Nature Moncton Nature
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**Shannon Inman took advantage of the warm temperature on Wednesday to sleuth what her camera would find.
She photographed a crab
spider taking advantage of the temperature reprieve, as well as a fly
of uncertain identity.
A group of several artist’s conk mushrooms
recycling a tree stump caught Shannon’s attention. This mushroom is well named, as the white undersurface can be etched on and the result, whether it be an
etched design or some simple words, will remain for a very long time. These can
often be found in craft shops.
Shannon also photographed rattlesnake
mannagrass (Glyceria canadense), a common wetland grass, showing its
massive crop of seeds that many wildlife species will enjoy foraging upon.
Earlier in the season, each one of these seeds was a small flower that required
pollen exchange with the assistance of a wildlife pollinator.
A mouse-ear hawkweed
plant was still sporting greenery.
**Brian Stone went to
Highland Park in Salisbury on Thursday, hoping that the ponds would be ice-free
in the warmer weather and maybe they would be hosting some interesting bird
life, but even though the water was open, there were only four green-winged teals
present in the water and nothing else. The immature great blue heron was
still present but was resting up on the bank of the smaller side pond,
occasionally tucking its head under its wing. Near the parking lot (at the
bottom of MacDonald Rd.), a flock of 50-plus evening grosbeaks was
foraging in and around some hawthorn trees.
**This Week’s Sky at a Glance, 2025 November 29 – December 6
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. You might also catch the swan and part of the eagle rising in
morning twilight.
This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 7:38 and sunset will occur at 4:36, giving
8 hours, 58 minutes of daylight (7:41 and 4:43 in Saint John). Next Saturday
the Sun will rise at 7:46 and set at 4:33, giving 8 hours, 47 minutes of
daylight (7:48 and 4:41 in Saint John).
The Moon is full just
12 hours after perigee on Thursday, giving extreme tides late in the week. Binocular or telescope users can watch it occulting
some of the Pleiades late Wednesday evening. By midweek Mercury will be
rising an hour and a half before sunrise and brightening as it nears greatest
elongation next weekend. Venus trails it by 65 minutes but its brightness
can cut through twilight for binocular users. Saturn will be at its best for
observing around 7:15 pm, with Jupiter rising soon after. Next Friday
telescope users can see Jupiter’s moon Io be eclipsed at 10:37 and Ganymede
reappear from behind the other side two minutes later.
Tune in to the Sunday
Night Astronomy Show at 8 pm on the YouTube channel and Facebook page of
Astronomy by the Bay.
Questions? Contact Curt
Nason at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.
Nelson Poirier
Nature Moncton
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