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=3D"gmail_quote">On Tue, May
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Hi John & All,
As I am sure all would agree, the crucial step in understanding and=20
managing any complex system is identification of the coarse controls. If=20
these, the large effects, are overlooked or out of adjustment then=20
fiddling with the fine controls is just wishful thinking.
The Common Nighthawk nests on bare ground and eats flying insects.=20
It has been decades since I have heard a Nighthawk over Kentville. If=20
anything, clearcut logging with lots of decaying brush to spawn insects=20
should favor Nighthawks; nesting sites plus food.
Do you honestly suppose that logging has caused this collapse of=20
flying insects and Nighthawks ? Way above that tiny effect I would wager=20
oversanitazion; doggy doo to the landfill (insane !; doggy doo is a=20
resource for invertebrates and plants), yard trash bundled for indoor=20
composting (insane; yard trash is the staff of life for many=20
invertebrates), Bug zappers and the like (towns are death zones for=20
flying insects; gee I wonder why bats got white mouth ?).
Pogo, about 1956 hit the nail on the head while looking at a swamp=20
half filled with assorted trash, "I have seen the enemy and he is us."=20
And unfortunately far too few people noticed; or noticed and forgot.
Did your Nighthawk fly up from a nest or just fly into view from=20
elsewhere ? Does it matter ? Birds are killed on public highways in=20
great numbers. Should someone walk ahead of each vehicle with a lantern=20
so this does not happen ?
Another endangered species is the independent tree harvester. The=20
profit margins are paper thin or negative and down time can land you in=20
debt. Thus we have advanced to forestry by mowing machines 24/365.
In my view the small independent logger, especially if selective=20
cutting is practiced, should be subsidized (as in much of Europe) and=20
not treated like some untouchable.
End of rant.
Yt, DW, Kentville
------ Original Message ------
From: "John Kearney" <john.kearney@ns.sympatico.ca>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Sent: 5/29/2018 4:09:46 PM
Subject: [NatureNS] Killing Endangered Species on Private Land is Ok
>Dear NatureNS readers,
>
>I wish to express my sorrow about the state of environmental policy in=20
>the Province of Nova Scotia. I thought I couldn=E2=80=99t get more dishear=
tened=20
>when the Premier indicated that oil and gas development should be=20
>permitted in Marine Protected Areas. While such a statement would be=20
>par for the course (no pun intended) for US President, Donald Trump. I=20
>didn=E2=80=99t expect it here.
>
>
>
>Yesterday, however, this sorrow hit closer to home. In my home village=20
>of Carleton, in Yarmouth County, I witnessed what I believe to be the=20
>destruction of a Common Nighthawk nest by a forestry operation. I=20
>believe this because I was listening to a tree harvesting machine,=20
>blocked from my view from a stand of softwood, but very loud as I was=20
>only a couple hundred of meters away. All of a sudden, at about 2 PM, a=20
>Common Nighthawk flew up from where the machine was harvesting and=20
>subsequently circled the machine a couple of times before disappearing.
>
>
>
>I immediately called the local office of the Department of Natural=20
>Resources. The regional biologist was not in but about an hour later a=20
>wildlife technician called to tell me not to worry. The biologist had=20
>indicated that Common Nighthawks don=E2=80=99t nest in the forest and have =
a=20
>wide foraging area so it was just passing by. I disputed this claim,=20
>noted that forestry should not be permitted during the bird breeding=20
>season, and asked that at minimum, the Department inform the landowner=20
>that an endangered species, listed under the Species at Risk Act, was=20
>likely nesting in the area of forestry operations. I was then informed=20
>there was nothing the government would do because the forestry=20
>operation was on private land.
>
>
>
>So despite the fact that it is against the law (Migratory Birds=20
>Convention Act) to destroy the nest, eggs, or young of a migratory=20
>bird, and despite the fact the Common Nighthawk is protected by federal=20
>and Nova Scotia species at risk legislation, it is ok to destroy the=20
>nest, eggs, or young of an endangered migratory bird if it is on=20
>private property. I wonder if they are planning on allowing the hunting=20
>of fawns and moose calves on private property year-round too?
>
>
>
>Thanks for listening to my lament.
>
>John
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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v>Hi John & All,</div><div>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 As I am sure all would agree,=
the crucial step in understanding and managing any complex system is identi=
fication of the coarse controls. If these, the large effects, are overlooke=
d or out of adjustment then fiddling with the fine controls is just wishful =
thinking.</div><div>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 The Common Nighthawk nests on bare groun=
d and eats flying insects. It has been decades since I have heard a Nightha=
wk over Kentville. If anything, clearcut logging with lots of decaying brus=
h to spawn insects should favor Nighthawks; nesting sites plus food.=C2=A0<=
/div><div>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0Do you honestly suppose that logging has caus=
ed this collapse of flying insects and Nighthawks ? Way above that tiny eff=
ect I would wager oversanitazion; doggy doo to the landfill