ISLAND NATURALIST NATURE PEI IS CELEBRATING ITS 50th ANNIVERSARY IN 2019

ISSUE # 229 JAN - MAR, 2019

SOME HIGHLIGHTS

• Nature PEI’s Celebrates 50th; • President’s Report • Nature PEI News; • Nature PEI Special Raffle; • Nature PEI Field Trips; • Sphagnum Ground Cricket First Records; • Northern Cardinal; • Blue-spotted Salamander; • Eagle Drops American Eel; • Bat Publications Released; • News from About; • Island Nature Trust Turns 40; • 2018-19 CBCs; • Weather Events; • Great sightings: Leatherback Turtle; Lesser Scaup; Harlequin Duck; Bufflehead; Common Gull; Lesser Black- backed Gull; Great Blue Heron; Turkey Vulture; Northern Harrier; Snowy Owl; Northern Hawk Owl; Red- bellied Woodpecker; Yellow- bellied Sapsucker; American Three-toed Woodpecker; Gray Jay; White-breasted Nuthatch, Townsend’s Solitaire; Lapland Longspur; Swamp Sparrow; Rusty Blackbird; Pine Warbler; and Northern Cardinal; • Environmental Calendar NATURE PEI - NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND P.O. BOX 2346, CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI C1A 8C1 Advancing Citizen Science Since 1969

Meetings are held of the first Tuesday of the month from October to June at 7:30 p.m. at Beaconsfield’s Carriage House, corner of West and Kent Street in Charlottetown. Each meeting commences with a brief business meeting followed by a nutrition break and our guest speaker. Members and non-members are welcome.

Membership is open to anyone interested in the natural history of Prince Edward Island. Membership is available at any meeting or by contacting the Treasurer at P.O. Box 2346, Charlottetown PE C1A 8C1. Annual membership is $20 and renewals are due in January. Multi-year renewals are $20 per year for which you wish to renew. Membership expiry dates are shown in the top right hand corner of the mailing label or by a notice provided to those receiving electronic newsletters. The Society is directed by a volunteer Executive Council elected from its members. 2019 Executive: President ...... Rosemary Curley, Stratford 902-569-1209 [email protected] Vice-President ...... Gerald MacDougall, Charlottetown 902-368-8092 [email protected] Past President ...... Ian Scott, Charlottetown 902-892-5796 [email protected] Secretary ...... Robert Harding, Summerville 902-838-2699 [email protected] Treasurer ...... Francine Desmeules, Charlottetown 902-626-3304 [email protected] Director- Program & Publicity .....Connie Gaudet, Charlottetown 902-367-5774 [email protected] Director - Field Trips ...... Barbara Dylla, Charlottetown, 902-367-2428 [email protected] Newsletter Editor...... Dan McAskill, Donagh 902-569-4351 [email protected] NEWSLETTERS are normally published quarterly and are available in Acrobat Reader colour format via E-mail or in black & white hard copy delivered by mail. Hard copies are printed on recycled paper. Articles, notes, reports, drawings, bird sightings, plant records, pictures, etc. are welcomed from members and non-members. If you have seen anything unusual, please share it with us. It is important to have your nature observations recorded so that others may learn from them. All contributions should be sent by mail to Dan McAskill, Newsletter Editor, Nature PEI (NHSPEI), 368 Brazel Road, Donagh, PEI C1B 0T9 or via E-mail to [email protected] The next deadline for articles, sightings, or other newsletter information is May 10th, 2019.

Illustrations/Pictures: Our thanks to Ron Arvidson, Victoria Doan, Bob Harding, Island Nature Trust, Don Jardine, Holly MacEachern, Donna Martin, Dan McAskill, Don McLelland, Dale Murchison, Doug Murray, Nicole Murtagh, Heidi Riley, Brian Simpson (Government of PEI), Liz Townsend, Brenda Whiteway, and PEI Wildlife Conservation Fund for using their photos or illustrations. Reprinting: Editors of other newsletters and teachers wishing to copy classroom materials are welcome to reprint articles from the Island Naturalist (except when copyrighted). Due acknowledgment must be provided to the Island Naturalist, the author and illustrator.

Web page: www.NaturePEI.ca Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NaturePEI Nature PEI gratefully acknowledges support from the Department of Education, Early Learning and Culture which enables distribution of newsletters to schools and libraries desiring it. The Society has representation on the board of the Island Nature Trust. The Society is a registered charity and a non-profit organization (Part 2, PEI Companies Act). Tax receipts are issued for donations to the Society and these funds are used to further the work of the Society. Cover Illustration: Donna Martin captured this image of a Merlin on January 27th, 2019 along the Princetown Road. Merlins are one of our common avian predators around bird feeders and other areas where small birds are concentrated. Their primary food is small birds such as sparrows, waxwings, and shorebirds but they also use larger insects and small mammals. When attacking birds, they use their high speed to attack horizontally or sometimes from below forcing the bird up until it tires and is caught. Their four to five eggs are usually laid in an abandoned crow or hawk nest which they defend. About 80% of the pairs only stay together for the breeding season. They are generally solitary outside of the breeding season but will migrate in loose groups. (Adapted from Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s All About Birds web site)

2 NATURE PEI CELEBRATES 50th ANNIVERSARY ALL YEAR LONG: by Ian Scott

Fifty years ago a casual comment ignited local enthusiasm for nature into an organization, the Natural History Society of Prince Edward Island, now known as Nature PEI. An autumn nature walk in 1969 on a trail in the Dalvay-Stanhope area of the Prince Edward Island National Park brought together several persons unaware they were about to create a bit of history. Park naturalist Robert Gray was leading the walk. Ruth I. Ross of Charlottetown and her friends Marion and Verna Newson, who were home from Vancouver for a visit, were watching as Mr. Gray pointed at a Cedar Waxwing. Verna Newson exclaimed, “Ruth, you should start a Natural History Society on the Island!” Earlier organizations, including the original Prince Edward Island Natural History Society, formed in 1889, and the Prince of Wales Natural History Society, formed in 1966, were no longer active at that time. The suggestion for a provincial organization led Ruth to call Professor Thomas M. Lothian, a local biology professor who was a director of the Canadian Audubon Society. After Mr. Lothian assured her that it was a good idea, Ruth arranged for a meeting room at the Y.M.C.A. She then put a notice in the newspaper inviting “persons interested in Nature and the out-of-doors to meet in Room “B” at the Y.M.C.A., Prince Street, Charlottetown at 8 p.m. October 23, 1969, for the purpose of reactivating a Natural History Society.” Eighteen persons each paid a membership fee of $1.00. They also agreed to have a nature walk at Cavendish on the morning of November 1, and to plan more meetings. The Society was officially born. Its mandate still includes the protection, education, documentation, collaboration, enjoyment of nature on PEI. In 1972, the Society arranged to hold its meeting in rooms on the 3rd floor of the Sullivan Building. In 1985, the meetings moved to the basement of the Jones Building, and again two years later, this time to the PEI Farm Centre on University Avenue. In the midst of advocating for a provincial museum, and recognizing the combined nature and human history mandate of the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation, the Society accepted an offer to use the Foundation’s Beaconsfield’s Carriage House to host its meetings. Nature PEI’s first newsletter was published in 1974. Now called the Island Naturalist, it educates members and students on Island wildlife and ecology; it also documents nature observations so that researchers can assess changes to animal and plant populations over time. To allow researchers access to this information, copies of Island Naturalist are on file at the Robertson Library, Confederation Centre Library, the National Library and many school libraries. Digitized back issues are also online. Over its 50 years, the Society has hosted over 400 public presentations, published two books, a colouring book and assisted with the Field Checklist of Birds of PEI. It led or collaborated on dozens of environmental protection initiatives, initiated Christmas, spring, and autumn bird counts, and led over 200 field education events. Citizen science activities have included collecting and documenting butterflies, spiders, land slugs and snails, flower flies, and other animals and plants. In 1973, it was a key player in the opening of the Bonshaw Natural History Society’s 1974 Hills Trail. In 1979, it became one of four organizations with a representative Crest from Clare Martin’s original director on the newly created Island Nature Trust. design - Dan McAskill photo Throughout this 50th anniversary year, a variety of free events will be held to celebrate nature and highlight the ongoing role Nature PEI plays in citizen science. It will host a bird identification course, complete writing a history of the past 30 years, and hold a 50th anniversary weekend celebration. Nature PEI meetings are held on the first Tuesday of the month— except for July, August and September— at the Carriage House at Beaconsfield, with hikes and citizen science events posted at www.naturePEI.ca and on its Facebook page. President Rosemary Curley extends an invitation to anyone keen to learn more about Island nature: “Attending our meetings with top experts and great visual presentations or going on our hikes are a super way to learn more about nature on Prince Edward Island.”

PRESIDENT’S REPORT FOR 2018: By Rosemary Curley Delivered at Jan. 8, 2019 AGM by Gerald MacDougall

Welcome to the 50th Anniversary of the Natural History Society of Prince Edward Island (Nature PEI). Thank you for being here tonight. About five years ago we had a drive to increase membership in our Society, and it worked. We arrived at 107 members and continue to increase, now at 110. Keeping our members is a testament to our convivial meetings, the quality of our speakers, our great newsletter and our shared conviction that nature conservation is truly important. We started the year with Sable Island Horses and Nature, by Hon. Diane Griffin, Kathy Martin and Jackie Waddell, followed by Members Night, Dwaine Oakley on herptiles, and Gerald MacDougall on Ospreys. William

