In this issue:
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Upcoming South Shore Events
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Make Waves in 2025 and Beyond
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Monarch Point Management Process Meeting
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The Ostrander Point Tree (and other mysteries)
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Hey Siri, Why do Leaves Change Colour?
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Fireworks and Freshwater Ecosystem Health
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Geology Word Search
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County did you know … Maple Riddles
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October-November Astronomy
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To Autumn
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Kid’s Korner: Sock Walk
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Cattle Nomenclature Word Answers
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County did you know … Plant Invasives Answers
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Photo Gallery
-
Editor's Note
Upcoming Events:
- Explore the Prince Edward Point National Wildlife Area with Cheryl Chapman,
Part of SSJI’s Wild Thing Outdoor Education Program.
NWA Tour on Sun., Oct. 20, 2024; Sat., Nov.30, 2024; and Sun., Dec.1, 2024.
Note – Sat., Oct.19, 2024 is fully booked. Meet time for the other three days is 12:00 P.M.
The tour coordinator will contact you with details closer to the tour date.
To RSVP for the respective hikes, go to South Shore Events.
For more information, contact Cheryl Chapman at [email protected]
- Explore the Maple Cross Coastline Reserve on a Stroll with Jennifer Gagne of the Nature Conservancy of Canada.
Stroll date is Fri., Nov. 1, 2024. Meet times are 9:00 A.M. Rain date is Sat., Nov.2, 2024 at the same time as Fri.
Meet at the corner of Babylon and Helmer Roads, PEC, ON, for carpooling.
For more information, contact Cheryl Anderson at [email protected]. RSVP.
Space is limited! RSVP for South Shore Events now at ssji.ca
Unable to attend and want to support? Donate or become a member now at ssji.ca
Make Waves in 2025 and Beyond
Monarch Point Management Process Meeting
📝Cheryl Anderson
Curious about Monarch Point Conservation Reserve? So are we! South Shore Joint Initiative was thrilled to be invited with Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) - Central Ontario East representatives to join Ontario Parks, Southeast Zone team members and learn about some of the research and process that’s underway to start building a plan for Ontario’s newest Conservation Reserve! Gathering at Sandbanks Provincial Park's office, meetings like this are part of the many public consultations Ontario Parks are conducting to build a Monarch Point Management Plan. We look forward to participating and sharing news about opportunities to get involved as they arise.
We learned a lot at the meeting. Perhaps most importantly, to be patient. The management planning process is long and involved and to a certain extent may be influenced by politics. Signs delineating the border of the Conservation Reserve (CR) have been prepared and will be installed soon. We were able to make a pitch for a Dark Sky site in the CR; however, that can only come after the management plan is in place. We shared some thoughts on potential Purpose, Objectives and Vision Statements. We were encouraged to keep collecting biological data and adding it to iNaturalist. The archeological assessment report is in draft form and nearing completion. Angela expects the first documents to be available to the public in the first quarter of 2025. There will be another meeting of the group before Christmas.
Back Row Standing left to right: Curt Morris (Sandbanks Superintendent), Angela Adkinson (MECP), Erica Barkley (MECP), Carlin Thompson (Sandbanks Assistant Superintendent), Jennifer Gagne (NCC), Geoff Craig (SSJI), Mark Stabb (NCC)
Front Row Seated left to right: Reilly Kunc (Sandbanks Assistant Superintendent), Dawn Ayer (SSJI), John Hirsch (SSJI), Cheryl Anderson (SSJI) and Leo, Eli Drummond (NCC) (Photo: Dawn Ayer)
The Ostrander Point Tree (and other mysteries)
📝 Bert Jenkins
The Ostrander Point Tree (Photo: Bert Jenkins)
The Ostrander Point Tree, as iconic an image of the County South Shore as exists, is dying. It has been largely leafless for several summers now, the exact timescale a little unclear because I rarely go down there in summer. But in 2023 the issue became one of certainty: it is leafless, year-round.
