The dikes above Mt. Stewart range from good condition to nonexistent. The better preserved dikes run from the Mill Creek to a point just beyond Bambrick Creek. These dikes, mute evidence of the struggles of our ancestors, should be preserved.

That so many signs of the Acadians have survived in the Mt. Stewart marsh is probably due to several reasons.

First, the restriction of the tide flow of the Hillsborough River at Mt. Stewart starting in the early English settlement period with the construction of wharves then bridges, and continuing to the present day. Second, the river is narrow and wave action is not so severe. Third, some areas have never been pastured by cattle.

References:

Anonymous. 1906. Report concerning Canadian archives for the year 1905. Ottawa Kings Printer, 1906 (Vol. 2, Appendix A, Part 1)

Bambrick, J. 1901. Traditions of Early Acadians-Occupation of East river and St. Peters. P.E.I. Magazine 2(11) Jan. 1901

Caven, J. A.. 1900. Journey from Port La Joie to St. Peters in 1751. The P.E.I. Magazine 2(7) Sept. 1900, pgs 217-222 and 2(8) Oct. 1900, pgs 233-363.

Centre D'etudes Acadiennes. The Acadians of the Maritimes.

Cormier, Y. 1990. Les Aboiteaux En Acadie Hier et Aujourdhui Chaire D'etudes Acadiennes.

Kent, P. and John Steves. 1969. Notes on P.E.I. Wetlands. Mt. Allison University

Recollections of William Crawford.

Editors Note: Bruce is a member of the Hillsborough River Watershed Society

Steering Committee which has applied for an archaeological survey on this

river.

AMERICAN KESTREL NEST BOX PROJECT by David Lemon

This report covers the first year's progress of a nesting habitat enhancement and banding project involving American Kestrels (Falco sparverius) on Prince Edward Island. The initial objectives were to construct and erect nest boxes for kestrels to encourage and enhance nesting opportunities. The initial focus of the research is to band kestrels nesting on Prince Edward Island to provide information on age, dispersion, fidelity to nest sites, and migration. Once developed, a long-term banding and nest box population of kestrels offers considerable opportunity for amateur and professional ornithological research.

Kestrels are cavity nesting falcons that do not make their own nest cavity, instead relying opportunistically on available natural cavities. The availability of nest sites for kestrels is considered one of the major limiting factors in their abundance. In the 1970's, kestrel populations had decreased to a point that they appeared on the American Birds Blue List of declining species. Factors contributing to the decline included: pesticide use, nest cavity competition with other species, a general reduction in nest cavity trees both by agricultural and forestry practices, and a "rebirth" of the wood stove in urban areas and the associated removal of dead timber

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