Mammals of Nova Scotia with Ms. Reginald

Day 1: March 25, 2013

Hi Kids,

Today, I want to let you know a little bit about Nova Scotia and where we are basing our research. Nova Scotia is basically a peninsula of the mainland of Canada that is twice the size of Massachusetts. It is one of the oldest and most stable parts of the North American continental landmass. The coastline is nearly 7,500 km (4,700 miles) long. Although it still feels like winter here and the trees are bare, it is a stunningly beautiful place.

We are staying in a place called Cherry Hill which is about 18.5 mikes away from the small town of Liverpool. We are staying in a fairly basic but comfortable cottage. I can see the Atlantic ocean from the window in the kitchen.

Cottage

Atlantic Ocean, as seen from Kitchen

Cottage

We are doing our research in two different areas:

1. The first research site is at Cook's Lake, which is a mixed coniferous and deciduous forest area where there are also hay meadows, ponds, streams, and wetlands. This area is about an hour away by car.
2. The second research site is at the edge of the village of East Port Medway, where scientists are interested in learning how mammal populations are responding in a landscape modified by humans.

Do you kids have any predictions about what kinds of animals I might see and study out here?

I am going to post a challenge question everyday. Do some research and answer as many as you can for extra credit. You can get extra credit for every question you answer. Write your answers in a sheet if paper that you can give me when I get back to Boston.

Today's question is: What is the approximate latitude of Nova Scotia? Today's high temperature was 3° Celsius. What is this in Fahrenheit? Why is it a little colder here than in Boston?