Scott Leslie’s Wetlands Wizardry   — Julie Palmer
 

 Scott Leslie wowed a full house on January 10th with his incredible wildlife show of three different habitats: wetlands, woodlands and underwater shots of the Bay of Fundy.  These correspond to the three books that Scott has created on these topics, published by Key Porter Books. 

Wetlands

It was a fascinating and somewhat humorous evening.  Many of the photos in the wetlands section were taken locally at Lake Jerry or along the French Basin Trail in Annapolis Royal.  Scott started his talk with shots of wetland wildlife such as a Blue Damsel Fly, a Green Frog and a Painted Turtle.  There was an unusual picture of pond lilies taken below and above water with the waterline bisecting the photograph.

 Birds shown in the wetlands section included a Loon turning its eggs on a mud nest, an American Coot scampering across the water, and a ring-necked duck, in which the orange ring around its neck was actually visible.  A Swamp Sparrow along the rail-bed gathering down from cattails was also memorable.  Scott noted also that there is a must-see event that happens every year in late July-early August, when 95% of the continent’s Semi-Palmated Sandpipers arrive at Evangeline Beach in Grand Pre to feed before migrating. 

 For up-close wetland photos, Scott uses a floating blind.  It’s a tiny raft with a miniature green tent atop.  Scott’s torso drapes over the raft with his wetsuit clad legs dangling behind.  In this way he can approach even the most timid birds quite easily.  One time, he was so well camouflaged that a muskrat walked up his leg and over his shoulder! 

Almost every photo that Scott showed had a story or an interesting fact behind it, such as a humorous shot of a Pie-Billed Grebe sinking under the weight of four fluffy chicks riding on its back.

 The White Pelican is the largest bird in North America, with a wingspan of 108 inches and weighing a massive 20 kgs.  These birds feed in groups by herding fish into shallow coves and then scooping them up in their beak and expansible throat.

 One of Scott’s favourite photos is of a Tree Swallow heading straight towards the camera, wings in a down swoop.  For a photo like that, he may have taken 300 pictures to get just the right one.

 Woodlands

For the woodland section of his presentation, Scott showed many images that were taken over 2 or 3 years in the Southwest deserts of New Mexico and Arizona.  We were treated to shots of completely unfamiliar birds such as the Acorn Woodpecker, the tiny Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher, Brown Thrasher, Canyon Wren and the Pyrrhuloxia, a greyish bird about the size and shape of the Cardinal , with just a bit of red on the crest, mouth and wings.  A favourite was the Rufous Hummingbird in Arizona, which Scott coaxed in close to the camera lens  with a nectar feeder, that also attracted 5 other species of hummingbirds.

For some birds which flit around a lot, like warblers, Scott uses a call-back tape to bring them in close enough to get the shot or in the case of the Solitary/Blue-Headed Vireo he “pishes” [Editors worried note: “a quite legitimate birding term that refers to the hissing vocalizations that a birder makes in order to draw in curious birds”].  Some birds that we would consider quite common and easy to see, can still be very difficult to photograph, as is the case with the Raven, captured soaring over the Grand Canyon, that was probably “watching out for illegal immigrants” Art joked.

 Due to global warming, Scott says many of the presently “southern” birds are gradually coming north, such as the Mockingbird, which he has seen here recently as well as the Great Egret that hung around the Annapolis Royal marsh for most of one summer.

 There were some questions about photographic technique employed, as in the case of the amazing picture of a Blue Jay with its primary feathers spread like fingers.  He had to use 132nd of a second shutter speed to capture this detail.  Scott noted that with such a shallow depth of field, the wings were in  focus but the eye was not.  Scott does not use auto-focus, but instead prefers to pre-focus on the spot where the bird will likely be in the next instant. 

 Several photos drew some laughs, just on their looks alone, such as the Lincoln’s Sparrow that was all fluffed up, seemingly having a “bad hair day”, or the Red-Winged Blackbird doing the splits in desperately trying to stay perched on some cattails.

Scott’s books are not field guides per se, so are not comprehensive in terms of species, but they do go more in-depth on the species that they do cover, including a map of conservation concerns.  Sadly the Scrub Jay has very little habitat left and is now reduced to one wildlife sanctuary at Merritt Island in Florida.

 Bay of Fundy

Scott’s talents do not only lie on the land.  With his underwater photography, we were amazed by the extremely colourful and weird wonderland that lies beneath the ocean waters.  These photos left even Art speechless. [Editors straight-faced note: “a once in a blue moon event!”]

 Lobsters, it turns out, are greenish underwater, before they are cooked.  Scott swears that these crustaceans each have their own personalities. There is a famous one found at the mouth of the river in Weymouth that all the scallop divers know for its exceptional crankiness.  It typically charges towards them waving its claws menacingly to warn them off its territory.

 We also saw many species of jellyfish, and a Monkfish with little yellow parasites all over it and even a Lumpfish which is now quite rare in the Bay, perhaps due to its eggs being sought for “mock” caviar.  The Northern Lampshell, a brachiopod with an ancestry over 500 million years old, looks like a shellfish but is unique in having  a fan that sweeps the water for food.

 Scott also does night dives so that the background of some photo is completely dark, making for a startling and dynamic image.  He dives mostly at ebb tide or in an eddy at full tide.  Occasionally he does a drift dive - a boat simply drops him off and he just drifts along with the tides and currents and is (hopefully!) picked up later.

One highlight was the Flounder with big twisted lips.  They start out life normally, but as they grow they get all screwed up – “just like the rest of us,” Jim offered,  with both eyes moving to one side of the head!

 Finally, a few teasers from Scott’s next book, which focuses on Seabirds.  More of a water bird than a land one, we viewed an Eagle taking a fish off Yarmouth.  Also, there was an amazing picture, taken from above, of about 100 eiders, little white and brown dots atop the water.  And a Puffin flying at Seal Island, quite distinguishable by its puffy orange bill.

Thanks Scott for an incredible photographic show! 

Wetland Birds Of North America : A Guide To Observation, Understanding And Conservation by Scott Leslie

Bird watching is a serious business and the number one outdoor activity in North America. Wetlands, marshes, wooded, swamps, shallow lakes, ponds, and prairie sloughs are all considered wetlands and are the homes to a variety of birds that depend on wetlands for their food and habitat. In this comprehensive, fully illustrated guide to wetland birds, photographer and naturalist Scott Leslie profiles some of the most common species that novice birders may observe, including loons, great blue herons, greater yellow legs, bald eagles, warblers, sparrows, and sandpipers. Each entry provides a complete profile of a species including a description of its appearance, habitat, behaviour, calls and sounds, food, family life, distribution and migration, conservation concerns, and related species. Along with spectacular colour species photos, icons provide at-a-glance profiles of the species. Also included is a guide to North America’s most easily accessible bird-rich wetlands by region, a great resource that explains where to find some of the most fascinating natural areas on the continent. Wetland Birds of North America is the only guidebook on the market that answers questions about common wetland birds, features full-colour photographs, and is formatted to fit conveniently into a large pocket or a day pack.

ISBN 1552637220 Price $29.95 Binding Paperback Pub. Date 2006-02-09 Pages 304 
Publisher Key Porter Books

Man and Nature 

“I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority.” 

                                                                                        —  William Westmoreland, Essays

Breeding Bird Atlas ~ Volunteers needed!  — Patrick Kelly

January 1, 2007 marked the official start of field data collection for the second Maritimes Breeding Bird Atlas project, but don’t worry! You haven’t missed anything! On-line registration via the atlas website is now possible and materials are being prepared for spring and the onset of the upcoming breeding season. Regional coordinators have been selected to represent the 27 atlas regions and are presently busy interacting with registered atlasers, and developing strategies to meet project objectives. This volunteer-driven initiative to assess important trends in the population of native birds in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island is one of the most intensive wildlife research projects ever undertaken in Atlantic Canada.  Similar breeding bird atlases have been produced in many countries in Europe and most provinces and states of North America. Each is the product of a scientifically designed, five-year census aimed at recording all breeding bird species within a specific region.

The process is normally repeated at twenty-year intervals to reflect changes in distribution and abundance, which may indicate significant changes in land use, habitat, climate, or other natural and man-made forces. The first Maritimes Breeding Bird Atlas project began in 1985, with the book appearing in 1992. With the help of over 1,200 dedicated volunteers, this project produced the most comprehensive study of bird distribution and abundance in the Maritimes to date. The resulting book has become a standard on the shelves of bird enthusiasts, educators, and public and private sector agencies interested in the status of birds across our region. The data have been extremely valuable in fields ranging from conservation planning to ecotourism promotion. Now it's time to do another one!
       
Organizers expect that more than 1,200 volunteer birders will participate in the project between 2006 and 2010. They will record their observations within assigned areas and submit the data for inclusion in the atlas. While the final book will not appear until 2012, an interactive website will allow people to track the steady accumulation of information, year after year.

“We call this citizen science,” states Atlas Coordinator Karel Allard, who is completing doctoral studies in ornithology at the University of New Brunswick. “It gives people a great excuse to get out and enjoy an activity they love while knowing that the hours they spend are for a really worthwhile goal. Without such wide participation, we could never achieve such an in-depth profile of changes in the health of local and regional ecosystems.”

