NATURE MONCTON'S NATURE LINE, December 30, 2016 (Friday)
Please advise editor at nelson@nb.sympatico.ca. if any errors
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Edited by : Nelson Poirier nelson@nb.sympatico.ca
Transcript by: Louise Nichols nicholsl@eastlink.ca
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** Ray Gauvin got some nice photos of two of the PINE WARBLERS [Paruline
des pins] he has coming to his Parlee Beach feeders. Ray comments that he is
getting nice activity the past few days with constant BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES
[Mésange à tête noire], RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH [Sittelle à poitrine rousse] --
and WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH [Sittelle à poitrine blanche] have become regular as
well. On Thursday morning, he had a quick visit from a NORTHERN FLICKER [Pic
flamboyant].
** Jean Renton is getting lots of activity at her Stilesville feeder yard.
She has had two NORTHERN GOSHAWKS [Autour des palombes] appearing. Jean feels
they have their eyes on her nine RING-NECKED PHEASANT [Faisan de Colchide]
patrons. She also has 60+ EVENING GROSBEAKS [Gros-bec errant] (almost starting
to sound like back in the 1980's when they were so plentiful.) Jean also has a
full complement of the regularly expected species, but only two RED-BREASTED
NUTHATCH [Sittelle à poitrine rousse].
** Jamie Burris has noted a BLUE JAY [Geai bleu] with a deformed bill
coming to his Riverview feeder yard. Jamie cites the attached URL that gives
some interesting information on this condition.
Jamie also noted a 3mm fly flying around his yard on Dec. 24th. It turns
out to be a WINTER CRANE FLY in the genus Trichoceridae.
** Eric Nelson in Sussex is using a squirrel-proof bird feeder he finds
works well. Eric forwards a photo and I'm attaching Eric's instructions on its
use and where he had it built.
Now
this Bird Feeder is Squirrel Proof but there has to be a couple of things
understood. Squirrels seem to be able to jump straight up about 4 feet so the
feeder is approximately 6 feet high. The can also jump something like 8 to 10
feet horizontally so it has to be in an open area away from trees and
bushes.
A raccoon
could easily knock it over but has NOT.
Squirrels can easily climb the pipe but they can't get
up around the plastic fishing float. I would guess squirrels eat well over 50%
of most bird feed so it saves money. Also, the crows seem to avoid it
'most' of the time because it swings around when they land
because of their weight but you do see
some crows on it.
Eric
Nelson
PARTS:
Top feeder is
made by Levi MacLean at the top of Church Avenue (Sussex) and bolted to a 4
threaded 1/2 inch piece of Ready Rod. If you put on some extra nuts you can
adjust the height and distance between the feed and
float.
The bottom
pieces are part of what is used in the summer to put a lawn sprinkler up 4 to 6
feet for better coverage.
** Aldo Dorio comments that he found no birds to photograph on Dec. 29th,
but lots of SMELT being caught near Neguac wharf from ice-fishing shacks.
** In correction of an error in yesterday's edition, the GLAUCOUS GULL
[Goéland bourgmestre] Louise Nichols photographed was actually at Rue Niles in
Cap Pelé -- just along the shore at that site -- so could be an easy one to see
if it remains there.
** This week's Sky-at-a-Glance is added to this edition, courtesy of Curt
Nason.
This Week’s Sky at a Glance, December 31 – January
7
Have you made a New Year’s resolution? I never make them but I do set astronomy goals such as the number of days I do observing, and spotting Mercury at least once in each of its six or seven apparitions during the year. In astronomy the word resolution has another meaning: seeing two closely paired objects as separate entities, most often used in reference to double stars. They can be naked eye, binocular or telescopic doubles, and resolving or “splitting” them is a popular challenge for stargazers.
Many of you have already tried splitting a naked-eye pair – the middle star in the handle of the Big Dipper. Under reasonable conditions most people can detect Alcor beside brighter Mizar after a few seconds of concentrated viewing. Doing so was once used as a test of visual acuity, an early eye chart, and the pair has been called “the horse and rider.”
Albireo, which marks the head of the swan in Cygnus, is a colourful double star that is split with binoculars. Their blue and yellow hues are seen more easily with the binoculars slightly out of focus. A favourite of mine is Nu Draconis, the faintest of the four stars in the head of the dragon, which resembles cat eyes or headlights in binoculars. In nearby Lyra we find another popular and challenging target. Beside the bright star Vega, and in line with the right side of the parallelogram that forms the body of the harp, is Epsilon Lyrae. To the eye it is a single star and with binoculars it is a pair, but with a good telescope and a steady sky each of that pair can be resolved as two stars, earning Epsilon the moniker “Double-Double.” This goes well with the constellation’s other highlight; the Ring Nebula (M57), which resembles a doughnut.
