NATURE
MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, March 9, 2018 (Friday)
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** Dave Christie leaves some comments on activity
in the Harvey area of Albert County on Thursday. Dave was pleased to hear a SONG SPARROW [Bruant
chanteur] in full song three times in the area of the Shepody
River dam. He didn’t see the bird, but
the song was very clear. Dave later took
a 2 ½ hour hike out to the end of Mary’s Point.
He found it very quiet, hearing no small songbirds in the woods. At the end of the point looking toward
Grindstone Island, there were gulls sitting on the rocks below which is not
unusual. But Dave was interested to note
approximately 50 gulls, 30 of which were GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULLS [Goéland
marin] and 20 HERRING GULLS [Goéland argenté], and they were
spread out on the intervals of grassland beside the lighthouse on Grindstone
Island which is where they set up a nesting colony in summer. Dave wondered whether these birds were
claiming nesting territory or simply gathering in a warm protected space out of
the wind. However, things do get very
serious at that site in April, so it could well be a spring planning
session. Dave also comments the AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS
[Bruant hudsonien], AMERICAN GOLDFINCH [Chardonneret jaune] and DARK-EYED JUNCOS [Junco
ardoisé] were feeding very heavily at his feeders with the
storm coming.
** Plans for a Nature Moncton sea duck
workshop/outing have materialized and the event is scheduled for Saturday,
March 17th, just a week away.
The morning workshop will be followed by a field outing to hear and see
some of the sea ducks on our coast in spring, whether they are on northern
migration to breeding grounds or local nesting.
The write-up is attached below.
SEA DUCKS MIGRATION: WORKSHOP AND OUTING
Date: March 17, 2018
Time: 9:30 AM (workshop); 1:00
PM (outing)
Location: Sobeys Community
Room on Elmwood Dr. for workshop
Presenter and Guide: Roger
Leblanc
Everybody knows what a duck
is. They are one of the most recognizable groups of birds. They are big, most
males are colorful and they are not hard to find. But the reality of waterfowl
gets a bit more complex when you scratch the surface. You have dabbling ducks
that eat mostly vegetation on inland ponds and diving ducks that go more for
live prey out on the coast. Some species are kind of in-between and can partake
of both. Also, if you look closely, these feeding habits influence behaviors
and migration patterns. And then there is the group that can be loosely
referred to as “sea ducks”. We are lucky
here and now to be near a natural phenomenon which can be quite impressive, as
sea ducks are in movement from their wintering areas to their breeding grounds.
In early spring a lot of them will follow the Northumberland coast where they
will often stop to feed and rest in large numbers. And this is
our chance to observe them at
a time when breeding behavior and vocalization is not only possible but also
expected.
To help you experience this
natural spectacle Nature Moncton is offering a workshop /outing on sea ducks
where you will have a chance to gain or brush up on your ability to ID the
birds and better understand their behaviors. Roger Leblanc will be our leader
on this quest. He has been studying the
sights and sounds of sea ducks on the Northumberland coast for decades and is
always pleased to share his knowledge with others.
So why not join us Saturday
March 17th for an informative workshop and then a splendid outing? The group will assemble at 9:30 AM in the
community room of the Elmwood Drive Sobeys in Moncton. Pre-registration is
advised. The workshop will cover field ID and
interesting facts about the dozen or so duck species that we could / should see
during the outing. After having our carry-in lunch on site we will leave the
Sobeys parking lot at 1:00 and head down to the coast of the strait which we
will explore roughly from Shediac to Bouctouche stopping at many spots along
the way that are well known by Roger as staging areas for sea ducks at this
time of year. So if you have always
wanted to know more about sea ducks and their habits, this activity is for you!
Come join us for a fun learning experience.
All are welcome, Nature Moncton
member or not
Fee (for workshop): $8.00
Registration: Louise Nichols
at nicholsl@eastlink.ca
** This week’s Sky-at-a-Glance is added
to this edition, courtesy of sky-guru Curt Nason.
This Week’s Sky at a Glance, March 10
- March 17
For stargazers, early spring means it is time for a Messier Marathon. In
1758 a French comet hunter, Charles Messier, started compiling a
catalogue of nebulous objects in the sky that resembled comets but
weren’t. His completed catalogue was issued 13 years later with 103
objects. In the mid-20th century the catalogue was expanded to 110 based
on Messier’s notes. Under a clear, dark sky all of the Messier objects
can be seen in a small scope. It is a rite of passage for amateur
astronomers to locate and observe all them.