3 Beckett spoke on his educational film, Prehistoric PEI, and John Calder on geology and palaeontology and his book Island at the Centre of the World. Sandwiched between were Paula Tummon Flynn on Green Crabs and Brendan Kelly on conservation of birds. We finished off the year with Colin Chapman and the Orchids of PEI. Thanks to all the speakers and to those who led or participated in field trips from spring to fall: 2 on spring birds, 2 on summer birds, 2 on shorebirds and waterfowl, 2 on wildflowers and 1 on fall colours and mushrooms. Our leaders, Donna Martin, Luke Peters, Gerald MacDougall, Brendan Kelly, Doug Murray and Rosemary Curley, and Dave and Kathleen MacNearney certainly showed us a thing or two. This year we citizen scientists sent about 700 vials with spiders to the New Brunswick Museum for safe keeping. We now await the appearance of our scientific paper on PEI spiders in the Canadian Field- Naturalist. We have yet to complete our list of PEI terrestrial snails, but the Nova Scotia Museum recently carried some PEI snails from their collection to our species expert in British Columbia, to confirm identifications. More snails are waiting to be located in the NS Museum collection, but let us conclude that work is progressing (at a snail’s pace). Our flower fly collecting was curtailed somewhat by poor weather in June but four citizen scientists continued to collect. These specimens will be databased and conveyed to John Klymko at the June 2018 flower fly pinning workshop at Atlantic Canada Conservation Data Centre (ACCDC) this winter. Beaconsfield’s Carriage House We continued efforts to have a book on mammals of PEI Donna Martin photo published and we are grateful to Dan McAskill for spearheading efforts for an online flora of PEI. We are especially pleased with inputs from the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation, the ACCDC, PEI government and the PEI Wildlife Conservation Fund. We employed the pen in 2018. In January, Nature PEI wrote to the Humane Society of PEI questioning the validity of their “working cat” program for adoption of cats that would live outdoors. We emphasized the mortality of birds that ensues. We received a reply stating that non-native cats were the priority for their organization, and not our native birds. We plan to do more follow-up work here. In February, we (probably with many others) wrote to both Hon. Dominic LeBlanc and Hon. Marc Garneau concerning the endangered right whales and mortality from fishing gear and ship strikes. The measures they implemented in 2018 were not popular but certainly worked to improve conservation of this species. More recently we contacted Minister Richard Brown urging that Sunday be reserved as a non-hunting day so that outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy trails and woodlands without fear of being accidentally shot. In April, the PEI Invasive Species Council, Island Nature Trust and Nature PEI met with Minister Richard Brown to discuss a Biodiversity Strategy for PEI. Points presented included provincially listing the Piping Plover, Little Brown Bat and Northern Long-eared Bat as endangered; re-establishing a Species at Risk Advisory Committee; establishing a government committee on invasive species; and reducing red tape for land purchases for protected areas. The Minister responded positively, but so far we are not aware that anything has happened. Throughout 2018 we discussed our 50th anniversary celebration. We did not quite wrestle this to the ground but settled on adding a 30 year history, perhaps using Margaret Mallets slides in the process. (These were data-based by Julie Vasseur in 2018). We’ll also be preparing a minute book, branding our field trips and monthly speakers as anniversary celebration events, and delivering an introductory birding course. A highlight will be a Naturalist’s Weekend. Thanks here to Dan McAskill who is leading the history and birding course. We nominated Ben Hoteling and Dwaine Oakley for a Natural Heritage Activity Award from PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation, Lucas McCormack for their Youth Natural Heritage Activity Award and the Hillsborough River for their book publishing award for the publishing the History of Mt. Stewart: Illustrated and Extended Edition. We also nominated Randy Dibblee as the recipient of the Island Nature Trust’s Hon. J. Angus MacLean Natural Areas Award. The Trust agreed he was a worthy candidate. Many of our activities, like this paragraph, are repeated each year. For example, our donations to Island Nature Trust; the donation of prizes for the provincial Science Fair and judging of the natural history entries (thanks to Gerald MacDougall and Connie Gaudet); the carrying out of the our Bird Counts, Christmas, Bain and Bennett; and the preparation of the Island Dwaine Oakley & Ben Hoteling receiving the PEI Naturalist. Thanks to all the members who contributed stories, Museum & Heritage Foundation’s Award of Honour photos and sightings to the newsletter and to Dan McAskill for from Lieutenant Governor Antoinette Perry making each issue such a “good read”. Again, we salute our in February 2018 Birding on PEI Facebook and Nature PEI webpage managers, Government of PEI Brian Simpson photo Sharon Clark, Ron Arvidson and Ian Scott, and David Seeler who

4 invented and maintains the e-mail birding list service. NATURE PEI NEWS: Nature PEI’s Executive Council is again busy with a variety of work related to its mandate and pursued the following activities in January and February: • Executive Council Membership Renewal and Meetings - The 2019 Executive Council Members were appointed on Jan. 8th (see inner cover). Barbara Dylla was appointed as our new Field Trip Director replacing Kathleen MacNearney (Thanks to go Kathleen). The two Executive Council meetings and the Annual General Meeting were held and the minutes were prepared. Bob Harding collated the Society’s minutes since 1989 and identified gaps that still have to be addressed. He will explore the acquisition of the missing minutes with the Society Secretaries for these periods. During the review process, Bob found notes from the esteemed late Geoff Hogan on the provincial museum and unearthed other historic treasures. • Speaker’s Schedule - Connie Gaudet, our Program and Publicity Director, in response to some time challenges from a few speakers, modified the speaker’s schedule for the March to June period and is working on the October to December speakers list. (See Environmental Calendar p. 20) • 50th Anniversary - The Society agreed to brand all its 2019 activities as 50th Anniversary events. Work is now underway on consolidating various activities (see President’s Report above). It was noted that the new Society history will cover the last 30 years as Margaret Mallett’s history covered the Society’s first 20 years. Ian Scott developed a draft press release for the Society’s 50th Anniversary. • Financial Statement, Membership, and Audit - Francine Desmeules, our Treasurer, prepared the Society’s 2018 financial statement which was reviewed by the Council and presented at the Society’s AGM (Revenues - $17,696.15 which includes project commitments of $9,089; Expenses - $12,382.54; Investments - $7,658.26). In addition, she provided Council with updated monthly account statements, membership data, and a new Nature PEI official charitable tax receipt that addresses changes to Revenue Canada’s rules. Barbara Dylla has agreed to review the 2018 financial statement that was presented at the AGM as required in the bylaws. • Christmas Bird Counts - see article below. • Island Naturalist Newsletter - progress reports were provided on the Island Naturalist Issue 229. • PEI Museum of Nature - The Council reviewed a draft letter to Premier MacLauchlan prepared by Ian Scott which will be sent in February. The Society will seek a booking for the Province’s Pre-Budget Public Consultation. • Award Nominations - The Council discussed possible nominees for the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation’s Youth Volunteer of the Year and the Natural Heritage Activity Award. Two individuals were identified for their exemplary work in support of nature. On behalf of the Society, Gerald MacDougall submitted nominations for these two awards. • Sunday Hunting Correspondence - Francine Desmeules responded, on behalf of the Council, to a follow-up request from Hunters for Conservation on Island Naturalist Issue #228. • Off-Bottom Oyster Leases - The Council started discussions on the potential impacts of the conversion of oyster lease culture from production on the bottom verses off-bottom production techniques in floating cages. • Member Requests - The Society commenced discussion on a new Society member’s offer regarding his planned photographic book on PEI. • Nature PEI 2019 Special Raffle - The Council ratified the acquisition of a license for a 2019 special raffle. • Nature Canada Requests - Francine Desmeules forwarded information to Council Members on two initiatives from Nature Canada, namely: Brendan Kelly receiving the PEI Museum and Heritage Nature Canada’s Engagement Program to develop more committed Foundation’s Youth Volunteer of volunteers, donors and future leaders and Nature Canada’s Protected the Year Award from Lieutenant Places Declaration. Governor Antoinette Perry. Donna • Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) BioBlitz - Some Council Martin was awarded the Museum’s members agreed to help with a NCC Atlantic BioBlitz at the Kingsboro Volunteer of the Year Award Forest this summer. which was accepted on her behalf • Wildlife Conservation Fund - The Council submitted a Spring 2019 by Rosemary Curley. Gov’t of PEI WCF application for $3,000 to assist with printing costs so that the Brian Simpson photo Mammals of Prince Edward Island and Marine Mammals of the Southern Gulf is available at a reasonable cost to families.

5 NATURE PEI 2019 SPECIAL RAFFLE:

Thanks to the generosity of Francine Desmeules, Nature PEI is holding a special raffle to raise funds for its nature programs.

1st Prize a Fine Silver Coin with Goldfinch (FV $20) valued at $100 2nd Prize a Fine Silver Coin with Canvasback (FV $10) valued at $70 3rd Prize a Sudbury Big Nickle & Nature PEI One Year Membership with Electronic Island Naturalist delivery Tickets are $ 2 each or $ 5 for three. You can obtain tickets at our monthly Nature PEI meetings and from Nature PEI Executive Council members. The draw will be held at Nature PEI’s June member’s meeting.

NATURE PEI FIELD TRIPS: By Brendan Kelly

Winter Birds Around Town: On Jan 12th, I led a birding trip at Hermitage Creek with a total of 12 participants. Although it was quite cold and we didn't spend much time looking for birds, we did find the following: Canada Goose Common Merganser Blue Jay American Wigeon Mourning Dove American Crow Mallard Herring gull Black-capped Chickadee American Black Duck Iceland gull Golden-crowned Kinglet Green-winged Teal Bald Eagle American Goldfinch Common Goldeneye Red-tailed Hawk Dark-eyed Junco Barrow’s Goldeneye Downy Woodpecker

Winter Waterfowl Identification On Feb 10th, I joined five brave souls in search of waterfowl. We learned how to differentiate between the species we saw. Highlights including fantastic views of some Barrow’s Goldeneye in Rusticoville and two drake Buffleheads in Cymbria (Oyster Bed Bridge causeway). The highlight of the field trip was certainly the two buffleheads. We were able to discuss the visual cues on identification of the following species:

Black-capped Chickadee Nicole Murtagh 2018 photo

Mallard Bufflehead Common Merganser American Black Duck Common Goldeneye Bald Eagle Greater Scaup Barrows Goldeneye On my way home, I discovered a Peregrine Falcon.

FIRST PEI RECORDS OF THE SPHAGNUM GROUND CRICKET: by Robert W. Harding The Sphagnum Ground Cricket Neonemobius palustris (Orthoptera: Gryllidae) is a small black cricket that has until now not been recorded from PEI. It is confined to sphagnum bogs, where it feeds upon sphagnum mosses and apparently even deposits its eggs in the sphagnum. Back in March 2017, John Klymko of the Atlantic Canada Conservation Data Centre (ACCDC) in Sackville, NB provided me with a list of Maritime Orthoptera (grasshoppers, crickets, katydids etc.). He suggested that the Sphagnum Ground Cricket, recently added to the New Brunswick list, could be on the Island as well. My son Caleb recalled finding small crickets in pitfall traps that he set in a sphagnum bog in 2015, as part of Nature PEI’s Spider Project. None of these crickets were collected at the time, since the focus was on spiders. The following summer, he visited the same bog - Buckskin Road Bog, part of the Martinvale-Corraville Wildlife Management Area in Kings County - and collected several crickets which turned out to be the first Sphagnum Ground Crickets for PEI. These first specimens have been deposited to the New Brunswick Museum for posterity.

6 Sphagnum Ground Crickets appear to be widespread on the Island (at least in Kings County and Queens County), as they have been found in most sphagnum bogs we sampled in those counties in 2017 and 2018. Perhaps someone will find them in Prince County, which will confirm that they are indeed found Island-wide. If so, I would be interested to hear from you. Sphagnum Ground Crickets are only about 6 mm long and they are quite a challenge to catch. They are very fast jumpers and they are equally quick to disappear into the bog mat – good luck! Editor’s Note: Contact information for Bob is on the inner cover of the Island Naturalist. Sphagnum Ground Cricket from PEI Bob Harding photo

NORTHERN CARDINAL: By Dale Murchison

A Northern Cardinal ( female ) was seen at Point Prim on January 12, 2019. This beautiful bird has been a regular visitor to Robyn and Kennie Jackson's backyard for a few weeks now. A perfect location for their feeders in a couple of thick deciduous bushes and close to a large spruce grove makes this a perfect area for the Cardinal to visit. The Cardinal is considered Rare for most of the year on PEI but they are occasionally observed at feeders in the winter months Female Northern Cardinal at Point Prim Dale Murchison photo

BLUE-SPOTTED SALAMANDER: By Bob Harding This photograph was taken at the back door of the PEI National Park Administration Building in Dalvay. Early morning in summer I often check what flew to the light overnight, and this guy was on the doorstep apparently looking for moths too! I posted it to iNaturalist - taken 8:07 am on October 11, 2017. I don’t see these guys that often, and when I do, it’s usually just by pure luck! (Adapted from Bob Harding email January 6, 2019)

