NATURE
MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, December 28, 2018 (Friday)
Please advise editor at nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com if any errors are noted in wording or
photo labeling.
For more information on Nature Moncton, check into the website at www.naturemoncton.com
For more information on Nature Moncton, check into the website at www.naturemoncton.com
Transcript by: Louise Nichols nicholsl@eastlink.ca
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** Daryl Doucet comments that his
Moncton feeder yard is unusually quiet and suspects a raptor he got to
co-operatively give a frontal and back pose is contributing to the quiet
yard. Daryl found a large raptor and
suspected it to be a COOPER'S HAWK [Épervier de Cooper] which lucky photos indicate to be
correct. Calling a Cooper’s Hawk and a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK
[Épervier brun] from
photos is always more of a challenge.
Gilles Belliveau helped to give likely evidence of it indeed being a
Cooper’s Hawk. The frontal photo shows
the graduation of the tail feathers, with each feather being noticeably shorter
than the previous one, with the outermost tail feather being considerably
shorter than the innermost feather which is typical of a Cooper’s Hawk. With a Sharp-shinned Hawk, they should appear
virtually the same length when stacked like this. The toes and legs appear fairly thick as a
Cooper’s Hawk should and the bird seems to have a dark cap and a flattish head,
again typical of a Cooper’s Hawk. There
is also no evidence of a modest supercilium above the eye as a Sharp-shinned
Hawk often exhibits, but is never in a Cooper’s Hawk.
** David and Annita Cannon get a lot of
woodpeckers to their Ammon Rd. feeder area with the rich hardwood area around
their home. David got a photo of a DOWNY WOODPECKER [Pic
mineur] and
a HAIRY
WOODPECKER [Pic chevelu] feeding
in side by side feeders that nicely shows the size differential. However, the yard went into frenzy when a
brownish bird started doing tight 6-ft circles around a BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE
[Mésange à tête noire]. They were not sure at the time what it was;
however, with the feeder yard empty, the bird returned on Thursday night with
David able to get some photos in the dim light to show clearly it was an
immature Northern Shrike.
** This week’s Sky-at-a-Glance is included in this
edition, courtesy of sky-guru Curt Nason. Note that Curt is saying that next Saturday
coming will give 7 minutes more of daylight.
It’s all downhill from here!
This Week’s Sky at a Glance, 2018
December 29 – 2019 January 5
This week, check out the eastern sky around 10 pm to hunting down four dogs, three cats, two bears, a hare, a snake and a crab. Oh, and a unicorn if you believe in them. Start looking toward the southeast where Orion is hunting. Below his feet is Lepus the Hare, staying immobile in hopes that Orion’s canine companions overlook him. Can you see the ears pointing to Rigel? Following Orion’s belt to the left brings you to sparkling Sirius at the heart of Canis Major the Big Dog, and it doesn’t take a great imagination to see a dog in this group of stars. Orion’s shoulders and head form an arrowhead that points toward bright Procyon, one of only a few visible stars in Canis Minor the Little Dog. Use your imagination to see Monoceros the Unicorn between the two dogs.
Now find the Big Dipper in the northeast. It forms the rear haunches and tail of Ursa Major the Big Bear, and from a rural area the legs and head of the bear can be seen easily. The two stars at the front of the bowl of the Dipper point northward to Polaris at the end of the handle of the Little Dipper, which is officially Ursa Minor the Little Bear. Below the handle of the Big Dipper are the two main stars and hounds of Canes Venatici the Hunting Dogs, seemingly nipping at the big bear’s butt.
Well below the bowl of the Big Dipper is Leo the Lion, recognized by the stellar backwards question mark of its chest and mane, with Regulus at its heart and a triangle forming its tail and hind legs. A faint triangle of stars between Leo and the Dipper is Leo Minor, the Little Lion. The third cat is Lynx, a faint line of stars running from Little Leo and past the front of Ursa Major. Between Regulus and Procyon is the head of Hydra the Water Snake, which will take much of the night to rise completely. And faint, crabby Cancer is above Hydra’s head. Stay warm and dry, and happy hunting.
This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 8:01 am and sunset will occur at 4:41 pm, giving 8 hours, 40 minutes of daylight (8:03 am and 4:49 pm in Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 8:01 am and set at 4:48 pm, giving 8 hours, 47 minutes of daylight (8:03 am and 4:56 pm in Saint John). Earth reaches perihelion, its closest position to the Sun, early Thursday morning. You’ll still need a coat.
