Blomidon Naturalists Society - Events Feed

Cape Split Hike 2: Saturday, May 19

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 17:03:12 -0300

Start: 19 May 2012 - 9:00am

End: 19 May 2012 - 9:00am

Saturday, May 19, 2012 – Cape Split Hike II. This will be a joint trip with the Halifax Field Naturalists. Patrick Kelly (472-2322, patrick.kelly@dal.ca) and Sherman Williams (542–5104, shermwms@eastlink.ca) will lead the trip. Meet at the Wolfville waterfront at 8:15 a.m. or at the start of the trail in Scott's Bay at 9:00 a.m.

Blomidon Provincial Park: Fairy Shrimp Walk

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 17:01:54 -0300

Start: 19 May 2012 - 10:00am

End: 19 May 2012 - 10:00am

Saturday, May 19, 2012 – Blomidon Provincial Park. Jim Wolford (902 542-9204, jimwolford@eastlink.ca) will lead a walk from the campground about two kilometers to a seasonal pond that has the very rare and beautiful fairy shrimp. Other pond life, spring plants/flowers, and birds will also be seen. A lookoff toward Five Islands Park, across the Minas Basin, will be visited. BNS members can meet and meet and carpool from the Wolfville Waterfront at 9:15 a.m. or meet Jim at the Blomidon Park registration building at 10:00 a.m.

Historic Hants County

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 17:04:01 -0300

Start: 21 May 2012 - 8:00am

End: 21 May 2012 - 8:00am

Monday, May 21, 2012 – Historic Hants County. This is a field trip from the Nova Scotia Bird Society. Suzanne Borkowski 445-2922 E-mail: suzanneborkowski@yahoo.ca will lead this trip which will start at 8:00 a.m. in the parking lot of Mount Uniacke Estate Park. (Those wishing to carpool should meet at the Wolfville Waterfront and leave by 7:00 am to ensure they arrive on time.) The main gate will be locked, but the 2nd gate (coming from Halifax) will be open. The trip will start by exploring some of the grounds at Mt. Uniacke then continue along back-country roads through Hants County. Bring a lunch to be enjoyed at Smileys Park. No rain date.

Regular Monthly Meeting: Lady Beetles and Their Use as Biological Pest Control Agents

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 12:46:44 -0400

Start: 21 May 2012 - 7:30pm

End: 21 May 2012 - 7:30pm

Lady Beetles and Their Use as Biological Pest Control Agents by Dr. Susan Bjornson. Biological pest control involves the use of natural enemies (predators, pathogens, and parasitoids) for controlling agricultural pests. Although biological control was first practiced in 4th-century China, the earliest, most spectacular success was recorded in California. This case involved the use of an Australian lady beetle for control of a scale insect on California citrus. Other lady beetle species have since been used for pest control on various horticultural crops and their efficacy has led to the ongoing practice of using lady beetles for pest control on agricultural crops and in home gardens. This presentation will focus on the history of biological pest control, the practice of using of lady beetles for controlling crop pests, and the ecological implications associated with using lady beetles and other natural enemies for pest control.

Dr Susan Bjornson is an invertebrate pathologist in the Department of Biology, Saint Mary’s University. She earned a Diploma of Horticulture (Olds College), followed by a BSc (Honours) in Environmental Biology (University of Guelph) and PhD in Entomology (University of Alberta). Her early research focused on biological pest control in horticultural crops. Her current research program involves the study of invertebrate pathogens that cause chronic disease in beneficial insects that are used for biological pest control.

Nature Nova Scotia Annual Meeting

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 12:42:12 -0400

Start: 25 May 2012 - 5:00pm

End: 27 May 2012 - 1:00pm

This year the Federation of Nova Scotia Naturalists will be holding its annual meeting at the Tatamagouche Centre in St. Anns, near Baddeck in Victoria County. Details will be available on the NetureNS web site (www.naturens.ca/node/2) closer to the date of the event.)

Gaspereau Area Canoe Trip

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 17:05:16 -0300

Start: 9 Jun 2012 - 8:30am

End: 9 Jun 2012 - 8:30am

Saturday, June 9, 2012 — Gaspereau Area Canoe Trip – Larry Bogan (902 678-0446, larry@bogan.ca) and Patrick Kelly (patrick.kelly@dal.ca, 902 472–2322) will lead a canoe trip in the Gaspereau Lake area. We will meet at 8:30 a.m in South Alton an the intersection of Highway 12 and English Mountain Road. Bring a hearty lunch, water, drinks, etc. and, of course, life jackets, canoe, and paddles. If you do not have a canoe there will likely be extra room in one. Check with a leader to be sure. The trip will cover either a stillwater in the southwest part of Gaspereau Lake or the North River depending on the wind conditions.

Herbert River Trail

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 17:08:43 -0300

Start: 16 Jun 2012 - 9:00am

End: 16 Jun 2012 - 9:00am

Saturday June 16, 2012 – Herbert River Trail. Patrick Kelly 472-2322 patrick.kelly@dal.ca will be leading this walk for the Nova Scotia Bird Society. This easy walk follows the rail bed of the former train line that ran from Windsor to Truro via Kennetcook. It runs along the Herbert River for a good part of its length. In addition to birds it is also a great walk for spotting floodplain vegetation. Meet at the Newport Rink parking lot at 9:00 a.m. Take Exit 5 from Highway 101 and follow Highway 14 east for about 10 km to the village of Brooklyn. At the cenotaph, keep left and follow Highway 14 north for just under 1 km. At the intersection (Petro-Canada station) Highway 14 turns right. Continue straight on Highway 215 (Note the YIELD sign. you do NOT have the right of way!) The rink is on the right as soon as you exit the intersection. Bring insect repellent. We should be done by lunch. Rain date Sunday, June 19.