Blue-spotted Salamander at Dalvay Oct. 11, 2017 Bob Harding Photo

AMERICAN EEL DROPPED BY EAGLE: by Don and Glenda McLelland Glenda and I saw a Bald Eagle at Oyster Bed Bridge fly very low right in front of our car carrying what appeared to be an eel. Just as it passed our car, it dropped the eel which landed 2 feet from the road. That's how low the eagle was flying. I submitted the photo on iNaturalist and it was identified as an American Eel (Anguilla rostrata). It was recently listed as Endangered Globally under the IUCN Red List. Editor’s Note: Excerpt from COSEWIC 2012 Report page vi: The American Eel was assessed as Special Concern by COSEWIC in April 2006. The status was re-examined by COSEWIC in May 2012 and designated Threatened. It currently has no status under the federal Species at Risk Act. In Ontario, the American Eel was listed as Endangered and became protected under the Ontario Endangered American Eel dropped by a Bald Eagle at Oyster Species Act, 2007. In Québec, the American Eel is ranked as Bed Bridge on Feb. 23, 2019 vulnerable. In Newfoundland and Labrador, it has been listed under Don McLelland photo the provincial listing (ESA) as vulnerable.

7 BAT PUBLICATIONS RELEASED: By Tessa McBurney Bat Conservation Project Technician, Canadian Wildlife Health Atlantic Region

Just before Christmas, the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative’s Prince Edward Island Bats in Buildings documents were finalized and shared on our website. You can find the documents using the link below: http://www.cwhc-rcsf.ca/wns_resources.php

There is a one-page infographic, a 12-page exclusion guide, and the full document. Please feel free to share any of the documents with whomever you think may benefit from their use. French versions of the documents can be found using the same link. NEWS FROM ABOUT: Compiled by Dan McAskill

The Maritimes lost another strong supporter of wildlife with the passing of Rudy Stocek in December, 2018. Rudy taught at the Maritime Forest Ranger School in Fredericton for 35 years and was Director of their Fish and Wildlife Program from 1968 to 1976. While his wildlife research was also focused on osprey, common loon, cougar and peregrine falcon, his 35 years of work with Bald Eagles was a passion which led to his book Through the Eye of an Eagle. His New Brunswick Trees and Shrubs in Winter published in 1991 is an excellent identification guide. Rudy was honoured with the Atlantic Society of Fish and Wildlife Biologists their 1995 Career Achievement Award and the University of Maine, Orono, Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Conservation Biology’s Award for Professional Excellence. He was a life member of Nature PEI. “Wych hazel” (pronounced wick) is the older name for witch hazel. The branches and stems are flexible and, since “wych” means pliant or bendable, it is the name preferred by the Halifax Field Naturalists. (adapted from The Halifax Field Naturalist #173, Dec. 20178 to Feb. 2019) The Species at Risk Youth Video Contest is currently underway until March 15th for PEI students in grades 7 to 9 or classes to develop a creative video on species at risk that introduces people to the species, human impacts on the species and ways to reduce negative impacts on it. This event is a partnership between the PEI National Park and the Island Nature Trust. For more information, contact [email protected] (Adapted from Island Nature Trust Quarterly Dec. 2018) Kudos go the 100 Women Who Care PEI who, on the evening of December 11th, selected the Island Nature Trust as the beneficiary of their quarterly meeting’s donations to the Island Nature Trust for the Trust’s Veteran Serenity Areas project. This project will enable veterans to access areas within its natural areas that are accessible, safe and free from disrupting traffic or technological noise to help them recover from post-traumatic stress. (Adapted from Island Nature Trust Quarterly Dec. 2018). A great big thanks to the PEI Wildlife Conservation Fund Committee Members who have the challenging task of reviewing the project submissions and, based on their merit, selecting the successful candidates for its spring and autumn grant programs. Over the past 21 year, thanks to the contributions of fishers, hunters, and trappers purchasing Wildlife Conservation Fund licenses and, starting in 2013, motor vehicle owners who purchase conservation plates, these funds have allowed primarily volunteer organizations to conduct much needed habitat restoration and enhancement, education, natural areas, research and monitoring and other conservation work on PEI. In 2018, the WCF Board awarded $239,430 to 35 conservation groups in the spring and $67,989 to 17 groups in the fall. One of these was to support for development of the online Guide to the Ferns, Clubmosses, and Horsetails of PEI, part of the online Flora of PEI supported by the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation and Nature PEI. Hearty congratulations go to Randy Dibblee on being awarded the Hon. J. Angus MacLean Natural Areas Award by the Island Nature Trust at their 2018 AGM. Besides his thesis research on muskrat on PEI and his decades of work with PEI’s Fish and Wildlife Division/Section on wetland conservation, wetland mapping, fur bearer education, and evolution of humane trapping and many other tasks, Randy was the master of ceremonies for Island Nature Trust fund raising dinners for 32 years and served as Nature PEI’s representative on the Trust’s Board for years. The City of Toronto