All trees will die but this one will be missed. Unlike most of the South Shore trees, rooted in the glacial till above the beach cobbles and beyond wave action, the Tree is fast bound in the cracks of the limestone pediment, washed at is roots at high water. Age is a question; it is a solid cottonwood of an unmistakable diameter. One day it will fall and then we can section it and know. Meanwhile, pause and look.
The South Shore is full of mysteries; the tree is but one of them. You can count four: Prince Edward Point, Ostrander Point, Charwell Point, and Point Petre. The particular might add the low water shoreline at Maple Cross Coastline Reserve, or the Simpson Road end at its limestone flats. Prince Edward Point reserves its secrets for the curious that will follow its shoreline westwards, through willow tangles now not nearly as anthropophagous as they once were, past beaches whose low-tide mysteries succeed one upon another, ending at a boulder beach terminated by a willow tangle that, unlike the others, really will eat you alive. Turn right at the end of its road and yes, Ostrander Point has its Tree, but turn left and follow the shoreline past a point wet at high water, and there are more trees, tall and stately, less well known.
Ostrander Point’s Other Trees.
But Charwell Point! Firstly, the road will demand toll payment in vehicular paintwork, so walk it. At least now you don’t have to wade Gull Pond; ATV drivers have smashed a path along the shore, gaining access to the cobbles of the bay, and if you are alone early in the day, as primeval a place as you will find. In spring melt, the Lighthall Marsh will be draining and Gull Pond overflow its barrier beach; the Point itself will be beyond reach. Later, the ephemeral barrier beach will re-form and the Point is yours.
And Point Petre! Yes, there can be crowds – go there when there aren’t, either a wild day when the wind howls like wolves and the waves pound the beach as if to make some point about ownership and personal insignificance, or on a calm day when the quiet lap of water will be a benediction. Go there for its sunsets, because they are amongst the best in the County. And around the corner into Soup Harbour; even if there are crowds at Point Petre you will have lost them by now.
Go to any of these in late winter for the ice formations; tread cautiously because the ice may extend beyond its underpinning limestone flats. For the best light go in fall or early spring, late in a day of occluded sun with the possibility of distant sunrays. And every now and then visit the Ostrander Point Tree and see how it faces its end. It will be a long time between dying and falling, so please, let’s be aware the final days of one of our icons.
South Shore limestone shoreline and the Ostrander Point Tree (Photo: Bert Jenkins)
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Bert Jenkins is a landscape photographer living in Picton. For his South Shore images and others, visit his Flickr site at https://www.flickr.com/photos/bert_jenkins/albums.
Click here to view more photos.
Hey Siri, Why do Leaves Change Colour?
📝 Catherine Judge
Conservation Communications Specialist
(Article used with the permission of the author and Leora Berman of The Land Between)1
Every autumn, we revel in the beauty of the fall colours in The Land Between. The transition from green to bursting hues of red, orange, yellow and purple are a result of a chemical process that is taking place when the seasons change here in Canada. Contrary to popular belief, the annual change in the leaves is not caused by cooler temperatures or frost, but is triggered by changes in light (McGuire, 1998).
Keith Home Pond (Photo: Pasi-Posti)2
Before we discuss exactly why leaves change colour, it is important to understand why leaves are green. In the spring and summer, leaves act like small factories to produce food for the tree and allow it to grow. Just like humans, trees need food and water to survive. Chlorophyll, a molecule that gives leaves their basic green colour, takes sunlight, carbon dioxide and water and turns it into sugar (McGuire, 1998). The process of creating nutrients that feed the tree is called photosynthesis (Kane, 2002). Essentially, chlorophyll is so strong it absorbs the red and blue parts of the visible spectrum, which is why the leaves are green, as it is the only colour left to be reflected (Cappucci, 2017). This explains why leaves are green and so is grass and other green plants.
