NATURE
MONCTON NATURE INFORMATION LINE
Dec 3, 2021 (Friday)
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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
**
The Nature Moncton Executive Committee is
looking for a few members to join one of two newly formed committees. The
first is to create a database of
directions to places that people are trying to get to explore nature locally.
(Editors note: this database could prove very very valuable to new members and
visitors from outside the area. This is a very worthwhile project) The second
committee will be to get the documents that a new member of the executive (or
even a general member in some cases) and save them electronically in the Nature
Moncton Dropbox. The committees will have a member of the Executive
Committee on them, Roger Leblanc on the first and Susan Richards on the second,
to assist. Once the tasks are completed these two committees will
disband. So, if you can help out, please contact President Fred Richard’s
at fredrichards@rogers.com or any other member of the executive.
**
Activity has been low at Doreen Rossiter’s Alma feeders
this fall. She has had a female Northern Cardinal off and on all fall,
never 2 days in a row. A Yellow-breasted Chat visited for awhile
mid-November but has come and gone. Other than that, it’s just been the usual;
Blue Jays, Black-capped Chickadee’s, Red-breasted Nuthatches (now gone), a few Mourning
Doves, a couple of Song Sparrows, 22 pigeons!!, and little else. They have a
male Ring-necked Pheasant that’s been coming around for years. At Doreen’s
if it sees you outside it comes running full speed, tail straight up in the
air. If you’re inside he gets on the deck railing and squawks until you feed
him! She has no woodpeckers at all.
Things picked at Doreen’s Wednesday. She had a Fox Sparrow, 2 White-throated
Sparrow’s, and a flock of 25 Dark-eyed Juncos. Doreen said they
usually show up in mid-November, but last year it was Dec. 24 before they
showed up. On Thursday morning, the White-throated Sparrow’s showed up in
the brush pile (at least 3) and ; saving the best for last; a bird Doreen actually
had to get her bird book for. She was able to get her binocs on it to realize
it was a Carolina Wren.
All thanks to Kathy Carter
for relaying Doreen’s message.
**Elaine Gallant
photographed a raptor on Thursday on the bluff overlooking Parlee Beach. It
turns out another like we had on yesterday’s edition that’s tough to confirm
identity on this photo. Any comments would be appreciated.
**From the number of
photographs coming in, it is appearing like Bufflehead are having a very
good year. Aldo Dorio photographed a contented group off Hay Island on
Thursday.
**Brian Stone was driving along the Titusville Rd. near
Upham on Thursday and he came across a group of 4 WILD TURKEYS walking
along the roadside. He stopped long enough to get some photos and some close-up
views.
**It’s Friday and time to
review next week’s night sky highlights courtesy of our favourite sky guru Curt
Nason.
This Week’s Sky at a Glance, 2021 December 4 –
December 11
Soon many naturalists throughout the province will be busy performing Christmas
bird counts. If you are on your toes and not too worn out you can add four
stellar birds between dusk and dawn. Start with the easy ones around 6 pm by
looking for the three bright stars of the Summer Triangle above the western
horizon. The lowest of the three is Altair, the head of Aquila the Eagle, which
is standing straight up on the horizon. The highest of the trio is Deneb at the
tail of Cygnus the Swan, which is doing its signature dive. The third member is
Lyra the Harp with its bright star Vega to the right of Altair. A few centuries
ago celestial cartographers depicted the harp in the talons of an eagle or
vulture, so maybe we can claim that as a fifth bird.
Midnight is your best chance to spot the elusive and tiny Columba the Dove, but
you will need an unobstructed southern horizon. Look below Orion for Lepus the
Hare, and then try to see stars near the horizon directly below. Very few bird
counts will be missing the common crow but, in case you did, look about a hand
span above the southern horizon around 6:30 am for a distinct quadrilateral of
stars. There you will find Corvus the Crow hitching a ride on the tail of Hydra
the Water Snake.
This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 7:44 am and sunset will occur at 4:34 pm,
giving 8 hours, 50 minutes of daylight (7:46 am and 4:42 pm in Saint John).
Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 7:51 am and set at 4:33 pm, giving 8 hours,
42 minutes of daylight (7:53 am and 4:41 pm in Saint John). We are having the
earliest sunsets of the year this week.
The Moon is new and at perigee on Saturday morning, causing extreme tides over
the weekend and into Monday. Whereas the Moon orbits faster near perigee it
reaches first quarter phase on Friday evening, but not before passing below
Venus, Saturn and Jupiter on Monday through Wednesday, respectively. On Friday
evening telescope users have a brief opportunity to see the shadows of two
Jovian moons against Jupiter’s atmosphere, as Europa’s enters at 6:13 and
Callisto’s exits at 6:16. Mars can be seen with binoculars in the morning sky
rising an hour and a half ahead of the Sun. At the end of the week we might be
fortunate enough to see some early shooting stars from the Geminid meteor
shower.
On Sunday evening at 8 pm, tune in to the Sunday Night Astronomy Show via the
Facebook page or YouTube channel of Astronomy by the Bay.
Nelson
Poirier
Nature
Moncton
