[NatureNS] Trail into Jack's Lake

From: Bob McDonald <bobathome@hfx.eastlink.ca>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
References: <20110910194523.ZRGV22212.torspm04.toronto.rmgopenwave.com@maybank.ns.sympatico.ca>
Date: Sat, 10 Sep 2011 18:09:33 -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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Donald MacLaughlin and I walked the water line trail (it's all uphill as well!) accessed just at the exit from highway 102 at Hammonds Plains Rd in HRM yesterday late afternoon.  Our destination was Jack's Lake.  The gated track is wide (at first I thought that it was a logging road) and made for easy walking.  Unfortunately, highway noise was never far away until we reached an intersection where we turned west towards the Lake.  Birds were few although the first bird we saw was a Merlin, apparently feeding on large dragonflies, present in large numbers along the road.  They were unidentified darners, Aeshna sp.  Have others seen Merlins feeding on odonates?

Later, we saw large numbers of American Goldfinch (perhaps 50-60, maybe more) which appeared to be feeding on the seeds of Black Knapweed, the predominant floral species in the area.  We saw the same group on our way out.  We attempted to hike around Jack's Lake but the bridge over a particularly wet spot was unusable.

As Blake implies in his message, goldenrods and asters were prolific.

Goldenrods seen and identified - Downy (Solidago puberula), Canada, Rough-stemmed (S. rugosa), Grey or Old Field, Grass Leaved (Euthamia graminifolia), Silver-rod or White Goldenrod (S. bicolor) and Bog.  All are common around HRM.

The asters I'm still working on but ones I'm sure of are Calico, New York, Purple-stemmed, Tall White, Whorled Wood and Bog.

I can send a GPS track to anyone who could handle the software (I use Map Source).

Cheers,
Bob McDonald
Halifax

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<DIV><FONT size=2>Donald MacLaughlin and I walked the water line trail (it's all 
uphill as well!) accessed just at the exit from highway 102 at Hammonds Plains 
Rd in HRM yesterday late afternoon.&nbsp; Our destination was Jack's Lake.&nbsp; 
The gated track is wide (at first I thought that it was a logging road) and made 
for easy walking.&nbsp; Unfortunately, highway noise was never far away until we 
reached an intersection where we turned west towards the Lake.&nbsp; Birds were 
few although the first bird we saw was a Merlin, apparently feeding on large 
dragonflies, present in large numbers along the road.&nbsp; They were 
unidentified darners, <EM>Aeshna</EM> sp.&nbsp; Have others seen Merlins feeding 
on odonates?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Later, we saw large numbers of American Goldfinch (perhaps 
50-60, maybe more) which appeared to be feeding on the seeds of Black Knapweed, 
the predominant floral species in the area.&nbsp; We saw the same group on our 
way out.&nbsp; We attempted to hike around Jack's Lake but the bridge over a 
particularly wet spot was unusable.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>As Blake&nbsp;implies in his message, goldenrods and asters 
were prolific.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Goldenrods seen and identified - Downy (<EM>Solidago 
puberula</EM>), Canada, Rough-stemmed (<EM>S. rugosa</EM>), Grey or Old Field, 
Grass Leaved (<EM>Euthamia graminifolia</EM>), Silver-rod or White Goldenrod 
(<EM>S. bicolor</EM>) and Bog.&nbsp; All are common around HRM.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>The asters I'm still working on but ones I'm sure of are 
Calico, New York, Purple-stemmed, Tall White, Whorled Wood and Bog.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>I can send a GPS track to anyone who could handle the software 
(I use Map Source).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Cheers,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Bob McDonald</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Halifax</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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