NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE - December 20, 2016
(Tuesday)
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Edited
by : Nelson Poirier nelson@nb.sympatico.ca
Transcript by : Louise Richard richlou@nbnet.nb.ca
Info
Line # : 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)
**
Gilles Bourque had spotted a flock of PINE
GROSBEAKS [Durbec des sapins] near the covered bridge at the Magnetic
Hill Zoo feeding on winged seeds winter clinging on a RED ASH tree on Christmas
Bird Count day. There are several red ash trees that have been planted there
probably 20+ years ago. Only the female trees produce the winter clinging seed
clusters. There are several of these trees there, so obviously a very abundant
food supply for Pine Grosbeaks. Some MANITOBA MAPLE Trees still have some
winter clinging samara. Clarence Cormier reported earlier he noted EVENING
GROSBEAKS [Gros-bec errant] very actively snapping off the seeds off the
wings (keys) and foraging on them.
** Marlene Hickman comments she had a mixed flock of EVENING
GROSBEAKS [Gros-bec errant] and BOHEMIAN
WAXWING [Jaseur boréal] visit her Dorchester yard on Monday morning.
They stayed for several hours taking advantage of spilled seeds on the ground
that were revealed by the snow melt of Sunday.
** There were very few, if any, CANADA
GEESE [Bernaches du Canada] reported on the Saturday December 17
Christmas Bird Count; however, a few were incognito on the icy shoreline of the
Petitcodiac River near the walking trail as Georges Brun captured a photo of a
small group there on Saturday.
** Brian Stone has done an awesome job of assembling a photo
series of HALOS and ARCS that we can see in the day and night sky with several
reference sights to better explain them. The whole effort is a classic and will
pass on Brian’s description almost verbatim below as well as the beautifully
labelled photos. Many thanks to Brian for taking the time to do this and to
share it.
The rare 46 deg. halo ( picture 01 ) is one I
(Brian) may have gotten a while back in 2009, but am not sure that is what it is
because I did not get the whole halo in the image. But I am hoping that is what
it is ... because I just want it to be. Hah. There is a chance that it could be
a supralateral arc though, which is more common. I have attached links to the
page about the 46 deg. halo and also the page describing how to tell it from a
supralateral arc. Good luck figuring it out if you try.
http://www.atoptics.co.uk/
http://www.atoptics.co.uk/
Picture 02 has an "upper tangent arc", "lower tangent arc" ( just a bit of one ) and "parhelic circle" with "sun dogs" in place on each side of the 22 deg. halo.
http://www.atoptics.co.uk/
Picture 03 has the full "circumscribed" halo, which is when the upper and lower tangent arcs meet up and join together.
http://www.atoptics.co.uk/
Picture 04 is one of my favorites ... the rare 9 deg. halo. http://www.atoptics.co.uk/
Picture 06 is a "circumhorizon arc" I am
pretty sure.
http://www.atoptics.co.uk/
http://www.atoptics.co.uk/
Picture 07 shows a segment of a full sky "parhelic circle" with a "120 deg. parhelion" marked also. That is simply a second kind of sun dog that is not near the Sun but is out along the parhelic circle at 120 deg. from the Sun. The parhelic circle was a full circle going 360 deg. right around the sky. Very impressive and relatively rare, first I ever saw.
http://www.atoptics.co.uk/
and a video as I pan around the sky following the parhelic circle.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/
And lastly picture 08 ... showing a lunar "corona". A solar corona would look the same. It's not the same thing as a halo. Description at the link.
http://www.atoptics.co.uk/
** A comment on the hardiness of the PINE
WARBLER [Paruline des pins] — we have had a Pine Warbler regularly for
the past few weeks at our Moncton feeder yard. It was interesting to note that
during the very cold snap, the Pine Warbler was very active and fed frequently
on suet mixture, shelled peanuts, and sunflower chips. The cold did not appear
to trouble it at all; however, the BALTIMORE
ORIOLE [Oriole de Baltimore] that has been regular for a few weeks seemed
to have no problem whatsoever in the stormy weather earlier in the week, but has
not been seen since last Wednesday when the temperature plummeted on
Thursday.
Nelson
Poirier
Nature
Moncton
CANADA GEESE DEC 17 2016 GEORGES BRUN
HALO 01
HALO 02
HALO 03
HALO 04
HALO 05
HALO 06
HALO 07
HALO 08
