[NatureNS] A few days spent on Brier Island

From: Bev Crowell <bevcrowell@hotmail.com>
To: "naturens@chebucto.ns.ca" <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Date: Mon, 3 Sep 2012 12:55:06 -0300
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Very interesting! :))
=20
Bev from Glace Bay
=20



From: bobathome@eastlink.ca
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Subject: [NatureNS] A few days spent on Brier Island
Date: Mon=2C 3 Sep 2012 11:22:50 -0300




Wendy and I decided to "escape" to Brier for a few days - arrived late Wed =
evening and departed Sat morning.
=20
We spent much of the day Thurs helping MTRI staff carry out a census of the=
 endangered Mountain Avens (Geum peckii) in Big Meadow Bog.  Interestingly=
=2C Brier is one of only 2 locations for this plant in Canada and has by fa=
r the largest number of plants. (Digby Neck is the other Canadian location =
and it is also found in the White Mountains in N.H.) The bog has been alter=
ed in an attempt to drain it for agricultural purposes (this is historical)=
 so the bog is drier now and is being overrun by large numbers of woody pla=
nts (like blackberry) so it's a hard slog into and out of there.  Apart fro=
m the G. peckii=2C both Bog Goldenrod and Bog Aster were abundant.  We had =
several sightings of Northern Harrier and there were many hummingbirds=2C i=
ncluding at least one male=2C frequenting the Spotted Touch-Me-Not.
At the end of our exhausting day=2C as we left the runway from which we acc=
essed the bog=2C we spooked a small bird off the gravel road into the trees=
. I paused as others walked on. After a few seconds=2C the bird flew back t=
o the road about 40 m from me. Through the binoculars=2C it appeared to be =
a Lark Sparrow and I took several rather poor but documentary pics - it was=
 indeed a LASP=2C the highlight of our sojourn to Brier!
=20
Friday morning=2C we did a long walk from Gull Rock Road around to Whipple =
Point looking for shorebirds in Big Pond and Pond Cove.  Highlights were tw=
o Baird's Sandpipers=2C and more Least than Semipalm Sandpipers.  An immatu=
re Bald Eagle could be seen at the far end of Big Pond. Also noteworthy wer=
e 65-70 Grey Seals in Pond Cove (lots of racket!).
=20
We did the late afternoon Mariner Cruises pelagic and it was the roughest t=
rip I've ever done into the Bay of Fundy.  Most of the children on board we=
re quite ill and several adults looked pretty green!  Although the lack of =
whales disappointed many=2C the seabirds were good with Northern Gannet=2C =
Great Shearwater=2C Wilson's Storm-Petrel=2C and both phalaropes putting on=
 very good shows.  Also noted 2 or 3 Sooty Shearwaters=2C 2 Northern Fulmar=
=2C several Puffins=2C and one unidentified tern species.  Perched in the t=
rees overlooking the water=2C we noted Great Blue Heron=2C Osprey=2C Red-ta=
iled Hawk and another Bald Eagle.
=20
We made lots of stops=2C for geocaching=2C short hikes and general explorat=
ion=2C on our return.  Noteworthy were a Baltimore Oriole at Central Grove =
cemetery along Flour Cove Road on Digby Neck and Peregrine Falcon as we wal=
ked the new trail at Gullivers Cove.  As I scanned the 110-m cliff at trail=
 end=2C I noticed what might be a PEFA nest site (eyrie?) with another adul=
t bird on a step on the cliff face.  I have a very poor picture - the bird =
was likely over 500m away from us.  Does anyone know if information on poss=
ible PEFA nest sites is collected by anyone?
=20
Cheers=2C
Bob McDonald
Halifax 		 	   		  =

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Very interesting! :))<BR>
&nbsp=3B<BR>
Bev from Glace Bay<BR>&nbsp=3B<BR>
<DIV>
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From: bobathome@eastlink.ca<BR>To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca<BR>Subject: [Nat=
ureNS] A few days spent on Brier Island<BR>Date: Mon=2C 3 Sep 2012 11:22:50=
 -0300<BR><BR>
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>Wendy and I decided to "escape" to Brier for a few =
days - arrived late Wed evening and departed Sat morning.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp=3B</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>We spent much of the day Thurs helping MTRI staff c=
arry out a census of the endangered Mountain Avens (<EM>Geum peckii</EM>) i=
n Big Meadow Bog.&nbsp=3B Interestingly=2C Brier is one of only 2 locations=
 for this plant in Canada and has by far the largest number of plants. (Dig=
by Neck is the other Canadian location and it is also found in the White Mo=
untains in N.H.) The bog has been altered in an attempt to drain it for agr=
icultural purposes (this is historical) so the bog is drier now and is bein=
g overrun by large numbers of woody plants (like blackberry) so it's a hard=
 slog into and out of there.&nbsp=3B Apart from the <EM>G. peckii</EM>=2C b=
oth Bog Goldenrod and Bog Aster were abundant.&nbsp=3B We had several sight=
ings of Northern Harrier and there were many hummingbirds=2C including at l=
east one male=2C frequenting the Spotted Touch-Me-Not.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>At the end of our exhausting day=2C as we left the =
runway from which we accessed the bog=2C we spooked a small bird off the gr=
avel road into the trees. I paused as others walked on. After a few seconds=
=2C the bird flew back to the road about 40 m from me.&nbsp=3BThrough the b=
inoculars=2C it appeared to be a <STRONG>Lark Sparrow</STRONG> and I took s=
everal rather poor but documentary pics - it was indeed a LASP=2C the highl=
ight of our sojourn to Brier!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp=3B</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>Friday morning=2C we did a long walk from Gull Rock=
 Road around to Whipple Point looking for shorebirds in Big Pond and Pond C=
ove.&nbsp=3B Highlights were two Baird's Sandpipers=2C and more Least than =
Semipalm Sandpipers.&nbsp=3B An immature Bald Eagle could be seen at the fa=
r end of Big Pond. Also noteworthy were 65-70 Grey Seals in Pond Cove (lots=
 of racket!).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp=3B</DIV>
<