[NatureNS] Breeding Bird Atlas and LaHave Islands Square

From: James Hirtle <jrhbirder@hotmail.com>
To: Naturens Naturens <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Date: Mon, 23 Jun 2008 01:39:40 +0000
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I was disappointed in that many people who had planned to help out with the=
 sqaure bash for the Cape LaHave and Moshers Island could not attend.  As a=
 result with only two people, Myself and Dorothy Poole, I decided to tackle=
 one island only.  I chose Moshers.  We did well, until we left the wooded =
area of the island.  I probably should have stuck to the trails on the isla=
nd and easy going, but wanted to see if there was any breeding evidence out=
 along the shoreline.  You might say that I forgot how big the island was a=
nd how long a hike it was around the outer end of it.  Great scenery mind y=
ou, but a hard slug even for myself and I can only imagine how Dorothy must=
 feel today.  After the eighth point of land and that the lighthouse was ju=
st around the bend, she was beginning to think that the lighthouse did not =
exist.  It was time lost and we added no new information, but it had to be =
done.  Had more people participated I could have broken the area into teams=
 for better coverage and less slogging.  When all is said and done we were =
able to upgrade five more species as confirmed breeding in the square and t=
o add a lot of species at lesser grades.  We had two pairs of winter wrens =
that were tantalizing and would not provide a view and also three Swainsons=
 thrushes that were unco-operative.  Discovery of another blackpoll warbler=
 singing on the island was interesting and I also had three separate males =
on West Ironbound island a week before within the square.  The best sightin=
g for both Dorothy and myself was a juvenile gray jay with an adult.  This =
is the first juvenile of this species that either Dorothy or myself have ob=
served. =20
=20
This square is mostly made up of Islands.  It only has five point counts wh=
ich I've completed and is comprised of Belle Island, Bush Island, Covey Isl=
and, Hirtle Island, Moshers Island, West Ironbound Island, Foggy Island, Ca=
pe LaHave Island and a few others inbetween.  I have not been on four of th=
e islands yet, nor Cape LaHave, but hopefully can cover some of the others =
by the end of the atlas period.  So what do I have to show for the little b=
it of the mainland, two visits to West Ironbound and a visit to Moshers Isl=
and you might ask?  Well a lot compared to the last atlas where only three =
species had been reported for the total square.  I have 22 possible, 11 pro=
bable, and 12 confirmed totally 45 species.  There is actually 46 species, =
with 13 confirmed as I have to send in osprey, which I am told nested last =
year on the island and there is an active nest also there this year.  I did=
 not actually see the nest, but a local fisherman has and we did see one of=
 the osprey pair on the way out and back in near vacinty of the nest.  I al=
so suspect Leaches Storm Petrel on West Ironbound, but did not dare stick m=
y hand in the holes where I think a few are.  It is by a foundation and if =
I am wrong and some other critter is using the holes, well you can figure i=
t out.  Traditionally some terns have breed on one of the rocky islands, bu=
t I was only able to spot two arctic terns as we went by in the boat last w=
eek and I have not been past the rocky island since to confirm whether the =
terns are nesting there or not this year.  Also, I shall have to contact DN=
R to find out what the status of their census was for the piping plover as =
they have traditionally nested on one of the islands within the square.  Th=
erefore, there are potentially three other species which I have not put in =
as there is no evidence of breeding at this point.  I will have to see abou=
t the piping plover if they were recorded in the past three years as I beli=
eve that they were if I cannot get confirmation within the next two.
=20
James R. Hirtle
East LaHave
_________________________________________________________________


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I was disappointed in that many people who had planned to help out with the=
 sqaure bash for the Cape LaHave and Moshers Island could not attend.&nbsp;=
 As a result with only two people, Myself and Dorothy Poole, I decided to t=
ackle one island only.&nbsp; I chose Moshers.&nbsp; We did well, until we l=
eft the wooded area of the island.&nbsp; I probably should have stuck to th=
e trails on the island and easy going, but wanted to see if there was any b=
reeding evidence out along the shoreline.&nbsp; You might say that I forgot=
 how big the island was and how long a hike it was around the outer end of =
it.&nbsp; Great scenery mind you, but a hard slug even for myself and I can=
 only imagine how Dorothy must feel today.&nbsp; After the eighth point of =
land and that the lighthouse was just around the bend, she was beginning to=
 think that the lighthouse did not exist.&nbsp; It was time lost and we add=
ed no new information, but it had to be done.&nbsp; Had more people&nbsp;pa=
rticipated I could have broken the area into teams for better coverage and =
less&nbsp;slogging.&nbsp; When all is said and done we were able to upgrade=
 five more species as confirmed breeding in the square and to add a lot of =
species at lesser grades.&nbsp; We had two pairs of winter wrens that were =
tantalizing and would not provide a view and also three Swainsons thrushes =
that were unco-operative.&nbsp; Discovery of another blackpoll warbler sing=
ing on the island was interesting and I also had three separate males on We=
st Ironbound island a week before within the square.&nbsp; The best sightin=
g for both Dorothy and myself was a juvenile gray jay with an adult.&nbsp; =
This is the first juvenile of this species that either Dorothy or myself ha=
ve observed.&nbsp; <BR>
&nbsp;<BR>
This square is mostly made up of Islands.&nbsp; It only has five point coun=
ts which I've completed and is comprised of Belle Island, Bush Island, Cove=
y Island, Hirtle Island, Moshers Island, West Ironbound Island, Foggy Islan=
d, Cape LaHave Island and a few others inbetween.&nbsp; I have not been on =
four of the islands yet, nor Cape LaHave, but hopefully can cover some of t=
he others by the end of the atlas period.&nbsp; So what do I have to show f=
or the little bit of the mainland, two visits to West Ironbound and a visit=
 to Moshers Island you might ask?&nbsp; Well a lot compared to the last atl=
as where only three species had been reported for the total square.&nbsp; I=
 have 22 possible, 11 probable, and 12 confirmed totally 45 species.&nbsp; =
There is actually 46 species, with 13 confirmed as I have to send in osprey=
, which I am told nested last year on the island and there is an active nes=
t also there this year.&nbsp; I did not actually see the nest, but a local =
fisherman has and we did see one of the osprey pair on the way out and back=
 in&nbsp;near vacinty of the nest.&nbsp; I also suspect Leaches Storm Petre=
l on West Ironbound, but did not dare stick my hand in the holes where I th=
ink a few are.&nbsp; It is by a foundation and if I am wrong and some other=
 critter is using the holes, well you can figure it out.&nbsp; Traditionall=
y some terns have breed on one of the rocky islands, but I was only able to=
 spot two arctic terns as we went by in the boat last week and I have not b=
een past the rocky island since to confirm whether the terns are nesting th=
ere or not this year.&nbsp; Also, I shall have to contact DNR to find out w=
hat the status of their census was for the piping plover as they have tradi=
tionally nested on one of the islands within the square.&nbsp; Therefore, t=
here are potentially three other species which I have not put in as there i=
s no evidence of breeding at this point.&nbsp; I will have to see about the=
 piping plover if they were recorded in the past three years as I believe t=
hat they were if I cannot get confirmation within the next two.<BR>
&nbsp;<BR>
James R. Hirtle<BR>
East LaHave<BR><br /><hr /> </body>
</html>=

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