Nature Moncton Nature News: Oct 23 2020

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, October 23, 2020 (Friday)

To respond by e-mail, please address your message to the information line editor, nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com .

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

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

Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Transcript by: Louise Nichols nicholsl@eastlink.ca

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

** Yvette Richard was able to get some striking photos of our now-famed visitor, the SULPHUR-BELLIED FLYCATCHER [Tyran tigré], and it really does have a sulphur belly! It seems all of us were so fixated on that striking tail. What beautiful portraits Yvette got! It seems to be tarrying at Mac Wilmot’s 1091 Hillsborough Rd location for lots of admirers to have an audience with. It was present all day at various times on Thursday.

** Eric Wilson has two PILEATED WOODPECKER [Grand pic] on his two-acre lot in the north end of Moncton. He was very pleased to have one check out the suet feeder filled with Dwayne Biggar’s homemade peanut-butter-laced suet blocks.

** Wayne Corcoran in Chelmsford near Mirimichi reports that the birders at his feeders are coming on strong. He is getting DARK-EYED JUNCOS [Junco ardoisé], lots of SPARROWS [Bruant] (including WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW and CHIPPING SPARROW), PINE SISKINS [Tarin des pins] and RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH [Sittelle à poitrine rousse]. He had a flock of EVENING GROSBEAKS [Gros-bec errant] for a few days but they left. Mostly, they were feeding back in the birches and maples. I have never seen a feeder in recent years have so many Evening Grosbeak patrons as Wayne’s. This may be the advanced guard for this year. He has had lots of BLUE JAYS [Geai bleu] around, 25 at last count. The last few days were lively as some raptors were trying to get acquainted with the Blue Jays, providing lots of squawking. Also, a FLYING SQUIRREL [Grand polatouche] is visiting at night. The raptors sure do quieten a birdfeeder yard. Wayne always knows when they’re nearby.

** BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS [Jaseur boréal] have arrived at Hay Island. Aldo Dorio photographed a group feasting on Winter Berry Holly. They are obviously testing the waters for food. With the cold dry spring, Mountain Ash produced little fruit. That obviously did not affect Winterberry Holly that chooses to grow in wet habitat. Hopefully, the waxwings and potential Pine Grosbeaks will find flowering crab, that seems to have fared much better, to their liking. Aldo also noted that the AMERICAN COOT [Foulque d'Amérique] is still present for a second day on Thursday at Hay Island.

** Georges Brun visited Bis Marsh off Louis St. in Dieppe on Wednesday to note lots of water there now. He noticed a dozen plus GREATER YELLOWLEGS [Grand Chevalier] and three AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER [Pluvier bronzé] in a tight group. Georges also got a distant photo of what appears to be a PECTORAL SANDPIPER [Bécasseau à poitrine cendrée]. It is pleasant to get a photo of three American Golden-plovers in a tight group like that. Gilles Belliveau points out that it is not unusual to see American Golden-plovers as a group, especially in some habitats, with the fields of the Tantramar Marsh as an example. Gilles also points out that American Golden-plovers are not rare; we’re just used to seeing more Black-bellied Plovers, especially in shoreline areas.

A pair of adult BALD EAGLES [Pygargue à tête blanche] have a certain treed area from which they monitor the marsh. Georges also photographed an immature Bald Eagle in flight.

Georges points out that the upright wooden structures that we see in this marsh were put there by settlers/farmers as a wind break from the strong wind action to help preserve their farmland. The wind break was placed there in the 1960s.

** Jean Renton leaves some observations from their Canaan Forks camp. Jean was pleased to have their first NORTHERN CARDINAL [Cardinal rouge] visitor – a female – on Thursday morning. A WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH [Sittelle à poitrine blanche] has also been visiting which is the first time that species has come to their camp feeders. Jean also comments that they are seeing a very significant number of BLACK BEARS [Ours noir] in the area, noting more than they usually see. Also, WHITE-TAILED DEER [Cerf de Virginie] seem to be in notable numbers. Jean comments, as many have, that it has been a poor season for diversity of mushrooms although she was able to get good numbers of HORSE MUSHROOMS and a small collection of SHAGGY MANES. There still is time for Shaggy Manes to show up as oddly, even though they are so fragile, they like colder weather.

** It is Friday and time to review the next week’s Sky-at-a-Glace, courtesy of sky-guru Curt Nason. Yes, the last week in October!

This Week’s Sky at a Glance, 2020 October 24 – October 31
The western side of the Square of Pegasus points southward to the solitary bright star Fomalhaut in the mouth of Piscis Austrinus the Southern Fish. Fomalhaut is the 18th brightest star in our night sky, and astronomers have known it is surrounded by discs of debris for many years. In 2008 an exoplanet was imaged near the inner edge of a disc but more recent images suggest it could be an expanding disc of dust caused by a collision. The eastern side of Pegasus points down to Diphda, the brightest star in the tail of Cetus the Whale. A circlet of stars well to the east forms the head of the whale.

Between Piscis Austrinus and Cetus is the dim constellation Sculptor, which is a shortened version of its original name, Apparatus Sculptoris (the Sculptor’s Studio), given by Louis de Lacaille in the 18th century. By 11 pm it is low in the south but it does have a prominent marker. Use binoculars to seek out a long triangle of dim stars stretching eastward from Fomalhaut, but don’t be discouraged if your attempt to locate Sculptor is a bust.

This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 7:49 am and sunset will occur at 6:16 pm, giving 10 hours, 27 minutes of daylight (7:52 am and 6:23 pm in Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 7:59 am and set at 6:05 pm, giving 10 hours, 6 minutes of daylight (8:02 am and 6:12 pm in Saint John).

The Moon is at first quarter phase on October 23 and the Puny Full Moon occurs on October 31, it being the most distant full Moon of the year. Watch it rise; it will still look big. Mars is past opposition but still about as bright as Jupiter, and it gives views of its ice cap and basaltic areas through a telescope when our atmosphere is steady. On Thursday the Moon passes below Mars in the early evening. For an observing challenge, use the Moon to locate Mars in binoculars before sunset. Jupiter has moved close enough to Saturn that they should fit within the same field of view of low power binoculars. Venus dominates the morning sky, while Mercury is at inferior conjunction this Sunday and moving into the morning sky late in the week.

With astronomy meetings and outreach activities on hold, you can watch the local Sunday Night Astronomy Show at 8 pm, and view archived shows, on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAEHfOWyL-kNH7dBVHK8spg