Nature Moncton Nature News: July 22 2022

July 22, 2022 (Friday)

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

**More great photos from Wednesday nights Nature Moncton outing!

While enjoying the very nice weather, this outing to the Salisbury Wetlands was very interesting.

Yves Poussart was able to observe several AMERICAN COOTS (Foulque d'Amérique) looking after their chicks. This was a perfect time to watch and photograph them at such a young age with their amusing colors. This was a first time for Yves (and most other participants). Their behavior was sometimes quite independent of the adults but many instances showed close parental interactions.

Two groups of PIED-BILLED GREBES (Grèbe à bec bigarré) were also observed and photographed as they were catching a fish which looked quite big compared to their size. Other species were also available for photos, such as CEDAR WAXWINGS (Jaseur d'Amérique), RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS (Carouge à épaulettes), different species of DUCKS. The diversity of plants added a special note to this nice location. It was not an easy task to select a limited number of photos from the high number of them taken during this visit to Salisbury.

** Brian Stone sends a few more photos from the Wednesday evening walk at Highland Park in Salisbury. Osprey and Bald Eagles flew overhead and Cedar Waxwings were hawking insects above as well. An American Wigeon family was present along with the other waterfowl families mentioned in the previous edition and a Song Sparrow was living up to its name on the viewing platform handrail. Young Pied-billed Grebes were trying valiantly to swallow large items far out in the pond and several varieties of plants were photographed including Sneezeweed, Canada Lily, Goldenrod with Insect Galls, Bur Oak, and others.

** Annette Stone stepped outside her front door on Thursday and immediately noticed a butterfly hanging motionless on the upper gutter frame above the door. She called out obsessive photographer husband Brian who brought his camera to bear on the freshly hatched Mourning Cloak Butterfly that was still clinging to the frame beside its newly emptied chrysalis. Another empty chrysalis was hanging close by, but no other butterfly was present. A few hours later the butterfly was gone and hopefully will have a successful mission doing what butterflies do and will successfully reproduce a new generation. Maybe one or more of that generation might even visit the Stone's home to "hang out" with them again. (Editors note: a very fortunate series of photos by being in the right place at right time with a little help from a reliable scout!)

**It’s Friday and time to review what next week’s night sky could have for us to muse upon all courtesy of sky guru Curt Nason.

This Week’s Sky at a Glance, 2022 July 23 – July 30
They say it is the little things that count, and if you are counting constellations there are four little ones lined up in the southeast toward late evening. Start your search with the Summer Triangle, which is composed of the brightest star in each of three constellations: Vega in Lyra the Lyre, Deneb in Cygnus the Swan, and Altair in Aquila the Eagle. Sagitta the Arrow is a distinct shape between Altair and Albireo, which is at the head of Cygnus. The arrow, poisoned with the blood of the Hydra, is one of those shot by Hercules to kill the Stymphalian birds as his sixth Labour.

Between Sagitta and Albireo is obscure Vulpecula the Fox, which at one time was two constellations called the Little Fox and the Goose. Vulpecula is known best for having the binocular object M27, the Dumbbell Nebula, within its borders. Below Sagitta is the eye-catching Delphinus the Dolphin, seen leaping out of the watery constellations that hug the horizon below. The dolphin was given its place of honour in the sky by Poseidon for convincing beautiful Amphitrite to be his wife. Below Delphinus and just off the snout of Pegasus the Flying Horse is Equuleus the Little Horse, the second smallest of the 88 constellations. Perhaps representing the foal Celeris, an offspring or brother of Pegasus, it was one of the 48 constellations included in Claudius Ptolemy’s second-century map of the sky.

This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 5:51 am and sunset will occur at 8:59 pm, giving 15 hours, 8 minutes of daylight (5:58 am and 9:01 pm in Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 5:59 am and set at 8:51 pm, giving 14 hours, 52 minutes of daylight (6:06 am and 8:54 pm in Saint John).

The slim waning crescent Moon is near Venus on Tuesday and new Moon occurs on Thursday. Saturn is rising now in civil twilight, a few weeks shy of opposition. Jupiter reaches its first stationary point on Friday, about to begin nearly four months of retrograde motion. Mars is brightening slowly to the east of Jupiter while Mercury is lost in the evening twilight. On mornings next weekend early risers might catch some shooting stars from the South Delta Aquariid meteor shower.

Join members of the provincial astronomy club, RASC NB, at the Mount Carleton Star Party on July 29 – 30. On Sunday evenings at 8 pm, tune in to the Sunday Night Astronomy Show via the Facebook page or YouTube channel of Astronomy by the Bay.

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