We are proud to announce a newly protected island whose significance for birds goes far beyond its small but mighty 4 acres.

Wedge Island is located in St. Margaret’s Bay, near the Troop Island Conservation Lands protected by the Nature Trust in 2012. The Mi’kmaw name for St. Margaret’s Bay is Kjipanu’pek, meaning “great bay that opens out to the sea.” For the sea-going wildlife in this region, the bay offers a degree of shelter and protection and makes the islands it hosts very appealing for a broad range of species – especially birds.

Wedge Island sits within the Grassy Island Complex Important Bird Area (IBA). It is currently home to nesting Herring Gulls, Great Black-backed Gulls, Double-crested Cormorants, and occasionally Common Eiders. Arctic Terns and Common Terns have also been observed near or on Wedge Island. The food, shelter, and nesting grounds it holds make its role as a seabird habitat critically important. In fact, it is so popular with birds – who naturally bring along their inevitable waste – that many nearby locals (humans, that is) refer to it not as “Wedge Island” but as “Stinky Island.”

The island also has a documented history of supporting Roseate Terns, a species listed as endangered in Canada. Wedge Island saw peak tern nesting numbers in the 1970s, with 45 pairs recorded in 1970. Roseate Terns were last observed in small numbers in 1998, with five pairs recorded. The three islands within the IBA – Grassy, Westhaver, and Wedge – have all historically supported Roseate Tern populations in alternating cycles over several decades; although recent surveys have not shown active Roseate Tern nesting on Wedge Island, we hope that these special birds hear this announcement about their newly protected habitat and decide to visit once again.

The island’s plant life is generally low and scrubby. Goldenrod, raspberry bushes, and nettle patches offer the resident birds and other wildlife modest cover from the strong coastal winds and from predators. The occasional low-growing spruce trees on the island are known perches for eagles and osprey. A mosaic of different landscapes, including rocky intertidal zones, sandy stretches, and exposed banks, gives nesting and migratory birds a range of habitat options throughout the changes in seasons.

The island also sits close enough to the mainland (only 1 kilometer offshore) that its flowering plants may be able to support the endangered Monarch Butterfly along its migration route. Other resident pollinators, such as the Solitary Bee, contribute to the overall ecological resilience of the island.

Wedge Island was generously donated by Paul and Marian Boyer of the United States. Marian says that she and Paul have always been interested in wildlife, “which, on Wedge Island, basically means birds. It was our intention from the time we purchased the island to keep it as a wildlife sanctuary. We are grateful that our wish has come true!”

We are honoured to be part of making this wish a reality and ensuring that the wildlife on Wedge Island will have a protected home, forever.

This project was undertaken with the financial support of the Government of Canada through the federal Department of Environment and Climate Change.

The Nova Scotia Nature Agreement is a project of the Province of Nova Scotia. Working with conservation partners, the goal is to increase the amount of protected and conserved areas and advance an integrated approach to the protection, conservation and recovery of biodiversity, including habitat, species at risk and migratory birds, in the Province. The Nova Scotia Nature Agreement is funded by Environment and Climate Change Canada, through the Canada Nature Fund.