NATURE
MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, April 14, 2017 (Friday)
Please advise editor at nelson@nb.sympatico.ca if any errors are noted in wording or
photo labeling.
Transcript by: Louise Nichols nicholsl@eastlink.ca
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your message to the information line editor nelson@nb.sympatico.ca.
** Catherine
Hamilton shares waterfowl photos she took from the Petitcodiac Waterfowl Trail
on Thursday morning. This is a trail
many may not be familiar with and Catherine recommends it. It is located off Renfrew St in Petitcodiac
with two entrances, one beside the cemetery and one farther down the
street. Catherine also saw a BEAVER [Castor] swimming there and the map shows a nearby
lagoon. It is interesting to note that
among Catherine’s photos was a LONG-TAILED DUCK
[Harelde kakawi] in a freshwater area.
One would have to wonder if it may be in migration.
** Dave
Miller and Ron Steeves spent about 7 hours looking for raptors on Thursday from
the New Horton churchyard with limited success to say the least, as Ron put
it. It was cloudy with sunny periods and
fairly strong winds until early afternoon.
Many of the birds they did see were at long distance, high, and
rocketing past – a real challenge to positively identify every raptor, so
everything they weren’t sure of fell into the unidentified column. The tally they felt confident to record for
the day in migration was two SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS
[Épervier brun], two NORTHERN GOSHAWKS [Autour
des palombes] (another bird was presumed to be local), three RED-TAILED HAWKS [Buse à queue rousse] (a local
hunting bird was not included), four AMERICAN KESTRELS
[Crécerelle d'Amérique] (a local pair was not included), two immature BALD EAGLES [Pygargue à tête blanche] (all adults
were presumed to be local), two OSPREY [Balbuzard
pêcheur], three NORTHERN HARRIERS [Busard
Saint-Martin]
(several were not counted which were presumed to be local), 20 TURKEY VULTURES [Urubu à tête rouge] (with a few
others presumed to be local), 9 unidentified raptors. No seabirds spotted going inland on Thursday
from the church which was unexpected. While picking out a certain raptor and
while trying to identify it, they knew that others were getting by them and
were not recorded.
** Clarence
Cormier had his first FOX SPARROW [Bruant fauve] arrive to his
Grand-Digue yard which is right on schedule from his previous year’s
notes. A SAVANNAH
SPARROW [Bruant des prés] also arrived which Clarence comments is early for him,
with this species usually making its appearance around April 22nd. The RED-WINGED
BLACKBIRD [Carouge à épaulettes] flock showed several juvenile males on Thursday;
however, the RUSTY BLACKBIRD [Quiscale rouilleux] did not put in an
appearance.
** This
week’s Sky-at-a-Glance is added to this edition, courtesy of Curt Nason,
hopefully with a few clear long weekend evenings to look up and see the action.
This Week’s Sky at a Glance, April 15
– April 22
With Jupiter being prominent in the east after twilight our eyes are
also drawn to Spica, the 14th brightest star, which trails the planet by
about seven degrees. Jupiter’s retrograde motion will carry it toward
the star Porrima until mid-June, after which it will head eastward again
to pass above Spica in September when they are setting an hour after
sunset. When no bright planets are nearby, Spica is located by following
the arc of the Big Dipper’s handle to bright Arcturus and driving a
spike to Spica.
Spica represents an ear of wheat in the hand of the constellation Virgo
the Maiden. In Greek mythology she was Demeter, the goddess of wheat or
agriculture (Ceres in Roman mythology). The Sun passes through this
constellation in harvest time, and it is in the head of Virgo at the
autumnal equinox. Virgo is the second largest of the 88 constellations
in terms of area of sky, trailing only Hydra the Water Snake.
Coincidentally, it also trails Hydra in the sky, which can be seen
stretching below Leo.
The region of sky encompassed by Virgo, Leo, Ursa Major and Boötes is
known as the Realm of the Galaxies. The Galactic North Pole is in this
direction, so we are looking away from the plane of our Milky Way galaxy
and its obscuring dust clouds. Dozens of distant galaxies can be seen in
a small telescope and many with binoculars. Spring is galaxy season for
amateur astronomers.
This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 6:32 am and sunset will occur at
8:05 pm, giving 13 hours, 33 minutes of daylight (6:38 am and 8:09 pm in
Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 6:20 am and set at 8:14
pm, giving 13 hours, 54 minutes of daylight (6:26 am and 8:18 pm in
Saint John).
The Moon is at third quarter on Wednesday, rising in the middle of the
night and setting early afternoon. Jupiter is in position for observing
all evening but at its best near midnight when it is higher. Its moon
Europa emerges from the planet’s shadow at 8:55 on Tuesday, and Io does
the same trick at 10:10 on Wednesday. Mercury is at inferior conjunction
on Thursday, moving to the morning sky late in the month. Mars passes
below the Pleiades and they are a scenic couple in binoculars toward the
end of the week. Brilliant Venus rises around 5 am, about the same time
Saturn is at its highest in the southern sky. Early risers might catch a
few shooting stars from the minor Lyrid meteor shower on April 22.
Questions? Contact Curt Nason at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.
With Jupiter being prominent in the east after twilight our eyes are
also drawn to Spica, the 14th brightest star, which trails the planet by
about seven degrees. Jupiter’s retrograde motion will carry it toward
the star Porrima until mid-June, after which it will head eastward again
to pass above Spica in September when they are setting an hour after
sunset. When no bright planets are nearby, Spica is located by following
the arc of the Big Dipper’s handle to bright Arcturus and driving a
spike to Spica.
Spica represents an ear of wheat in the hand of the constellation Virgo
the Maiden. In Greek mythology she was Demeter, the goddess of wheat or
agriculture (Ceres in Roman mythology). The Sun passes through this
constellation in harvest time, and it is in the head of Virgo at the
autumnal equinox. Virgo is the second largest of the 88 constellations
in terms of area of sky, trailing only Hydra the Water Snake.
Coincidentally, it also trails Hydra in the sky, which can be seen
stretching below Leo.
The region of sky encompassed by Virgo, Leo, Ursa Major and Boötes is
known as the Realm of the Galaxies. The Galactic North Pole is in this
direction, so we are looking away from the plane of our Milky Way galaxy
and its obscuring dust clouds. Dozens of distant galaxies can be seen in
a small telescope and many with binoculars. Spring is galaxy season for
amateur astronomers.
This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 6:32 am and sunset will occur at
8:05 pm, giving 13 hours, 33 minutes of daylight (6:38 am and 8:09 pm in
Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 6:20 am and set at 8:14
pm, giving 13 hours, 54 minutes of daylight (6:26 am and 8:18 pm in
Saint John).
The Moon is at third quarter on Wednesday, rising in the middle of the
night and setting early afternoon. Jupiter is in position for observing
all evening but at its best near midnight when it is higher. Its moon
Europa emerges from the planet’s shadow at 8:55 on Tuesday, and Io does
the same trick at 10:10 on Wednesday. Mercury is at inferior conjunction
on Thursday, moving to the morning sky late in the month. Mars passes
below the Pleiades and they are a scenic couple in binoculars toward the
end of the week. Brilliant Venus rises around 5 am, about the same time
Saturn is at its highest in the southern sky. Early risers might catch a
few shooting stars from the minor Lyrid meteor shower on April 22.
Questions? Contact Curt Nason at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.
Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton
GREEN-WINGED TEAL (MALE) APRIL 13, 2017.CATHERINE HAMILTON
LONG-TAILED DUCK. APRIL 13, 2017.CATHERINE HAMILTON
NORTHERN SHOVELER DUCK (FEMALE) APRIL 13, 2017.CATHERINE HAMILTON
NORTHERN SHOVELER DUCK (MALE) APRIL 13, 2017.CATHERINE HAMILTON
RING-NECKED DUCK (PAIR) APRIL 13, 2017.CATHERINE HAMILTON
Virgo_Jupiter
