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Members of the Nature Nova Scotia, Nova Scotia Nature Trust and the St.Mary's River Association gathered in Sherbooke to meet and share information on the May 28, 29 and 30th weekend. We had three distinct types of days: Friday was cool, sunny but cool; Saturday was beautiful with sunshine and warmth; Sunday was rainy but cleared for the field trips. The first event was a wine and cheese party at the St. Mary's River Association's Centre and Museum hosted by Nature N.S.
Also read the AGM Report by Bob Bancroft
On Saturday, we all gathered beside the St. Mary's River as shown here for a Barbecue hosted by the N.S. Nature Trust at which they announced more property set aside (located on the hill on the other side of the river in this photo).
Saturday afternoon there were three field trips; one that explored the St. Mary's River from estuary to inland flow to explain its ecology; another to see the unusually good habitat for the Wood Turtle along the West Branch of the St. Mary's River
AND a third to walk the rich hardwood covered floodplain beside the river to view its diverse
collection of species. I was on the third trip and we were impressed by the large trees, abundant population of birds, and the number of wild plants growing there.
After the flood plain walk, Bob Bancroft showed me a couple of large Red Oak trees that grow in the area. The first was on a hill where there once was a homestead
The other was along the St.Mary's River and turned out to be the largest Red Oak I have every meastured. Its diameter was 1.45 metres
After the Annual General meeting of Nature N.S. the group had another afternoon of field trips. In one direction, a group visited the beaches of Pomquet while the other hiked the beaches and trails of Taylor Head Provincial park. I was on the second of these lead by members of Friends of Taylor Head Park.
The destination of the walk was a lookoff where we could view an Osprey nest. We saw the female on the nest while a male perched nearby. On the way we encountered other birds that were not common to me, a Blackpoll Warbler and a Fox Sparrow were the highlights.