[BNS_members] June E-Newsletter from the Blomidon Naturalists Society

Wed Jun 1 06:16:16 CDT 2022

Updates, upcoming events and more for June!

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June 2022 Newsletter

BNS members exploring the vernal ponds and marvelling at all its wonders (fairy shrimp, tadpoles, salamander eggs!) on a recent spring trip to Blomidon Provincial Park.

President's Message
Soren Bondrup-Nielsen

Welcome to June. Although summer does not start officially until the 21st, the weather and all the leaves on the trees tells me it is summer. I have no story to tell you this time so I will get right into what will be happening.

You can look forward to hearing about eel grass this month. This will be the last monthly presentation until September – we take a break in July and August.

I am organizing a showing of the film, Last of the Right Whales,  (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=f3f3dcfed5&e=b24cf58224) at the All Whittle Theatre in Wolfville.  I also have a copy (a CD) of the documentary called My Garden of a Thousand Bees (watch the trailer here) (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=d1d52e7580&e=b24cf58224) . This is an amazing doc with beautiful slow motion and up close live shots of various bees. If you would like to borrow it, please let me know and I will figure out how to get the CD to you.

We are hoping to have field-trips for the summer months. I wonder if anyone of you would volunteer to lead a trip. Leading a trip does not mean that you have to talk about what you see. It can just be a pleasant walk along the dykes, in a forest, or wherever. The main point is to get out in nature and be among naturalists. There will be people in the group who will no doubt point out interesting things. So, if you are interested in leading a trip to your favourite haunt, please let us know.

Thanks, and have a great summer!

** UPCOMING EVENTS
------------------------------------------------------------
Monthly Meeting: Coastal Eelgrass Beds - Hotspots for Biodiversity and Conservation
Our upcoming June monthly meeting is Monday June 20th at 7:30 pm online on Zoom. Ryan Stanley, a Fisheries and Oceans Canada biologist at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography, will present at our June monthly meeting. Ryan will talk about eelgrass beds, their incredible diversity and using eDNA technology to capture this biodiversity. Register here! (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=43d950b793&e=b24cf58224)

Ryan will give a talk on the Canadian Marine Protected Area Program and will review the challenges of establishing and monitoring a national network of protected areas. He will introduce eelgrass as a focus of this national conservation network, reviewing the ecosystem services they provide and the biodiversity they support. He will discuss a recent application of environmental DNA as a novel and exciting tool for biodiversity monitoring within these important and sensitive ecosystems!

This is our last monthly meeting until September, when we hope to resume in-person meetings (with an online option).

[Lobster in eelgrass. Photo: Nick Hawkins.] - Eelgrass habitat is so important. From providing diverse habitat (include fish that sustain fisheres) to protecting shorelines to storing carbon and hence helping to mitigate climate change.

Wildflowers of Nova Scotia Course

Last call to register for the Wildflowers of Nova Scotia Course on Sunday June 5th from 10 am to 4 pm at the Ross Creek Centre for the Arts! This promises to be a fabulous day filled with learning, fun and, of course, wildflowers!

Instructor Alain Belliveau (Collections Manager, E.C. Smith Herbarium, Acadia) is offering this wonderful course again this year. Learn about the Acadian Forest Region, major plant groups and families, and common wildflower species. Then, go out and explore the diverse habitat up at Ross Creek to practice wildflower identification. $60 includes the full day course, some materials, and a lunch provided by Ross Creek.
Full details and registration here: https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=4eab74dcfe&e=b24cf58224
https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=feaa03eb99&e=b24cf58224
Birding by Ear Course!

We've had to reschedule this course, now being offered on June 11th! So you can still sign up! Join instructor James Churchill for a full day birding course up a Ross Creek Centre for the Arts.

The vast majority of bird species vocalize and decoding their sounds can increase our awareness of bird age, behaviour, mating status, quality, bird community diversity, and help us detect and identify new species. This one-day workshop is geared towards building "earbirding" skills through better understanding of sound, describing and categorizing bird songs and learning tips and tricks that will help you solve vocal mysteries in your backyard or on any of your birding adventures. The workshop will involve a combination of class work and field work to apply skills. This workshop is aimed at those with a beginner or intermediate level of earbirding experience desiring to develop or further their skills.

