Nature Moncton Nature News: March 31 2017

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, March 31, 2017 (Friday)

Please advise editor at nelson@nb.sympatico.ca if any errors are noted in wording or photo labeling.

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Transcript by: Louise Nichols nicholsl@eastlink.ca

Info Line # 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)

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** Marie Marthe Rees who lives on the Salisbury Rd, not far from the Causeway traffic circle had an interesting TURKEY [Dinde] scenario. She noted quite large tracks of a bird in her backyard that she did not recognize and then at dusk on Wednesday spotted an unusual bird on their roof. On Thursday, she was able to get a photo of the bird walking about that nicely shows the tail band as brown to suggest the potential possibility of a truly wild turkey.

** A great feeder yard idea at the moment. Carmella Melanson does not have fruit trees in her yard, so she stuck some frozen and then thawed apples in one of her trees hoping to attract fruit-loving birds to her yard. It worked. Since Monday, she has had daily visits of CEDAR WAXWINGS [Jaseur d'Amérique]. What’s nice about having birds in your own yard is that you can watch them closely for as long as you want. What she noticed is that within the flock there was quite a variation in plumage as illustrated in her attached photos. Most of the birds in the flock did not have the waxy red wing tips as shown in the first photo suggesting first-year birds. In the second picture where 5 of them are eating apples on the ground, you can see that the one with its back turned is just starting to show the waxy red tips. The third picture shows one with waxy red wing tips. In the 5^th picture, the bird seems to have the waxy red on the tail tip. Some very interesting observations.

** Dave Christie came across a caterpillar crawling on pavement on March 27^th which, on touching it, it immediately curled up into its defence posture. It is the Virginea Ctenucha moth caterpillar, a dark winged moth we often see during the day in summer nectaring on flowers. I’ve seen this caterpillar active in November and December, so there’s no reason why it would not be active on warmer pavement in late March as it overwinters as the larval caterpillar. Dave got a nice composite photo of this variable coloured caterpillar. We will see it later in the season at night with lights and during the day as well. It has two broods per season.

** Marlene Hickman comments that her Dorchester bird-feeder yard is disappointedly quiet these days with the exception of a beautiful dark-variant male RING-NECKED PHEASANT [Faisan de Colchide], BLUE JAYS [Geai bleu], EUROPEAN STARLINGS [Étourneau sansonnet] and BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES [Mésange à tête noire], occasionally a flock of mixed Starlings and RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD [Carouge à épaulettes] ground feed. Marlene comments that presumably the migrating birds are smart in delaying their trip north. On a positive note, she notes the WHITE-TAILED DEER [Cerf de Virginie] have had a good winter and they have 7 feeding in their back acreage.

** On a trip to Moncton on Wednesday from the ramp on the Trans Canada Highway to the airport, Marlene caught a glance of a mature BALD EAGLE [Pygargue à tête blanche], sitting right on the paved shoulder of the left lane, cleaning up a road kill. It wasn’t the least bit disturbed by the traffic, indicating to her either a great hunger or a lack of fear.

** Brian Stone and I dropped by Louise and Maurice Richard’s Hillcrest Ave home area on Jones Lake to see if the NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD [Moqueur polyglotte] may be about. Approximately a dozen waxwings were there, but low in an apple tree over the bank and hard to photograph due to the tree branches, but Brian got enough photos to show that they were all CEDAR WAXWINGS [Jaseur d'Amérique]. The Mockingbird was not about, but the Richards comment it is usually seen most frequently in late mornings.

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

This Week’s Sky at a Glance, April 1 - April 8

Around 1930 the International Astronomical Union finalized the official constellations and their boundaries to cover the entire sky. Oddly, 22 of those 88 constellations begin with the letter “C.” Around 9 pm we can see 11 of those and parts of three others, so rather than deep sea fishing let’s go high C hunting. Starting in the west we might catch the head of Cetus the Whale before it sets, and toward the south Columba the Dove hugs the horizon. Meanwhile, Cygnus the Swan flaps a wing above the northern horizon for it never sets completely for us.

Higher in the north the house of Cepheus the King is upright for a change. To his west we see the W-shape of his wife, Cassiopeia the Queen, and above them we might have to strain to see Camelopardalis the Giraffe. Looking southwest, to the left of Orion are his faithful big and little dogs Canis Major and Canis Minor. Barely visible above the little dog is Cancer the Crab, nestled nicely between Gemini and Leo. In the southeast we have Corvus the Crow and Crater the Cup, both of which piggyback on the Hydra. Tailing Leo high in the east is Coma Berenices, the locks of distressed Queen Berenice II of Egypt, and dogging Ursa Major is Canes Venatici the Hunting Dogs. Finally, lower in the east, we see the Northern Crown, Corona Borealis.

This episode of Sky at a Glance was brought to you by the letter C and the number 14. As you find each C constellation, count out loud like the Count (One! That’s one C constellation, ah ha ha!), and for each one you find you can reward yourself with ... COOKIE!

This Week in the Solar System

Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 6:58 am and sunset will occur at 7:48 pm, giving 12 hours, 50 minutes of daylight (7:04 am and 7:52 pm in Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 6:45 am and set at 7:56 pm, giving 13 hours, 11 minutes of daylight (6:51 am and 8:01 pm in Saint John).

The Moon is at first quarter on Monday. Use a scope to see the Lunar X forming in the early evening, just inside the shadow below centre. The Moon is near Regulus in Leo on Thursday. Mercury is at its best evening viewing for the year, reaching its greatest elongation from the Sun on April 1 when it sets 1 hour 45 minutes after sunset. Mars will be 15 degrees to its upper left. Jupiter is at opposition, rising at sunset, on April 7. If you are scoping out the Lunar X on Monday evening, swing over to Jupiter a little before 8:40 to see its moon Io disappear into the planet’s shadow. Venus can be seen before sunrise in the east, and look for Saturn above the spout of the Sagittarius Teapot. It is stationary on Thursday, beginning a four-month retrograde westward motion against the starry background.

The Saint John Astronomy Club meets at 7 pm on April 1 at the Rockwood Park Interpretation Centre. All are welcome.

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

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton