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--Boundary_(ID_T2q0kLCdPh1rRBBXtHQ5mw)
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That is scandalous! I purposely keep my boat away from the island although it is in my atlas square. Any intruders cause the birds to fly up which allows Great Black-backed Gulls an opportunity to rush in and grab chicks.
A helicopter would have a terrible effect on the colony.
Don
Don MacNeill
donmacneill@eastlink.ca
----- Original Message -----
From: James Hirtle
To: Naturens Naturens
Sent: Friday, August 14, 2009 10:57 PM
Subject: [NatureNS] Canadian Coast Guard - Tern enemy
An article to the editor of the Lunenburg Progress Enterprise/Bridgewater Bulletin does not make the Coast Guard very popular. This appears in the edition of Tues. Aug. 11, 2009 p. A17 I will quote it.
"Coast Guard Contributes to lack of tern population
I am writing in regards to the article in the July 28 issue concerning the "lack of roseate terns" in the area.
We operate the boat tour in Mahone Bay and were able to witness a surprising event this past July. We took pictures to be sure we weren't seeing things. The event we witnessed was a Canadian Coast Guard helicopter landing on our tiny, protected, Westhaver Island in Mahone Bay.
The government, through Environment Canada, has posted signs to keep away from designated islands from spring until late summer to protect endangered birds and their nesting sites. Students are also hired to study and hlep protect these nesting sites.
However, in one quick swoop, 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, but the wash from those helicopter blades, in my opinion, would do irreparable 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 Westhaver Island in previous years.
Could the coast guard have used a more unobtrusive form of transportation to access the island? Of course they could have. Better yet, visit the island after the nesting season.
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.
Let's hope our government agencies will work together in the future.
Gretchen and Chris Banfield, Upper LaHave"
There were 160 tern nests on the island, which included both common and arctic 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 years now since I have seen one of those terns here in this area and normally they were easy to see. Apparently last year there were six tern colonies off of Mahone Bay. This year only two were recorded. Anyhow, I thought a lot of you out there would be interested in this.
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--Boundary_(ID_T2q0kLCdPh1rRBBXtHQ5mw)
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<DIV><FONT face=Arial>That is scandalous! I purposely keep my boat away
from the island although it is in my atlas square. Any intruders cause the
birds to fly up which allows Great Black-backed Gulls an opportunity to rush in
and grab chicks. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>A helicopter would have a terrible effect on the
colony.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Don</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Don MacNeill<BR><A
href="mailto:donmacneill@eastlink.ca">donmacneill@eastlink.ca</A></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message -----
<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A
title=jrhbirder@hotmail.com href="mailto:jrhbirder@hotmail.com">James Hirtle</A>
</DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
href="mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">Naturens Naturens</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Friday, August 14, 2009 10:57 PM</DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> [NatureNS] Canadian Coast Guard - Tern enemy</DIV></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>An article to the editor of the Lunenburg Progress
Enterprise/Bridgewater Bulletin does not make the Coast Guard very
popular. This appears in the edition of Tues. Aug. 11, 2009 p. A17 I
will quote it.<BR> <BR>"Coast Guard Contributes to lack of tern
population<BR> <BR>I am writing in regards to the article in the July 28
issue concerning the "lack of roseate terns" in the area. <BR> <BR>We
operate the boat tour in Mahone Bay and were able to witness a surprising event
this past July. We took pictures to be sure we weren't seeing
things. The event we witnessed was a Canadian Coast Guard helicopter
landing on our tiny, protected, Westhaver Island in Mahone Bay.<BR> <BR>The
government, through Environment Canada, has posted signs to keep away from
designated islands from spring until late summer to protect endangered birds and
their nesting sites. Students are also hired to study and hlep protect
these nesting sites.<BR> <BR>However, in one quick swoop, 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, but the wash from those helicopter blades, in
my opinion, would do irreparable 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 Westhaver Island in previous
years.<BR> <BR>Could the coast guard have used a more unobtrusive form of
transportation to access the island? Of course they could have.
Better yet, visit the island after the nesting sea