Nature Moncton Nature News: Nov 23 2018

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, November 23, 2018 (Friday)

To view the photos mentioned in this edition go to http://nminfoline.blogspot.ca

Please advise editor at nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com if any errors are noted in wording or photo labeling.

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Transcript by: Louise Nichols nicholsl@eastlink.ca

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

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** Jane LeBlanc has been having RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD [Carouge à épaulettes] in some varying plumage stages to her St. Martins feeder yard. Note particularly the photo of a Red-winged Blackbird perched on a flowering shrub. This is WITCH HAZEL SHRUB and it is indeed in flower! This shrub is expected to flower at this time of year. It’s an amazing quirk of nature to see bright yellow blooms coming out of a leafless shrub defying the cold. Pretty amazing! A lone PINE SISKIN [Tarin des pins] arrived to Jane’s feeder yard with AMERICAN GOLDFINCH [Chardonneret jaune] to cooperate for a nice photo. Chances are more will be arriving soon.

** Julie Singleton shares some interesting comments in response to the BLUE JAY [Geai bleu]/ AMERICAN GOLDFINCH [Chardonneret jaune] encounter mentioned in yesterday’s edition. Julie comments that for many years they have observed Blue Jays flying aggressively towards the feeders and making ‘hawk’ calls as they approach, causing other birds and squirrels to flush from the feeders. This allows them to displace the others and obtain free access to the food. Their calls vary depending on the hawk that is currently in the neighbourhood. Sometimes they imitate Red-shouldered Hawk or Red-tailed Hawk when they first arrive in the spring. Later in the season, they may do Broad-winged Hawks, Sharp-shinned or Merlin calls. They watched a Blue Jay sit on the top of a small Spruce tree in their yard imitating a Merlin. Its back was to them initially, so they kept looking for the Merlin. Finally the Jay turned its head, so that they could see from where the sound was originating. It’s the same with Broad-winged Hawk calls. They are so good you have to think about whether it’s a Jay or the real hawk. They certainly are clever about getting food by using many techniques and taking advantage of the situation. I suspect Julie’s comments give us nice new tidbits to be on the watch for. Her comments have made me plan on sharpening up on recognizing the different raptor vocalizations.

** Krista Doyle is also getting good sparrow turnout to her Lewis Mountain feeder area. She sends a photo of a FOX SPARROW [Bruant fauve] accompanied by two DARK-EYED JUNCO [Junco ardoisé], and what appears to be a young-of-the-year WHITE-THROATED SPARROW [Bruant à gorge blanche] taking up the rear of the photo. Winter may seemingly be a month ahead of schedule, but it has given lots of sparrow observations at feeder yards which must be very welcome to them with the ground covered.

** Daryl Doucette has joined the NORTHERN CARDINAL [Cardinal rouge] landlord society with the arrival of a bright adult male to his Moncton yard on Thursday.

** Aldo Dorio is continuing to see HORNED LARK [Alouette hausse-col] around the Neguac wharf and sends a few photos to keep the species on the watch list for the winter.

** Brian Stone photographed a COMMON BUCKTHORN SHRUB and its winter-clinging berries in Perth, Ontario. Sean Blaney comments that this shrub is locally common in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. It is not common in the Moncton area, but I have seen it as a hedge just north of St. Martins-in-the-Woods church in Shediac. Note the sharp thorns and the sub-opposite budd/twig arrangement of this shrub. The berries are cathartic, and I’m not sure if birds use them as winter food or not. Brian’s photos provide good identification features.

Brian also got some photos of what appear to be SHREW or VOLE trails in fresh snow. Brian estimated them at 1 ¼ in. The entrance/exit hole is also shown where the animal emerged or went down to the ground surface (subnivean) area where voles and shrews usually travel in winter.

** This week’s Sky-at-a-Glance is included in this edition, courtesy of sky-guru Curt Nason.

This Week’s Sky at a Glance, November 24 – December 1
Orion can be seen getting out of bed around 8 pm now, preparing for a night of hunting. Being a giant and very old, it takes an hour and a half for his hourglass shape to clear the horizon. He rises on his side and stands upright when he is in the south. The celestial equator, an imaginary line in the sky directly above our equator, runs very near Mintaka, the star at the right of Orion’s Belt. Therefore, Mintaka rises due east. Notice how huge Orion appears as he rises, bigger than he appears a few hours later in the southeast. This is the same optical illusion that makes the Moon appear larger when it is rising or setting. The twins Castor and Pollux of the constellation Gemini rise on their side at the same time as Orion, just to his left.

If you are into genealogy, Orion, as a son of Poseidon, is a cousin to Pollux, a son of Zeus. Castor had the same mother as Pollux but a mortal father. Genealogy is more complicated when immortals are involved.

This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 7:32 am and sunset will occur at 4:39 pm, giving 9 hours, 7 minutes of daylight (7:34 am and 4:46 pm in Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 7:32 am and set at 4:39 pm, giving 9 hours, 7 minutes of daylight (7:34 am and 4:46 pm in Saint John).

The Moon passes near the Beehive star cluster on Tuesday and is at third quarter on Thursday, appearing near the bright star Regulus in Leo. Saturn sets two hours after sunset late in the week, past its prime for good observing. Mars remains in good observing position most of the evening but it gets smaller and reveals less detail in a telescope as Earth increases distance from it. Venus, the morning star, is at its brightest on December 1. Jupiter is in conjunction behind the Sun on Monday while Mercury reaches inferior conjunction between us and the Sun on Tuesday.

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

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

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton