NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, November
27, 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)
** An AMERICAN COOT [Foulque d'Amérique]
has dropped by Jones Lake in
Moncton. Paul Langalaan was able to get
a photo of it, commenting that it liked to swim close to the reeds as it swam
down the lake.
** The Martin and the Fisher are two
New Brunswick native mammals we seldom ever have a chance to have an audience
with, especially for any length of time to make photos a real premium. They are much more common in the northern
half of New Brunswick, but still encounters are uncommon due to their secretive
and nocturnal behaviour. Phil Riebel recently
photographed a FISHER [Pékan] barely 100 feet from his home in
Miramichi with a camera set-up he has designed himself. We shared Phil’s photo on the Nov. 22nd
edition of the BlogSpot, labelling it a MARTIN [Marte]. Scott Makepeace replied and he said he
thought it may be a Fisher, not a Martin. Brian Donovan also confirmed the
identity. In a wild encounter, the
Fisher is significantly larger (especially the male) than a Martin, and much
easier to identify. The pelage is more
consistently dark brown all over in the Fisher with the pelage more patchy
light and dark in the Martin. The Martin
would have a yellowish/butterscotch obvious patch on the throat. Phil also got a photo with his trail camera
at the same time, and both photos are attached today.
** Brian Donovan shares 3 great videos
of a FISHER [Pékan] to
familiarize ourselves with this mammal to be ready when the lucky moment may
come to have an audience. Remember the
Fisher and the Martin are both arboreal, so don’t be surprised to see them in
trees. Brian Donovan has some of his excellent videos on YouTube and can be
found with the search term ‘Miramichi Wildlife’. Take a look at some of Brian’s
videos of a Fisher, Mink, Marten, and Lynx at the attached links:
https://www.facebook.com/572228588/videos/10157729972723589/
https://www.facebook.com/572228588/videos/10157729972788589/
https://www.facebook.com/572228588/videos/10157729973843589/
** Aldo Dorio continues to enjoy the PINE GROSBEAKS [Durbec des
sapins] chowing
down on apples to get at the seed booty.
He tends to see them mostly in crab trees near the Neguac wharf.
** I’m attaching a few more waterfowl
photos Brian Stone took a few days ago that, after reviewing both Sibley and
National Geographic, suggest the RED-BREASTED MERGANSER [Harle
huppé] to be a
juvenile as well as a suspected 1st winter SURF SCOTER [Macreuse à front blanc] that he photographed.
** It’s Friday and time to review what
will appear in the night sky for the coming week, courtesy of sky-guru Curt
Nason, hoping a few evenings do actually clear up. And yes, it is taking us
into the first week of December!!
This
Week’s Sky at a Glance, 2020 November 28 – December 5
I like to observe the sky at least once every day that I can, even if it is
just for a few minutes. At night, if I don’t feel like taking out a telescope,
I grab binoculars to tour the brighter star clusters. The winter
constellations, which are prominent now in late evening, are home to many star
clusters within easy reach of binoculars.
I usually start with the best open cluster, the Pleiades (M45), in the shoulder
of Taurus the Bull, and focus the binos on its stars. The large V-shaped Hyades
cluster, catalogued as Melotte 25, is nearby forming the face of the bull. It
is anchored by orange Aldebaran at one corner, but that star is not really part
of the cluster because it is less than half the distance to the others. The
brightest star in nearby Perseus, Mirfak, is part of a group of stars called
Melotte 20 that resembles a miniature version of the constellation Draco in
binoculars. Perseus also holds the star cluster M34, which appears as a fuzzy
patch in binos due to its distance. Between Perseus and Cassiopeia is a scenic
close pair of clusters, NGC 869 and NGC 884, aptly called the Double Cluster.
This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 7:37 am and sunset will occur at 4:36 pm,
giving 8 hours, 59 minutes of daylight (7:40 am and 4:44 pm in Saint
John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 7:45 am and set at 4:33 pm,
giving 8 hours, 48 minutes of daylight (7:48 am and 4:41 pm in Saint John).
The Moon is full on Monday morning, when keen-eyed observers might catch the subtle
gray shading of a penumbral eclipse as the Moon passes just below Earth’s
shadow. The best time to observe it is between 5:30 and 6 am. Jupiter continues
its approach to Saturn, setting at 8 pm midweek followed by the ringed planet
about 10 minutes later. Around that time Mars is near its highest position in
the south, where it offers its best views. Mercury rises an hour before sunrise
this weekend but that decreases to 40 minutes by next weekend. Venus crosses
the constellation border into Libra on Saturday and next weekend it passes
between the celestial Pillars of Hercules. Comet C/2020 S3 Erasmus might be
visible with binoculars between 6 and 6:30 am, about a fist-width to the right
of Venus and a tad lower this weekend. Over the week it moves a little closer
to Venus and lower. The International Space Station is making bright early
evening passes all week. Check the Heavens Above website for times and
locations, and also for locations of Comet Erasmus. Be aware that the comet
maps are north up and will need to be tilted to the left for proper orientation
in the eastern sky.
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