is experimenting with the use of a fungus placed in traps to combat emerald ash borers in two parks where some ash trees, supported by larvicide injections, have survived. (Adapted from an “In The News” article in Toronto Field Naturalist #640, Dec. 2018) Stateside news on expanded wilderness protection - the US Senate approved conservation legislation protecting 512,000 ha as designated wilderness land. Besides this protection, the legislation has over 100 provisions including reauthorizing the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act until 2022, protection of 620 miles of rivers from damming and development in seven states, and removal of mineral rights on some 12,000 ha of US Forest Service land near Yellowstone National Park. It will also permanently channel certain offshore drilling 8 revenues into the Land and Water Conservation Fund which can, amongst other things, be used for conservation within some national parks and wildlife preserves. Unless prohibited, it also opens all federal lands to fishing and hunting. (Adapted from a Washington Post Feb. 12, 2019 Climate and Environment article “The Senate just passed the decade’s biggest public lands package. Here’s what’s in it,” by Juliet Eiliperin and Dino Crandoni) In October, the Toronto Field Naturalists’ Action Committee provided input to practical actions for the City of Toronto’s Biodiversity Draft Strategy which adopts ecological integrity as a guiding principle. The Action Committee also encouraged members to sign an Ontario Nature petition opposing the Government of Ontario announcement dissolving the office of the Environment Commissioner and to sign petitions to stop the Government of Ontario’s “Open for Business” (Bill 66)’ which will open the Greenbelt for development. (Adapted from articles in Toronto Field Naturalist #640, Dec. 2018 & #641 Feb. 2019) Goldenrod galls arise from the plant’s abnormal cellular growth response to chemicals secreted by a larvae hatching from a egg laid in various parts of the plant. In goldenrods alone, some 50 species are responsible. In goldenrod, two-thirds of these are cecidomyiid midges (gall midge family). Around the world, thousands of species of wasps, trips, beetles, bugs, mites, flies and moths induce gall formation. (Adapted from Bob Kortright’s “Q&A: Goldenrod Galls and the Insects that Cause Them” in Toronto Field Naturalist #639, Nov. 2018) Jenna Priest, a Masters in Biology student at Acadia University, recently discovered French heartworm (Angiostrongylus vasorum) during a study of coyote carcases voluntarily submitted by Nova Scotia hunters and trappers. Four of 284 coyotes in four counties of mainland Nova Scotia were infested. Previously in North America, it had been found in a coyote and red foxes in Newfoundland and in red foxes in West Virginia. This exotic parasitic nematode is endemic to Western Europe but is now widespread in South America and Africa. The intermediate hosts of this nematode utilize certain terrestrial and aquatic gastropods (snails and slugs) and the European common frog to develop to the larval 3 stage. When various canids (including foxes, coyotes and domestic dogs) eat a gastropod infested with this organism, the parasite can be transferred to it and develop into the L4 and L5 stage. The latter is the adult stage that breeds to produce eggs that develop into the L1 stage that are transferred via faeces to infest the intermediate host. The symptoms of French heartworm infestation are respiratory distress, bleeding disorders and central nervous system symptoms which can lead to death. Fortunately, there is a medication to control it in dogs and it does not transfer to humans. (Adapted from J.M Priest et al’s Veterinary Record 2018 dpo:10.1136/vr.105097 article; Ian Fairclough’s “New-to-Nova Scotia parasites found in coyotes” in Guardian Feb. 15, 2019; and Wikipedia Angiostrongylus vasorum). ISLAND NATURE TRUST TURNS 40! By Dan McAskill Formally established in 1979, the Trust is completing its 40th year of conservation of natural areas on Prince Edward Island. From its conceptualization in the mid-1970s, it became the first provincial, privately held natural areas land conservation organization to acquire and hold private land in perpetuity in Canada. Since then it acquired and managed 47 natural areas on 65 properties covering 4,060 acres (1,598 hectares) and leased two properties (82 acres). In addition, it developed and delivered a series of publications and presentations to assist landowners in establishing some 2,000 acres of designated natural areas on their land on PEI and assisting the Government of PEI on the development of management plans and the designation of some 12,000 acres. Courtesy of Island Nature Trust Besides these significant achievements, it has published the Island Nature Trust’s various educational newsletters for over 35 years, led citizen science and conservation of endangered species on PEI including Piping Plover, Bobolink, Barn and Bank Swallows, Canada Warbler, and Olive-sided Flycatcher, mentored dozens of university and college students many of whom have gone onto careers in conservation and wildlife management, established the J. Angus MacLean Natural Areas Award in 1987 and awarding it to deserving candidates since, challenged two major developments that threatened critical natural areas, assisted with various public hearings on land stewardship on PEI, delivered a host of education programs to schools, PEI libraries, and other conservation organizations, hosted 34 fund raising

