it enjoying its white millet. Plus, Gordon photographed a male HOUSE FINCH [Roselin familier] and an AMERICAN TREE SPARROW [Bruant hudsonien] as well. The photos of the AMERICAN GOLDFINCH [Chardonneret jaune] and the HAIRY WOODPECKER [Pic chevelu] are from his own Weldon feeder yard. Note the clean white side tail feather of the Hairy Woodpecker. Alain Clavette pointed that out in his Tuesday night presentation. This is a feature to watch for in separating Hairy from Downy Woodpeckers as the Downy Woodpecker has black spots/bars on the white outer tail feather (usually three).

** Gull photos are very welcome at this time of year. This is a time of year when gulls are molted into their winter plumage and we can often ID them to their age easier. Also the ICELAND GULLS [Goéland arctique] and GLAUCOUS GULLS [Goéland bourgmestre] are with us from the north, and we can often ID them as to their age as well. We tend to take gulls for granted because they are so numerous, but perusing flocks to note different age classes can be very rewarding, as well as giving us that always possible unexpected rare or uncommon gull.

Georges Brun spotted a Northern Harrier cruising the marsh at the bend of the Petitcodiac River on Thursday morning flying into the blistering wind and still able to capture a suspected Meadow Vole prey for breakfast. The Northern Harrier will have no problems finding prey on marshlands where the snow will not build up due to varying tides and be able to stay well into the winter months.

On December 10, Georges comments on noting approximately a dozen families of Canada geese obviously very accustomed to the tidal bore as local residents being used to using it to their advantage. Another 12 families were much more cautious about the rush of the tide and stayed well above the watermark on the banks suspecting this group to be more recent arrivals from the North/elsewhere and exhibiting more caution.

Brian Stone braved the super cool winds at Cow Bay and Eastern passage in Dartmouth on Thursday to take in some of the action and the gulls to share what Mother Nature would allow. The surf was spectacular as suspected as some ‘part-time sea mammals’ were enjoying surfing with the waves themselves amazing to watch. The gulls were less impressed but some identifiable ones caught Brian’s camera lens to include a 1st winter Herring Gull with the all-black bill and dark plumage, some Great Black-backed Gulls that had the black bill smudge of 4th winter gulls but possibly full adults with a bit of red formed with the bill smudge to make it a winter change as other features appear adult. The head and crown are clean white as all Great Black-backed gulls are. Ring- billed Gulls were showing their adult streaked heads of winter plumage and adult bill ring, not black smudge of the 4th winter Greater Black- backed Gull and 4th winter Herring Gull

** This week’s Sky-at-a-Glance is included in this edition courtesy of sky guru Curt Nason, with excellent advice to folks doing night owl excursions during the upcoming Christmas bird counts to watch for sky objects at the same time.

This Week’s Sky at a Glance, 2019 December 14 – December 21
This time of year many naturalists throughout the province are busy performing Christmas bird counts. If you are on your toes and not too worn out you can add four stellar birds between dusk and dawn. Start with the easy ones around 6 pm by looking for the three bright stars of the Summer Triangle above the western horizon. The lowest of the three is Altair, the head of Aquila the Eagle, which is standing straight up on the horizon. The highest of the trio is Deneb at the tail of Cygnus the Swan, which is doing its signature dive. If it is cloudy you have a chance to catch them in the east in the morning, although the eagle will be difficult with Altair rising around 7 am.

Midnight is your best chance to spot the elusive and tiny Columba the Dove, but you will need an unobstructed southern horizon. Look below Orion for Lepus the Hare, and then try to see stars near the horizon directly below. Very few bird counts will be missing the common crow but, in case you did, look about a hand span above the southern horizon around 6:30 am for a distinct quadrilateral of stars. There you will find Corvus the Crow hitching a ride on the tail of Hydra the Water Snake.

This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 7:53 am and sunset will occur at 4:33 pm, giving 8 hours, 40 minutes of daylight (7:55 am and 4:41 pm in Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 7:58 am and set at 4:36 pm, giving 8 hours, 38 minutes of daylight (8:00 am and 4:44 pm in Saint John). Winter solstice occurs just after midnight on the night of December 21/22.

The Moon is at third quarter on Thursday morning, rising around 1 pm and setting 6:40 the following morning. In the morning sky Mars remains within a binocular view to the lower left of the double star Zubenelgenubi for much of the week. Mercury is moving sunward but still rises 50 minutes before the Sun next weekend. In the evening sky, Venus moves rapidly eastward from Saturn, while Jupiter is lost in twilight moving toward a conjunction with the Sun on December 27. The Geminid meteor shower peaks this Saturday afternoon and, despite the bright moonlight, it should reward us with several shooting stars from Friday evening to Sunday morning if the clouds take pity on us.

Questions? Contact Curt Nason at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton