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Index of Subjects This is a multi-part message in MIME format. --------------B97F832005DC695DFE49EA5D Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Hi George & All, I am just pointing out that their population is artificially high due to a large chicken supplement to their diet. And this has implications. They are large and many potential prey are small so one may expect that, one by one, vulnerable species will hit the skids. This reminds my of the Sea Gull cycle. The common Gull became threatened in the early 1900's due to harvesting of eggs for food so egg gathering was forbidden. They responded gradually and eventually became so abundant that they were threatening Terns. A sensible solution would have been to allow Sea Gull egg harvesting but instead people were hired (or rounded up) to make distracting noises whenever a male gull was about to get lucky in areas where Terns also nested. So one by one, and I would not care to predict what will take the hit, but logically waterfowl which frequent fresh water/coastal water will be vulnerable. Perhaps even Sea gulls or Terns. YT, DW, Kentville On 4/4/2020 5:35 PM, George Forsyth wrote: > Hi David, > Perhaps a bit premature to even suggest a native species to be a pest. > We might judge that their population is artificially high because of > our manipulation of the habitat, but they were here first! Today > while walking I was able to photograph a Bald Eagle carrying an > introduced species! See: https://ebird.org/checklist/S66610958 > > Sincerely, George Forsyth > > On Tue, 31 Mar 2020 at 21:17, David Webster <dwebster@glinx.com > <mailto:dwebster@glinx.com>> wrote: > > Hi Jim and all, > > What steps will lead to the Bald Eagle being declared an > overabundant pest ? Young waterfowl must literally be sitting > ducks when there are too many eagles. > > At least 30 years ago I watched a bunch of Eagles taking much > interest in Smelt leaving an arm of the Bras D'or Lakes to swim up > a tiny brook; and wondered how long that run would last. I have > not been back since. Perhaps they have lasted, perhaps not. > > Y.T. DW, Kentville > > On 3/31/2020 7:39 PM, Jim Wolford wrote: >> *MARCH 22/20 *— three more *eagle nests* checked today: >> >> - co-op nest in New Minas, occupied by an adult eagle; >> - NOVA nest in New Minas, no definite eagle seen there; >> - also the Wolfville Anglican Church nest had an adult eagle on >> it today. >> >> Also a male-female pair of*hooded mergansers* were in Miner’s >> Marsh today, along with 2 Canada geese, about 10 mallards, and 3 >> robins. >> >> *MARCH 23/20* — I created more GHGs today as I drove to New Minas >> etc. to check on four more local bald eagle nests for occupancy. >> >> First I drove to the *New Minas* *sewage ponds* and looked north >> across the Cornwallis River to an *eagle nest* on the north bank >> in a pine? tree. Up on top of the tall nest was an *adult >> female? eagle*. >> >> Next I went west to review the *NOVA DRIVE eagle nest.* There >> was again no eagle on the nest, but while I was viewing an adult >> bald eagle flushed out of an adjacent tree and flew away. Thus >> maybe soon this nest will be re-occupied? >> >> Next I drove way northeast to Canning, where the river held only >> a handful of *Canada geese*. >> >> Then on north to SCOTS’ BAY, where I saw 2 *turkey vultures* >> flying together from west to east over the road. >> >> But then I noticed that the *Huntley Road eagle nest has >> disappeared*, perhaps having blown down?? >> >> Finally I drove east to *Blomidon*, where the *eagle nest in a >> deciduous tree was occupied by a sitting adult female eagle*. >> >> *MARCH 24/20* — We got a *blizzard of snow,* leaving about 6-8 >> cm.? on ground — ne. wind, chilly, temp. about +1 C. or so. In >> our home neighborhood in east Wolfville, about 20 *robins* seen, >> 1 singing male *cardinal*, lots of goldfinches (some noticeably >> turning yellow), 1 *song sparrow*, plus starlings and crows. >> >> *MARCH 25/20 *— Pat heard multiple singing *cardinals* today near >> our home apartment — beautiful sunny & calm day — and I heard 2 >> singing *song sparrows* plus a singing *mourning dove*. Also Pat >> reported a *flicker* at our feeders, and I also saw it; our >> overwintering flicker departed over a week ago. >> >> I drove to Grand Pre to check on the *Eye Road eagle nest* again; >> on my arrival, 2 adult bald eagles were perched in tall trees >> along Eye Road just west of the nest, and an immature or subadult >> eagle was perched next to the nest. Then a third *adult eagle >> flew in and landed on the nest and interacted a bit with the 3rd >> or 4th year immature (head whitening)*, then the adult flew >> away. Thus I am not sure what is happening at this nest this >> year. In recent years this nest often led the way in being >> occupied with a sitting adult early in the year. >> >> *MARCH 28/20* — Pat & I drove to *Waterville *to check on the >> *bald eagle nest* north of there for occupancy —*no eagles seen* >> there at all. >> >> *MARCH 29/20 *— On my walk in our neighborhood in east-end >> Wolfville, lots of *goldfinches singing* in a lovely chorus — >> also multiple *song sparrows (new arrivals?) all singing*, >> a*calling/singing flicker*, plus a couple of *singing red-winged >> blackbirds*, but no robins to be seen. >> >> *MARCH 30/20* — Today Pat spotted a male *brown-headed cowbird* >> at our feeders among a bunch of starlings on the ground. >> >> *MARCH 31/20* — A flock of*25 cedar waxwings* seen in east-end >> Wolfville; also a *crowing male pheasant,* and a single*Am. >> robin*. Also on this very co