9 dinners to raise funds for natural areas and to partner with hundred’s of partners, co-developed the Autumn Birding Classic to document autumn migration and raise funds for natural areas, created its Conservation Guardians program to check on illegal activities and collect sightings on designated natural areas held by the Trust, developed policies to support natural areas conservation on PEI including creation of an Endowment Fund in 2003 and a natural areas Stewardship Fund in 2017, and more. Nature PEI applauds this work by the many committed volunteers and staff over these past 40 years. It is an awesome achievement.

CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNTS 2018-19: Results compiled by Scott Sinclair, Dwaine Oakley & Dan McAskill Audubon Christmas Bird Counts have been conducted for 119 consecutive years in North America. Bird Studies Canada has been the Canadian partner in the CBCs since the 101st count (2000-1). This year the weather forecasts were good and all four counts went ahead as scheduled. Thus, for the 48th consecutive year, the Natural History Society of Prince Edward Island, AKA Nature PEI, conducted the Hillsborough Christmas Bird Count. They have hosted the PEI National Park CBCs 47 times as storms caused its cancellation in 1975. The Montague Christmas count celebrated its 35th anniversary this year and the East Point count marked its 16th anniversary with one year missed for severe weather. This year a press release on the CBC’s along with the CBC circle areas was carried in The Buss, the Voice for Island Seniors, the Guardian and the Eastern Graphic. The state of passage of clay roads was viable due to snow storms that started in late October followed by thaws. Drifts blocked most roads on the East Point and Montague counts. Freezing conditions started early this year (November) and the bays were largely covered by ice as were still fresh water areas. The Gulf and Strait were open. The East Point Christmas Bird Count was held on December 15th. The first birders arrived at East Point at 7:20 am and ten birded the Point itself amidst a moderate northwest wind. Afterwards, two teams formed up and took to their zones. At lunch, the two teams feasted and chatted about the mornings sightings at the Bluefin Restaurant. Ray Cooke and Dan McAskill arrived at count zone 2 at 11:30 to commence birding. They took a side trip to East Point. The PEI National Park CBC was held on Sunday, December 16th. Almost all of the bays and fresh water ponds were froze over except for causeway raceways, water channels with rapidly moving water, and some spring holes. Twenty field counters and three feeder watchers participated in the count. Brenda Penak and Sharon Clark Yellow-rumped Warbler at Brackley went out to the count circle again on the 17th and picked up a Northern Beach on Dec. 16, 2018 Harrier so it became a count week species addition. There was a great Nicole Murtagh photo turnout for the potluck hosted by Bob Harding of Parks Canada in the Dalvay Administration Headquarters Lunch Room. The food from the counters was both great and plentiful this year. A display of many of the Island’s species-at-risk birds carved by Jim Edsell, one of the top bird carvers in North America, added to the ambiance. These superb carvings were commissioned by the PEI National Park. The Hillsborough CBC on December 26th opened with sunshine. The check of the starling roost at the Hillsborough Bridge was conducted both at dawn and at dusk but there were no starlings present probably because of the recent construction activity under the bridge. Dwaine Oakley, Nicole Murtagh and Brett MacKinnon did some early morning birding using high power scopes and picked up some good birds. There was a large movement of Red-breasted Mergansers off Point Prim (over 1,200). Five field counters whose bird feeders were located within the count circle collected and submitted their observations at their feeders. Arlene and Paul McGuigan were superb hosts for our evening potluck. Four teams with eleven people participated in the wonderful selection of food at our feast. The satiated crowd shared their sightings amidst much laughter and discussion of the background on bird population changes over the years. The Montague CBC was held on December 30th. It was cloudy and 2018 PEI National Park Christmas Bird Count Pot Luck Participants there were intermittent snow flurries Bob Harding Photo during the day. There was a brisk

10 northwest wind. Sixteen field counters and three feeder watchers participated. This year there was no team designated to cover the core Town of Montague zone but two groups spent some time birding in it during the afternoon. The Montague Wharves to Knox’s Dam was 90% open this year. Emily Pringle and Eileen Higginbotham found a Common Loon and a Black Guillemot off Poverty Beach while Jim Aquilani and Simone Vaniderstine found a Snowy Owl at Brooklyn Road. Again this year, field counters from three teams gathered at Copper Bottom Brewing in Montague to discuss their findings and toast the day’s successes. This year’s count coordinators were Dwaine Oakley for the East Point CBC, Scott Sinclair for the Montague count and Dan McAskill for the P.E.I. National Park and Hillsborough CBCs. There was a moderate crop of rose hips, white spruce cones and pine cones crops across central and eastern PEI this year. There were some areas in the northeast with a decent crop of Viburnum berries and high bush cranberries. As was the case over the over five years, CBC field counters again reported low numbers of woodland birds and sparrows. Finch diversity and numbers were both very low although there were good numbers of American Goldfinch at certain feeders. As has been the case for quite a few years, there were many Brown Creeper PEI National Park empty feeders. CBC Dec. 16, 2018 The most unusual sightings were: Nicole Murtagh Wood Duck spotted by Andrea Simpson at Pondside Park in Stratford during count week; 8 Harlequins at East Point; 15 Bufflehead in the East Point CBC; 1,277 Red-breasted Mergansers and a loon off Point Prim; 31 Gray Partridge in PEI National Park CBC; 3 Northern Gannets at East Point; 3 Double-crested Cormorant at East Point, 1 at Cass’s Pond & 7 on the Montague count; 1 Great Blue Heron at North Lake and 1 at Tracadie Harbour; 9 Black Guillemot at East Point & a Black Guillemot as well as a Common Loon off Poverty Beach; 1 Common (Mew) Gull at East Point; 1 Glaucous Gull at East Point; a Lesser Black-backed Gull in the PEI National Park; 2 Bald Eagles mating in tree at Earnscliffe; 1 Snowy Owl at Heritage Lane, 1 during count week at Point Prim, and 1 on the Brooklyn Road; 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker at Halliday Wharf Road; fresh drilling of a Pileated Woodpecker at Mount Buchanan; 1 White- breasted Nuthatch at Pleasant Grove; 2 Pine Grosbeak at PEI National park CBC; and 1Yellow-rumped Warbler at Brackley Beach. As usual, the standardized system for recording bird numbers, birders, travel, and weather data was followed so that the Montague data was comparable to Pileated Woodpecker chipping registered CBCs in North America and the other count zones. This year’s Island Mount Buchanan Dec. 2018 CBC summaries are provided below. Liz Townsend Photo OBSERVATIONS NUMBERS OBSERVED

Species East Point National Park Hillsborough Montague Total Dec. 15, 2018 Dec. 16, 2018 Dec. 26 2018 Dec. 30, 2018 Four Counts Canada Geese 55 115 3881 1364 5415 Wood Duck CW CW American Wigeon 12 12 Mallard 5 64 75 183 327 American Black Duck 189 643 344 394 1570 Hybrid Mallard-Black Duck 1 1 Northern Pintail 1 2 3 Green-winged Teal 5 2 7 Greater Scaup 401 401 Lesser Scaup Common Eider 387 18 405 Harlequin Duck 8 8 Surf Scoter 1 1 White-winged Scoter 48 48 Black Scoter 1355 3 4 1362 Long-tailed Duck 2038 114 356 89 2597 Bufflehead 15 15 Common Goldeneye 130 64 78 82 354 Barrow’s Goldeneye 2 6 16 24

