NATURE
MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, May 29, 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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** Brian Bauld got some great photos of a male SCARLET TANAGER [Tangara
écarlate] at Eddy Marsh just across the border in Nova Scotia. It was loudly singing and revealing itself
nicely.
** On Thursday morning, Bill and Marguerite Winsor
had the pleasure of hearing a TENNESSEE WARBLER [Paruline obscure] singing in
their Salisbury backyard. It sang its
beautiful song from 6:00 AM until past 7:00 AM.
Marguerite managed one photo. It
was very active and also secretive. The
Tennessee Warbler may not be one of our most colourful warblers, but its 3-part
beautiful song makes up for it.
The Winsors also have an AMERICAN ROBIN [Merle
d'Amérique] nesting under their patio. This is her 6th day on the nest,
and the Winsors are looking forward to day 14 or so when they should hatch.
** Jane LeBlanc sends a photo of HOBBLEBUSH [Virone à feuilles d’aulne] in bloom in
her St. Martins yard. The small flowers
in the centre are the seed producers while the big sterile white ray petals on
the outside help to attract pollinating insects. Jane also got a photo of a very cooperative PALM WARBLER [Paruline à
couronne rousse] in St. Martins on Thursday as well as a male COMMON YELLOWTHROAT
[Paruline masquée].
** Louise Nichols escaped the cold wind in Aulac by
going to Petit-Cap on Thursday morning.
It was fairly quiet there overall, but in terms of shorebirds, she saw
approximately 10 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER [Pluvier argenté], a couple of WILLETS [Chevalier
semipalmé] and one SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER [Bécasseau
semipalmé]. The nicest
moment of the morning was a LAPLAND LONGSPUR [Bruant lapon] in full
breeding plumage that hopped out in front of her on the beach. What a special moment to see a Lapland
Longspur in beautiful breeding plumage, a rare event in New Brunswick. This individual must have been a bit late in
filing flight plans north of us to breed.
** Brian Donovan in Miramichi has taken incredible
trail camera footage, both video and still pictures during the past years to
learn lots about the ‘tricks of the trade’.
Brian’s Covid project was to make a video to explain his methods and
types of cameras he uses. Brian’s
25-minute video of his efforts is available at the attached link. Thank you Brian for sharing your experiences.
https://www.facebook.com/brian.donovan.505/videos/10157317182033589/
** Brian Stone had a MERLIN [Faucon émerillon] visit his yard
on Thursday, and in true defiant Merlin attitude, stood its ground for some
great photos. The Merlin is one of the
few raptors that maintains vertical breast striking in the juvenile and adult
plumage. Also note the dark bars of the
tail are wider than the white bars.
Brian also got a few photos of an ICHNEUMON WASP which is harmless to
humans and one of our vespidae wasp species that can be very aggressive around
a nest, but not usually aggressive to humans at this time of year as they are
seeking out sites to nest.
** 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 May 30 – June 6
When Charley Pride sang “Snakes Crawl at Night” he wasn’t talking about the constellations, but he might as well have been. When twilight gives way to darkness there are two snakes stretching nearly halfway across the sky. The first is Hydra the female water snake, which is also the largest constellation. It is so long it takes eight hours to rise completely. At 11 pm these evenings it stretches along the horizon with its head in the west and its tail to the south. In this position the snake takes only three hours to nestle underground
Almost as long but more U-shaped is Serpens, the only constellation that is in two parts, separated by Ophiuchus the Serpent Bearer. The western half is called Serpens Caput, the head of the snake, and the eastern half is the tail, Serpens Cauda. Ophiuchus represents Asclepius, a son of the Greek god Apollo, who learned the healing arts by watching a snake bring another back to life. The Rod of Asclepius, a snake entwined around a staff, is the symbol of medicine and health.
If your like things in threes you can look at serpentine Draco as a snake instead of a dragon. Its tail begins above the bowl of the Big Dipper, with the body curling around the Little Dipper before arcing back toward the foot of Hercules. If that doesn’t suit you then you can go Down Under to see Hydrus the male water snake slithering around the south celestial pole.
This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 5:32 am and sunset will occur at 9:01 pm, giving 15 hours, 29 minutes of daylight (5:40 am and 9:03 pm in Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 5:29 am and set at 9:07 pm, giving 15 hours, 38 minutes of daylight (5:37 am and 9:09 pm in Saint John).
