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This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_000B_01CC5538.5B7E38B0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Today, at dead high tide, I had a chance to re-visit some of the = Wrights Cove islands. First, I landed on tiny Bills Island, too late in = the season to check on the status of Dartmouth's urban Common Tern = colony there. I saw no birds whatsoever on or near the little island, = and, in fact, noted only a small flock of 3 - 4 unidentified terns on = the wing in the distance.=20 The top of the gravel portion of the islet, where the terns normally = nest, was only two feet above water. In the last year or two there have = been huge changes to the neighbouring mainland, only maybe 30 m away. = The area had been bulldozed in preparation for the construction of a = large apartment building, and much of the nearby shoreline filled in = with rocks. It looks like the construction project is on hold right now, = and the site now sports the temporary Wrights Cove Waterfront Recreation = Trail.=20 Next, I landed on the northern portion of Navy Island, owned by the = federal government and leased to the Dartmouth Yacht Club. The club had = plans to turn this portion of the island, separated at high tide from = the wilder southern portion, into a park. It had been brushed out many = years ago, but it looks like the club has abandoned its plans. But it's = still fairly easy to walk through the White Spruce-dominated forest. But = what are the majestic English Oaks doing on the island? And how did the = extensive colonies of Heather get started there?=20 I only paddled by the thick vegetation of the southern half of Navy = Island, and around privately-owned Sheppards Island. The latter = apparently hosted several cottages some decades ago, but it, too, has = reverted back into forest. I was impressed by the size of some of the = Red Oak trees there.=20 All the islands can be easily viewed from the barren and temporarily = abandoned construction site, off Windmill Road across from the Sleeman = brewery, and next to the Dartmouth Yacht Club. It is possible to launch = a canoe or a kayak near the temporary trail parking lot... Dusan Soudek ------=_NextPart_000_000B_01CC5538.5B7E38B0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META content=3D"text/html; charset=3Diso-8859-1" = http-equiv=3DContent-Type> <META name=3DGENERATOR content=3D"MSHTML 8.00.6001.19088"> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV><FONT size=3D4> Today, at dead high tide, I had a = chance to=20 re-visit some of the Wrights Cove islands. First, I landed on tiny = Bills=20 Island, too late in the season to check on the status = of Dartmouth's=20 urban Common Tern colony there. I saw no birds whatsoever on or = near the=20 little island, and, in fact, noted only a small flock of 3 - 4 = unidentified=20 terns on the wing in the distance. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3D4> The top of the gravel portion of the = islet, where=20 the terns normally nest, was only two feet above water. In the last year = or two=20 there have been huge changes to the neighbouring mainland, only maybe 30 = m away.=20 The area had been bulldozed in preparation for the construction of a = large=20 apartment building, and much of the nearby shoreline filled in = with rocks.=20 It looks like the construction project is on hold right now, and the = site now=20 sports the temporary Wrights Cove Waterfront Recreation=20 Trail. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3D4> Next, I landed on the northern portion = of Navy=20 Island, owned by the federal government and leased to the Dartmouth = Yacht Club.=20 The club had plans to turn this portion of the island, separated at high = tide=20 from the wilder southern portion, into a park. It had been brushed out = many=20 years ago, but it looks like the club has abandoned its plans. But it's = still=20 fairly easy to walk through the White Spruce-dominated forest. But what = are the=20 majestic English Oaks doing on the island? And how did the = extensive=20 colonies of Heather get started there? </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3D4> I only paddled by the thick vegetation = of the=20 southern half of Navy Island, and around privately-owned Sheppards = Island. The=20 latter apparently hosted several cottages some decades ago, but it, too, = has=20 reverted back into forest. I was impressed by the size of some of=20 the Red Oak trees there. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3D4> All the islands can be easily viewed = from the=20 barren and temporarily abandoned construction site, off Windmill = Road=20 across from the Sleeman brewery, and next to the Dartmouth Yacht Club. = It is=20 possible to launch a canoe or a kayak near the temporary trail parking=20 lot...</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3D4> Dusan=20 Soudek </FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_000B_01CC5538.5B7E38B0--
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