Fall (Photo: Catherine Judge)
However, when the weather changes from warm and sunny to cold nights with shorter days, the leaves no longer have enough energy to perform photosynthesis and the trees know it is time to hibernate for the winter. This is when fall arrives and photosynthesis comes to a halt and chlorophyll dwindles (Cappucci, 2017). Since chlorophyll is not the only chemical residing inside a leaf, the rest of the chemicals become visible in fall, when the plant’s food engine shuts down (Cappucci, 2017). This allows the other pigments that have been in the leaves all through the spring and summer to finally have their chance to emerge.
WHY DON’T ALL LEAVES TURN RED?
Now that we know why leaves are green and why they change colour, you are probably curious as to why the leaves are changing different colours. It is important to note that the range in colours is not related to photosynthesis (Anderson, 2000). The different kinds of trees have different colored leaves because there are different functions of each tree. Some trees have more sugars or different sugars than others (Engber, 2013). The sugar maple for example keeps large amounts of sugar in their leaves, which make them dark red. Other trees, like poplars, have very little amounts of sugar which makes their leaves yellow.
As we know, leaves are loaded with chlorophyll which makes them green. What most people do not know is that all green plants also carry a set of chemicals called carotenoids which is responsible for the colour of carrots (Engber, 2013). However, these colours are invisible until fall, when the chlorophyll breaks down and the leaves near the end of their life cycle (Engber, 2013). Most trees have also evolved to produce a different set of chemicals called anthocyanins (Engber, 2013). These chemicals have a reddish tint and are responsible for the colour of a blueberry (Anderson, 2000). Anthocyanin also works like sunscreen to protect cells from ultraviolet light (Anderson, 2000). This happens during stressful periods when there’s a lot of light but cool temperatures which is common in our Canadian fall (Anderson, 2000). This process protects the increasingly fragile leaves when the tree draws out the last of the nutrients.
WHY DO LEAVES FALL?
Essentially the leaves begin to fall off the tree when they can not do their job anymore. This happens by a layer of cells that starts to grow between the leaf stalk and the twig. The process starts with the vessels that carry water to the leaf and sugars to the rest of the tree get closed off. The cells serve to slowly cut the leaf from the tree without leaving an open wound. As the leaves fall, the tree enters dormancy and saves its energy for spring.
You may be wondering now why some trees shed their leaves and some do not? I encourage you to get outside and take a look around you. What other changes are happening as the weather turns from warm to cold? Take the time to observe and let yourself connect to the beauty all around you. If you are interested in exploring more of what nature has to offer, please stay tuned for weekly blog posts!
“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.” – Albert Camus
References
Cappucci, M. (2017). The leaves are starting to show signs of autumn. Here’s why they change: As the sun’s rays become less intense, the season for leaf-peeping and brilliant foliage is upon us. In Washington Post – Blogs. WP Company LLC d/b/a The Washington Post.
Engber, D. (2013). Question: why do leaves turn different colors? (Brief article). Popular Science (New York, N.Y.), 283(5), 73–.
Kane, K. M. (2002). Why Do Leaves Change Colors? Parenting, 16(8), 205. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A96399992/CIC?u=utoronto_main&sid=bookmark-CIC&xid=2b876377
McGuire, E. (1998). Foliage afire: why leaves change colors. New York State Conservationist, 53(2), 2+. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A21281251/CIC?u=utoronto_main&sid=bookmark-CIC&xid=c05c3cd3
Notes
1 - Judge, Catherine. 2022. Hey Siri, Why do Leaves Change Colour? Appeared on Sept.28, 2022 in the The Land Between Blog by Leora Berman. Accessed 20240916Mon.
2 - Pasi-Posti. 2022. Keith Home Pond. Photo in article Hey Siri, Why do Leaves Change Colour?
https://www.thelandbetween.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Keith-home-pond.Pasi-Posti.jpg Accessed 20240916Mon.