The Moon is at third quarter on Saturday, and it passes near Venus on Tuesday and Jupiter on Thursday. If you can see the Moon in daylight late Tuesday morning, try spotting Venus about four degrees (less than a typical binocular width) to its left. Try the same challenge with Jupiter after sunrise on Thursday, looking the same distance to the right of the Moon. Mercury can still be seen in the morning, rising an hour before the Sun midweek. Mars is at its highest in the south at 5:40 pm, and Saturn is in conjunction behind the Sun on Wednesday. The Quadrantid meteor shower peaks late Thursday evening, emanating from Boötes off the handle of the Big Dipper. The name derives from an old constellation called Quadrans Muralis, the Mural Quadrant, and although the peak of the shower lasts only a few hours it occasionally gives a fine display of shooting stars.
The Saint John Astronomy Club meets in the Rockwood Park Interpretation Centre on January 5 at 7 pm. All are welcome.
Questions? Contact Curt Nason at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.
This week, check out the eastern sky around 10 pm to hunting down four dogs, three cats, two bears, a hare, a snake and a crab. Oh, and a unicorn if you believe in them. Start looking toward the southeast where Orion is hunting. Below his feet is Lepus the Hare, staying immobile in hopes that Orion’s canine companions overlook him. Can you see the ears pointing to Rigel? Following Orion’s belt to the left brings you to sparkling Sirius at the heart of Canis Major the Big Dog, and it doesn’t take a great imagination to see a dog in this group of stars. Orion’s shoulders and head form an arrowhead that points toward bright Procyon, one of only a few visible stars in Canis Minor the Little Dog. Use your imagination to see Monoceros the Unicorn between the two dogs.
Now find the Big Dipper in the northeast. It forms the rear haunches and tail of Ursa Major the Big Bear, and from a rural area the legs and head of the bear can be seen easily. The two stars at the front of the bowl of the Dipper point northward to Polaris at the end of the handle of the Little Dipper, which is officially Ursa Minor the Little Bear. Below the handle of the Big Dipper are the two main stars and hounds of Canes Venatici the Hunting Dogs, seemingly nipping at the big bear’s butt.
Well below the bowl of the Big Dipper is Leo the Lion, recognized by the stellar backwards question mark of its chest and mane, with Regulus at its heart and a triangle forming its tail and hind legs. A faint triangle of stars between Leo and the Dipper is Leo Minor, the Little Lion. The third cat is Lynx, a faint line of stars running from Little Leo and past the front of Ursa Major. Between Regulus and Procyon is the head of Hydra the Water Snake, which will take much of the night to rise completely. And faint, crabby Cancer is above Hydra’s head. Stay warm and dry, and happy hunting.
This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 8:01 am and sunset will occur at 4:41 pm, giving 8 hours, 40 minutes of daylight (8:03 am and 4:49 pm in Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 8:01 am and set at 4:48 pm, giving 8 hours, 47 minutes of daylight (8:03 am and 4:56 pm in Saint John). Earth reaches perihelion, its closest position to the Sun, early Thursday morning. You’ll still need a coat.
The Moon is at third quarter on Saturday, and it passes near Venus on Tuesday and Jupiter on Thursday. If you can see the Moon in daylight late Tuesday morning, try spotting Venus about four degrees (less than a typical binocular width) to its left. Try the same challenge with Jupiter after sunrise on Thursday, looking the same distance to the right of the Moon. Mercury can still be seen in the morning, rising an hour before the Sun midweek. Mars is at its highest in the south at 5:40 pm, and Saturn is in conjunction behind the Sun on Wednesday. The Quadrantid meteor shower peaks late Thursday evening, emanating from Boötes off the handle of the Big Dipper. The name derives from an old constellation called Quadrans Muralis, the Mural Quadrant, and although the peak of the shower lasts only a few hours it occasionally gives a fine display of shooting stars.
The Saint John Astronomy Club meets in the Rockwood Park Interpretation Centre on January 5 at 7 pm. All are welcome.
Questions? Contact Curt Nason at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.
nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton
Cats and Dogs
COOPER'S HAWK. DEC 26, 2018. DARYL DOUCET
COOPER'S HAWK. DEC 26, 2018. DARYL DOUCET
DOWNY AND HAIRY WOODPECKERS AT SIDE BY SIDE FEEDERS. DEC 26, 2018. DAVID CANNON
NORTHERN SHRIKE (IMMATURE). DEC 26, 2018. DAVID CANNON
NORTHERN SHRIKE (IMMATURE). DEC 26, 2018. DAVID CANNON
