NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, November
20, 2020 (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)
** Mike Surette has been visiting his
parents in the Kingswood subdivision and got a photo of a warbler that briefly
dropped by their yard. It is a top view,
yet very clear to show the yellowish-green rump, white wing bars (which are
faint due to photo angle) and eye ring, all consistent with a PINE WARBLER [Paruline
des pins]. It is a relatively dull plumage to suggest
either a male (maybe immature) or an adult female. Gilles Belliveau was very helpful with this
commentary.
**Richard Blacquiere’s finding of a
female Eurasian Wigeon at Hampton lagoon has generated lots of interest. Brian
Stone visited the site on Thursday. Unfortunately light did not cooperate but
he did get more photos of it to add to the views and angles.
While there, Brian got photos of BUFFLEHEAD,
GADWALL, COMMON GOLDENEYE, and TUKEY VULTURES. Note the female Common Goldeneye
is just starting to take on the semi orange bill of breeding plumage.
He also sends a photo of a berry-laden
shrub that appears to be BARBERRY. It seems untouched by birds and wonder about
the palatability of this berry to birds if identification is correct.
** Wayne Corcoran in Chelmsford seems
to operate the EVENING GROSBEAK [Gros-bec errant] capital of New Brunswick and has had
them in good numbers for years when the numbers were very down. At the moment, his Evening Grosbeak patrons
are approximately at 50+. He is getting
lots of expected regulars, but BLUE JAYS [Geai bleu] are also high in number at 25 to 30.
** Aldo Dorio came across 10 PINE GROSBEAKS [Durbec des
sapins] on the
Neguac wharf on Thursday; however, they were accompanied by 3 AMERICAN ROBINS [Merle
d'Amérique] this time.
** David Lilly leaves a list of patrons
he is getting to his Oromocto yard to include 12 EVENING GROSBEAKS [Gros-bec
errant], 2 RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES
[Sittelle à poitrine rousse], one DOWNY WOODPECKER [Pic
mineur], one HAIRY WOODPECKER [Pic
chevelu], 6 AMERICAN CROWS [Corneille
d'Amérique], 12 PINE SISKINS [Tarin des
pins], 4 BLUE JAYS [Geai bleu], 16 MOURNING DOVES [Tourterelle
triste] and 6 BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES
[Mésange à tête noire]. That would seem to be the first group that
would tend to look more to feeders as the weather cools.
** I was surprised to hear the
seemingly weak but very audible hooting of a GREAT HORNED OWL from the deck of our Moncton home in
the midst of an urban area, yet with ample tall mature trees. It did seem like one individual coming from
the same site. It was calling at
approximately 7:00 PM and did so several times before some neighbourhood dogs
got into the act. Turn up the volume and
listen to the attached link.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/hjs4kq9ml6bwb3d/Barred%20Owl%20Clip%201%2C2%2C3.mp4?dl=0
** It’s Friday and time to review the
next week’s Sky-at-a-Glace courtesy of sky-guru Curt Nason, with Jupiter and
Saturn creeping to a few degrees of one another and Mars as well in the evening
sky.
This
Week’s Sky at a Glance, 2020 November 21 – November 28
Like Nate the pirate in the Overboard comics, some people do not want to let go
of summer. I usually don’t succumb to the cold right away, waiting for -10 C
before my winter coat gets worn regularly. But you have to accept the
inevitable, so around 8:30 pm this week don your coat and imagination to say
goodbye to the summer constellations as they sink below the western horizon.
The first thing you might notice is the Summer Triangle, balanced on Altair and
tipping to the right. Aquila the Eagle, with Altair at its head, is flapping
furiously and futilely to stay above ground, a battle it will lose over two
hours. To its right, Hercules is diving head first, hopefully into a lake.
Between them, if you are in the country, you might see the haze of the Milky Way
spilling over the ground, perhaps to become frost. Four smaller constellations
form a line above Altair, highlighted by Lyra to the right with its brilliant
star Vega. Foxy Vulpecula, Sagitta the Arrow and eye-catching Delphinus the
Dolphin are balanced across the eagle’s wingspan. While you are at it, try for
the triangular head of Equuleus the Little Horse, who leads his big brother
Pegasus by a nose.
This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 7:28 am and sunset will occur at 4:40 pm,
giving 9 hours, 12 minutes of daylight (7:31 am and 4:48 pm in Saint
John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 7:37 am and set at 4:36 pm,
giving 8 hours, 59 minutes of daylight (7:40 am and 4:44 pm in Saint John).
The Moon is at first quarter after midnight this Saturday night (12:45 Sunday
morning), and it passes below Mars in the waxing gibbous phase on Wednesday.
Jupiter creeps to within three degrees of Saturn over the week, setting around
8:30 pm midweek. Mars resembles a garnet gem among the dim stars of Pisces
throughout the evening. Mercury remains visible in the morning sky, rising more
than 75 minutes before sunrise to the lower left of Venus. The extended coma of
comet C/2020 M3 ATLAS was a tough object to spot with a telescope in a suburban
sky last weekend, but I also spotted C/2020 S3 Erasmus with binoculars as it
passed through the constellation Corvus the Crow in the morning. By late week
Erasmus will be directly below Spica and to the right of Venus.
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
Questions? Contact Curt Nason at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.
Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton
