NATURE
MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, February 28, 2020 (Friday)
Please advise editor at nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com 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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** Rheal Vienneau did a two days winter
hideout at his woods camp in Bellisle to have 2 CANADA JAYS [Mésangeai du Canada] join him. Very welcome company for sure. These birds should be on a nest by now, but
the photo may be young-of-the-year birds or else dad and a youngster with ma
incubating.
** Pat Gibbs has been wondering for
some time if something had befallen her resident RING-NECKED PHEASANT [Faisan de
Colchide] in
her Moncton yard. However, the warm
weather of Wednesday brought her male out again -- but not only the one, but
two arrived, and both decided that only one should be there. Pat witnessed her first cock fight. The season has obviously arrived to establish
who is cock of the walk! An action photo
is attached.
Pat has moved to New Brunswick from
British Columbia and thought she may be seeing dog tracks across the pond at
Centennial Park until she saw the MALLARD DUCKS [Canard colvert] walking through the snow. Pat comments that New Brunswick continues to
surprise her.
** Daryl Doucet had another invasion of
HOUSE
FINCH [Roselin familier] to
his Moncton feeder yard with the arrival of bad weather on Thursday with at
least 25 individuals. That’s a lot of
House Finch for one feeder yard.
** It’s that time of the year to place
some branches in a vase of water and let the leaves and flowers come forth and
make spring feel that much closer. My
choice this year was RED OAK [Chêne rouge d’Amérique] and PRIVET [Troène].
I’m looking forward to seeing the tiny seed flowers that Red Oak
produces that have yet to be in the
right place at the right time to see.
** It’s Friday, and this week’s Sky-at-a-Glance is included
in this edition courtesy of sky guru Curt Nason, just in time for hopefully
some clear night skies.
This
Week’s Sky at a Glance, 2020 February 29 – March 7
Do you hear the wind? According to the weather proverb, March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb, referring to roaring winds early in the month and calm days leading into April. As twilight ends this evening, look off to the east for a group of stars forming a sickle and leading a large triangle of stars. This combination is the constellation of Leo the Lion entering the sky as it did a few centuries ago, when the saying supposedly originated.
Now look to the west for a bent line of three stars west of the Pleiades star cluster. That is Aries the Ram, which could still be a lamb at heart. By the end of the month the annual march of constellations has Aries about to leave the sky as twilight ends. Our fickle weather won’t always follow the proverb but the constellations will continue to play it out for several generations to come.
This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 6:58 am and sunset will occur at 6:04 pm, giving 11 hours, 6 minutes of daylight (7:03 am and 6:10 pm in Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 6:46 am and set at 6:14 pm, giving 11 hours, 28 minutes of daylight (6:50 am and 6:20 pm in Saint John).
The Moon is at first quarter this Monday and it is near the Beehive star cluster in Cancer on Friday. Telescope users can look for the Lunar X around 9 pm on Sunday, located within the shadow line and a little below centre. Jupiter sits between Saturn to its east and Mars to its west in the morning sky, with Mars closing the gap daily. Mercury rises a half hour before sunrise this weekend, extending that spread by 20 minutes next weekend. Venus rules the sky as Hesperus, the Evening Star, setting after 10 pm,
The Saint John Astronomy Club meets in the Rockwood Park Interpretation Centre on March 7 at 7 pm. All are welcome.
Questions? Contact Curt Nason at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.
Do you hear the wind? According to the weather proverb, March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb, referring to roaring winds early in the month and calm days leading into April. As twilight ends this evening, look off to the east for a group of stars forming a sickle and leading a large triangle of stars. This combination is the constellation of Leo the Lion entering the sky as it did a few centuries ago, when the saying supposedly originated.
Now look to the west for a bent line of three stars west of the Pleiades star cluster. That is Aries the Ram, which could still be a lamb at heart. By the end of the month the annual march of constellations has Aries about to leave the sky as twilight ends. Our fickle weather won’t always follow the proverb but the constellations will continue to play it out for several generations to come.
This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 6:58 am and sunset will occur at 6:04 pm, giving 11 hours, 6 minutes of daylight (7:03 am and 6:10 pm in Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 6:46 am and set at 6:14 pm, giving 11 hours, 28 minutes of daylight (6:50 am and 6:20 pm in Saint John).
The Moon is at first quarter this Monday and it is near the Beehive star cluster in Cancer on Friday. Telescope users can look for the Lunar X around 9 pm on Sunday, located within the shadow line and a little below centre. Jupiter sits between Saturn to its east and Mars to its west in the morning sky, with Mars closing the gap daily. Mercury rises a half hour before sunrise this weekend, extending that spread by 20 minutes next weekend. Venus rules the sky as Hesperus, the Evening Star, setting after 10 pm,
The Saint John Astronomy Club meets in the Rockwood Park Interpretation Centre on March 7 at 7 pm. All are welcome.
Questions? Contact Curt Nason at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.
nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton
RING-NECKED PHEASANTS (MALES SPARRING). FEB 26, 2020. PAT GIBBS
CANADA JAY. FEB 27, 2020. RHEAL VIENNEAU
CANADA JAYS. FEB 27, 2020. RHEAL VIENNEAU
March 1 at 7 pm