145 December 2011 to February 2012
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THE HALIFAX FIELD NATURALIST No. 145 December 2011 to February 2012 In This Issue .............................................................. 2 HFN Field Trips ....................................................... 8 News & Announcements .......................................... 3 Nature Notes ........................................................... 12 Special Reports/Articles .......................................... 4 Almanac .................................................................. 13 HFN Talks ................................................................. 5 Hfx Tide Table: January to March ...................... 15 Return address: HFN, c/o NS Museum of Natural History, 1747 Summer Street, Halifax, NS, B3H 3A6 1 Fall 2011, #144 is incorporated under the Nova Scotia HFN ADDRESS Societies Act and holds Registered Halifax Field Naturalists, c/o N.S. Museum of Natural History, Charity status with Canada Revenue 1747 Summer St., Halifax, N.S., B3H 3A6 HFN Email: [email protected] Agency. Tax-creditable receipts will be issued for individual Website: halifaxfieldnaturalists.ca and corporate gifts. HFN is an affiliate of Nature Canada and an organisational member of Nature Nova Scotia, the provin- NNS ADDRESS cial umbrella association for naturalist groups in Nova Sco- Nature Nova Scotia, c/o N.S. Museum of Natural History, 1747 Summer St., Halifax, N.S., B3H 3A6 tia. Objectives are to encourage a greater appreciation and Email: [email protected] (Doug Linzey, NNS Secretary and understanding of Nova Scotia’s natural history, both within the Newsletter Editor) membership of HFN and in the public at large, and to represent Website: naturens.ca the interests of naturalists by encouraging the conservation of EXECUTIVE 2010/2011 Nova Scotia’s natural resources. Meetings are held, except for President Janet Dalton .......................................443-7617 July and August, on the first Thursday of every month at 7:30 Vice-President Vacant ............................................................ p.m. in the auditorium of the Nova Scotia Museum of Natural Treasurer Doris Balch .........................................423-3342 History, 1747 Summer Street, Halifax; they are open to the Secretary Richard Beazley .................................429-6626 public. Field Trips are held at least once a month; it is appreci- Past President Allan Robertson..................................422-6326 ated if those travelling in someone else’s car share the cost of Directors Grace Beazley, Elliott Hayes, Bob McDonald, Burkhard Plache, Ingrid Plache, Lillian Risley, the gas. Participants in HFN activities are responsible for their Stephanie Robertson. own safety. Everyone, member or not, is welcome to take part in field trips. Memberships are open to anyone interested in COMMITTEES 2010/2011 Membership Lillian Risley ......................................422-8652 the natural history of Nova Scotia. Forms are available at any Programme meeting of the society, or by writing to: Membership Secretary, Talks/Trips James Medill .....................................405-7446 Halifax Field Naturalists, c/o N.S. Museum of Natural History. Elliott Hayes ......................................835-9819 Members receive the quarterly HFN Newsletter and HFN Janet Dalton ......................................443-7617 Programme, and new memberships received from September Design Stephanie Robertson .......................422-6326 1st to December 31st of any year are valid until the end of the Newsletter following membership year. The regular membership year is Editor Stephanie Robertson ........................422-6326 from January 1st to December 31st. Design Stephanie Robertson ........................422-6326 Almanac Patricia Chalmers .............................422-3970 Taxonomy Ursula Grigg ......................................681-1264 Distribution Bernice Moores .................................422-5292 Labels Doug Linzey ......................................582-7176 Tea Break Regine Maass Conservation Bob McDonald...................................443-5051 NNS Rep. Bob McDonald (Sept. 22 meeting) ....443-5051 YNC Rep. David Patriquin ..................................423-5716 PSAs Jim Medill ..........................................405-7446 Web Design David Patriquin ..................................423-5716 FEES 2010/2011 Student ....................................................................$15.00 per year Individual ................................................................$20.00 per year Family .....................................................................$25.00 per year Supporting .............................................................