[NatureNS] A few days spent on Brier Island

From: Bob McDonald <bobathome@eastlink.ca>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
References: <006101cd7fce$a9a3b080$fceb1180$@ns.sympatico.ca>
Date: Mon, 03 Sep 2012 22:48:21 -0300
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Whoops, my mistake; should have had the map sitting in front of me while =
I wrote.  Thanks, Andy.

  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Andy Moir/Christine Callaghan=20
  To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca=20
  Sent: Monday, September 03, 2012 1:49 PM
  Subject: Re: [NatureNS] A few days spent on Brier Island


  Just a minor correction.  Flour Cove Road is on Long Island, not Digby =
Neck. =20
  Andy
    ----- Original Message -----=20
    From: Bob McDonald=20
    To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca=20
    Sent: Monday, September 03, 2012 11:22 AM
    Subject: [NatureNS] A few days spent on Brier Island


    Wendy and I decided to "escape" to Brier for a few days - arrived =
late Wed evening and departed Sat morning.

    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, Brier is one of only 2 locations for this plant in Canada =
and has by far 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 altered 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 plants (like blackberry) so it's a =
hard slog into and out of there.  Apart from the G. peckii, both Bog =
Goldenrod and Bog Aster were abundant.  We had several sightings of =
Northern Harrier and there were many hummingbirds, including at least =
one male, frequenting the Spotted Touch-Me-Not.
    At the end of our exhausting day, as we left the runway from which =
we accessed the bog, we spooked a small bird off the gravel road into =
the trees. I paused as others walked on. After a few seconds, the bird =
flew back to the road about 40 m from me. Through the binoculars, it =
appeared to be a Lark Sparrow and I took several rather poor but =
documentary pics - it was indeed a LASP, the highlight of our sojourn to =
Brier!

    Friday morning, we did a long walk from Gull Rock Road around to =
Whipple Point looking for shorebirds in Big Pond and Pond Cove.  =
Highlights were two Baird's Sandpipers, and more Least than Semipalm =
Sandpipers.  An immature Bald Eagle could be seen at the far end of Big =
Pond. Also noteworthy were 65-70 Grey Seals in Pond Cove (lots of =
racket!).

    We did the late afternoon Mariner Cruises pelagic and it was the =
roughest trip I've ever done into the Bay of Fundy.  Most of the =
children on board were quite ill and several adults looked pretty green! =
 Although the lack of whales disappointed many, the seabirds were good =
with Northern Gannet, Great Shearwater, Wilson's Storm-Petrel, and both =
phalaropes putting on very good shows.  Also noted 2 or 3 Sooty =
Shearwaters, 2 Northern Fulmar, several Puffins, and one unidentified =
tern species.  Perched in the trees overlooking the water, we noted =
Great Blue Heron, Osprey, Red-tailed Hawk and another Bald Eagle.

    We made lots of stops, for geocaching, short hikes and general =
exploration, on our return.  Noteworthy were a Baltimore Oriole at =
Central Grove cemetery along Flour Cove Road on Digby Neck and Peregrine =
Falcon as we walked the new trail at Gullivers Cove.  As I scanned the =
110-m cliff at trail end, I noticed what might be a PEFA nest site =
(eyrie?) with another adult 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 possible PEFA nest sites is collected by =
anyone?

    Cheers,
    Bob McDonald
    Halifax
  No virus found in this message.
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>Whoops, my mistake; should have had the map =
sitting in=20
front of me while I wrote.&nbsp; Thanks, Andy.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE=20
style=3D"BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; =
PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"=20
dir=3Dltr>
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
  <DIV=20
  style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial; BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>=20
  <A title=3Dslickdog1@gmail.com =
href=3D"mailto:slickdog1@gmail.com">Andy=20
  Moir/Christine Callaghan</A> </DIV>
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=3Dnaturens@chebucto.ns.ca=20
  href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens@chebucto.ns.ca</A> =
</DIV>
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Monday, September 03, =
2012 1:49=20
  PM</DIV>
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [NatureNS] A few =
days spent=20
  on Brier Island</DIV>
  <DIV><BR></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=3DArial>Just a minor correction.&nbsp; Flour Cove Road =
is on=20
  Long Island, not Digby Neck.&nbsp; </FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=3DArial>Andy</FONT></DIV>
  <BLOCKQUOTE=20
  style=3D"BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; =
PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"=20
  dir=3Dltr>
    <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
    <DIV=20
    style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial; BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>=20
    <A title=3Dbobathome@eastlink.ca =
href=3D"mailto:bobathome@eastlink.ca">Bob=20
    McDonald</A> </DIV>
    <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=3Dnaturens@chebucto.ns.ca=20
    href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens@chebucto.ns.ca</A> =
</DIV>
    <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Monday, September 03, =
2012 11:22=20
    AM</DIV>
    <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [NatureNS] A few =
days spent on=20
    Brier Island</DIV>
    <DIV><BR></DIV>
    <DIV><FONT face=3DArial>Wendy and I decided to "escape" to Brier for =
a few=20
    days - arrived late Wed evening and departed Sat =
morning.<