Sep 26 Online Member’s Meeting – The Diverse Bees of NS

Posted on September 8, 2022 by Bob Kennedy

Our next member’s meeting will be via Zoom at 7:00pm on Sep 26. Invitations will be emailed to members closer to the date.

Bees pollinate many flowers that are important for people. There are far more bees that share NS with us than most people appreciate. We will explore what bees are in NS and how we can provide habitat and resources for bees to increase pollination.

 Perplexing Bumble Bee – Bombus perplexus      Photo Bob Kennedy

Alana Pindar, is an early career scientist and recently appointed Weston Family Visiting Professor in Ecosystem Health and Food Security at Cape Breton University.  She has been studying changes in wild bee communities in Eastern Canada for over 15 years.  In 2016, She led a provincial report on the Status and Trends for Pollinator Health in Ontario for the Ontario Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs was awarded the Webster Postdoctoral Fellowship in Environmental Sciences for her work.

David McCorquodale, biology professor at Cape Breton University for more than 30 years. A naturalist who has monitored bird populations, recorded long-horned beetles and lady beetles in eastern Canada and is currently teaching plant taxonomy. Service roles have included Chair of Science Atlantic and currently Co-Chair of COSEWIC Arthropods and the NS Insect Recovery Team.

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Public Comment Period on Southdale/Eisner Cover Wetland now open, closes Mon Sep 19, 2022

Posted on August 30, 2022 by admin

Southdale site on Aug 15, 2022. Trees had been cleareddown to the wetland.  From p 6 of Letter
Click on image for larger version

An invitation from Shape Our City Halifax has just been issued to “to share your feedback on the draft policies, development agreement and submitted plans” related to the Southdale Future Growth Node  which includes the  ‘Eisner Cove Wetland’.

Feedback is to be submitted via simple one-box form by Monday September 19, 2022.

The  “draft policies, development agreement and submitted plans” can be accessed via  this webpage: Case 23820: Southdale Future Growth Node Planning Process

Tree-clearing at the Southdale site began in early August, so it’s not  clear what decisions about the development  yet to be taken might be modified by public input.

As readers are probably aware, there have been some hitches along the way in the form of growing protests, appeals, and an industrial site incident.
Continue reading →

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Norris Whiston on Flower Clusters & Ecology of Common Nova Scotia Trees and Shrubs

Posted on August 9, 2022 by admin

An entry under “Elongated Clusters”
Click on image for a larger version

Norris Whiston is a member of the NS Wild Flora Society.

One of Norris’s passions is compiling user-friendly guides to the local flora, which he generously shares with all of us on a page on this website.

Norris’s latest production (2022-08-06) is a guide to Flower Clusters & Ecology of Common Nova Scotia Trees and Shrubs
Continue reading →

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Canopy Lichens: Identification and Ecology – Eagle Head Seminar

Posted on June 24, 2022 by Bob Kennedy
  

Instructor: Gary Perlmutter
Dates: July 18th–July 27th, 2022
Times: 7PM–9PM ET

Scheduling Details: July 18, 20, 22, 25, & 27
Tuition Cost: $150 US

Description: This seminar will introduce participants to the learning about lichens growing in the treetops, where habitats and growing conditions are very different than at or near ground level. This seminar will focus on the identification, biology, ecology of the flora of canopy lichens by studying newly fallen trees and fallen branches and twigs. Participants will learn terminology that describes characters of lichens and their lifestyles and how these characters are used to identify lichens. Participants will learn how to collect and prepare specimens so they can build a starter collection of their own. Identification techniques of chemical spot testing and microscopy will also be covered. Ecological topics such as lichen community succession and pollution sensitivity will also be discussed.

Required materials: A hand lens or similar magnifier with 10X magnification or higher (these can be purchased online or at a local hobby store for as little as $6.99). One copy of Keys to Lichens of North America, revised and expanded by Irwin M. Brodo (available at Yale University Press for $29.95 + shipping & handling: https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300195736/keys-lichens-north-america)

• Full, color flyer for this seminar is available here.

• Participants need to have a Zoom account (https://zoom.us ; sign-up is free). They will receive a secure link to join the seminar before it begins.

• Individual classes will be recorded and made available to stream (not download) for the duration of the seminar by its participants, so they are able to review them or make up missed ones.

Register Here

General Information

Online Calendar

If you have any other questions, feel free to email us at office@eaglehill.us or call us at 207.546.2821 Ext. 4
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Chignecto Botanical Walk, MOVED to Monday, July 4th

Posted on June 2, 2022 by Bob Kennedy

Learn more about the natural flora of the Chignecto Isthmus! 

Monday, June 27th,  1:30pm-4:30pm 

Nature Conservancy Canada, in conjunction with the Atlantic Conservation Data Centre, has generously offered to join with us on a field trip in and around some of the NCC wilderness properties on the Chignecto Isthmus. The trip will start in New Brunswick and we will head into Nova Scotia.

