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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
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>Wendy and I decided to "escape" to Brier for a =
few days -=20
arrived late Wed evening and departed Sat morning.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>We spent much of the day Thurs helping MTRI =
staff carry=20
out a census of the endangered Mountain Avens (<EM>Geum peckii</EM>) in =
Big=20
Meadow Bog. Interestingly, Brier is one of only 2 locations for =
this plant=20
in Canada and has by far the largest number of plants. (Digby Neck is =
the other=20
Canadian location and it is also found in the White Mountains in N.H.) =
The bog=20
has been altered in an attempt to drain it for agricultural purposes =
(this is=20
historical) so the bog is drier now and is being overrun by large =
numbers of=20
woody plants (like blackberry) so it's a hard slog into and out of =
there. =20
Apart from the <EM>G. peckii</EM>, both Bog Goldenrod and Bog Aster were =
abundant. We had several sightings of Northern Harrier and there =
were many=20
hummingbirds, including at least one male, frequenting the Spotted=20
Touch-Me-Not.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>At the end of our exhausting day, as we left the =
runway=20
from which we accessed the bog, we spooked a small bird off the gravel =
road into=20
the trees. I paused as others walked on. After a few seconds, the bird =
flew back=20
to the road about 40 m from me. Through the binoculars, it appeared =
to be a=20
<STRONG>Lark Sparrow</STRONG> and I took several rather poor but =
documentary=20
pics - it was indeed a LASP, the highlight of our sojourn to =
Brier!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>Friday morning, we did a long walk from Gull =
Rock Road=20
around to Whipple Point looking for shorebirds in Big Pond and Pond =
Cove. =20
Highlights were two Baird's Sandpipers, and more Least than Semipalm=20
Sandpipers. An immature Bald Eagle could be seen at the far end of =
Big=20
Pond. Also noteworthy were 65-70 Grey Seals in Pond Cove (lots of=20
racket!).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>We did the late afternoon Mariner Cruises =
pelagic and it=20
was the roughest trip I've ever done into the Bay of Fundy. Most =
of the=20
children on board were quite ill and several adults looked pretty =
green! =20
Although the lack of whales disappointed many, the seabirds were good =
with=20
Northern Gannet, Great Shearwater, Wilson's Storm-Petrel, and both =
phalaropes=20
putting on very good shows. Also noted 2 or 3 Sooty Shearwaters, 2 =
Northern Fulmar, several Puffins, and one unidentified tern =
species. =20
Perched in the trees overlooking the water, we noted Great Blue Heron, =
Osprey,=20
Red-tailed Hawk and another Bald Eagle.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>We made lots of stops, for geocaching, short =
hikes and=20
general exploration, on our return. Noteworthy were a Baltimore =
Oriole at=20
Central Grove cemetery along Flour Cove Road on Digby Neck and Peregrine =
Falcon=20
as