Nature Moncton Nature News

Monday, 17 October 2016

Oct 17 2016

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE - October 17, 2016 (Monday)

To view the photos mentioned in this edition of the Information Line, go to http://nminfoline.blogspot.ca/

To respond by e-mail, please address your message to the information line editor, nelson@nb.sympatico.ca Please advise if any errors are noted in wording or photo labelling.

For more information on Nature Moncton, check the website at http://www.naturemoncton.com

Edited by : Nelson Poirier nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Transcript by : David Christie maryspt@mac.com

Info Line # : 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)

** Tomorrow, Tuesday, Oct. 18, is NATURE MONCTON MEETING NIGHT at the Mapleton Park Rotary Lodge, across from Cabela’s at 7 p.m. The guest presenter will be Jeff Clements, who will have some very up-to-date information on ocean changes that may explain a lot of things happening at the moment. The write-up is attached.

NATURE MONCTON OCTOBER MEETING

Tuesday, October 18 at 7:00 PM

Guest speaker: Jeff Clements, Scientist with the Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans

Place: MAPLETON PARK ROTARY LODGE (across from Cabela’s)

Title: What Happens as the Oceans Become More Acidified?

Commonly known as the “other CO₂ problem”, ocean acidification is a recently-discovered phenomenon by which carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere dissolves into the oceans and lowers seawater pH, causing it to become more acidic. Unfortunately, when CO₂increases and pH drops, ocean-dwelling animals can be affected. Furthermore, on top of ocean acidification, these animals also have to deal with an increasingly warmer ocean and a swath of other environmental changes! This leads to much uncertainty and concern for the future of our oceans in a changing world.

In this talk, Jeff will introduce the topic of ocean acidification by discussing what is and how it works, and will highlight some of the biological, ecological and societal consequences associated with ocean acidification. He will also talk about the current state of ocean acidification research and will wrap up by highlighting some of the work that he has been doing right here at home in the Bay of Fundy.

** David Christie got a few interesting telephone calls on Sunday morning. Doris Hatt had a female EASTERN TOWHEE [Tohi à flancs roux] appear below her feeders at 8537 Main Street in Alma on Saturday afternoon and it was still there Sunday morning. Eastern Towhees often have the habit of staying around a reliable food supply so it may stay in that area; be aware of the skulky nature of this species.

Also, John Inman had a BALTIMORE ORIOLE [Oriole de Baltimore], interested in berries, around his 225 Mary's Point Road yard on the weekend. He also spotted a DICKCISSEL [Dickcissel d'Amérique] on Sunday morning perched above where he places ground feed. It did not go down to the food as a NORTHERN GOSHAWK [Autour des palombes] flew in and put all the birds into the bushes but the bird knows where the food is and will probably return. In some years, John has had excellent turnouts of Dickcissels.

** It’s always amazing how WHITE-TAILED DEER [Cerf de Virginie] can adapt to survive within a city. My daughter Christie lives in downtown Halifax, and as she left for work on the morning of Sept. 30, she spotted several deer on the street in her backup camera. The first photo shows a mature doe with one yearling and two young of the year. One-year-old Deer will often rejoin their mother at this time of year. The action didn’t stop there, as a young buck appeared, following them, very attuned to upcoming mating opportunities.

** Aldo Dorio is continuing to see HORNED LARKS [Alouette hausse-col] foraging in the wrack line at Hay Island, south of Néguac. Aldo also continues to see Merlin [Faucon émerillon] in that area. More Merlins seem to be staying with us for the winter in recent years, or maybe it’s just because they are generally more numerous, recovering on their own from DDT days.

** AMERICAN CROWS [Corneille d'Amérique] are starting to establish winter roosts. Ray Gauvin noted a large group of crows gathering on the east side of the Pointe-du-Chêne bridge on Sunday evening. Ray comments that they just kept coming and coming, reminding him of the famous, old Alfred Hitchcock movie, “The Birds.”