Each of the 27 regions is divided into squares that are 10 kilometres on a side. Atlasers will be provided with detailed maps of the squares by the project team. Ideally each participant will be assigned a square, but participants who may find this a bit daunting can help out others who have been assigned squares. You are not restricted to a single square so you can also participate while in other parts of the province. The project emphasizes the teamwork approach: keep an eye on your square, but keep the doors fully open to others, and collaborate freely”, exemplifying the true spirit of the atlas project.

“It’s also a wonderful way for experienced birders to share their experience and know-how with beginners,” Allard continues. “The atlaser experience also will be enhanced through better communication, access to information, training, and learning tools. Individuals who would like to participate in the atlas process can learn more by visiting the project web site (http://www.mba-aom.ca). Also, those without access to a computer should feel free to give us a call on our toll-free line 1-866-5ATLAS5 (1-866-528-5275). We’ll make sure everyone that wants to participate can do so!”

The data gathered in this project will be used to establish a record of the distribution of breeding birds throughout the Maritimes; to determine priority conservation areas for breeding birds, to record the distributions of rare species; to determine habitat requirements of breeding birds; to look at changes since the first Atlas, and ; to unite birders of the Maritimes in an important bird conservation project.

AFNS members live in an area that is covered by three atlas regions:

·          Region 16 Annapolis Valley-Digby Neck. Coordinator is Patrick Kelly, 798-3329, atlasmaritimes16@gmail.com  or patrick.kelly@dal.ca ).

·          Region 17 Southwest Shore (Coordinator is Paul Gould, 684-2356, atlasmaritimes17@gmail.com )

·          Region 19 Mersey-Lehave (Coordinator is Peter Hope, 682-2512, atlasmaritimes19@gmail.com )

 There is a map at http://www.mba-aom.ca/jsp/regions.jsp?lang=en  that shows the boundaries of these regions.

 A big part of the coordinator's job is to look after atlasers in their region and to make sure that atlaser efforts are distributed in such a way that ensures adequate coverage. There are still lots of unclaimed squares so if there is an area that you normally bird in, why not join the project?

The Touch of the Tide

“There is no drop of water in the ocean, not even in the deepest parts of the abyss, that does not know and respond to the mysterious forces that create the tide."   —  Rachel Carson

Congratulations Andi

 Our collective hats are off to AFNS President Andi Rierden on being awarded the prestigious “Bay of Fundy Award for Environmental Education and Awareness”. This award, presented each year by the Nova Scotia Department of Environment and Labour, recognizes dedicated efforts to increase public knowledge and understanding of environmental issues concerning the Gulf of Maine/Bay of Fundy ecosystem. Andi, in her seven years as editor of the Gulf of Maine Times, did an exceptional job of highlighting many of the environmental issues and challenges facing Gulf of Maine (including the Bay of Fundy) ecosystems and coastal communities. Her superb writing talents made every issue a  real pleasure (and an rich educational experience) to read. Andi was presented with the award by NSDEL Minister Mark Parent at a special ceremony in Halifax. We are all proud of you Andi on receiving this well-deserved award.  Well Done!!!

 [Editor’s caution: In a former journalistic incarnation, Andi was a first-rate crime reporter for the New York Times - so if you have skeletons in your closets - be careful what you tell her!!!]

Carol’s Cool Climate Central

Fed up with hearing what the weather conditions are in Greenwood when you really want to know what is going on in Annapolis? Help is now only a computer click away! Carol Littleton, who lives on the shoreline in Annapolis Royal (not far from the Town Hall), has a completely automatic weather station set up in her garden as part of the Citizen Weather Observer Program (CWOP). You can read all about CWOP at www.wxqa.com/. If you want to check out the very latest weather conditions in Carol’s garden you can visit either of the two websites listed below. There you will find current (the website updates every 3 minutes) measurements of temperature, dew point, barometric pressure, wind direction and speed, wind gusts and precipitation. The sites also provide graphic and tabular summaries of observations over several hours, several days or months. User’s should note that the times indicated for the observations are not local (the University of Utah site uses Mountain Time, and the CWOP site uses Greenwich Mean Time). These are both fascinating and useful sites and ones that you will definitely want to bookmark for frequent checking on local weather conditions:

 CWOP site:  www.findu.com/cgi-bin/wxpage.cgi?call=CW6995&units=metric  

Utah U. site:  www.met.utah.edu/cgi-bin/droman/meso_base.cgi?stn=C6995&time=GMT  

Carol’s unique weather site number is CW6995. She tells us that while she is delighted to have people click in to check her data.............
she is not yet ready to issue local weather forecasts!!!