The Messier catalogue includes 57 star clusters, 40 galaxies, 12 nebulae
of new or dying stars, and an enigmatic pair of stars. The first on the
list, called M1, is the Crab Nebula, the gaseous remnant of a supernova
that was seen in daylight in 1054. M110 is a galaxy seen near M31, the
Andromeda galaxy. The easiest to see is M45, the star cluster also known
as the Pleiades or Seven Sisters. The Orion Nebula, a stellar nursery in
the Hunter’s sword, is M42, with the much less spectacular M43 nearby.
Ursa Major has seven Messiers including M51, the Whirlpool galaxy, and
M97, the Owl Nebula.
For a few weeks in March and April, around the time of a new Moon, it is
possible to see all the Messier objects in one night, hence the Messier
Marathon. However, from New Brunswick one of them rises in bright
twilight and is somewhere between very difficult and impossible to see
at this time of year. That won’t keep some stellar stalwarts from trying.
This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 6:41 am and sunset will occur at
6:18 pm, giving 11 hours, 37 minutes of daylight (6:46 am and 6:23 pm in
Saint John). With the time change this weekend, next Saturday the Sun
will rise at 7:28 am and set at 7:27 pm, giving 11 hours, 59 minutes of
daylight (7:33 am and 7:32 pm in Saint John).
The Moon is at third quarter on Friday, March 9 and new on March 17. It
makes a broad triangle with Saturn and Mars on the morning of March 10.
Jupiter is rising before midnight but is still best for observing in the
morning. Mercury is at its greatest elongation from the Sun on Thursday,
when it is within a binocular view to the upper right of brighter Venus.
The William Brydone Astronomy Club meets on Tuesday at 7 pm in the UNB
Forestry / Earth Sciences Building in Fredericton. All are welcome.
Questions? Contact Curt Nason at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca
For stargazers, early spring means it is time for a Messier Marathon. In
1758 a French comet hunter, Charles Messier, started compiling a
catalogue of nebulous objects in the sky that resembled comets but
weren’t. His completed catalogue was issued 13 years later with 103
objects. In the mid-20th century the catalogue was expanded to 110 based
on Messier’s notes. Under a clear, dark sky all of the Messier objects
can be seen in a small scope. It is a rite of passage for amateur
astronomers to locate and observe all them.
The Messier catalogue includes 57 star clusters, 40 galaxies, 12 nebulae
of new or dying stars, and an enigmatic pair of stars. The first on the
list, called M1, is the Crab Nebula, the gaseous remnant of a supernova
that was seen in daylight in 1054. M110 is a galaxy seen near M31, the
Andromeda galaxy. The easiest to see is M45, the star cluster also known
as the Pleiades or Seven Sisters. The Orion Nebula, a stellar nursery in
the Hunter’s sword, is M42, with the much less spectacular M43 nearby.
Ursa Major has seven Messiers including M51, the Whirlpool galaxy, and
M97, the Owl Nebula.
For a few weeks in March and April, around the time of a new Moon, it is
possible to see all the Messier objects in one night, hence the Messier
Marathon. However, from New Brunswick one of them rises in bright
twilight and is somewhere between very difficult and impossible to see
at this time of year. That won’t keep some stellar stalwarts from trying.
This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 6:41 am and sunset will occur at
6:18 pm, giving 11 hours, 37 minutes of daylight (6:46 am and 6:23 pm in
Saint John). With the time change this weekend, next Saturday the Sun
will rise at 7:28 am and set at 7:27 pm, giving 11 hours, 59 minutes of
daylight (7:33 am and 7:32 pm in Saint John).
The Moon is at third quarter on Friday, March 9 and new on March 17. It
makes a broad triangle with Saturn and Mars on the morning of March 10.
Jupiter is rising before midnight but is still best for observing in the
morning. Mercury is at its greatest elongation from the Sun on Thursday,
when it is within a binocular view to the upper right of brighter Venus.
The William Brydone Astronomy Club meets on Tuesday at 7 pm in the UNB
Forestry / Earth Sciences Building in Fredericton. All are welcome.
Questions? Contact Curt Nason at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca
Nature Moncton
Ursa Major Messiers
