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Yes. It needs a scope though, to be fully appreciated. Do you have =
some photos, Richard? We saw some eiders nearby, the last time were =
over there.
=20
From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca On Behalf Of Richard Stern
Sent: April 12, 2020 8:19 AM
To: NatureNS <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] corvidae: grackles in downtown Dartmouth
=20
Unfortunately (for birders, but I guess fortunately for most people) =
Halifax harbor has largely been cleaned up, so there are no more sewage =
strolls. But there is still a sewage outfall that can be seen from the =
parking lot at NSCC in Dartmouth, which attracts many Iceland gulls, =
Black ducks, and sometimes, e.g Black-headed gulls.
=20
R.
=20
On Sat., Apr. 11, 2020, 10:32 p.m. Parker Donham, <parker@donham.ca =
<mailto:parker@donham.ca> > wrote:
Well, sewage outfalls attract birds everywhere. ACAP CB sponsors an =
annual "sewer stroll," a winter birding tour of outfalls in various =
communities. I think there is one in Halifax, too. Aside from a horrible =
smell, the main impact of the sewage in the Tar Ponds was to produce =
lush vegetation and wildflowers on the sides of the pond. The sewage was =
diverted to a treatment plant in the early 2000s.
=20
It's hard to argue that drawing wildlife to an estuary contaminated by =
coal tar is healthy, but there is little evidence it caused much harm. =
Dave McCorquodale or Katherine Jones (who studied fish in the Tar Ponds) =
might want to weigh in.
=20
Incidentally, if you have ever walked past the Cunard statue and around =
the NS Power building on a hot day on the Halifax Waterfront, you may =
have noticed a sweet smell. That's naphthalene, a component of coal tar. =
The NS Power building began life as a manufactured gas plant =
(essentially a small coking plant) that produced goal gas for street =
lighting. It's the same stuff that contaminated the Tar Ponds, only it =
was much smaller, less controversial, and didn't get cleaned up as =
thoroughly.
=20
On Sat, Apr 11, 2020 at 7:57 PM <dschlosb-g@ns.sympatico.ca =
<mailto:dschlosb-g@ns.sympatico.ca> > wrote:
Hopefully, the sewage and tar ponds effluent weren=E2=80=99t harmful.
=20
From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca =
<mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca> On Behalf Of Parker Donham
Sent: April 11, 2020 6:33 PM
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca <mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>=20
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] corvidae: grackles in downtown Dartmouth
=20
For the many, many years that Sydney fought over how to clean up the Tar =
Ponds, the public was excluded by a tall, chain link fence. Wildlife =
soon realized there was no danger of encountering people in this =
exclosure, a tidal estuary enriched by a constant infusion of raw sewage =
from about half the city. It soon became a hotspot for shorebirds and =
other wildlife.
=20
On Sat., Apr. 11, 2020, 5:13 p.m. nancy dowd, <nancypdowd@gmail.com =
<mailto:nancypdowd@gmail.com> > wrote:
It is interesting to consider if and how breeding distribution of some =
birds might differ due to the enforced lack of disturbance in our large =
parks and beaches this spring and summer. For example, will Piping =
Plovers have a more successful nesting season?
=20
Nancy D
Sent from my iPad
=20
On Apr 11, 2020, at 3:23 PM, dschlosb-g@ns.sympatico.ca =
<mailto:dschlosb-g@ns.sympatico.ca> wrote:
=EF=BB=BF
In addition to our usual backyard flocks of blue jays, starlings, and =
crows, we now have a sizeable flock of grackles. We=E2=80=99ve counted =
6, and they=E2=80=99re flying in and out of a spruce which is always a =
favorite nesting site for various birds. We=E2=80=99re pretty sure =
there are more than 6.
I imagine the birds and other urban wildlife must be having a great =
spring, with the reduction in noise and air pollution. We have some new =
neighbors who have put out feeders as well.
This =E2=80=9Cwildlife=E2=80=9D is also enjoying the relative quiet.
Jane Schlosberg
--=20
Parker Donham
+1-902-565-5555
parker@donham.ca <mailto:parker@donham.ca>=20
Contrarian.ca <http://Contrarian.ca>=20
=20
=20
Richard Stern
sternrichard@gmail.com <mailto:sternrichard@gmail.com>=20
(Sent from my Android device)
=20
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lang=3DEN-US style=3D'mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>Yes.=C2=A0 It needs a =
scope though, to be fully appreciated.=C2=A0 Do you have some photos, =
Richard?=C2=A0 We saw som