This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 8:02 am and sunset will occur at 4:44 pm, giving 8 hours, 42 minutes of daylight (8:04 am and 4:52 pm in Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 8:01 am and set at 4:51 pm, giving 8 hours, 50 minutes of daylight (8:03 am and 4:59 pm in Saint John). Earth is at perihelion mid-morning on Wednesday, when it is closest to the Sun for the year. The Supersun will appear 6% larger than it does in early July, but be safe and don’t look at it. If you really want to see a large Sun, wait for it to enter its red giant stage in several billion years.
The Moon is at first quarter on Thursday, giving great views in a scope later in the week. Mars takes centre stage in the solar system this week, passing very closely below Neptune on Saturday evening and remaining within a binocular view all week. A scope or hopefully binoculars should show them together this weekend. The Moon joins them early in the week, and Venus is not far away. Jupiter and Spica make an attractive couple in the morning sky. Early Tuesday the sometimes-active Quadrantid meteor shower is near its peak, shooting meteors from above the handle of the Big Dipper.
The Saint John Astronomy Club meets on January 7 at 7 pm in the Rockwood Park Interpretation Centre. All are welcome; no experience, telescope or money is necessary.
Questions? Contact Curt Nason at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.
Have you made a New Year’s resolution? I never make them but I do set astronomy goals such as the number of days I do observing, and spotting Mercury at least once in each of its six or seven apparitions during the year. In astronomy the word resolution has another meaning: seeing two closely paired objects as separate entities, most often used in reference to double stars. They can be naked eye, binocular or telescopic doubles, and resolving or “splitting” them is a popular challenge for stargazers.
Many of you have already tried splitting a naked-eye pair – the middle star in the handle of the Big Dipper. Under reasonable conditions most people can detect Alcor beside brighter Mizar after a few seconds of concentrated viewing. Doing so was once used as a test of visual acuity, an early eye chart, and the pair has been called “the horse and rider.”
Albireo, which marks the head of the swan in Cygnus, is a colourful double star that is split with binoculars. Their blue and yellow hues are seen more easily with the binoculars slightly out of focus. A favourite of mine is Nu Draconis, the faintest of the four stars in the head of the dragon, which resembles cat eyes or headlights in binoculars. In nearby Lyra we find another popular and challenging target. Beside the bright star Vega, and in line with the right side of the parallelogram that forms the body of the harp, is Epsilon Lyrae. To the eye it is a single star and with binoculars it is a pair, but with a good telescope and a steady sky each of that pair can be resolved as two stars, earning Epsilon the moniker “Double-Double.” This goes well with the constellation’s other highlight; the Ring Nebula (M57), which resembles a doughnut.
This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 8:02 am and sunset will occur at 4:44 pm, giving 8 hours, 42 minutes of daylight (8:04 am and 4:52 pm in Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 8:01 am and set at 4:51 pm, giving 8 hours, 50 minutes of daylight (8:03 am and 4:59 pm in Saint John). Earth is at perihelion mid-morning on Wednesday, when it is closest to the Sun for the year. The Supersun will appear 6% larger than it does in early July, but be safe and don’t look at it. If you really want to see a large Sun, wait for it to enter its red giant stage in several billion years.
The Moon is at first quarter on Thursday, giving great views in a scope later in the week. Mars takes centre stage in the solar system this week, passing very closely below Neptune on Saturday evening and remaining within a binocular view all week. A scope or hopefully binoculars should show them together this weekend. The Moon joins them early in the week, and Venus is not far away. Jupiter and Spica make an attractive couple in the morning sky. Early Tuesday the sometimes-active Quadrantid meteor shower is near its peak, shooting meteors from above the handle of the Big Dipper.
The Saint John Astronomy Club meets on January 7 at 7 pm in the Rockwood Park Interpretation Centre. All are welcome; no experience, telescope or money is necessary.
Questions? Contact Curt Nason at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.
Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton
BLUE JAY DEC 29, 206.JAMIE BURRIS
Double Stars
PINE WARBLER (FEMALE).DEC 28, 2016.RAY GAUVIN
PINE WARBLER (MALE).DEC 28, 2016.RAY GAUVIN
SMELTS.DEC 29, 2016.ALDO DORIO
SQUIRREL PROOF FEEDER. DEC 2016.ERIC NELSON
WINTER CRANE FLY (TRICHOCERA). DEC 24, 2016.JAMIE BURRIS