Fireworks and Freshwater Ecosystem Health
📝 Nathaniel Sneyd-Dewar
Riparian Habitat Restoration Intern
(Blog Article republished with the permission of Watersheds Canada)
Fireworks have long been a spectacular sight for people worldwide, but outside of the sounds and visuals, the effects of dispersed particles are less considered. While once reserved for national holidays and other major occasions, fireworks have become increasingly affordable, available, and used by families and friends in increasingly diverse locations. This shift presents a change from large shows in urban centres to firework displays in more rural locations like parks, cottages, and campsites.
With more rural areas exposed to fireworks, more sensitive environments will see increased negative impacts on wildlife and vegetation, as well as an increase in wildfire risk. If you are considering a fireworks show or are aware of one in your area, there are important precautions you can take to make your property and surrounding area more resilient to wildfires.
Chemistry and Concern
The blast charge inside a firework ignites the spherical stars (black gunpowder) made from metals, salts, and adhesives (Hoogestraat & Rowe, 2016). The amount of energy released depends on the included elements. Bright colour flashes are produced based on the choice of metal. For example, lithium and strontium create reds, copper for purples and blues, barium for greens, titanium gives silver-white, aluminum appears yellow-white, and iron produces a gold effect (Hoogestraat & Rower, 2016).
Heavy metals like lead and chromium are known for their clear danger to human and environmental health and are thus banned from fireworks in many countries (Hickey, et al, 2020). When a firework explodes, it releases microscopic particulate matter in both solid and liquid form. This is inhalable and falls to land and water where it is a concern for human, animal, and environmental health.
In addition to particulate matter, there are harmful gases released, like sulphur oxide, nitric oxide, and carbon monoxide. There are over 53 chemicals in fireworks in the form of fuels, oxidizers, and binding agents to produce coloration and sound effects (Furin, et al., 2015). Over 15 years, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) air sampling showed significantly higher levels of strontium, barium, and copper the day or two after major holidays, demonstrating the clear health impact of fireworks (Hickey, et al, 2020).
Credit Andy Bruning/Compound Interest 2017 - www.compoundchem.com | Twitter: @compoundchem | FB: www.facebook.com/compoundchem
Beyond the heavy metals, toxic gases, and other polluting elements of fireworks are perchlorates (ClO4-). Perchlorate is a component in fireworks, rocket fuels, and some explosives, and despite being present in some geological formations, primarily are found moving through the environment due to human-made sources (Hoogestraat & Rowe, 2016). Perchlorate salts are found in many water supplies, especially near areas of rocket fuel use and creation, and to a lesser degree fireworks-related activity (Hoogestraat & Rowe, 2016).
Perchlorate increases the spread of firework displays (explosion height, flash and light effect, etc.), transforming into chlorate and chlorine upon explosion, where the free chlorine combines with the present metals to produce the expansive colours (Mohan, 2019). While the components of fireworks often fall to land and enter the soil, there is a reasonable chance of it reaching water bodies through the soil as most of the metals and perchlorate have a strong resistance to breaking down into ecologically manageable forms (Furin, et al., 2015).
Fireworks production also creates perchlorates, as often found in groundwater, tap water, surface water, and bottled water in areas with high fireworks production (Mohan, 2019). Perchlorate is of concern as it interferes with thyroid function by inhibiting the thyroid glands' uptake of iodide and overall hormone production, something that is critical for human functioning (Mohan, 2019).
Water Implications
At Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota, USA, water samples from surface and groundwater from several locations with proximity to, downstream of, and from drinking water wells around the site for Fourth of July fireworks were collected (Hoogestraat & Rowe, 2016). Collected samples near Mount Rushmore were approximately one magnitude higher than the park boundary reference points for both perchlorate and 22 of the 25 sampled metal types (Hoogestraat & Rowe, 2016).
