Nature Moncton Nature News: April 29 2016

** Louise Nichols is hosting 4 duck species on their Sackville pond at the moment, including GADWALL [Canard chapeau], GREEN-WINGED TEAL [Sarcelle d'hiver], MALLARD [Canard colvert] and AMERICAN WIGEON [Canard d'Amérique]. Louise got nice photos. In the 5 years they have lived at their Sackville location, American Wigeon and Mallard have nested in the yard area and brought their young to the pond. The Mallards always nested earlier than the Wigeons. One year, Green-winged Teal nested near the pond.

** Louise also reports a GREAT EGRET [Grande Aigrette] was being seen at the Sackville Waterfowl Park on Thursday.

** The male EURASIAN WIGEON [Canard siffleur] is still in the Hillsborough area. Gordon Rattray spotted one at the Grey Brook Marsh at midday on Thursday with a group of AMERICAN WIGEONS [Canard d'Amérique].

** Michelle Beckering got a photo of a lone SNOW BUNTING [Bruant des neiges] very much in full breeding plumage near the Moncton High School on Thursday. Most Snow Buntings have filed flight plans north by now.

** Georges Brun saw a sub-adult BALD EAGLE [Pygargue à tête blanche] capture a gull at the Riverview Marsh on Thursday. Shortly after it was harassed by 5 AMERICAN CROWS [Corneille d'Amérique] that managed to scare it off. However, a mature Bald Eagle swooped in to retrieve the prey. It eventually flew off with its bounty with a crow escort. The photo series is attached.

** Paul Nickerson got photos of two nests in the Barachois area, busy with OSPREY [Balbuzard pêcheur] reinstating their bonds at last year's nests.

** Aldo Dorio got a photo of a HERMIT THRUSH [Grive solitaire] at Neguac on Thursday. This species should be getting nicely settled in now with later arriving wood thrushes to follow soon.

** The BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS [Jaseur boreal] must have moved out of the area. We are still getting waxwings coming daily to our cache of cull apples in our Moncton yard, but they are all CEDAR WAXWINGS [Jaseur d'Amérique] at the moment. There appear to be approximately 20+ individuals. I am assuming they are birds that have over-wintered as usually spring migrant Cedar Waxwings don't arrive back this early.

** This week's Sky-at-a-Glance is added to this transcription, courtesy of Curt Nason.

This Week’s Sky at a Glance, April 30 – May 7
Sometimes I like to go tooling around in twilight with binoculars,
picking off the bright stars as they emerge or even before they are
visible to the naked eye. This time of year you can nab seven of the ten
brightest in twilight and maybe another four of the next ten. Toward the
southwest, Sirius, the brightest star of the night sky, might be the
first you see, possibly flashing colours as our atmosphere acts like a
prism. Next stop is lower to the west for #7, Rigel in Orion’s knee,
which sets just an hour after the Sun and could be a challenge. Orange
Betelgeuse, #10, will be well above it with the three belt stars in between.

Less than a hand span to the lower right of Betelgeuse is orange
Aldebaran, the eye of Taurus the Bull and wearing lucky #13. See if you
can pick out the Pleiades about two binocular widths to its right. This
star cluster can be entertaining when it is low, with numerous stars
twinkling like a Christmas tree. High above is #6 Capella, which often
takes on a yellowish hue. Also fairly high is #9 Procyon, forming the
peak of an equilateral triangle with Sirius and Betelgeuse. To its upper
right is #16 Pollux, the brighter of the Gemini Twins.

Before heading east for more stars have a look at Jupiter high to the
south and see how many of its four moons appear in your binos. Then,
head eastward for #4 Arcturus at about the same altitude as Capella. How
does its colour compare with that of Capella? Look for almost equally
bright #5 Vega low in the northeast, although the thicker atmosphere at
that altitude will rob some of its brightness. To its lower left you
will eventually catch #20 Deneb, and #14 Spica shines in the southeast.
Happy star hunting.

This Week in the Solar System

Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 6:07 am and sunset will occur at
8:27 pm, giving 14 hours, 20 minutes of daylight (6:14 am and 8:30 pm in
Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 5:56 am and set at 8:36
pm, giving 14 hours, 40 minutes of daylight (6:04 am and 8:39 pm in
Saint John).

The Moon is at third quarter on April 29 and new on the following
Friday. Jupiter is at its best around 9:30 pm this week. With the Great
Red Spot living up to its name this year, you might be able to see it in
a spotting scope around 9:30 on Monday and 11:00 Wednesday. Mercury sets
about an hour after sunset this weekend and moves rapidly toward its
date with the face of the Sun on May 9. Mars is brightening as it nears
its opposition on May 22, while Saturn is rising before 11 pm and
thrilling telescope users with views of its rings, which are almost at
their maximum tilt toward us.

The Saint John Astronomy Club meets at 7 pm on May 7 in the Rockwood
Park Interpretation Centre. All are welcome. There will be an astronomy
workshop at this venue on May 14; see the Saint John Naturalists' Club
Web site for details. Seating is limited so please register with me at
the email address below.

Questions? Contact me at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton