Nature Moncton Nature News: April 12 2024

NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS

April 12, 2024

Nature Moncton members as well as any naturalist in New Brunswick or beyond are invited to share their photos and descriptions of recent nature sightings to build a fresh (almost) daily edition of Nature News

To respond by e-mail, please address your message to the information line editor, nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com .

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

For more information on Nature Moncton, check the website at www.naturemoncton.com .

Proofreading courtesy of Louise Nichols at nicholsl@eastlink.ca

The live feed to the Peregrine Falcon nest box camera can be accessed at https://www.zoodemagnetichillzoo.ca/nest-cam

**Peter Gadd’s excellent photograph of his resident pair of Northern Cardinals in courtship feeding behaviour did not go on the first mail-out of yesterday’s Nature News so some may have missed it. It is added to today’s edition.

** Richard Blacquiere reports, after several days away from the Hampton lagoon, the Eurasian Wigeon is back (assuming, of course that it’s the same bird). The Ruddy Duck, however, is still absent.

**The Northern Shrike does not seem to have been a common visitor this winter; however, Aldo Dorio did photograph one in his Neguac yard on Thursday.

**The Simon family are happy to have more variety at their feeders in Lutes Mountain, including Purple Finches.

**Lisa Morris took note of a ‘clump’ of bright green moss that stood out like a beacon in the sun while walking a wooded pathway on April 8. The moss had completely encased a very decayed tree stump.

These patches of bright green evergreen moss stand out beautifully at the moment on the drab forest floor. Barbara Smith recently commented that they remind her of green shag carpet on the forest floor.

Consultation with Bruce Bagnall suggested this could be either Schreber’s Moss or Stair-step Moss which are similar.

(Editor’s note: many of us do not take note of these bright green evergreen mosses which are very intricate and beautiful if we take a moment to appreciate them.)

**Brian Stone sends some screenshots of some of the action he noted at the Peregrine Falcon summer cottage at noon on Thursday with lunch being shared.

** With solar eclipse fever ebbing, it is back to our regular report of what next week’s night sky may have in store for us, courtesy of sky guru Curt Nason.

This Week’s Sky at a Glance, 2024 April 13 – April 20
In April we can start a long goodbye with the winter constellations. Orion and Taurus are setting together, which makes it easier to imagine their eternal battle. The bull is protecting the Pleiades (Seven Sisters) from the amorous advances of Orion, who is about to strike a downward blow to the bull’s head with his upraised club. The bull’s long horns, one tip of which is the bottom left star of Auriga (Elnath - officially the second brightest star of Taurus), are not to be taken lightly. It is difficult to tell which of the two combatants is more dangerous.

The winter constellations of Auriga and Gemini are still up past midnight but Rigel, in the knee of Orion and the low point of the Winter Circlet of bright stars, is setting around 10:30 pm. With the Pleiades sinking in western twilight, through a thicker layer of our atmosphere, they will twinkle more. I have a pleasant memory of seeing them with binoculars when they were low in the west, flickering wildly like candles on a birthday cake. I had the urge to make a wish and blow them out.

This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 6:35 and sunset will occur at 8:04, giving 13 hours, 29 minutes of daylight (6:41 and 8:08 in Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 6:23 and set at 8:13, giving 13 hours, 50 minutes of daylight (6:29 and 8:17 in Saint John).

The Moon is at first quarter on Monday with the Lunar X appearing just inside the unlit portion around 10 pm. Saturn rises just ahead of Mars this weekend, about 70 minutes before sunrise, and gradually increases both gaps over the week. Mercury passes Venus in dawn this week but both are too close to the Sun for observing. Jupiter is low in the west in evening twilight and binoculars might reveal Uranus two degrees above it and comet 12P/Pons-Brooks as a hazy blur within the view below it.

The Saint John Astronomy Club meets in the Rockwood Park Interpretation Centre at 7 pm this Saturday. On Sunday evening at 8 pm, tune in to the Sunday Night Astronomy Show via the Facebook page or YouTube channel of Astronomy by the Bay.

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

**A heads up on an event marked on the calendar for April 21 with details below:

Earth Day Riverfront Cleanup

Sunday, April 21 from 2-4 pm

Meeting place: Moncton’s Riverfront trail at the Moncton Press Club, 160 Assumption Blvd.

Leader: Conservation Action Committee

A few Nature Moncton members were recently on Moncton’s Riverfront trail to clean out nest boxes and noticed a lot of garbage. So, we’re going to take action to help clean up the environment and habitat for trail users, marsh wildlife, and our beloved downtown Peregrine Falcons!

You are invited to a Riverfront cleanup on Sunday, April 21 from 2-4 pm. Please wear weather-appropriate clothing and footwear, your Nature Moncton name tag, and bring work gloves. This initiative is in conjunction with the City of Moncton’s Earth Week cleanup. The City will be providing garbage bags and non-latex gloves to wear over our work gloves.

All ages are welcome, Nature Moncton members or not. https://naturemoncton.com/events/