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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