** I’m attaching another series of Brian Stone’s fabulous photos from the Nature Moncton zoo visit on Saturday. Brian has a Dropbox folder of all the files he saved. It can be accessed at the following link

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/0wrnrh1wi5ph0kz/AACJvpBGFAOPwvOVJ557JDlOa?dl=0

Note the big difference in plumage between the male and female OSTRICH [Autruche]. Bruce Dougan pointed out that the dominant BARN OWL [Effraie des clochers]] is always the highest, so the one above the rest is the dominant one. He also commented that, in it’s native area, the MARABOU STORK [Marabout d’Afrique] is as common as gulls are to us. A big thanks to Brian for saving so many pleasant memories from last Saturday.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton

AMERICAN CROWS.OCT 16, 2016.RAY GAUVIN

ANDEAN CONDOR. OCT. 15, 2016. BRIAN STONE

BARBARY SHEEP. OCT. 15, 2016. BRIAN STONE

BARN OWLS. OCT. 15, 2016. BRIAN STONE

BLACK SWAN 02. OCT. 15, 2016. BRIAN STONE

COLOBUS MONKEY. OCT. 15, 2016. BRIAN STONE

DROMEDARY CAMEL. OCT. 15, 2016. BRIAN STONE

DWARF CAIMAN. OCT. 15, 2016. BRIAN STONE

EAST AFRICAN CROWNED CRANE 01. OCT. 15, 2016. BRIAN STONE

HORNED LARK.OCT 16, 2016.ALDO DORIO

MANDRILL. OCT. 15, 2016. BRIAN STONE

MARIBOU STORK 02. OCT. 15, 2016. BRIAN STONE

MERLIN.OCT 16, 2016.ALDO DORIO

OSTRICH (FEMALE). OCT. 15, 2016. BRIAN STONE

OSTRICH (MALE). OCT. 15, 2016. BRIAN STONE

POULTRY IN TOUCH AREA.. OCT. 15, 2016. BRIAN STONE

RING-TAILED LEMUR. OCT. 15, 2016. BRIAN STONE

RING-TAILED LEMURS. OCT. 15, 2016. BRIAN STONE

RIVER OTTER 01. OCT. 15, 2016. BRIAN STONE

SQUIRREL MONKEY. OCT. 15, 2016. BRIAN STONE

WATUSI ( ANKOLE CATTLE ). OCT. 15, 2016. BRIAN STONE

WHITE-HANDED GIBBON 02. OCT. 15, 2016. BRIAN STONE

WHITE-TAILED DEER.a.SEPT. 30, 2016.CHRISTINE POIRIER

WOODLAND CARIBOU 01. OCT. 15, 2016. BRIAN STONE

ZEBRA (YOUNG OF YEAR). OCT. 15, 2016. BRIAN STONE

Sunday, 16 October 2016

Oct 16 2016

** A big thank you to Bruce Dougan for leading approximately 40 Nature Moncton members and guests on a very unique tour of the MAGNETIC HILL ZOO on Saturday. The history and amazing tidbits of information Bruce shared on each animal and their specific needs and habits was special. It was definitely a trip to the zoo that participants will never forget, with such a wealth of information shared. We are very fortunate to have such a facility on our doorstep. Bruce commented on several projects that will expand the facility somewhat over the years to come, to make it even better; a truly unique experience.

Brian Stone’s camera was working hard. Some of his photos are shared today and I suspect he may do a Dropbox over the next few days, that folks that can link to see lots more of the non-stop action.

David Christie was photographing the mother Amur Tiger, when suddenly a hand appeared in the photo to make it look like the tiger was dreaming of having her throat rubbed. However, the heavy glass barrier made that just an illusion.