With multiple reference points for groundwater, surface water, and aquifers, there was a clear correlation to proximity with the firework site, with the highest levels in nearby soil (Hoogestraat & Rower, 2016). A primary point of concern was the perchlorate levels of the drainage basin that feeds drinking water wells, which were above the EPA Drinking Water Health Advisory levels of 15 µg/L with a range of 0.2-38 µg/L in groundwater, 2.2-54 µg/L in surface water and even significant levels in drinking water wells with 0.61-19 µg/L (Hoogestraat & Rower, 2016).
Groundwater testing in Long Island, New York showed tens of µg/L perchlorate within 100m of fireworks sites and is of particular concern with slower dispersal compared to open water bodies and as a drinking water source (Mohan, 2019). Another example is Canada Day fireworks in Hamilton Harbour, Ontario which remained at maximum perchlorate levels for the following four days and became undetectable a week later (Wilkin, et al, 2007). Similar studies on perchlorate degradation in water showed 20-80 days for undetectable levels and as long as 90 days in one example (Wilkin, et al, 2007). The negative impacts extend well beyond humans and can have a drastic influence on animal health, behaviour, and habitat.
Fireworks on a shoreline (Photo: Pexels)
Wildlife Impacts
While the Mount Rushmore study presents contamination levels of concern in waterways from large firework displays, the relative scale of fireworks to water body size needs consideration as a small-scale show has the potential for pronounced impacts on water quality and wildlife habitat. Noise and light are the most often considered distress effects on animals, a fact well-known by pet owners (Bateman et al., 2023). The consequences to wildlife are likely under-realized as impacts on young offspring increase with a stress hormone response and influence the behaviour and location of birds, mammals, and other animals (Bateman et al., 2023).
Perchlorate is also very water-soluble but has a kinetically stable ion which is not reactive and is resistant to adsorption in solution, resulting in plant uptake (Furin et al., 2015). These factors make it a concern for aquatic organisms exposed through their food sources in the water they inhabit (Bateman et al., 2023). Perchlorate can negatively alter thyroid function in fish at concentrations as low as 100 µg/L and over exposure times of 30 days (Wilkin et al., 2007). Fish in contaminated areas can accumulate several thousand parts per billion (ppb) of perchlorate in their head and hundreds of ppb in their fillets (Wilkin et al., 2007).
A gap remains between tracking the other sources of perchlorate and determining the long-term impact on water from fireworks. Thankfully, there are new options for replacing fireworks with drone shows (Bateman, et al., 2023), or the perchlorates with nitrogen-rich salts to reduce polluting effects (Mohan, 2019). While there is still cause for concern with the noise and light effects (Bateman, et al., 2023), and a lack of research on firework impacts to water, there are clear changes we can make to improve the situation for humans, animals, and the freshwater we all depend on (Mohan, 2019).
References
Bateman, P. W., Gilson, L. N., & Bradshaw, P. (2023). Not just a flash in the pan: short and long term impacts of fireworks on the environment. Pacific Conservation Biology. https://doi.org/10.1071/pc22040
Furin, C. G., von Hippel, F. A., Postlethwait, J. H., Buck, C. L., Cresko, W. A., & O’Hara, T. M. (2015). Developmental timing of sodium perchlorate exposure alters angiogenesis, thyroid follicle proliferation and sexual maturation in Stickleback. General and Comparative Endocrinology, 219, 24–35. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ygcen.2015.04.002
Hickey, C., Gordon, C., Galdanes, K., Blaustein, M., Horton, L., Chillrud, S., Ross, J., Yinon, L., Chen, L. C., & Gordon, T. (2020). Toxicity of particles emitted by fireworks. Particle and Fibre Toxicology, 17(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12989-020-00360-4
Hoogestraat, G.K., and Rowe, B.L., 2016, Perchlorate and selected metals in water and soil within Mount Rushmore National Memorial, South Dakota, 2011–15: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2016–5030, 29 p., http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sir20165030
Mohan, M. (2019). Perchlorate contamination of drinking water resources in Kerala (pp. 121–154). Kottayam, Kerela: Mahatma Gandhi University.