Regular Monthly Meeting: Atlantic Coastal Plain Flora

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 12:47:39 -0400

Start: 18 Jun 2012 - 7:30pm

End: 18 Jun 2012 - 7:30pm

Atlantic Coastal Plain Flora by Alain Belliveau The Atlantic Coastal Plain Flora (ACPF) is a group of 90 species of wetland plants that inhabit our lake and river shores, bogs, fens, and estuaries. Some of the world’s largest and least disturbed ACPF populations are located here in Nova Scotia.

Alain Belliveau is a Masters student at Dalhousie University’s School of Resource and Environmental Management. Alain’s research focus has been the examination of a number of lakes in southwestern Nova Scotia for red- and yellow-listed ACPF species to determine, among other things, their distribution and population health.

New Birders Trip — Windsor, Hants County

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 17:09:40 -0300

Start: 23 Jun 2012 - 9:00am

End: 23 Jun 2012 - 9:00am

Saturday June 23, 2012 – New Birders Trip; Windsor, Hants County. Leader: Patrick Kelly 494-3294 (w) 472-2322 (h) Email: patrick.kelly@dal.ca. Pre-registration is required. This trip is geared for those who have always had an interest in bird watching, but were not sure how it was actually done. Bring binoculars and field guides, if you have them. Meet at 9:00 a.m. at the parking lot for the Windsor Tourist Bureau, which is just north of Exit 6 (Water Street) on Highway 101. We should be 1–2 hours and will visit a few different types of habitat in the town of Windsor. No storm date for this trip.

Butterfly Field Trip

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 12:00:07 -0300

Start: 23 Jun 2012 - 10:00am

End: 23 Jun 2012 - 10:00am

This trip will be in support of the Maritimes Butterfly Atlas. Jim Edsell will be leading the trip. Given that butterflies tend to be active only in good weather, register with Jim by e-mail at jim.edsall@bellaliant.net so that if the event needs to be cancelled he can contact you. The trip will start at the Wolfville Waterfront an 10:00 a.m. and will go until 2:00 p.m. For more information on the atlas project, visit the atlas web site at http://www.accdc.com/butterflyatlas.html

Showy Lady's Slippers, Smileys Park

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 17:10:44 -0300

Start: 30 Jun 2012 - 6:45pm

End: 30 Jun 2012 - 6:45pm

Saturday June 30, 2012 – Showy Lady’s Slippers Smileys Park. Leader: Bernard Forsythe 542-2427 will lead a trip to see these magnificent flowers. They are usually at their best around this time of the year, but as anyone who is familiar with setting the date for the Apple Blossom Parade, nature sometimes seems to have a mind of its own. Meet at the Wolfville waterfront at 6:00 p.m. or at the picnic area at Smileys Provincial Park at 6:45 p.m.

Plants of the Wolfville Watershed Nature Preserve

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 15:31:53 -0300

Start: 21 Jul 2012 - 10:00am

End: 21 Jul 2012 - 10:00am

Saturday July 21, 2012 – Plants of the Wolfville Watershed Nature Preserve. The Wolfville Watershed Nature Preserve is a partnership between the Town of Wolfville and the Nova Scotia Nature Trust and protects old-growth hemlock forest, Acadian forest, and wetlands. Join leaders Reg and Ruth Newell (ruth.newell@acadiau.ca) to explore botanical and historical aspects of the new Havey Trail. The difficulty level is moderate, with several steep areas. Bring lunch and/or snacks. Wear sturdy footwear; hiking poles are recommended. Meet at 10:00 a.m. at the entrance on Forest Hill Road. For those who want to carpool, you should meet at the Wolfville Waterfront at 9:45 a.m. The trip will be about four hours long.

Moon Over the Water

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 17:11:40 -0300

Start: 11 Aug 2012 - 7:45pm

End: 11 Aug 2012 - 7:45pm

Wednesday, August 11, 2012 – Moon Over the Water – The view from The Lookoff on the North Mountain is something that many society members are likely familiar. But how many have watched the Sun set and the Full Moon rise from that vantage point. Tonight, the Moon will rise around 8:00 p.m, about 40 minutes before the Sun sets and about four hours from being full. The tide will be coming in, although you will have to stay until after 1:30 a.m. if you want to see the moonlight with the tide in all the way! Arrive for around 7:45 p.m. and enjoy the evening. We will likely hear lots of nature sounds as it darkens and the brighter constellations will come into view. Weather permitting, of course.

NOVA EAST 2012

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 17:13:27 -0300

Start: 17 Aug 2012 - 1:00pm

End: 19 Aug 2012 - 1:00pm

Friday August 17–Sunday August 19, 2012 – NOVA EAST 2012. Atlantic Canada’s longest-running star party will be held at Smileys Provincial Park near Brooklyn in Hants County. Some of the presentations and workshops as well as the Saturday evening observing session are open to the public. This year’s guest speaker is David Levy. NOVA EAST is hosted jointly by the Halifax Centre of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada and the Minas Astronomy Group. More information can be found at http://halifax.rasc.ca/ne.