Nature Moncton Nature News: May 25 2017

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, May 25, 2017 (Thursday)

To respond by e-mail, please address your message to the information line editor nelson@nb.sympatico.ca Please advise if any errors are noted in wording or photo labeling.

For more information on Nature Moncton, check the website at www.naturemoncton.com

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

Transcript by: David Christie maryspt@mac.com

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

** Catherine Hamilton captured some excellent photos of COMMON MERGANSERS [Grand Harle], of each gender, in the Petitcodiac area. She says that there are many TREE SWALLOWS [Hirondelle bicolore] about, EASTERN KINGBIRD [Tyran tritri], CEDAR WAXWINGS [Jaseur d’Amérique] and an OSPREY [Balbuzard pêcheur] circling. WOOD DUCKS [Canard branchu] are still present on the lagoon with other ducks and fledged young along the Petitcodiac Waterfowl Trail.

** Louise Richard reports that a swallow nest box across from their home on Jones Lake was damaged by a woodpecker [pic] last winter. It was replaced and is now buzzing with activity, being taken up by a pair of TREE SWALLOWS [Hirondelle bicolore].

** Great to hear about the season’s flowering plants coming into bloom. Dave Christie reports noting RHODORA [Rhododendron du Canada] coming into bloom at four sites along the Pine Glen Road, south of Riverview, on Wednesday. He also noted 3 CEDAR WAXWINGS [Jaseur d'Amérique] feeding on the emerging blossoms of an apple tree at Harvey. This is expected behaviour of the Cedar Waxwing and also the expected time for those that migrated to be arriving from the south.

** For the past several years I’ve had a family of YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKERS [Pic maculé] coming to feed on jam and/or grape jelly at our Miramichi camp. This year the male started feeding first and the female recently started as well. The photo shows a female feeding on Wednesday. They are obviously not fussy about the quality of jam in the feeder dishes, as now it’s the most inexpensive strawberry jam in the grocery store, and it’s from a bottle that was left outside all winter. It’s always interesting to watch, when the parents begin feeding the very differently plumaged young.

** Last winter I built several MASON BEE [Abeille maçonne] houses with the recommended 5-inch deep hole and put them up this spring at our Miramichi camp. I was really pleased to see action around them on the warm Easter weekend, but that stopped during the cold period until the past few days when the bees are coming to them again. I built the houses with two lines of the recommended 5/16 inch holes, and one row of 1/2 inch holes to try. So far, they’re only filling the 5/16 inch holes. Some photos are attached. The mud-enclosed holes will now contain 5 compartments, each with an egg and a deposit of pollen. The bees will emerge as adults next spring.

** This week’s “sky at a glance," courtesy of Curt Nason, is attached to this edition, one day earlier than usual so you can be prepared for some predicted clear-sky nights.

This Week’s Sky at a Glance, May 27 – June 3
Warmer days and extended twilights are indications that the summer
solstice is only a few weeks away. Also, the celestial advent of the
season, the Summer Triangle asterism, is completely above the horizon in
twilight. Halfway up in the eastern sky is blue-white Vega; lucida of
the constellation Lyra the Lyre and the fifth brightest star of the
night sky. Just above the eastern horizon is Altair, the central star of
a linear trio that marks the head of Aquila the Eagle. The isosceles
triangle is completed in the northeast by Deneb in the tail of Cygnus
the Swan.

Just as the Big Dipper is an asterism in Ursa Major, Cygnus contains a
well-known asterism called the Northern Cross. The long neck of the
swan, or the base of the cross, terminates almost between Vega and
Altair at the star Albireo. A small scope or binoculars will reveal
Albireo as a pair of yellow and blue stars (or gold and sapphire if you
have expensive equipment). A short distance from Altair toward Vega is
the tiny constellation Sagitta the Arrow, and beyond Sagitta is elusive
Vulpecula the Fox.

Look to the upper right of Sagitta’s feathered end with binoculars for
the upside-down asterism of the Coathanger. Just below the arrow shaft
is the distant star cluster M71, appearing as a tiny blur. Another blur
can be seen in a binocular field above the arrowhead: M27, the Dumbbell
Nebula, which is the remnant of a Sun-like star after it ran out of fuel
and blew off its outer layers of gas. Next, point your binos behind the
western (upper) wing of the swan. Can you find the large Happy Face
asterism?

This Week in the Solar System

Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 5:34 am and sunset will occur at
8:58 pm, giving 15 hours, 24 minutes of daylight (5:42 am and 9:00 pm in
Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 5:30 am and set at 9:04
pm, giving 15 hours, 24 minutes of daylight (5:38 am and 9:06 pm in
Saint John).

The Moon is at first quarter on Thursday, providing great views in a
scope all week to share with your friends. Jupiter is highest in the sky
and at its best soon after twilight, while Mars is dimming and sets at
10:30 pm. The shadows of Jupiter’s moons Io and Ganymede might be seen
on the planet’s cloud tops through a telescope at high magnification
this Saturday between 9:16 and 9:40 pm, and again the following Saturday
between 11:11 and 11:21 pm. Saturn rises around 11 pm and is still
well-placed for observing by morning twilight. Venus dominates the
morning sky, rising nearly two hours before sunrise.

There will be free public observing at the Moncton High School
Observatory after sunset on Friday, May 26. Those attending the Nature
NB Festival of Nature at Kouchibouguac National Park on June 2 - 4
should also check out the RASC NB star party at the park for solar
observing, talks and evening observing. See the park website for a
schedule. The Saint John Astronomy Club meets at the Rockwood Park
Interpretation Centre on June 3 at 7 pm. All are welcome.

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

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton