Nature Moncton Information Line

April 24 2020

Posted: 24 Apr 2020 06:49 AM PDT

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, April 23, 2020 (Friday)

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

Please advise editor at nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com if any errors are noted in wording or photo labeling.

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Transcript by: Louise Nichols nicholsl@eastlink.ca

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

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** On Tuesday, Evan Smith paid a visit to one of his favourite spots, Wickham. He came across a pair of HOODED MERGANSERS [Harle couronné] swimming in a pond, and stopped for a photo. They suddenly lifted and Evan was amazed at the power they have for a small duck with the water they kicked up and the loud vocalizations. Evan captured their lively take-off beautifully.

** On Wednesday, Fredrica Given in Fredericton Junction had a FIELD SPARROW [Bruant des champs] visit her feeder yard to get a nice photo to show the signature pinkish/reddish bill, pink legs and two white wing bars – a special yard visitor.

** Richard Blacquiere leaves some interesting comments on the snow type that Brian Stone photographed recently. Richard points out that this is what fits the definition of "graupel." Wikipedia describes the scenario: "Graupel, also called snow hail or snow pellets, is a precipitation that forms when super cooled water droplets are collected and freeze on falling snowflakes, forming 2 to 5 mm balls of rime. The term 'Graupel' is the German language word for sleet. Graupel is distinct from hail and ice pellets."

** Lots of action of my own to report today. Pat and I went to Pointe-du-Chêne wharf to witness the feeding frenzy going on with the spring salt-water Herring spawn as Daryl Doucet had described yesterday. Several GRAY SEALS [Phoque gris] were bobbing up and down near the wharf. The NORTHERN GANNETS [Fou de Bassan] were putting on an incredible show of their aerial dives and plunges. A modest estimate would be 500 birds. DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS [Cormoran à aigrettes] were significant in number, but much fewer than the gannets. Many gulls were trying to ply their skills, but seemed slow and clumsy compared to the others. I was able to get a few videos of the action, but it's best to turn down the sound as the wind was very high and cool, yet beautiful sun.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/8o1v01qnp9sbd77/FEEDING%20FRENZY%20AT%20POINTE-DU-CHENE.%20APRIL%2023%2C%202020.%20NELSON%20POIRIER.MOV?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/6nsec0yxpx1fvqe/FEEDING%20FRENZY%20AT%20POINTE-DU-CHENE.%20APRIL%2023%2C%202020.%20%20NELSON%20POIRIER.MOV?dl=0

On the quieter side of the wharf, and on the shoreline at low tide, were thousands of gulls lounging. The significant bird among them was the number of LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS [Goéland brun]. I was able to count dozens, and the huge flock of gulls out farther appeared to have a very significant number of Lesser Black-backed Gulls in the scope, but it was very hard to estimate real numbers other than to say there were a lot of them. I didn't feel confident to try to call immature birds, especially in April, when summer plumage should be coming on.

** At home in the evening, a MERLIN [Faucon émerillon] was perched in the yard screaming and I realized that it was a male with an AMERICAN CROW [Corneille d'Amérique] trying to harass it, but it was having none of it to show the pugnacious nature of the Merlin. The Crow came very close, but the Merlin would scream at it and even make flight rushes at it. The Crow, after several minutes, felt it best to leave the scene.

** I gathered a bag full of Mountain Ash berries last fall and froze them and put them out recently. The AMERICAN ROBINS [Merle d'Amérique] are impressed, feeding heavily on the berries on cold days. But on warm days, they are more content to scratch among the leaves on the ground.

** It's Friday and this week's Sky-at-a-Glance is included, courtesy of sky-guru Curt Nason.

This Week's Sky at a Glance, 2020 April 25 – May 2
When people see a telescope that doesn't look like it came from a department store, they often ask how far you can see with it. The answer is difficult to explain and even more difficult to comprehend. Sometimes I just say "way far" and hope they don't press for details.

On a clear evening this week just go outside and look up. The brightest object will be the Moon and this weekend it is about 395,000 kilometres away. Next weekend it will be near perigee at 360,000 km. The next brightest object is Venus, which will be at inferior conjunction on June 3 and hence closest to us at a distance of 43 million kilometres. In the morning sky, Mars is currently 180 million km away, Jupiter 720 million, and Saturn is 1.6 billion km out there. Light travels at 300,000 km per second, so at 150 million km the Sun is a distance of 500 light seconds away. The Moon is a tad more than one light second away; Jupiter is 40 light minutes and Saturn about 80 light minutes.

The brightest star we see in the evening now is still Sirius, the closest star we can see from New Brunswick at 8.6 light years (ly). The next brightest is Arcturus and it is 37 ly or 350 trillion km. Polaris, the North Star, is about 400 ly away; and Alnilam, the middle star of Orion's belt, is 2000 ly, If you are under a dark sky well before morning twilight you might get a naked eye glimpse of the Andromeda Galaxy at a distance of 2.5 million light years. A small telescope will reveal things even more distant, but at what point do these distances become incomprehensible and "way far" is a reasonable answer?

This Week in the Solar System
Saturday's sunrise in Moncton is at 6:14 am and sunset will occur at 8:20 pm, giving 14 hours, 6 minutes of daylight (6:21 am and 8:23 pm in Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 6:03 am and set at 8:29 pm, giving 14 hours, 26 minutes of daylight (6:10 am and 8:32 pm in Saint John).

This Saturday (April 25) the Moon occults a star that forms one eye of Taurus the Bull, within a half hour of setting. Around 10 pm find a location with a good western horizon and use binoculars to watch the sinking Moon creep toward the star and, around 10:30, make it disappear. The Moon is near Venus on Sunday and the next evening it passes near the M35 star cluster in Gemini. On Wednesday, the day before first quarter phase, telescope users can see the Lunar X forming on mountaintops just inside the shadow line during late evening. On Tuesday Venus is at its greatest illumination, which occurs approximately five weeks before and after it reaches inferior conjunction. By next weekend Mars will have moved to 20 degrees east of Saturn, while Saturn and brighter Jupiter remain within 5 degrees, the field of view of most 10x50 binoculars.

Monday marks the beginning of International Astronomy Week, but this year the outreach events will be online. You can catch the local Sunday Night Astronomy Show at 8 pm, and view archives of previous shows, on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAEHfOWyL-kNH7dBVHK8spg

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

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton