[NatureNS] Halifax Harbour, Western Approaches

Date: Sat, 27 Feb 2010 22:42:00 -0400
To: NatureNS <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
From: "P.L. Chalmers" <plchalmers@ns.sympatico.ca>
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Original-Recipient: rfc822;"| (cd /csuite/info/Environment/FNSN/MList; /csuite/lib/arch2html)"

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         I expect those who are keener than I am were out on the 
Atlantic headlands at first light to see what the strong easterly 
winds brought in.  Probably they saw more than I did this 
afternoon.  After errands and lunch, I headed out along the western 
approaches of Halifax Harbour, hoping to see a few birds.  Overcast 
skies quickly gave way to advancing fog as I got closer to the open 
ocean. The surf at the Herring Cove Look-off was spectacular, but 
only a small raft of Common Eiders was visible, riding the swell.  At 
Ketch Harbour, Sambro Head, and Sambro Harbour, there were good 
numbers of Common Loons, but I saw only one alcid (a Common 
Guillemot) and no grebes at all.  The most interesting gulls were at 
Sambro Harbour, where there was a small flock of Icelands in various 
plumages, and one Glaucous Gull.  There were few ducks around, apart 
from the eiders; at Indian Harbour there were 14+ Common Goldeneye, 
and there were one or two Red-breasted Mergansers in several 
places.  Land birds of all kinds were scarce.

         While walking on the Sambro wharf,  I chatted with a man who 
told me that he saw a Belted Kingfisher a couple of days ago on the 
wires across from Basinview Drive and the former Dock and Dory 
Restaurant (i.e. near the wetland just before the big bridge into 
Sambro).   He commented on the number of Black Ducks that hang around 
the harbour; he said that they never used to appear there when he was 
young, and attributed their present numbers, and their tameness, to 
the decline of duck hunting in the area.

         Just as I arrived at Sandy Cove, a man came back from a 
beach walk and showed me two chunks of amethyst, banded with white 
quartz, which he had picked up along the shore.  He was surprised, as 
I was, to find them there.  I know that amethyst can occur with white 
quartz, as well with agate as one usually finds it along the Fundy 
coast, but I haven't heard of anyone collecting amethyst along the 
Atlantic side of the province.  He was a rockhound and usually went 
to Ross Creek or below Blomidon to look for it, but was pleased with 
these two lovely specimens.

         It was disappointing not to be able to go up to Chebucto 
Head.  There are two signs on the gate; one a "No Trespassing" sign, 
and another which reads in part "RF Radiation Exposure Area and risk 
of electric shock".  What does this mean, really?  RF radiation 
transmitting antennas are ubiquitous these days, and many of us work 
near them.  I know that there are legitimate safety concerns, but why 
would casual visitors to a remote site be particularly at 
risk?  Maybe I'm just skeptical because Dominique Gusset had earlier 
advised us of other reasons for DFO's decision to block public access 
to this popular destination.

         Cheers,

         Patricia L. Chalmers
         Halifax


_______________________________________
Subject: [NS-RBA] Chebucto Head gate Info
From: dcgusset
Date: Sat, Jan 23, 2010, 10:32 AM

For those who like to drive up to the Chebucto Head Lighthouse, I'm 
sorry to inform you that the access gate on the road will soon be closed.

DFO has decided to end an arrangement they had with the community, 
where they paid the Chebucto Head Lighthouse Society a small fee to 
provide daily opening and closing of the gate. Besides the usual 
"lack of funds" and security/liability issues, they have said it is 
not part of their mandate to provide public access to their installations.

Unfortunately there are not many other places in HRM, which are so 
easily accessible to an open ocean view !

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