EXPLORE NEW BRUNSWICK: Greenlaw Mountain Hawk Watch, Charlotte County, NB

E. Farlow, J. Wilson, N. Hawkins viewing from the Top

FROM: Kennebecasis Naturalist Society - Greenlaw Mountain Hawk Watch 2014

Colin Pyette and I drove to Charlotte County to try our luck as observers for the Greenlaw Mountain Hawk Watch. From Sussex it's a approximately an hour and 50 minute drive to the base of the mountain, located just outside St. Andrews, and a 50 minute climb (at least for us) to the observation site. It was well worth the climb for the view alone!

We spent the next four and a half hours with some very experienced birders: Jim Wilson (well known New Brunswick birder and past president of the NB Bird Records Committee), Hank Scarth (avid naturalist and past chairman of the NB Wildlife Council), Todd Watts (Project Coordinator and Official Counter for GMHW), plus two knowledgeable local observers. All these participants, quite frankly, amazed both Colin and me with their ability to not only spot these raptors from a great distance but their skill in identifying them at those distances.

Though the majority of the birds soared at quite a distance from our observation point several flew impressively low and their proximity to the group was much appreciate by all.

• During our stay we observed the following species:
• Bald Eagle
• Turkey Vulture
• Sharp-shinned Hawk
• Broad-wing Hawk
• American Kestrel
• Osprey
• Downey Woodpecker
• American Goldfinch
• Nuthatch
• Raven
• Common Loon

For future reference I would only recommend those reasonably fit for this outing. It's a good narrow dirt road but has a couple of relatively steep sections in it with loose gravel under foot. An active person, with no physical disabilities, could likely do it in 35 minutes. We debated on whether or not to bring up our collapsible chairs and, after reaching the observation site, were very glad to have made the decision to leave them behind. There are several rock ledges to sit and rest on and lugging the chairs up that incline, in my opinion, would have been unnecessary. We were told to dress in layers and that proved to be very beneficial for the winds where substantially different between the bottom and top of the mountain. A spotting scope, along with binoculars, is a must for this outing.

I can honestly say that I observed more hawks on this outing than I've seen in total over my life time. It was an eye opener for me for I had no idea that such a place existed in New Brunswick. Todd Watt's knowledge and his ability to identify these birds so quickly was both amazing and humbling. He was also pleased to share what he had learned over the past 5 years on the top of that mountain. It was an enjoyable outing and I would recommend it to all outdoor enthusiasts.

Broad-wing Hawk

H.Scarth, T.Watts, C.Pyette, N.Hawkins

M.Macaulay, T.Watts, C.Pyette, N.Hawkins

Thanks to Mark M. for the report and photos. The bottom two photos were by Jim Wilson

How climate change is threatening to cut off Nova Scotia from mainland Canada

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Alicia Draus has more. How climate change is threatening to cut off Nova Scotia from mainland Canada

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WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT! The History of the Oceans Is Locked in Whale Earwax

The Astonishing History Locked in Whale Earwax - The Atlantic:

ED YONG, NOV 21, 2018

The History of the Oceans Is Locked in Whale Earwax

The massive plugs contain spikes and dips of stress hormones that perfectly match the history of modern whaling.

MIGUEL MEDINA / GETTY

Whales are big, whales are long-lived, and whales have paddle-shaped flippers instead of dexterous hands. These three traits inexorably lead to a fourth: Over time, whales accumulate a lot of earwax.

Whale earwax forms like yours does: A gland secretes oily gunk into the ear canal, which hardens and accumulates into a solid, tapering plug. In the largest whales, like blues, a plug can grow up to 10 inches long, and looks like a cross between a goat’s horn and the world’s nastiest candle. Fin whale wax is firmer than blue whale wax, bowhead whale wax is softer and almost liquid, and sei whale wax is dark and brittle. But regardless of size or texture, these plugs are all surprisingly informative.

As whales go through their annual cycles of summer binge-eating and winter migrations, the wax in their ears changes from light to dark. These changes manifest as alternating bands, which you can see if you slice through the

The herbicide glyphosate persists in wild, edible plants: B.C. study | Vancouver Sun

The herbicide glyphosate persists in wild, edible plants: B.C. study | Vancouver Sun:

When herbicides are sprayed by plane, the spray can deliver non-lethal doses of glyphosate to nearby "non-target plants." RANDY SHORE  Updated: February 20, 2019

Lisa Wood, a forester and assistant professor at the University of Northern B.C., is the author of a study on the impact of aerial spraying of the herbicide glyphosate in the Canadian Journal of Forest Research. HANDOUT

Edible and medicinal forest plants that survive aerial spraying of glyphosate can retain the herbicide and related residues for at least a year, a new study has found.

“The highest and most consistent levels of glyphosate and AMPA (aminomethylphosphonic acid) were found in herbaceous perennial root tissues, but shoot tissues and fruit were also shown to contain glyphosate in select species,” according the study published in the Canadian Journal of Forest Research.

Herbicides containing glyphosate are used by forest companies to kill aspen and other broadleaf plants in areas that have been logged and replanted with trees of commercial value such as Douglas fir and pine, according to the Ministry of Forests.

When herbicides are sprayed by aircraft, the spray can deliver non-lethal doses of glyphosate to nearby “non-target plants,” some of which may store the compound indefinitely or break it down very slowly, said author Lisa Wood, a registered professional forester and assistant professor of forest ecology at the University of Northern B.C.

Wood found unexpected levels of glyphosate in new shoots and berries of plants that survived an aerial herbicide application made one year earlier.