NATURE
MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, January 31, 2019 (Friday)
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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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** Doreen Rossiter had a pleasant
experience in her Alma feeder yard in mid-afternoon on Thursday when a very
healthy looking BOBCAT [Lynx roux] strolled into her yard and foraged on
bird feeder tidbits on the ground. It
showed absolutely no fear of people as it strolled about the yard, checking
things out. This is almost certainly a
young-of-the-year animal. It is that
time of year when the mother Bobcat that has kept and coddled her young since
they were born comes into heat (estrus) and abruptly and in no uncertain terms
sends the young on their way. The young
cats now have to learn what to be wary of and find food on their own. This leads them to act exactly as Doreen saw. Doreen saw the cat encounter a RING-NECKED PHEASANT
[Faisan de Colchide]. The Ring-necked Pheasant sure knew which way
to go, but the young cat did not seem to recognize it as potential lunch. The young cat will probably soon learn the
hard way what to avoid and to hunt on its own without mom’s helpful paw.
Other items that Doreen comments on – she
is seeing two CEDAR WAXWINGS [Jaseur d'Amérique] about the yard, but no BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS [Jaseur
boréal],
and a few AMERICAN
ROBINS [Merle d'Amérique] are
around each day.
Wendy Sullivan got more cell phone
photos of the piebald WHITE-TAILED DEER that is enjoying checking out bird
feeder yards in the Ammon Road area. Note the very cryptic camouflage the
albinism is offering against the snow. Great now but may not work so well come
summer. Also note the up-flared flagged tail in one photo that blends in with
the background but suspect is as effective as ever at alerting its 3 kin that
it travels with that something is to be alerted to.
** It’s last call to Nature Moncton
workshop, “Getting to Know your Camera.”
The write-up as it appears at www.naturemoncton.com under “Upcoming Events” is attached
below.
Nature Moncton Workshop
“Getting the Most out of your Camera”
Date: February 1, 2020
“Getting the Most out of your Camera”
Date: February 1, 2020
Time: 9:30 AM to 12:00 noon (with the option of some outside practice time after lunch)
Location: Tankville School, 1665 Elmwood Drive, Moncton
Leaders: Gordon Rattray, Fred Richards and Brian Stone
Cost: $8.00
Please register for the workshop with
Louise Nichols at nicholsl@eastlink.ca.
Participants in this workshop will have the opportunity to learn how their cameras function when taking a picture. Our three presenters will talk about the components of a photograph and will show how a camera can be used to get a certain look, with some discussion on how best to compose a photo. Later in the session, we will focus on how to find a good picture opportunity and the setup that will work best to obtain the most satisfying results.
Participants are encouraged to bring their cameras (either DSLRs or Point-and-shoot) and practice what they learn on their own equipment. The presenters will be more than happy to answer questions.
This is not a photography class as such, but an overview of cameras and photography.
Bring a lunch, especially if you plan to stay and practice.
Participants in this workshop will have the opportunity to learn how their cameras function when taking a picture. Our three presenters will talk about the components of a photograph and will show how a camera can be used to get a certain look, with some discussion on how best to compose a photo. Later in the session, we will focus on how to find a good picture opportunity and the setup that will work best to obtain the most satisfying results.
Participants are encouraged to bring their cameras (either DSLRs or Point-and-shoot) and practice what they learn on their own equipment. The presenters will be more than happy to answer questions.
This is not a photography class as such, but an overview of cameras and photography.
Bring a lunch, especially if you plan to stay and practice.
All are welcome, Nature Moncton member or not.
** It’s Friday, and this week’s Sky-at-a-Glance is included
in this edition courtesy of sky guru Curt Nason. Great to see those day lengths increasing
faster now. Spring is going to happen,
and lots of Mother Nature’s community is making spring plans.
This
Week’s Sky at a Glance, 2020 February 1 – February 8
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 multiheaded Hydra as the second of his famous labours. Knowing the creature could only be killed by severing all of the heads, and that two would grow 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 7:42 am and sunset will occur at 5:23 pm, giving 9 hours, 41 minutes of daylight (7:45 am and 5:30 pm in Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 7:33 am and set at 5:34 pm, giving 10 hours, 1 minute of daylight (7:36 am and 5:40 pm in Saint John).
The Moon is at first quarter on Saturday and it is near the M35 star cluster in Gemini on Wednesday, close to where the Sun is on the first day of summer. Venus rides high in the southwest after sunset, while Mercury can be seen a hand span to its lower right as twilight darkens somewhat. Mars, Jupiter and Saturn are stretched along the ecliptic from south to east in the morning, with Mars zipping toward Jupiter and Jupiter edging toward Saturn over the next two months. The International Space Station is making early evening passes all week. Set the Heavens Above website to your location to see when and where to look for this bright satellite.
The Saint John Astronomy Club meets in the Rockwood Park Interpretation Centre on February 1 at 7 pm. The annual INP Moonlight snowshoe hike and observing starts at 7 pm on February 8 at the Sheldon Point barn in Saint John.
Questions? Contact Curt Nason at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.
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 multiheaded Hydra as the second of his famous labours. Knowing the creature could only be killed by severing all of the heads, and that two would grow 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 7:42 am and sunset will occur at 5:23 pm, giving 9 hours, 41 minutes of daylight (7:45 am and 5:30 pm in Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 7:33 am and set at 5:34 pm, giving 10 hours, 1 minute of daylight (7:36 am and 5:40 pm in Saint John).
The Moon is at first quarter on Saturday and it is near the M35 star cluster in Gemini on Wednesday, close to where the Sun is on the first day of summer. Venus rides high in the southwest after sunset, while Mercury can be seen a hand span to its lower right as twilight darkens somewhat. Mars, Jupiter and Saturn are stretched along the ecliptic from south to east in the morning, with Mars zipping toward Jupiter and Jupiter edging toward Saturn over the next two months. The International Space Station is making early evening passes all week. Set the Heavens Above website to your location to see when and where to look for this bright satellite.
The Saint John Astronomy Club meets in the Rockwood Park Interpretation Centre on February 1 at 7 pm. The annual INP Moonlight snowshoe hike and observing starts at 7 pm on February 8 at the Sheldon Point barn in Saint John.
Questions? Contact Curt Nason at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.
nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton
WHITE-TAILED DEER (PIEBALD). JAN 30,2020. WENDY SULLIVAN
WHITE-TAILED DEER (PIEBALD). JAN 30,2020. WENDY SULLIVAN
WHITE-TAILED DEER (PIEBALD). JAN 30,2020. WENDY SULLIVAN
Hydra 2018
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