[NatureNS] Follow-through

From: "Andrew Steeves" <andrew@gaspereau.com>
To: <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
References: <05922864FA1C8E458FD026D2917A98E803D1EF5F@ATLANTIC-EX2.Atlantic.int.ec.gc.ca>
Date: Wed, 6 May 2009 21:13:39 -0300
Precedence: bulk
Return-Path: <naturens-mml-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>
Original-Recipient: rfc822;"| (cd /csuite/info/Environment/FNSN/MList; /csuite/lib/arch2html)"

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Maritimes Nest Record SchemeAfter an early spring snowfall I was down =
scouting around in the hemlock stand below Noggins farm, Greenwich, when =
I spotted a large cavity about 50 feet off the ground in a white pine. =
I'd actually noticed it before, but on this day I also noticed that the =
snow on a nearby branch had been disturbed. Ever since, whenever I've =
been in Noggins woods I've made a point of checking out that white pine =
to see if anything's going on. Perhaps an owl was using that hole, I =
thought.

Yesterday, I was up early and cycling my serpentine way to work in =
Kentville along the rail line and dyke roads that follow the river, =
birding my way to work. This route is slow, rough work on a bike, but a =
nice change from the traffic of the main road. When I passed through the =
hemlock stand I looked up at this cavity in the white pine out of habit =
and got a surprise. Two masked faces were silently following my wheeled =
progress down the path. Raccoons! It looked to be an mother and at least =
one young. I stopped and sat down on the ground with my binoculars and =
we all watched each other for a while. It was rewarding to see the =
fruits of that original observation all this time later.

Lots of birds on that trip too: song sparrows, chickadees, goldfinches, =
white-throated sparrows, ring-necked pheasants, red-winged blackbirds, =
mallards, a northern flicker, ravens, crows, vocalizing eagles at =
Noggins' nest, red-tailed hawk, mourning doves ... it's quite alive down =
there along the river. I wish the municipalities would tear up the =
rotting railway ties and redeem those paths like they have in Kentville =
and other places. (That or bring back commuter trains .. but that's =
another story.)

Andrew Steeves
Wolfville, NS

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<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>Maritimes Nest Record Scheme</TITLE>
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<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Microsoft Sans Serif" size=3D2>After an&nbsp;early =
spring=20
snowfall I was down scouting around in the hemlock stand below Noggins =
farm,=20
Greenwich, when I spotted a large cavity about 50 feet off the ground in =
a white=20
pine. I'd&nbsp;actually noticed it before,&nbsp;but on this day I also =
noticed=20
that the snow on a nearby branch had been disturbed. Ever since, =
whenever I've=20
been in&nbsp;Noggins woods I've made a point of checking out that white =
pine to=20
see if anything's going on. Perhaps an owl was using that hole, I=20
thought.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Microsoft Sans Serif" size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Microsoft Sans Serif" size=3D2>Yesterday, I was up =
early=20
and&nbsp;cycling my serpentine way&nbsp;to work in&nbsp;Kentville along =
the rail=20
line and dyke roads that follow the river, birding my way to work. This =
route is=20
slow, rough work on a bike, but a nice change from the traffic&nbsp;of =
the main=20
road.&nbsp;When I passed through the hemlock stand I looked up at this =
cavity in=20
the white pine out of habit and got a surprise. Two masked faces=20
were&nbsp;silently following my wheeled progress down the path. =
Raccoons! It=20
looked to be an mother and at least one young. I stopped and sat down on =
the=20
ground with my binoculars and we all watched each other for a while. It =
was=20
rewarding to see the fruits of that original observation all this time=20
later.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Microsoft Sans Serif" size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Microsoft Sans Serif" size=3D2>Lots of birds on that =
trip too:=20
song sparrows, chickadees, goldfinches, white-throated sparrows, =
ring-necked=20
pheasants, red-winged blackbirds, mallards, a northern flicker, ravens, =
crows,=20
vocalizing eagles at Noggins' nest, red-tailed hawk, mourning doves ... =
it's=20
quite alive down there along the river. I wish the municipalities would =
tear up=20
the rotting railway ties and redeem those paths like they have in =
Kentville and=20
other places. (That or bring back commuter trains .. but that's another=20
story.)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Microsoft Sans Serif" size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Microsoft Sans Serif" size=3D2>Andrew =
Steeves</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Microsoft Sans Serif" size=3D2>Wolfville, =
NS</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV></BODY></HTML>

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