In the wee hours of Tuesday morning, the gibbous moon appears near the distant ringed-planet Saturn. The two are in the zodiacal constellation Virgo and rise after midnight. For those who haven’t seen Saturn, the moon acts as a perfect guide. Saturn is 892 million miles away, while the moon is much closer at 232,000 miles.

Temperature: Precip.

Day Max. Min. Inches.

Fº Fº

Jan. 14 32 19 Trace

Jan. 15 28 14 .00

Jan. 16 39 21 .04

Jan. 17 35 19 .00

Jan. 18 38 20 Trace

Jan. 19 42 35 .81

Jan. 20 43 29 .00

Water temperature in Edgartown harbor: 41º F.

Felix Neck’s summer day camp encourages kids actively to investigate their surroundings, make their own discoveries, appreciate nature and have fun. Campers hike the 350-acre sanctuary’s trails, net at the ponds, monitor wildlife, play games, sing songs and much more. Sessions run from June 20 to Sept. 2.

For details, go online to massaudubon.org/felixneck, e-mail [email protected] or call 508-627-4850. Camp registration is first come, first served and is accepted by phone, fax or mail.

The Polly Hill Arboretum will host a guided garden tour of the Delaware Valley May 16 to 19. This region encompasses both Philadelphia, Pa., and Wilmington, Del., with wonderful arboreta, historic landscapes and public gardens that combine history, garden design and up-to-the-minute horticulture.

It was warm and foggy all day, but the 51st annual Christmas Bird Count held on Jan. 2 was a great success. There were 77 observers — 48 in the field divided into 11 teams, each covering a different part of the Island, and 29 more at home watching their bird feeders.

Petrified as it was, scared would not be the best way to describe it.

Shiny, smooth and colorful would do for the piece of petrified wood that was dredged up by an Island scalloper recently. And fascinating, too, would be another appropriate adjective to add after this sizable chunk of weathered wood was uncovered and its history unraveled.