Wilkin, R. T., Fine, D. D., & Burnett, N. G. (2007). Perchlorate behavior in a municipal lake following fireworks displays. Environmental Science & Technology, 41(11), 3966–3971. https://doi.org/10.1021/es0700698
Watersheds Canada website: https://watersheds.ca/
Watersheds Canada blog: https://watersheds.ca/blog/
Watersheds Canada contact: https://watersheds.ca/contact/
October-November Astronomy
📝 Steve Burr
Naked Eye Astronomy - October 2024
The Moon
At the beginning of the month, we started off with a new moon on the 2nd of October followed by the first quarter on the 10th of October. The full Hunter’s moon arrives on the 17th of October and according to the Farmer’s Almanac, it is the full moon which indicated the hunting period in response to the approaching cold weather. The farmer’s fields had been harvested leaving open fields to see deer more easily. The last quarter moon appears on the 24th of the month with the moon passing Spica (brightest star in Virgo) within half of a degree.
Milky Way (Photo: Steve Burr)
Zodiacal Light
During the first two weeks of October, Zodiacal light should be visible in the East before the morning twilight. It will appear to be a cone of light above the Eastern horizon originating from sunlight reflecting off dust grains that orbit the sun in the inner solar system. Zodiacal light will appear closest to the Equinoxes as Earth is at an extreme angle to the ecliptic from which light from the Sun passes.
The Planets
Venus is starting to distance itself from the sun and can be seen low in the Western sky just after sunset. On Saturday the 5th of October, Venus could be seen within 3° above the moon as the sun sets. Mars is now becoming visible in the evening sky rising just prior to midnight. By the end of the month Mars will rise an hour earlier, be noticeably brightening and pass from Gemini to Cancer. Jupiter remains in Taurus as it reaches its stationary point prior to its retrograde westward. At the beginning of the month, Jupiter rose after 10 pm and by the end of the month, just after 8 pm. This is the time to view Jupiter with your binoculars or telescope. Saturn is now visible throughout the evening and will remain in Aquarius for the entire month. On the 14th of October, Saturn was within 0.1° of the waxing gibbous Moon just after sunset.
Venus (Photo: David Billo)
Meteor Showers
The Draconid Meteor Shower. Peaked on the 7th to the 8th of October, this meteor shower is less dramatic than other meteor showers. Luckily though, there was no moon visible to distract from this event. A look towards the constellation of Draco in the early morning hours of October 8 was the time for best viewing. The Draconid Meteor shower is thought to originate from dust debris left by comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner.
Orionids Meteor Shower. This celestial event peaks on the 20th to 22nd of October. Unfortunately, we have a waning gibbous moon which will distract from our viewing. It is best seen in the early morning hours of the 21st. The Orionid meteor originates from debris left over by Comet Halley and can be seen radiating from the constellation of Orion.
Comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas
This ball of dust and ice was discovered by the Tsuchinshan Chinese Observatory in January 2023 and independently verified by the Asteroid Terrestrial impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) in February of 2023. Hopefully, this comet will become bright enough for us to see it with the naked eye. For those of us in the Quinte area, the best chance of seeing this comet was just after sunset around the 12th of October. At this time, the comet was closest to earth and was close to the Western horizon just after sunset in the constellation of Virgo.
Comet Lovejoy (Photo: David Bill)
Naked Eye Astronomy – November 2024
The Moon
We start the Month off with a new moon on the 1st of November followed by the first quarter on the 9th of November. The full moon, known as the Beaver Moon, arrives on the 15th of the month. The name according to the Farmers Almanac has been attributed to the time of year that beavers take to their shelters stocking up with winter supplies, and it is also the time for the trappers to set their traps. On the 23rd of the month, the last quarter moon appears followed by an occultation of Spica, the brightest star in the constellation of Virgo, on the 27th just prior to sunrise in the Southeast.
