Re: [NatureNS] Some Odes from HRM and Some Other thoughts

From: <d.bridgehouse@ns.sympatico.ca>
To: <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Date: Tue, 19 Sep 2006 10:59:48 -0400
Precedence: bulk
Return-Path: <naturens-mml-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>
Original-Recipient: rfc822;"| (cd /csuite/info/Environment/FNSN/MList; /csuite/lib/arch2html)"

next message in archive
next message in thread
previous message in archive
previous message in thread
Index of Subjects

Index of Subjects
Hi Bob - where is Belchers Marsh Park ? Is it in HRM ? 

Thanks ,DB
> 
> From: Bob McDonald <bobathome@hfx.eastlink.ca>
> Date: 2006/09/19 Tue AM 09:14:31 EST
> To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
> Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Some Odes from HRM and Some Other thoughts
> 
> Hi Folks,
> 
> Just a add a couple of recent sightings, at Belchers Marsh Park on Sunday, 
> meadowhawks continue to be abundant and a few darners were patroling.  A 
> Mottled Darner and a Spotted Spreadwing were two new odes for my "life list" 
> (as if I had one!).To identify both, I had to net them and compare thoracic 
> stripes (in the case of the darner) or male terminal appendages with a hand 
> lens (in the case of the spreadwing) to the illustrations in my 
> Massachusetts field guide.
> 
> Many environmentalists express great concern about the destruction of 
> natural habitat and the contamination of ponds and wetland areas caused by 
> the construction and maintenance of golf courses.  Well, I have played golf 
> (poorly) for nearly 50 years now and I did play at Granite Springs 
> yesterday.  It is a tough course (!) at least in part due to the number of 
> ponds, wetlands, bogs and marshy areas which are present (and which act as a 
> magnet for golf balls!).
> 
> These have been left in a more or less natural state but they are often 
> surrounded by groomed, mowed fairway. During our 5-hour round, I have never 
> seen so many odonates in my life - every wet area had a few darners, 
> meadowhawks were everywhere including mating in the :wheel" position on the 
> greens and fairways and a few damsels were present as well.  Now I was under 
> the impression that odonates have been used as a sort of natural litmus as 
> to the health of the aquatic environment, i.e., if there are lots of odes 
> around then the water quality is good.  If that were the case, then the 
> Granite Springs ponds and wetlands are in fantastic shape, but how can that 
> be.  Many courses use loads of fertilizers, possibly herbicides, to keep up 
> the appearance and uniformity of the fairways and greens.  However, some 
> courses have adopted a more environmentally-sensitive program introduced by 
> the Audubon Society in which use of these materials is eliminated or 
> drastically reduced.  Perhaps, GS has adopted this program.  I'll try to 
> find out.  Anyone have any comments or further observations on the impact of 
> golf courses on the environment?
> 
> Next time, I "play" Granite Springs, I may leave my clubs at home and just 
> carry my binocs, net and field guide!!
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Bob McDonald
> Halifax
> (25 handicap)
> 

next message in archive
next message in thread
previous message in archive
previous message in thread
Index of Subjects