$30.00 per year IN THIS ISSUE ✑ NNS (opt.) .................................................................$5.00 per year News & Announcements ..........................................3 Nature Notes ................................................... 12 From the Editor ...........................................................3 October – Ring-neck Snakes, Blue Grosbeaks, more 8 2011 NSNT Dinner/Auction .........................................3 November – Strawberries!, a Yellow Leg, rare goose 8 “12% by 2015” – get involved! .....................................3 Almanac .......................................................... 13 YNC – Robin Messelman, new Coordinator ...............3 Natural Events ............................................................13 HFN Reports/Special Articles................................4 Interesting seasonal phenomena ..................................13 Payzants receive well-deserved 2011 Criddle Award ..4 Organisational Events ...............................................13 A Robin Story – Phyllis Bryson ....................................4 Blom. Nat. Soc. – Eagles, Orchids, Sniffer Dogs .......13 HFN Talks ......................................................................5 Burke Gaffney Observatory – 1st & 3rd Saturdays . 14 Listening to Nature – we can make a difference .........5 N.S. Bird Society – New Birders, Sewer Stroll, more 14 Kiliminjaro – an 11-day climb .......................................6 N.S. Mus. of Nat. Hist. – Nektukulimk, 3-D Sphere ..14 HFN Field Trips ...........................................................8 N.S. DNR – Winter outings are on their website .........14 White Star Line’s SS Atlantic – now memorialised ......8 N.S. Wild Flora – 4th Mon. each month ....................14 McNab’s Island – clean-up, history, and more ............9 N.S. Inst. Science – Orchards, oil, gold mining ........14 Noggins & Kentville Trails – N.S. natural beauty ....... 11 Royal Astronomical Society – 3rd Fri. each month 14 YNC – Cetaceans, Fish, Astronomy ..........................14 Halifax Tide Table – Jan. to Mar.; all times AST! . 15 GRAPHICS All uncredited illustrations are by H. Derbyshire or from copyright-free sources. Front Cover - Maple leaf on frosty stream, G. Ward; Back Cover - Pine trunks with snow, Will Smithey Jr.; Tide Table - Canadian Hydrographic Service, Fisheries & Oceans Canada. 2 Fall 2011, #144 HFN NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE Editor protect West Ironbound Island, go to http://www.kccns. – Stephanie Robertson org/index.htm. These webpages will help you understand why we need to protect our land and what you can do to as- Are we seeing more and more effects of global warming sist. Groups and individuals may make submissions. Get on our local weather? Record high temperatures occurred involved! in November, and the little brown winter moths were to be seen well into the middle of December around our front door. YNC Report The highlight of our fall, at the NSNT’s silent auction in – Robin Musselman September (see item below,) was our successful bid for a My name is Robin Musselman, the new Young Natural- Bon Portage boat trip, along with Bob Bancroft, Alice Reed, ists Club (YNC) Provincial Coordinator, continuing the great and Richard and Grace Beazley. I had become intimately work that Laura Lambie did last year as she has returned to acquainted with this island through Evelyn Richardson’s teaching. We Keep a Light, and My Other Islands. Dates are as yet It has been an exciting fall for the YNC with the starting of undecided, but we are aiming to avoid prolonged stranding five new chapters around the province – in Wolfville, Lunen- by stormy spring weather! burg, St. Margaret’s Bay, Stellarton, and Wittenburg! All the As you can see from our masthead on page two, the chapters have had very successful talks and field trips over space for the Vice President’s name is empty. We encour- the last few months – presentations on Migrating Birds; age members to consider joining the board. We are a Owls; the Ecology of the Acadian Forest; the Tides of the volunteer organisation, and we need volunteers! Bay of Fundy; Whitefish and Atlantic Salmon; Lichens and Slugs; River Degradation and Restoration; Species at Risk; NSNT ANNUAL DINNER/AUCTION Beavers; Tree Growth and Identification; Amphibians; and Beach Ecology, with many associated field trips to beaches, On Wednesday, September 28th, 2011, The Nova Scotia forests, woodlots, and museums! Each chapter is led by Nature Trust held its annual dinner and auction, with a a local volunteer leader and I work with them to develop a coastal theme, at the World Trade and Convention Centre. programme that works well for their own individual com- The silent auction boasted items from limited-edition Alice munity. Reed prints to a lightning detector