The Moon is full next Friday, the traditional Rose, Flower, Strawberry, Honey, or Trees Fully Leaved Moon. Venus is at inferior conjunction on Wednesday, moving into the morning sky in mid-June. Mercury remains visible in the evening, setting around 10 pm on Tuesday and reaching its greatest elongation from the Sun on Thursday. By midweek Jupiter rises at midnight, followed 15 minutes later by Saturn. After passing both those planets in late March, Mars now trails them by two hours. Unless C/2010 F8 SWAN flares following its recent maiden voyage around the Sun, it will be the second comet this year to disappoint hopeful stargazers in the northern hemisphere. Perhaps C/2020 F3 NEOWISE will live up to naked-eye predictions in July.
With astronomy meetings and outreach activities on hold, you can watch the local Sunday Night Astronomy Show at 8 pm, and view archived shows, on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAEHfOWyL-kNH7dBVHK8spg
This week’s topics will be part 2 of telescope accessories and how to plan for a successful observing session.
Questions? Contact Curt Nason at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.
When Charley Pride sang “Snakes Crawl at Night” he wasn’t talking about the constellations, but he might as well have been. When twilight gives way to darkness there are two snakes stretching nearly halfway across the sky. The first is Hydra the female water snake, which is also the largest constellation. It is so long it takes eight hours to rise completely. At 11 pm these evenings it stretches along the horizon with its head in the west and its tail to the south. In this position the snake takes only three hours to nestle underground
Almost as long but more U-shaped is Serpens, the only constellation that is in two parts, separated by Ophiuchus the Serpent Bearer. The western half is called Serpens Caput, the head of the snake, and the eastern half is the tail, Serpens Cauda. Ophiuchus represents Asclepius, a son of the Greek god Apollo, who learned the healing arts by watching a snake bring another back to life. The Rod of Asclepius, a snake entwined around a staff, is the symbol of medicine and health.
If your like things in threes you can look at serpentine Draco as a snake instead of a dragon. Its tail begins above the bowl of the Big Dipper, with the body curling around the Little Dipper before arcing back toward the foot of Hercules. If that doesn’t suit you then you can go Down Under to see Hydrus the male water snake slithering around the south celestial pole.
This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 5:32 am and sunset will occur at 9:01 pm, giving 15 hours, 29 minutes of daylight (5:40 am and 9:03 pm in Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 5:29 am and set at 9:07 pm, giving 15 hours, 38 minutes of daylight (5:37 am and 9:09 pm in Saint John).
The Moon is full next Friday, the traditional Rose, Flower, Strawberry, Honey, or Trees Fully Leaved Moon. Venus is at inferior conjunction on Wednesday, moving into the morning sky in mid-June. Mercury remains visible in the evening, setting around 10 pm on Tuesday and reaching its greatest elongation from the Sun on Thursday. By midweek Jupiter rises at midnight, followed 15 minutes later by Saturn. After passing both those planets in late March, Mars now trails them by two hours. Unless C/2010 F8 SWAN flares following its recent maiden voyage around the Sun, it will be the second comet this year to disappoint hopeful stargazers in the northern hemisphere. Perhaps C/2020 F3 NEOWISE will live up to naked-eye predictions in July.
With astronomy meetings and outreach activities on hold, you can watch the local Sunday Night Astronomy Show at 8 pm, and view archived shows, on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAEHfOWyL-kNH7dBVHK8spg
This week’s topics will be part 2 of telescope accessories and how to plan for a successful observing session.
Questions? Contact Curt Nason at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.
nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton
LAPLAND LONGSPUR. MAY 28, 2020. LOUISE NICHOLS
LAPLAND LONGSPUR. MAY 28, 2020. LOUISE NICHOLS
LAPLAND LONGSPUR. MAY 28, 2020. LOUISE NICHOLS
LAPLAND LONGSPUR. MAY 28, 2020. LOUISE NICHOLS
SCARLET TANAGER (MALE). MAY 28, 2020. BRIAN BAULD
SCARLET TANAGER (MALE). MAY 28, 2020. BRIAN BAULD
TENNESSEE WARBLER. MAY 28, 2020. MARGUERITE WINSOR
PALM WARBLER. MAY 28, 2020. JANE LEBLANC
COMMON YELLOWTHROAT WARBLER. MAY 28, 2020. JANE LEBLANC
MERLIN. MAY 28, 2020. BRIAN STONE
MERLIN. MAY 28, 2020. BRIAN STONE
Snakes 2020
SHORT-TAILED ICHNEUMON WASP. MAY 28, 2020.. BRIAN STONE
SHORT-TAILED ICHNEUMON WASP. MAY 28, 2020.. BRIAN STONE
WASP. MAY 28, 2020. BRIAN STONE
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