Peggy Kochanoff - Be a Wilderness Detective

Peggy Kochanoff

Be

Detective

Wilderness

a

For my family (Stan, Tom, Jim, Avai, and Jaya), for their support.

Copyright 2013, Peggy Kochanoff

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission from the publisher, or, in the case of photocopying or other reprographic copying, permission from Access Copyright, Yonge Street, Suite 1900, Toronto, Ontario M5E 1E5.

Nimbus Publishing Limited

3731 Mackintosh St, Halifax, NS B3K 5A5

(902) 455-4286 nimbus.ca

Printed and bound in China

Author photo: Avai Kochanoff

Design: Jenn Embree

Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication

Kochanoff, Peggy, 1943-

Be a wilderness detective : solving the mysteries of eastern Canadian fields, woods, and coastlines / Peggy Kochanoff.

Issued also in electronic format.

ISBN 978-1-77108-012-5

Natural historyCanada, EasternMiscellanea. I. Title.

QH106.K62 2013 508.713 C2012-907366-0

Nimbus Publishing acknowledges the financial support for its publishing activities from the Government of Canada through the Canada Book Fund (CBF) and the Canada Council for the Arts, and from the Province of Nova Scotia through the Department of Communities, Culture and Heritage.

Introduction and Acknowledgements . . . . . . . .

Scat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Galls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Tortoise Bugs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Winter Survival . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Tree Rings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Lichens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Maple Sap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Fireflies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Tides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Sandpipers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Wilderness Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Suggested Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Table of Contents

Introduction and Acknowledgements

Playing outdoors is like a nature adventure. It is such fun climbing trees, chasing butterflies, calling to frogs, and collecting shells and feathers. By reading this book, you can try to solve some of the mysteries in nature, often found as close as your own doorstep. All you need is curiosity and patience. LOOK, LISTEN, SMELL, AND TOUCH!

I had a lot of help from Jim Wolford (a retired biology teacher at Acadia University, Nova Scotia) who checked all my nature facts and wording. Thanks so much.

Roy Bishop (doctorate in physics, Professor Emeritus at Acadia, past president of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada) also helped me, making sure I got my tidal facts right. Thanks, Roy.

Be a Wilderness Detective

Scat

Scat

HmmmWho pooped here?

Lets look closely and find out.

Be a Wilderness Detective

H ave you ever come upon wild animal poop (scientists call it scat) during your walks? Dont be repulsed, because it is really interesting, but dont touch it with your hands because it can contain diseases or insects. Being able to identify poop means you can tell which animal passed your waymaybe just minutes before you.

Cottontail rabbit and hare scat is light brown, sawdust- like, and slightly flat. Hare scat is about 1.3 centimetres (0.5 inches) in diameter; cottontail rabbit scat is a little smaller.