** It’s Nature Moncton meeting night this coming Tuesday, Oct. 18, with special guest Jeff Clements, who will give a presentation on our oceans. Details will be presented in tomorrow’s edition, however, you can get a preview by going to the Nature Moncton website http://www.naturemoncton.com and checking under “upcoming events” which will also provide information on the field trip to Mapleton next Saturday, October 22.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton

AMUR TIGER 04. OCT. 15, 2016. BRIAN STONE

AMUR TIGER 04. OCT. 15, 2016. DAVID CHRISTIE

AMUR TIGER 04. OCT. 15, 2016. BRIAN STONE

BLACK BEAR. OCT. 15, 2016. BRIAN STONE

BLACK BEARS. OCT. 15, 2016. BRIAN STONE

JAGUAR. OCT. 15, 2016. BRIAN STONE

LIONS. OCT. 15, 2016. BRIAN STONE

NATURE MONCTON ZOO TRIP 04. OCT. 15, 2016. BRIAN STONE

SERVAL OCT. 15, 2016. BRIAN STONE

SERVAL. OCT. 15, 2016. BRIAN STONE

Saturday, 15 October 2016

Oct 15 2016

**Brian Stone and Danny Sullivan did a run on Friday to the end of Runneymeade Road in Riverview behind the former Naval Base. The town is developing good walking trails and they comment how pleasant the area is. The area and around the dam there has lots of birds and nature. Some bird photos are added. There’s a lot of water in Riverview Marsh at the moment after the heavy rain, and it was being very much enjoyed by a number of GREAT BLUE HERONS [Grand Héron], as one of Brian’s photos shows. A photo of the old dam at the site is also attached. I’m not sure what has been decided to do with this dam.

**Gilles Belliveau points out an important note on wording from yesterday’s comments on the LAKE DARNER Dragonfly [Aeschne porte-crosses]. The thoracic line was mentioned as being broken. The word “notched” should have been used, as some Darner species do indeed have a broken thoracic line, such as the VARIABLE DARNER [Aeschne domino] (usually) and this is another important point in separating the Darners. One of the Lake Darner photos is reattached today, and Gilles shares a photo of a Variable Darner that shows that notched thoracic line very nicely.

**On a tip from Gordon Rattray, I went Friday to check a site where he had noted what he thought was a large group of SHAGGY MANE MUSHROOMS [Coprin chevelu]. There sure was, and I gathered approximately 50 that were prime, but had to leave approximately 50 that had started to deteriorate, turning dark at the bottom and liquefying to ink. I’m attaching photos of some of the nice fresh ones and the ones that had deteriorated. It was a very public site off Vaughan Harvey Boulevard, so I had lots of curious onlookers. With Shaggy Manes you only have about a day or so at best to gather them. If the day is cool they stay fresh a bit longer.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton

DAM ON MILL CREEK.OCT 14, 2016.BRIAN STONE

GREAT BLUE HERONS. OCT. 14, 2016. BRIAN STONE

GREEN-WINGED TEAL. OCT. 14, 2016. BRIAN STONE

LAKE DARNER DRAGONFLY..OCT 13, 2016. GORDON RATTRAY

SHAGGY MANE MUSHROOM (PRIME).OCT 14, 2016.NELSON POIRIER.

SHAGGY MANE MUSHROOMS (SOME PRIME,SOME DETERIORATING)).OCT 14, 2016.NELSON POIRIER.

VARIABLE DARNER DRAGONFLY.SEPT 2016.GILLES BELLIVEAU

WHITE-THROATED SPARROW 02. OCT. 14, 2016. BRIAN STONE

YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER 01. OCT. 14, 2016. BRIAN STONE

YELLOWLEGS AND DUCKS. OCT. 14, 2016. BRIAN STONE

Friday, 14 October 2016

Oct 14 2016

** It's last call to the Nature Moncton guided tour on the inner and outer sanctums of the Magnetic Hill Zoo with zoo general manager Bruce Dougan tomorrow morning, Saturday morning, meeting at 10:00 AM in the zoo parking lot. Bruce has advised a change in admission rates. It will now be reduced to $8.00 for each participant. The write-up is added as an attachment today.

** A special night for Gabriel Gallant on Thursday when he heard a LONG-EARED OWL [Hibou moyen-duc] vocalize at his Sainte-Marie-de-Kent home. It seemed quite close when he first heard it, and then it moved farther down the road to a field. He also heard it a few nights ago. While standing outside listening for the owl, he could also hear a BAT that was foraging overhead. He has been hearing a bat hunting around his yard all summer.