More details and registration here: https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=d5482ea929&e=b24cf58224
Flying Squirrel Adventures

Wild Explorations & Earth Explorers
Registration is open for great FSA summer nature programs. Two programs still have space! Details and registration here: https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=2290b9c712&e=b24cf58224

Earth Explorers (ages 8-11 yrs) at the Kentville Bird Sanctuary or Gorge
Exploring the wonders of the earth.
Mon and Wed  9:00 – 12:00 for 4 weeks (July 11 - Aug 3)

Wild Explorations (ages 12–15 yrs) at the Kentville Gorge
A recreation program supporting youth in building healthy connections to nature, self, & others
Tue and Thu  5:30 – 8:30 pm for 4 weeks (July 12 - Aug 4)

Summer Solstice Song Circle at Oakdene Park

Join Flying Squirrel Adventures for a solstice song circle in Oakdene Park in Kentville on Friday June 17th (5:30 - 7 pm). Rain date is Wed June 22.
The circle will be led by Jesse Potter.
This event is sponsored by Town of Kentville.

Monarchs at the Wolfville Memorial Library - June 12th Event

TheWolfville Memorial Library (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=4ba5b6253e&e=b24cf58224) invites you to join Larry Bogan, a member of BNS, for a talk on Monarchs in the Annapolis Valley: Habitat, Abundance, and Rearing. Join us outside the library on Sunday June 12th at 2:00 pm.

Since 2006, Larry has been rearing monarchs in a 2 hectare former hay field allowed to grow wild with milkweed and wild flowers where he sees hundreds of monarchs emerge each year. There will be opportunity for questions.

We will be giving out monarch butterfly host plants, while supplies last.

Also, there will be a "Pollinator Pathway" map, supported by Charts Café, where folks can mark their pollinator gardens so we can inspire/encourage this type of gardening across the Town and we can get a sense of the butterfly and other pollinator habitats already here!
Monarch. Photo: Jessica Linton, University of Guelph.
Film Screening at the Al Whittle Theatre: The Last of the Right Whales

We are hosting a screening of the film The Last of the Right Whales at the Al Whittle in Wolfville on June 16th at 7:00pm. Admission by donation.
Watch the trailer and find more information here: https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=117dc6138a&e=b24cf58224
June Field Trip

We will have a social casual June field trip on Sunday June 26th. It will either be a beach or woods walk to explore together the local natural world. Details to come.
Event Updates & Schedule On Our Website!

You can find our 2022 calendar of activities and events on our website. (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=025bb33b82&e=b24cf58224) It is updated throughout the months with new presentations, field trips, courses, and more! You can also find lots of informative articles, past newsletters and archives, photos, and past presentations on the website.

Recent event: A Swift Night Out in Wolfville! We had a presentation from Birds Canada about Chimney Swifts at the Robie Tufts Nature Centre, with kids activities and warm drinks, followed by a chimney swift count at University Hall (where over 100 birds were counted roosting) and a count at Robie Tufts (only four this count - we think they are preferring the UHall chimney this year).

** BUTTERFLYWAY PROJECT
------------------------------------------------------------
Bee-Friend the Bees!

Spring is in full bloom as we head towards summer, and many spaces are abuzz with bees once again! However, it is also the time of year when we see many people swatting their arms about crying in fear, "bee"! To be fair, anyone who has had a rare bee sting knows that it can be painful (and of course there are those who do have severe allergic reactions to be mindful of). But, there are many reasons to not be afraid of bees, and to get to know them better, instead of swatting them away...

Bees are essential for our ecosystems and food systems, and most are very gentle. They don't want to sting, and will only if they are very threatened. Bumblebees, carpenter bees and many other native bees have a very low risk of stinging, and the males don't even sting!

So stay calm, don't swat at bees as you might irritate or provoke the bees, and wear long sleeves and pants if you are out working in the garden and worried about being close to bee nests.

Better yet, get to know your bees! Pay attention to which ones are in your area. We suggest using the iNaturalist (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=fb744abaaf&e=b24cf58224) app to help identify and understand species! These essential pollinators are diverse, fascinating, and they don't really want to hurt you unless you threaten them so be kind and calm.
Yellow-banded bumblebee. Cute and gentle. Photo: T. Harrison, Wildlife Preservation Canada.
Thinking about adding more pollinator habitat to your yard? Learn about great and beautiful pollinator plants with our native pollinator plant of the week series!
We have lots of resources on our website on native plants, gardening for biodiversity, and pollinators and how to support them!
Butterflyway Project Information & Resources (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=5386e3060e&e=b24cf58224)

** GET INVOLVED
------------------------------------------------------------
Climate Circles - Seeking Volunteers for an Advisory Committee

The BNS is re-launching Climate Circles, an initiative that ran in Wolfville in 2020 weekly before the pandemic started and brought community members together to connect and take action on climate change. We believe that this type of community-hosted and facilitated space is pivotal to building and maintaining the community connections and energy needed to sustain local climate action.