This trip was originally scheduled for June 27, but because of conflicts, it has been moved to July 4.

The Chignecto Isthmus is recognized for its importance to wildlife for connectivity between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. It has been identified as a linkage point for the typical movements of plant and animal species as well as critical for northward migration of species in response to climate change.

Rose pogonia – Pogonia ophioglossoides, Photo Bob Kennedy

Join us for an afternoon of learning more about some of the rare plant species that grow in the area. A representative from the ACCDC will be leading the 3km hike and participants will explore forest and wetland habitats and the wide variety of flora and fauna within them.

Habitats visited would be mixed forest (locally wet), maybe some open wetland and pond, and disturbed forest edge. The latter has most of the more interesting species, with a lot of orchids, especially Grass-Pink (Calopogon tuberosus) and Rose Pogonia (Pogonia ophioglossoides). There are some local areas of more calcareous disturbed soils that have uncommon to rare species like Rufous Bulrush (Scirpus pendulus), Loesel’s Twayblade (Liparis loeselii), Dudley’s Rush (Juncus dudleyi), Slender Spikerush (Eleocharis nitida), Variegated Horsetail (Equisetum variegatum), but I’m not sure if we are able to reach them.

Meet just before 1:30 pm at Parson Road, at the corner of NB Highway 16 (45.939880, -64.209108) From there we will carpool to the laneway that takes us to the property, then walk in once the road becomes difficult for smaller cars.

Please contact nswildflora@yahoo.ca to register for the trip.

 What to Bring: Water, snacks, close-toed walking shoes, rain gear (just in case!), layers of clothing, bug spray, sunscreen, hat.   

Trail difficulty: Difficulty of the walk would be moderate – old logging roads that are very flat, sometimes fairly shrubby or mucky-wet in places. Rubber boots would be important if you want to stay dry and the mosquitos can be extreme, so long sleeves and pants plus repellent are essential and a hat would be recommended.

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Nature Canada Webinar – Canada’s New Climate Adaption Plan

Posted on May 19, 2022 by Bob Kennedy

Register Here

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Upcoming Field Seminar on Liverworts – Eagle Hill

Posted on May 19, 2022 by Bob Kennedy

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May 27-29, 2022: Nature NS Celebration of Nature

Posted on May 13, 2022 by admin
‘Received from Nature NS: The Celebration of Nature is our big annual event, a talk and hike series as well as our AGM, and it always falls on the last weekend in May. Pre-COVID when the event took place entirely in-person, we would rotate locations around the province and a local NatureNS member group would host the event. This year, we’re running a hybrid event, where the talks and AGM are virtual and the hikes/outings are in-person and take place all around the province.
For further details and to register, follow this link:  https://naturens.ca/events/2022-celebration-of-nature/
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Next Member’s Meeting – Outdoors, Eisner’s Cove Wetland, Dartmouth – May 30

Posted on May 7, 2022 by Bob Kennedy

Our next members meeting will NOT be on Zoom, but instead will be live outdoors at Eisner’s Cove wetland. This will be on May 30, which is the FIFTH Monday of the month (usually we meet on the fourth Monday).

Exact time, directions and a map will be posted later.

Rhodora Buds at Eisner’s Cove – Photo Bob Kennedy
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Field trip to Meguma Falls Saturday May 21

Posted on May 7, 2022 by Bob Kennedy
This will be an all day trip to see the spring ephemerals and more. Bring field guides cameras, binoculars, loupes, lunch, water and snacks. Dress for the weather including rain, wear waterproof hiking boots or rubber boots. We will go Rain or Shine. (weather forecasts have been changing daily recently).
From Halifax drive to Truro , exit 14A to Onslow; turn right to Onslow Road (NS2) and drive 3.7 km, then Left at the flashing Amber light to Hwy 311, drive to Earltown about 26 Km, then right turn onto Kemptown road. The Gully Lake Wilderness Area Trailhead will be on your left and marked with a large sign. We should arrive by 09:00 hrs. Park on Kemptown Road at the Yellow Birch Trailhead.
We will follow the Fire Road,  to the Sandy Cope trail, to Donald’s Falls, then across the Fire Road to the Gully Lake Wilderness area, and follow the trail ( Willard Kitchner Macdonald trail) to Meguma Falls ( About 8Km in & 16 km round trip. Shorter if you return early). Groomed trails are easy walking, some rough and wet spots, expect spring ephemerals in full bloom.
Limit 15 maximum. Please register with  Charles Cron  by email <ccron72@hotmail.com> or call 902 477 8272 and leave a message. Name, phone# car Plate # so we can track you and contact you for last minute changes etc. (cell phones may not work in some areas). (Carpool if possible, arrange amongst ourselves).
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