** Ina Freeman has had an AMERICAN CROW [Corneille d'Amérique] with a significant amount of white showing on the wings. Ina was able to catch some photos of it from different angles that are attached. Ina comments that when it flies, the white pattern is very showy. This may be the pattern shown in Sibley to be uncommon, but regular.

** Mike Britton recently had a scenario with a PORCUPINE [Porc-épic d'Amerique] that seemed to come right up to within 6 feet of them before getting their scent and scurrying off into some tall grasses. It all made for a nice porcupine portrait.

** Gordon Rattray had a co-operative LAKE DARNER DRAGONFLY [Aeschne porte-crosses] join him as he was harvesting his carrot crop on Thursday. Gilles Belliveau points out the notched thoracic line and the black line across the face to point to Lake Darner. A local RED SQUIRREL [Écureuil roux] was also stocking up for the winter. Gordon also had a visit from a GALLIUM SPHINX MOTH [Sphinx du gaillet] caterpillar. As well, he had five WHITE-TAILED DEER [Cerf de Virginie] in the field by his Albert Mines home on Saturday. The group consisted of two adult females and three juveniles.

** Anna Tucker got a photo of a PIED-BILLED GREBE [Grèbe à bec bigarré] sliding through the cattails on Tuesday at the Sackville Waterfowl Park.

** Brian Stone got a photo of the moon on Thursday evening as it heads toward its full phase on October 16th.

** To correct a photo of LEAST SANDPIPERS [Bécasseau minuscule] from yesterday's edition, it had a SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER [Bécasseau semipalmé] with them -- very obvious by the black legs which Least Sandpipers do not have. Thanks to Louise Nichols and Gilles Belliveau for pointing out that obvious slip. The corrected photos are reattached today.

** This week's Sky-at-a-Glance is added to today's transcription, courtesy of Curt Nason.

This Week’s Sky at a Glance, October 15 – October 22
With the Square of Pegasus appearing higher in the east after twilight,
look under it (or outside the first base line of the diamond) for a
circle of fainter stars. This asterism is the Circlet of Pisces and
forms the head of one if the two fish that make up this zodiac
constellation. To the lower left of the circle is the Vernal Equinox,
the point where the Sun crosses the equator to mark the beginning of our
spring season. It is still at times called the First Point of Aries
despite having moved well to the west of the zodiacal ram.

The fishes represent Aphrodite and her son Eros, who tied their ankles
together with a cord before changing into fish and leaping into the sea
to escape the fearsome Typhon. The star where the fishes’ tails meet is
called Alrescha, which means “the cord.”

On Saturday the near full Moon is passing through Pisces, and just above
it in mid-evening is the planet Uranus, which reaches opposition that
day. With a planetarium app or a star map like one available on the Sky
& Telescope Web site, you can track down Uranus with binoculars. From a
dark location when the Moon is out of the sky you might even be able to
glimpse it without optical aid. Through a telescope Uranus appears as a
tiny, pale green ball.

This Week in the Solar System

Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 7:37 am and sunset will occur at
6:32 pm, giving 10 hours, 55 minutes of daylight (7:41 am and 6:38 pm in
Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 7:46 am and set at 6:20
pm, giving 10 hours, 34 minutes of daylight (7:50 am and 6:26 pm in
Saint John).

The full Hunter’s Moon occurs on Sunday, less than 24 hours before it
reaches perigee so we can expect very high and low tides early in the
week. Mercury is getting tough to see, rising just half an hour before
the Sun and more than an hour after Jupiter by midweek. Venus is now
less than 15 degrees from Saturn and closing the gap daily. In a couple
of weeks it will pass between Saturn and Antares. Over the week Mars
moves eastward beyond the handle of the Sagittarius Teapot asterism. The
International Space Station (ISS) will be making an impressive pass
overhead around 7:50 pm Saturday. The Orionid meteor shower, arising
from detritus from Halley’s Comet, might give early risers a little
extra to see on Friday. The meteors will appear to be coming from
Orion’s club above orange Betelgeuse.

The provincial astronomy club (RASC NB) meets at the Rockwood Park
Interpretation Centre in Saint John on October 15 at 1 pm.

Questions? Contact me at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.

nelson@nb.sympatico.ca

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton