Nature Moncton Nature News: April 3 2020

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, April 3, 2020 (Friday)

To view the photos mentioned in this edition go to http://nminfoline.blogspot.ca

Please advise editor at nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com if any errors are noted in wording or photo labeling.

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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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** Great to get a report on Riverview’s CAROLINA WRENS [Troglodyte de Caroline] from Shirley Childs. They have heard one Carolina Wren serenading almost every day. They usually only see the one, but did see two flying from a bush across the street from their Court Street home. Shirley comments that as she hears the song, she feels she may have heard it last spring and summer as well and was not aware of the possibility of what it was at the time.

** Jane Wood saw the Riverview GREAT HORNED OWL [Grand-duc d'Amérique] at 8:00 PM on Thursday evening in a tree in her yard. It flew to another tree across the street. That tree was too slender for it and the wind was blowing, so the owl flew and perched on their neighbour’s chimney. She saw it pull something from its feet, looking like either a rat or possibly a GRAY SQUIRREL [Ecureuil gris] – (largish animal), and it proceeded to sit there and eat it. They were having supper themselves at that time, so they watched it on and off until 8:30 when it was too dark to see if it was still there. On Wednesday morning, the owl was being harassed quite badly by some AMERICAN CROWS [Corneille d'Amérique] – at least Jane assumed it was the owl. The ruckus went on for well over an hour at around 7:30 AM onwards. At that time the bird was right behind a neighbour’s house on Gaskin Blvd. She could see the crows, but the owl was in an evergreen tree and she couldn’t make it out.

Jane comments that they enjoyed their supper guest very much and found it prime quarantine entertainment.

** The number of SNOW GEESE [Oie des neiges] near the Turtle Creek Church is continuing to swell. Jamie and Karen Burris saw four at that location on Wednesday, feeding with CANADA GEESE [Bernache du Canada]. On a recent visit to the Hillsborough wetlands, they saw a NORTHERN SHRIKE [Pie-grièche grise] still showing some breast barring of immaturity. The COMMON RAVENS [Grand Corbeau] seem to be already on their nest, but AMERICAN CROWS [Corneille d'Amérique] are obviously still working on construction. Jamie has seen a pair of crows picking up fallen branches from their yard and building a nest in a spruce across the field from behind their Riverview home.

** Despite the drizzle on Thursday, Yves Poussart was able to get some photos of avian visitors to his yard, which now include both HOUSE FINCH [Roselin familier] and PURPLE FINCH [Roselin pourpré] to allow more comparisons. Note the squared-off tail tip of the House Finch vs the forked tail tip of the Purple Finch to give another clue in building a case to separate these two species. Also note the supercilium (white band) above the eye of the female Purple Finch that the female House Finch does not have. Yves also took some nice photos of a COMMON GRACKLE [Quiscale bronzé] and a SONG SPARROW [Bruant chanteur].

** David and Anita Cannon comment that their normally lively woodpecker feeder sites off the Ammon Rd. area were very quiet on Wednesday except for one lone DOWNY WOODPECKER [Pic mineur] that just hung out by itself rather than eating or heading back to the largely deciduous forest around their home.

** The male advance guard of RING-NECKED DUCKS [Fuligule à collier] seems to be moving in. Dave Christie observed 6 at Mary’s Point beech and 11 more looking towards Shepody Bay, all male birds.

Dave also points out that access to the Mary’s Point Wildlife Centre, which is part of the Shepody National Wildlife Area, has been closed off to the public temporarily.

** The seals that have been appearing on an ice floe near Saint Thomas continue to get comments. Laurie Murison has looked at them again and studied them more carefully. She still thinks they are indeed HARP SEALS, and at one point wondered if one was a HOODED SEAL due to the belly spotting. But on further investigation, Laurie makes the attached comment which I’m quoting:

“On further investigation, Laurie Murison has suggested that the spotted seal in the photo of seals on the ice off Bouctouche, is probably also a harp seal. Young harp seals are spotted before fully developing their harp (called bedlamers) and a few adult harp seals never loose their spots and have a less defined harp.”

“Some seals sure can be confusing. As others have suggested, they may even be GRAY SEALS which of course has to be a rule out. The seals are just keeping mum about who’s who.”

** The Nature Moncton Tree Swallow, Eastern Bluebird and Eastern Phoebe nest box program has been affected like most things by Covid-19. There are 28 Swallow boxes and 19 Eastern Phoebe nest box platforms available, but as March and April meetings have had to be cancelled, distribution of them to those who want them has been interrupted. For those who would like some nest boxes, leave your name and contact with the Info Line editor and we’ll arrange a pick up spot with appropriate physical distancing. These nest boxes are free of charge. Swallows, bluebirds and phoebes will be arriving in the next few weeks and scouting out real estate.

** Gordon Rattray visited Gray Brook pond in the drizzly cold spring conditions of Thursday. There were few ducks visible at the time Gordon visited. He photographed a pair of AMERICAN WIGEONS [Canard d'Amérique] and a pair of MALLARDS [Canard colvert]. There were also a pair of AMERICAN BLACK DUCKS [Canard noir] and a pair of CANADA GEESE [Bernache du Canada].

** It’s Friday and this week’s Sky-at-a-Glance is included, courtesy of sky-guru Curt Nason.

This Week’s Sky at a Glance, 2020 April 4 – April 11
Although Orion and his two dogs, Canis Major and Canis Minor, are slipping into the sunset, they are not the only pooches in the night sky. The small constellation of Canes Venatici the Hunting Dogs is generally seen as a pair of stars well below the handle of the Big Dipper. They assist their master, Boötes, in chasing the celestial bears around the pole.

In one tale from mythology Boötes is Icarius, a vineyard owner who was taught the art of winemaking by Bacchus. He introduced his shepherd neighbours to his product, and when they awoke hung over the next morning they thought they had been poisoned. In retaliation they killed Icarius and threw him in a ditch. His dogs, Chara and Asterion, sensed something was wrong, and when they eventually found their master they jumped into the ditch to die with him.

The brightest star in Canes Venatici is a double star called Cor Caroli, which means the Heart of Charles. Edmond Halley coined this because it was said to have shone brightly when Charles II returned to London after his defeat by Cromwell. The other naked eye star in the constellation is Chara, from the Greek word for “joy,” and opponents of the Boston Bruins will disagree with that. Halfway between Cor Caroli and Arcturus, the brightest star in Boötes, you can see a fuzzy patch with binoculars. This is the globular star cluster M3 from Messier’s catalogue. Galaxy M94 lies just north of the midpoint between Cor Caroli and Chara; and the much-imaged Whirlpool Galaxy is within the borders of Canes Venatici, despite being near the handle of the Big Dipper.

This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 6:52 am and sunset will occur at 7:52 pm, giving 13 hours of daylight (6:58 am and 7:56 pm in Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 6:39 am and set at 8:01 pm, giving 13 hours, 22 minutes of daylight (6:45 am and 8:05 pm in Saint John).

The Moon is full on Tuesday evening, just eight and a half hours after perigee, giving extreme tides during midweek. Venus remains within a binocular view of the Pleiades for several days. Venus makes 13 orbits of the sun in the same time it takes Earth to make eight orbits. Therefore, it makes this close pass by the Pleiades in early April every eight years. Mars puts some eastward distance between it and Saturn in the morning sky, while Jupiter edges toward Saturn. Mercury rises 35 minutes before sunrise and it is pretty much out of sight.

With astronomy meetings and outreach on hold, there are many educational astronomy websites to fill your time. One I check daily is Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD). It gives beautiful image or a short educational video with a few lines of explanation. Heavens Above is another favourite to explore.

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

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton