Nature Moncton Nature
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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.
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observations/photos with Nature News, contact the editor, nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
Please advise the editor
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Proofreading courtesy of
Louise Nichols at nicholsl@eastlink.ca
**Frank Branch
from Paquetville shares some excellent photographs of a sharp-shinned hawk
that show features to distinguish it from the Cooper’s hawk that is expanding
its range into New Brunswick. The Cooper's hawk is still an uncommon raptor in the Acadian
Peninsula, which no doubt soon will change.
The Cooper’s
hawk is larger than the sharp-shinned hawk; however, a male Cooper’s hawk and a
female sharp-shinned hawk can make size deceiving. The sloping forehead shows
nicely for a sharp-shinned hawk in comparison to the Roman nose appearance of
the Cooper’s hawk. The dark markings on the nape also suggest sharp-shinned
hawk to give it a hooded look compared to the capped appearance of the Cooper’s
hawk. The Cooper’s hawk would normally have the central tail rectrices longer
than the side tail feathers, giving it a rounded tail tip, but molting can
change this feature.
These two
species can differ in behavior and wing contour, but their similarity means we
should note all features to be certain of identity.
**Brian Tozer
again shares a few interesting observations from the Miramichi area.
Brian
photographed a porcupine swimming across a pond, something we just don’t
often see.
He also
photographed a ring-necked snake. We don’t often get to see this small,
harmless snake, as it is so nocturnal and very secretive. It is not uncommon,
just not commonly seen. The complete yellow neck ring shows nicely in Brian’s
photos. The underside is a striking orange-red colour, which barely shows in one photo and is arrowed. Its favoured diet consists of small salamanders,
earthworms, and slugs.
**Yolande
LeBlanc comments that she finally found several monarch butterfly caterpillars
on September 2nd while cutting the seed pods off the swamp milkweed; they were
easy to see. There were two sizes, but both were well developed.
(Editor’s
note: Jim Wilson commented earlier that he felt August 24 was a potential
cutoff date to ensure emerged adults would be making the migration to Mexico.
As it will be at least a few weeks before adults emerge, it would be fortunate
if the emerged adults can complete their migration successfully.)
**As many of
us have noted, mountain ash shrubs/trees have experienced a very abundant crop
this season to provide potential fodder for American robins, Bohemian waxwings,
and pine grosbeaks.
Many folks
gather clumps of mountain ash berries and freeze them, putting them out with
their bird feeders in late winter and early spring when the supply of berries
is sometimes somewhat diminished.
Bob Blake
reports his yard trees are loaded, and anyone who would like some is welcome to
drop by.
**All summer,
David Lilly has been photographing a groundhog in his backyard. It seems to
have taken up residence under his shed.
(Editor’s note:
Nelson Poirier is also hosting a groundhog under his camp; however, it is
hesitant to pose for photographs, especially if Fin is nearby and would like to
play, which the groundhog is not impressed with!)
**A very
contented sunflower plant in its prime greeted Lisa Morris at the busy
Mapleton Park parking lot… the definition of ‘caught between a rock and a hard
place’. Persistent nature makes us smile. A squirrel, bird, or coat
pocket most likely dropped the seed.
**We are
sorry to hear that Leon Gagnon, who has had a summer place at Wilson Point on
Miscou Island, has sold his place after 24 years.
Leon has
contributed many observations over the years and shares a few more before
departing. He enjoyed having Monarch butterflies and their ensuing larval
caterpillars on a small milkweed patch over this past summer; an olive-sided
flycatcher and a bull moose visited his yard with antlers still in
velvet in August.
**Bob Blake maintains daily weather statistics at his Second North River home to include morning low temperatures, daily high temperatures, and monthly precipitation.
Bob submits
his observations in table form, comparing August 2025 with August 2026.
As most of
us noted, yes, we did have some warm days this past August, but we also had
many with very pleasant but cooler temperatures.
It is, of
course, the very striking difference in that precipitation statistic of nearly
200 mm more delicious rainfall in August 2026. This left New Brunswick with no
significant wildfires, and mushrooms are in ecstasy!
|
2025 |
2026 |
||
|
morning temperatures |
daily highs and rainfall |
morning temperatures |
daily highs and rainfall |
|
+23-1
day +22-2 +21-1 +20-1 +18-2 +17-3 +16-1 +15-3 +14-1 +13-3 +12-1 +11-1 +10-2 +9-1 |
+37-1 +36-1 +35-1 +33-1 +32-1 +30-1 +29-1 +28-1 +27-1 +26-4 +22-3 44 mms.
rain |
+21-2 +20-6 +18-3 +17-4 +16-3 +15-3 14-2 13-2 +12-1 |
+33-1 +32-2 +29-1 +28-1 +27-6 +24-4 +25-2 +24-1 +23-5 +22-2 234
mms. rain |
**This
Week’s Sky at a Glance, 2026 September 5 – September 12
This is the time of year when the evening sky seems static; the stars appear
to be in the same place night after night in twilight. With reference to
the stars Earth rotates once every 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4 seconds - a
sidereal day. But since our clocks are based on a 24-hour mean solar day rather
than the sidereal day, the stars rise about 4 minutes earlier each evening. The
rate of earlier sunsets this time of year cancels half of that. Although the
stars rise earlier we also see them sooner.
The opposite occurs in spring when the later sunsets add to the earlier rising
of stars. The constellations seem to fly past over a month or two. Earth’s
motion around the Sun results in many of the constellations being seasonal. For
example, we currently see Orion in the southeast before sunrise. Come January
it will be there after sunset and stick around in the evening sky until mid-spring.
Those constellations near the north are circumpolar, meaning they never set and
we see them year round.
This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 6:44 and sunset will occur at 7:49, giving
13 hours, 5 minutes of daylight (6:50 and 7:54 in Saint John). Next Saturday
the Sun will rise at 6:53 and set at 7:36, giving 12 hours, 43 minutes of
daylight (6:59 and 7:40 in Saint John).
The Moon is near Mars on Sunday morning, near the Beehive star cluster and
above Jupiter Tuesday, and it is new on Thursday. Venus and Spica set together
before 9 pm over the week, with Venus pulling away to the left. Saturn is less
than a month from opposition so it is high enough for grand telescope views
late in the evening. By the end of the week Mercury stands a mere four
degrees above the western horizon at sunset, setting less than half an hour
later. Rising three hours before sunrise, Jupiter and Sirius rival each
other in the east and southeast, respectively, with Procyon above and between
them and Mars to its upper left in Gemini. On Tuesday afternoon the Moon passes
in front of Jupiter in the west around 3:54 and releases it just under an hour
later. From rural areas the zodiacal light might be seen in the east an hour or
two before sunrise starting late in the week.
The Fundy Park Stargaze this weekend has been cancelled due to the weather
forecast. The Fredericton Astronomy Club resumes meetings in the UNB
Forestry-Earth Sciences building on Tuesday at 7 pm. Mount Carleton Provincial
Park will host a special astronomy-themed Dark Sky Experience weekend September
11-13. The Saint John Astronomy Club will meet in the Rockwood Park
Interpretation Centre on September 12 at 7 pm.
Questions? Contact Curt Nason at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.
Nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
Nelson Poirier
Nature Moncton
