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--Apple-Mail-25--709083553 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed > From: "James W. Wolford" <jimwolford@eastlink.ca> > Date: February 2, 2013 8:06:48 PM AST > To: Nature BNS <nature@blomidonnaturalists.ca> > Subject: Sat., Feb. 2/13, Eagle Watch report from JW > > FEBRUARY 2, 2013, GROUNDHOG DAY -- 22nd Annual Eagle Watch, Weekend > II, Saturday -- Weather today was appropriately cold, from -10 to > -6 C., with a substantial and cold wind from the west, thus > considerable wind-chill. But the sky cleared in late morning, and > the afternoon was often sunny. However, in contrast to last week, > there was no snow of the ground, and this might affect the > behaviour of the eagles (we really don't understand this behaviour, > and it determines much of the success of the eagle-watchers' > efforts). The nice thing about that cold wind for the gawkers out > at the viewing field, is that the wind is mostly at everyone's backs. > > On my drive from Wolfville to Sheffield Mills, I saw only one > perched bald eagle. I arrived at the Middle Dyke Rd. viewing/ > feeding site at about 10:15 a.m., and there was a huge number of > cars (in contrast to last weekend)(and same at the Community Hall) > lined up and cued up in lines extending hundreds of metres from the > viewing field. But the perched eagles there were scattered and > very few, always less than 10 in total and doing nothing. > > Later I talked with would-be photographers who stood there > patiently from 8:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. -- no eagle activity, and no > numbers of eagles there -- thus, very different from last weekend. > There were about 40+ great black-backed gulls on the ground, but > not at the chicken carcasses, and for some unseen reason nearly all > of the gulls flushed and flew off at 1 p.m. > > I checked later, between 2:30 and 3 p.m., by which time many more > eagles, about 30 and mostly adults, were perched in two main groups > in the trees at the south side of the field, and some of the > carcasses were apparently taken in a very brief show of activity, > just before I got there in afternoon. By that time there were > still lots of cars but many fewer than in the morning. Also I saw > several flying and perched red-tailed hawks plus several flying > ravens. > > In mid-morning the Sheffield Mills Community Hall had hordes of > cars, and the ground floor was hugely packed with long line-ups for > breakfast, so the volunteers probably served enough to make up for > the slow activities in the Hall last weekend. As usual, there was > good and free music for the breakfasters, and upstairs in the > morning there were more hordes of viewers/shoppers of the > photographs and crafts and naturalists' displays plus the > constantly-running medley of three different videos (Land & Sea, > Janet & John Foster, & "Saving the Bald Eagle" about taking young > eagles from Cape Breton nests and donating them to Massachusetts > and other states for the eagles' U.S. post-DDT comeback). --Apple-Mail-25--709083553 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/html; charset=US-ASCII <html><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; = -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div><blockquote = type=3D"cite"><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; = margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" = size=3D"3" color=3D"#000000" style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: = #000000"><b>From: </b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" = style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica">"James W. Wolford" <<a = href=3D"mailto:jimwolford@eastlink.ca">jimwolford@eastlink.ca</a>></fon= t></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: = 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" = color=3D"#000000" style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: = #000000"><b>Date: </b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" = style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica">February 2, 2013 8:06:48 PM = AST</font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; = margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" = size=3D"3" color=3D"#000000" style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: = #000000"><b>To: </b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" = style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica">Nature BNS <<a = href=3D"mailto:nature@blomidonnaturalists.ca">nature@blomidonnaturalists.c= a</a>></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; = margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" = size=3D"3" color=3D"#000000" style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: = #000000"><b>Subject: </b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" = style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica"><b>Sat., Feb. 2/13, Eagle Watch report = from JW</b></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: = 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; = "><br></div> <div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; = margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" = size=3D"3" style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica"><b>FEBRUARY 2, 2013, = GROUNDHOG DAY -- 22nd Annual Eagle Watch, Weekend II, Saturday</b> -- = <b>Weather today</b> was appropriately cold, from -10 to -6 C., with a = substantial and cold wind from the west, thus considerable = wind-chill. But the sky cleared in late morning, and the afternoon = was often sunny. However, in contrast to last week, there was no = snow of the ground, and this might affect the behaviour of the eagles = (we really don't understand this behaviour, and it determines much of = the success of the eagle-watchers' efforts). The nice thing about = that cold wind for the gawkers out at the viewing field, is that the = wind is mostly at everyone's backs.</font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: = 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: = normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; = "><br></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; = margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" = size=3D"3" style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica">On my drive from Wolfville = to Sheffield Mills, I saw only one perched bald eagle. I arrived = at the Middle Dyke Rd. <b>viewing/feeding site at about 10:15 a.m.</b>, = and there was a huge number of cars (in contrast to last weekend)(and = same at the Community Hall) lined up and cued up in lines extending = hundreds of metres from the viewing field. But the perched = <b>eagles there were scattered and very few</b>, always less than 10 in = total and doing nothing.</font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; = margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal = normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br></div><div = style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; = margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: = 12.0px Helvetica">Later I talked with would-be<b> photographers </b>who = stood there patiently<b> from 8:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. -- no eagle = activity</b>, and no numbers of eagles there -- thus, very different = from last weekend. There were about <b>40+ great black-backed = gulls</b> on the ground, but not at the chicken carcasses, and for some = unseen reason nearly all of the gulls flushed and flew off at 1 = p.m.</font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; = margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal = 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br></div><div = style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; = margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: = 12.0px Helvetica">I checked<b> later, between 2:30 and 3 p.m.</b>, by = which time many <b>more eagles, about 30</b> and mostly adults, were = perched in two main groups in the trees at the south side of the field, = and some of the carcasses were apparently taken in a very brief show of = activity, just before I got there in afternoon. By that time there = were still lots of cars but many fewer than in the morning. Also I = saw several flying and perched <b>red-tailed hawks</b> plus several = flying <b>ravens</b>.</font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; = margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal = normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br></div><div = style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; = margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: = 12.0px Helvetica">In mid-morning the <b>Sheffield Mills Community Hall = </b>had hordes of cars, and the ground floor was hugely packed with long = line-ups for breakfast, so the volunteers probably served enough to make = up for the slow activities in the Hall last weekend. As usual, = there was good and free music for the breakfasters, and upstairs in the = morning there were more hordes of viewers/shoppers of the photographs = and crafts and naturalists' displays plus the constantly-running medley = of three different videos (Land & Sea, Janet & John Foster, = & "Saving the Bald Eagle" about taking young eagles from Cape Breton = nests and donating them to Massachusetts and other states for the = eagles' U.S. post-DDT comeback). </font></div> = </blockquote></div><br></body></html>= --Apple-Mail-25--709083553--
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