Nature Moncton Nature News: Feb 24 2023

NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS

Feb 24, 2023

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Edited by Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Proofreading courtesy of Louise Nichols at nicholsl@eastlink.ca

** Elaine Gallant photographed a Northern Harrier perched on a dead tree skeleton directly across from Hawkes Street in Riverview on Thursday. Elaine points out that this is a very popular place for raptors to perch and a good place to check out. Elaine says that she saw it from the bottom of Hawkes St in Riverview. It was perched across the river in Dieppe. There is a trail at the end of Hawkes St. that takes you down to the river. You can view the marsh on the Dieppe side from there. (Editor’s note: a good viewing spot to keep in mind).

** On Tuesday, Dale Pugh and Judy Cairns (with the help of Dulcie Knee and Bruce Dougan) captured a Common Raven at Poley Mountain in Sussex. Following capture, they delivered the raven to the Atlantic Wildlife Institute. ‘Poley’ was unable to fly and had use of only one foot due to a suspected injury. Wart-like Avian Pox was visible on the feet. The raven had been hanging around the sometimes muddy parking lot at Poley Ski Hill accepting food offerings. They became aware of her plight, so decided to act. A net was used, and although Poley was very alert, it didn’t put up a fight and rode quietly in a dog kennel to Cooksville. Perhaps it knew it was being helped. Its prognosis is not overly optimistic because it was severely emaciated and weak due to Avian Pox, but the folks at AWI are doing what they can to help and were going to investigate the injury. For Dale, it was a humbling experience to meet the raven up close and help with the rescue. They are rooting for it!

Dale includes some photos. The closeup of the feet shows how the left foot was not weight-bearing, only used for balance.
(Editor's note: note the long heavy bill and shaggier throat feathers that are grey-based in Dale's photos to contrast with the American Crow).

**Yolande LeBlanc shares a very lively day at her Memramcook feeder yard.

The male Northern Cardinal has started singing and Yolande knows there are females not very far away. Here's hoping!

The male Ring-necked Pheasants have started strutting their stuff. One is actually annoyingly pestering the female. She couldn't eat in peace.

On Thursday morning Yolande witnessed a chase that she felt was a Cooper's Hawk chasing a starling sized bird, (could have been an Evening Grosbeak). The chaser was much larger than the prey. It went on for at least 40 seconds. In the open, there were a few near catches, but the smaller bird was very agile. When they came into the wooded area, the small bird got away. Yolande was running from one window to the other, trying to see the outcome. The hawk left ‘empty-clawed’.

The yard was full of the regular birds: both nuthatches, Brown creeper, Dark-eyed Juncos, American Tree Sparrows, at least 12 Black-capped chickadees, Hairy Woodpecker and Downy Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, and some European starlings.

Lots of eye exercises, bird watching!

**It’s Friday already in time to peruse what the forecast cool nights ahead have in store for us to see courtesy of sky guru Curt Nason.

This Week’s Sky at a Glance, 2023 February 25 – March 4
Two of the largest constellations are seen in the southwest and southeast around mid-evening. Eridanus the River flows from Rigel in Orion’s foot to the lower right, and then makes a sharp curve to the left before disappearing below the horizon. It doesn’t end there; it extends at least the same distance southward to terminate at Achernar, the ninth brightest star in the sky. Achernar, of course, means “the river’s end.” The star near Rigel is named Cursa, which means “the footstool.” In terms of square degrees of sky, Eridanus is the sixth largest constellation. It has been associated with many earthly rivers but most often with the Po River in Italy, which the Greeks called Eridanos.

Hydra, the female Water Snake rises out of the southeast, with its head reaching as high as Orion’s. A smaller constellation called Hydrus, the male Water Snake is near Achernar and is never seen from New Brunswick. Hydra is the largest of the 88 constellations and one of the longest. If you consider the horizon as the ocean surface, and if you have all night, you can picture Hydra leaping completely out of the water and disappearing in a giant belly flop. Its brightest star, Alphard the “solitary one,” just makes the top 50 in terms of brightness. In mythology, the Hydra was a multi-headed creature slain by Hercules as his second labour.

This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 7:05 am and sunset will occur at 5:59 pm, giving 10 hours, 54 minutes of daylight (7:09 am and 6:05 pm in Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 6:53 am and set at 6:09 pm, giving 11 hours, 16 minutes of daylight (6:57 am and 6:15 pm in Saint John).

The Moon is at first quarter on Monday, cuddling up closely to Mars late that evening, and on Thursday night it moves past the bright star Pollux in Gemini. Venus and Jupiter are certain to catch the eye after sunset on Wednesday as they slide toward the horizon, side by side, a Moon-width apart and setting around 8:50. Mars is high in the south between the horns of Taurus around 7 pm, highlighting a red triangle with Aldebaran and Betelgeuse. Mercury and Saturn cross paths midweek, unseen as they rise 15 minutes before sunrise.

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.

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