NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, April
30, 2021 (Friday)
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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)
** Brian Stone drove through Jemseg and
Sheffield on Thursday looking for the large group of GLOSSY IBIS [Ibis falcinelle]
reported earlier by Don Gibson and he
also hunted for turtles. The Ibis at
Sheffield seemed to have spread out to unknown territory and only 3 were
available for distant viewing by the time Brian got there, but he was happy to
see them anyway.
He then headed through the Jemseg area looking
for and finding a few PAINTED TURTLES [Tortue peinte] sunning themselves in the nice warm +19 degree
weather. This is the best time of the
year to visit this Painted Turtle colony at this roadside location before the
foliage comes on, and they can sometimes be noted egg-laying in the pond
periphery as well as sun-bathing. At the
end of Rte. 105 at the disconnected bridge, he found a butterfly paradise with
dozens of MOURNING CLOAK [Morio] and EASTERN COMMA [Polygone virgule]
butterflies interacting and perching on trees and the roadway. The underwing views show just how cryptic
these butterflies can be as they perch against tree bark to overwinter as the
adult butterflies, ready to boogey on the first warm days of spring.
Almost all of the OSPREY [Balbuzard pêcheur] platforms he passed were occupied by newly arrived Osprey couples. Brian comments “such nice scenery in the area made for a worthwhile drive between wildlife photography sessions.”
**Jane and Ed LeBlanc also drove to
Lower Jemseg on Thursday to the road that is now a dead end since the ferry
isn’t operating. At least three pair of OSPREY [Balbuzard pêcheur]
were seen on the Osprey platforms there
as well as a GROUNDHOG
[Marmotte commune] and a NORTHERN HARRIER [Busard
Saint-Martin] from a
distance. They did a side trip to
Penobsquis to find the 4 GLOSSY IBIS [Ibis falcinelle] still present and very cooperative for photos.
On getting back home after a day away,
they finally saw several AMERICAN GOLDFINCH [Chardonneret jaune] at the feeder area. I wonder where all the American Goldfinch
went as they seemed to disappear after the redpoll invasion?
** Dale Gaskin was cleaning bird nest
boxes and putting up new ones at his Dawson Settlement home to be pleased to
see an EASTERN
BLUEBIRD [Merlebleu de l'Est] perched on
the next post, waiting for Dale to get on with it! Great to hear the Eastern Bluebird reports.
** Gordon Rattray visited the White
Rock Recreational Area on Thursday. He did
not see many birds but got a nice photo of a female YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER
[Pic maculé]. Note the white throat of the female vs. the
red throat of the male. Gordon also got
a top and underwing view of a MOURNING CLOAK [Morio] Butterfly.
** Jim Johnson reports TREE SWALLOWS [Hirondelle
bicolore] have been
showing up to check out his several nest boxes in Scotch Settlement in
surprising numbers the past few days. I
am also noting the swallows starting to appear around the nest boxes near our
Miramichi camp which only started a few days ago.
** Wayne Corcoran got a nice photo of a
SAVANNAH
SPARROW [Bruant des prés] visiting
his Chelmsford feeder yard. The ‘black
straps’ of this species show nicely on Wayne’s photo. He also got a photo of an AMERICAN GOLDFINCH
[Chardonneret jaune] male in
full spring breeding plumage. Note the
Red Maple flowering in the background.
** Aldo Dorio got some photos of GREATER YELLOWLEGS [Grand
Chevalier] on Hay
Island on Thursday. The Greater
Yellowlegs are often the first shorebirds that use our route to pass through to
breeding grounds farther north of us.
The length of the bill at one and a half times the length of the head is
a good way to differentiate them from Lesser Yellowlegs in photos, and in some
cases the slight downward curve of the bill of some individuals which does not
show in these photos. Gilles Belliveau
notes to watch for the bill length feature as a guide in photos as even if the
head is slightly turned in a photo, the bill of Greater Yellowlegs looks
shorter than it really is.
** Cynthia McKenzie saw a male NORTHERN CARDINAL
[Cardinal rouge] on Monday
throughout the afternoon and evening in her Moncton yard. The pair appeared together on Thursday.
PILEATED WOODPECKERS
[Grand pic] are so
busy and loud these days that it is rare to go outside and not hear their calls
all around. They have a pair that visit
the yard regularly, and one has been working for days excavating a fallen tree
along the tree line.
** Nature NB’s annual Festival of
Nature had to be cancelled last year due to Covid-19. This year it is going to be an event at
several sites all over the province. The
notice is attached and one can click on it and see all events and
register. Nature Moncton is sponsoring
one with canoes at Irishtown Nature Park and David Cannon has done a lot of
work in arranging this. It is linked
with the various events, and registration for it is now available. Check it all
out below:
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** It’s Friday and time to review the
next week’s Sky-at-a-Glace, courtesy of sky-guru Curt Nason.
This
Week’s Sky at a Glance, 2021 May 1 – 2021 May 8
The constellation Hercules is up in the east after sunset, recognizable by the
Keystone asterism that forms the legendary strongman’s body. He is usually
pictured kneeling upside down in the sky, having a tête-à-tête with Ophiuchus
the Serpent Bearer, with his foot placed triumphantly on the head of Draco the
Dragon. The Keystone is situated two-thirds of the way from Arcturus to Vega.
Hercules (Heracles in Greek mythology) was the result of one of Zeus’s many
affairs with a mortal woman. Consequently, Hera (wife of Zeus) did whatever she
could to have Hercules killed. As a baby Hercules strangled two snakes sent by
her, and the Twelve Labours he performed were assigned by King Eurystheus, a
representative of Hera.
Two globular clusters, M13 and M92, can be seen with binoculars in the
constellation. M13, the finest globular cluster in the northern hemisphere, is
along the right side of the Keystone, two-thirds of the way from bottom to top.
A line from the bottom right star of the Keystone to the middle of the top
side, and extended not quite that same distance, will put you near M92.
This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 6:05 am and sunset will occur at 8:27 pm,
giving 14 hours, 22 minutes of daylight (6:12 am and 8:30 pm in Saint
John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 5:55 am and set at 8:36 pm,
giving 14 hours, 41 minutes of daylight (6:02 am and 8:39 pm in Saint John).
The third quarter Moon can be seen below Saturn early Monday and it passes
below Jupiter on Wednesday. Mars remains within a binocular field of the M35
star cluster during the first half of the week as it makes a month-long trip
through Gemini. Mercury is a thumb-width to the left of the Pleiades on
Tuesday, making a fine binocular pair between 9 and 10 pm. Venus is seen easily
8 degrees below them but it sets before 9:30. The Eta Aquariid meteor shower
competes with the Moon over Wednesday night but it might add a few shooting
stars for sky watchers.
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
Questions? Contact Curt Nason at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.
Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton
