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--_13b62074-b9e6-4161-af0f-85d7de88de58_
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An article to the editor of the Lunenburg Progress Enterprise/Bridgewater B=
ulletin does not make the Coast Guard very popular. This appears in the ed=
ition of Tues. Aug. 11=2C 2009 p. A17 I will quote it.
=20
"Coast Guard Contributes to lack of tern population
=20
I am writing in regards to the article in the July 28 issue concerning the =
"lack of roseate terns" in the area. =20
=20
We operate the boat tour in Mahone Bay and were able to witness a surprisin=
g event this past July. We took pictures to be sure we weren't seeing thin=
gs. The event we witnessed was a Canadian Coast Guard helicopter landing o=
n our tiny=2C protected=2C Westhaver Island in Mahone Bay.
=20
The government=2C through Environment Canada=2C has posted signs to keep aw=
ay from designated islands from spring until late summer to protect endange=
red birds and their nesting sites. Students are also hired to study and hl=
ep protect these nesting sites.
=20
However=2C in one quick swoop=2C another government agency comes along and =
wipes out all this good work. The sky was dark with birds and feathers as =
we cruised past Westhaver Island that fateful day. I am no expert=2C but t=
he wash from those helicopter blades=2C in my opinion=2C would do irreparab=
le damageto those nesting birds and their young. Ihave talked to a summer =
resident who lives near the island and the helicopter has been seen at West=
haver Island in previous years.
=20
Could the coast guard have used a more unobtrusive form of transportation t=
o access the island? Of course they could have. Better yet=2C visit the i=
sland after the nesting season.
=20
Could this be the reason there is a "lack of terns" in the area? I will be=
contacting the coast guard to ask them these questions and more. I invite=
any concerned citizens to do the same.
=20
Let's hope our government agencies will work together in the future.=20
=20
Gretchen and Chris Banfield=2C Upper LaHave"
=20
There were 160 tern nests on the island=2C which included both common and a=
rctic terns. I myself have noticed a vast drop in the numbers of terns in =
the area over the past three years. Especially roseate. It has been two y=
ears now since I have seen one of those terns here in this area and normall=
y they were easy to see. Apparently last year there were six tern colonies=
off of Mahone Bay. This year only two were recorded. Anyhow=2C I though=
t a lot of you out there would be interested in this.
_________________________________________________________________
Send and receive email from all of your webmail accounts.
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=3D9671356=
--_13b62074-b9e6-4161-af0f-85d7de88de58_
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An article to the editor of the Lunenburg Progress Enterprise/Bridgewater B=
ulletin does not make the Coast Guard very popular. =3B This appears in=
the edition of Tues. Aug. 11=2C 2009 p. A17 =3B I will quote it.<BR>
 =3B<BR>
"Coast Guard Contributes to lack of tern population<BR>
 =3B<BR>
I am writing in regards to the article in the July 28 issue concerning the =
"lack of roseate terns" in the area. =3B <BR>
 =3B<BR>
We operate the boat tour in Mahone Bay and were able to witness a surprisin=
g event this past July. =3B We took pictures to be sure we weren't seei=
ng things. =3B The event we witnessed was a Canadian Coast Guard helico=
pter landing on our tiny=2C protected=2C Westhaver Island in Mahone Bay.<BR=
>
 =3B<BR>
The government=2C through Environment Canada=2C has posted signs to keep aw=
ay from designated islands from spring until late summer to protect endange=
red birds and their nesting sites. =3B Students are also hired to study=
and hlep protect these nesting sites.<BR>
 =3B<BR>
However=2C in one quick swoop=2C another government agency comes along and =
wipes out all this good work. =3B The sky was dark with birds and feath=
ers as we cruised past Westhaver Island that fateful day. =3B I am no e=
xpert=2C but the wash from those helicopter blades=2C in my opinion=2C woul=
d do irreparable damageto those nesting birds and their young. =3B Ihav=
e talked to a summer resident who lives near the island and the helicopter =
has been seen at Westhaver Island in previous years.<BR>
 =3B<BR>
Could the coast guard have used a more unobtrusive form of transportation t=
o access the island? =3B Of course they could have. =3B Better yet=
=2C visit the island after the nesting season.<BR>
 =3B<BR>
Could this be the reason there is a "lack of terns" in the area? =3B I =
will be contacting the coast guard to ask them these questions and more.&nb=
sp=3B I invite any concerned citizens to do the same.<BR>
 =3B<BR>
Let's hope our government agencies will work together in the future. <BR>
 =3B<BR>
Gretchen and Chris Banfield=2C Upper LaHave"<BR>
 =3B<BR>
There were 160 tern nests on the island=2C which included both common and a=
rctic terns. =3B I myself have noticed a vast drop in the numbers of te=
rns in the area over the past three years. =3B Especially roseate. =
=3B It has been two years now since I have seen one of those terns here in =
this area and normally they were easy to see. =3B Apparently last year =
there were six tern colonies off of Mahone Bay. =3B This year only two =
were recorded. =3B =3B Anyhow=2C I thought a lot of you out there w=
ould be interested in this.<BR><br /><hr />Send and receive email from all =
of your webmail accounts - right from <a href=3D'http://go.microsoft.com/?l=
inkid=3D9671351' target=3D'_new'>your Hotmail inbox!</a></body>
</html>=
--_13b62074-b9e6-4161-af0f-85d7de88de58_--
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