The Planets
Venus is still low in the Southwest just after sunset and is only visible for a couple of hours. On the 5th of November, Venus is within 3° of the waxing crescent Moon. Mars is an evening object growing in size and brightness as it approaches earth. It can be found rising in the Southeast around 11 pm at the beginning of month, and 9:30 pm by the end of the month. On the 20th of November we can see Mars closing in on the wanning gibbous moon to within 2°. Jupiter now in retrograde, rises soon after sunset and dominates the night sky. Look for this planet in the constellation of Taurus. Saturn is also in retrograde and slows its motion reaching its stationary point of the 16th. From here it reverses its course to move eastward in Aquarius and remains visible throughout the evening.
Saturn (Photo: Steven Burr)
Leonids Meteor Shower
This meteor shower, radiating from the constellation of Leo, reaches its peak on the 16th and the 17th of November and is best seen in the early morning hours of the 17th. Unfortunately, we have a wanning gibbous moon brightening the night sky and distracting from the shower.
The origins of the Leonids can be traced back to debris left by Comet Tempel-Tuttle.
So don’t forget to turn your clocks back an hour on Sunday the 3rd of November!
To Autumn
📝 John Keats1
I
Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun ;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eaves run
To bend with apples the moss'd cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core ;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel ; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease,
For Summer has o'er-brimm'd their clammy cells.
II
Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store?
Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find
Thee sitting careless on a granary floor,
Thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind
Or on a half-reap'd furrow sound asleep,
Drowsed with the fume of poppies, while thy hook
Spares the next swath and all its twined flowers
And sometimes like a gleaner thou dost keep
Steady thy laden head across a brook
Or by a cider-press, with patient look.
Thou watchest the last oozings, hours by hours.
III
Where are the songs of Spring? Ay, where are they?
Think not of them, thou hast thy music too, —
While barred clouds bloom the soft-dying day.
And touch the stubble-plains with rosy hue;
Then in a wailful choir the small gnats mourn
Among the river-sallows, borne aloft
Or sinking as the light wind lives or dies
And full-grown lambs loud bleat from hilly bourn;
Hedge-crickets sing; and now with treble soft
The redbreast whistles from a garden-croft,
And gathering swallows twitter in the skies.
1 - Keats, John. 1900. To Autumn in “The Complete Poetical Works of John Keats”. Pp. 377-378.
Houghton Mifflin and Company, New York, NY, USA.
https://dn720208.ca.archive.org/0/items/completepoetical01keat/completepoetical01keat.pdf . Accessed 20240917Tues.
Kid’s Korner
📝 Cheryl Chapman
Photo Gallery
Ostrander Pt. Tree closeup (Photo: Suzanne Pasternak)
Ostrander Pt. Tree distant (Photo: Suzanne Pasternak)
People on the South Shore beach near the Ostrander Point Tree (Photo: Cheryl Anderson)
Editor's Note
This is the 26th edition of The South Shoreliner. The editor would like to thank the following for contributing to this 26th edition of The South Shoreliner: Cheryl Anderson, Bert Jenkins, Catherine Judge, Nathaniel Sneyd-Dewar, John F. Foster, Steve Burr, John Keats, Cheryl Chapman. Contributions make the newsletter readable and interesting. For the next and upcoming newsletters, contributions of articles, photos and events are always welcome.
-- John F. Foster, The South Shoreliner Editor
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About South Shore Joint Initiative
South Shore Joint Initiative partners include the following:
- Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory (PEPtBO)
- Prince Edward County Field Naturalists (PECFN)
- Alliance to Protect Prince Edward County (APPEC)
- Hastings Prince Edward Land Trust (HPELT)
- Birds Canada (BC)
- Quinte Field Naturalists (QFN)
- Kingston Field Naturalists (KFN)
- Nature Canada (NC)
- Ontario Nature (ON)
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