We are seeking a few committed volunteers to serve on the Climate Circles Advisory Committee. Please see the posting on Good Work for more information: https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=6dcf6d84b3&e=b24cf58224
Protect the Eisner Cove Wetland

Wetlands are critical now and for our future. The Eisner Cove Wetland in Dartmouth is one of the last large wetland areas in the HRM urban core, and is under threat. People are speaking out to protect this area, and the BNS has now joined Nature Nova Scotia and many groups and community members in calling for a reconsideration of development plans to protect this area.

Learn more and get involved (in many ways) here:http:// https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=754ca1c418&e=b24cf58224
https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=97cb3b9cbb&e=b24cf58224 (http:// https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=5ffa647f6d&e=b24cf58224)
Save Species at Risk Signs

We still have Save Species at Risk signs to promote ecological forestry and protected areas. Add your voice to the growing campaign! Learn more on the campaign here (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=22d1e3cb39&e=b24cf58224) and make a donation if you are so inclined. Contact Caroline (coordinator at blomidonnaturalists.ca) for a sign pick-up in Wolfville or to arrange pick up or drop off within the area.

** COMMUNITY EVENTS & HAPPENINGS
------------------------------------------------------------
Happening in Kentville this Saturday June 4th in Oakdene Park!
Native Plant Sale in Wolfville this Saturday morning!
Sunship Earth Camp at Camp Mockingee

The Adventure Earth Centre is offering some wonderful environmental programs, including one fairly nearby at Camp Mockingee (near Martock). Sunship Earth is a week long environmental education residential camp program for 10-12 year olds at Camp Mockingee July 8-13 or July 16-21.

"We are all travelling at an incredible speed around the sun on a ship we call earth. Our mission is to gain the appreciation, understanding and caring for our planet so as to become engaged and confident crew members. Welcome aboard! Whether it is the magic of the Milky Way, the wonder of a butterfly, or the adventure in a tiny cave, you’ll be exploring the mystery in nature with all sorts of surprises thrown in! Join us for the FUN and Excitement of Overnight Camps, Canoeing & Swimming, Magic Spots (your own beautiful spot in the forest), Campfires (Songs, stories, and skits, with a twist of “magic)” and Good Friends (A fun cooperative group which values each person). This program is open to all in the age range and is provided by the Halifax Regional Adventure Earth Centre."

For more info visit:
https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=c7c93e5742&e=b24cf58224

At the lake at Camp Mockingee.

** IN THE NEWS
------------------------------------------------------------
Black-bellied Whistling Ducks Make Rare Canadian Appearance

A flock of black-bellied whistling ducks has been spotted in Bathurst, NB recently. This bird is originally from South America, making it a rare vagrant to our Maritime area. The flock (suspected to be the same one) was also spotted in Yarmouth recently. These ducks don't quack, they whistle!
See the article here: https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=d040b2031b&e=b24cf58224
Photo: Andrew Darcy.
We acknowledge that we live in Mi’kma’ki, the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq People. This territory is covered by the “Treaties of Peace and Friendship” which did not entail the surrender of lands and resources, but recognized Mi’kmaq title. We want to recognize that outdoor education and play would not be possible without access to the natural world that has been stewarded since time immemorial by the many Indigenous peoples of this land. We acknowledge that we have a responsibility to honour and learn about their histories and current cultures and to actively work in support of reconciliation. We are committed to fostering respectful and sustainable relationships with the Indigenous Peoples of this land, with all other organisms, with the land and with the water.
Renew or Join Membership (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=5bf0e1cec4&e=b24cf58224)
If you enjoyed reading this, please feel free to forward it to someone you think might also appreciate it.

If you would like to submit content and notices for the next e-newsletter, please email coordinator at blomidonnaturalists.ca. Thank you!

As a non-profit, the Blomidon Naturalists Society relies on the tireless effort of our volunteers and the support of individuals such as yourself. If you are able, we ask that you might consider donating to further enable this work.
Donate Now (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=b2245f1288&e=b24cf58224)
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