11 Common Merganser 82 23 64 345 514 Red-breasted Merganser 9 1277 174 1460 UID Ducks 1 4 4 Gray Partridge 31 31 Ring-necked Pheasant 2 2 Ruffed Grouse 5 3 8 Rock Pigeon 21 109 131 334 595 Mourning Dove 3 30 87 34 154 Black Guillemot 9 1 10 Common (Mew) Gull 1 1 Ring-billed Gull 3 1 2 6 12 Herring Gull 50 336 109 215 710 Iceland Gull 91 7 31 4 133 Lesser Black-backed Gull 1 1 Glaucous Gull 1 1 Great Black-backed Gull 38 31 17 30 116 UID Gulls 1 12 13 Red-throated Loon 3 3 Common Loon 1 1 Northern Gannet 3 3 Double-crested Cormorant 3 2 7 12 Great Cormorant 2 2 Great Blue Heron 1 1 2 Bald Eagle 6 27 17 20 70 Adults 21 14 3 49 Immature 5 3 2 42 Unknown 6 1 7 Northern Harrier CW CW Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 1 1 2 5 Northern Goshawk 1 2 3 Red-tailed Hawk 2 8 17 6 33 Rough-legged Hawk 1 1 2 UID Hawk 1 2 Snowy Owl 1 CW 1 2 Belted Kingfisher 1 3 1 3 8 Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 1 Downy Woodpecker 10 9 6 25 Hairy Woodpecker 1 3 7 2 13 Northern Flicker 1 7 4 1 13 Pileated Woodpecker 1 1 UID Woodpecker 1 1 American Kestrel 1 1 Merlin 1 2 3 Peregrine Falcon 1 1 Northern Shrike 1 1 Blue Jay 59 278 357 234 928 American Crow 139 451 920 494 2004 Common Raven 18 34 27 50 129 Black-capped Chickadee 80 253 196 207 736 Boreal Chickadee 1 7 2 10 Red-breasted Nuthatch 12 55 16 45 128 White-breasted Nuthatch 1 1 Brown Creeper 3 1 3 7 Golden-crowned Kinglet 3 9 1 12 25 American Robin 3 3 2 8 European Starling 658 1448 1469 509 4084 Bohemian Waxwing 15 63 55 133 House Sparrow 1 1 Evening Grosbeak 33 Pine Grosbeak 2 2 Common Redpoll 32 7 1 40 Pine Siskin 6 6 American Goldfinch 7 31 105 221 364 UID Finch 10 10 Snow Bunting 1 776 776 American Tree Sparrow 4 1 25 1 31 Dark-eyed Junco 70 120 121 312 White-throated Sparrow 1 4 1 6 Song Sparrow 7 5 6 18 Sparrow spp 3 3 Red-winged Blackbird 1 1 Common Grackle 1 1 Brown-headed Cowbird 3 20 23 Yellow-rumped Warbler 1 1

12 Total Birds 6,000 4,755 9,864 6,125 26,344 Total Species 50 54 49 45 80 Add Count Week Species 0 1 2 0 2 Participants: Field 11 20 23 16 73 Count Parties 1 to 3 7 6 to 8 Feeders 0 3 5 3 8 Mammals: Red Squirrel 3 43 19 20 85 Flying Squirrel 1 1 Red Fox 7 4 2 13 Coyote 1 2 3 Muskrat 4 1 5 Snowshoe Hare 1 0 1 Grey Seal 0 0 Harbour Seal 1 1 2 4 UID Seal 1 1 Short-tailed Weasel 0 0 Mink 0 0 Roaming House Cats 0 6 18 24 Walked: Km 2.7 6.5 7.8 26.5 Hours 1.0 2.33 3.41 11.5 Driven: Km 212 547.1 288 500.5 Hours 10.0 31.57 20.99 27.8 Earliest Start 7:20 am 7:15 am 7:20 am Latest Ending 5:00 pm 4:20 pm 5:03 pm Total Party Hours 11.0 33.9 28.16 27.8 Owling Hours 0 0 0 0 Owling Kilometers 0 0 0 0 Number of Feeder Reports 4 3 5 3 15 Feeder Hours 6 7.5 10.5 6 30 Snow Cover - aver. cm. 0.5 to 4 5 0 to 2 10 Snow cover range 85 1 to 12 cm 0.5 to 2 95 Salt Water Bays - % frozen 0 80 95 Fresh Water - % frozen 80 85 95 88 cloudy to partly intermittent Weather: cloudy clear clear snow flurries Bright Sunshine (hrs) 2 6.5 9 0 Precipitation 0 0 0 flurries Cloud % 100 15 10 100 Temperature C. 1 to 3 -11 to -8.6 -10.9 to -5.9 -7 to -3 Aver. Wind Speed km/hr 27 8.6 12.6 25 Wind speed range km/hr 18 to 30 3 to 14 10 to 15 20 to 30 South to West West to West Prevail. wind direction southwest Northwest northwest Northwest where CW = species seen during the count week (three days before and after count day) For registered counts, the entire data base is accessible on line through www.audubon.org and click your way to the results under birds and science. Thanks to the many participants, namely: Jim Aquilani; Ron Arvidson; Jiselle Bakker; Jean Blanchard; Vanessa Bonnyman; Bill Bowerbank; Sharon Clark; Michelle Cottreau; Georgie Curley; Rosemary Curley; Wanda Curley; Fiep de Bie; Lois Doan; Victoria Doan; Tyler Flanagan; Kate Gordon; Diane Griffin; Robert Harding; Doyle & Sharon Hachey, Eileen Higginbotham; Ben Hoteling; Derek Lowe; Jill MacCormack; Lucas MacCormack; Gerald MacDonald; Brett MacKinnon; Brittany MacLean; Janelle MacLeod; Benjamin MacNeill, Clare Martin; Dan McAskill; Melanie McCarthy; Arlene & Paul McGuigan; Janice McGuigan; Allison Moody; Dale Murchison; Doug Murray; Nicole Murtagh; Dwaine Oakley; Allison Patrick; Brenda Penak; Emily Pringle; Leonce Richard; Brian Rolek; Ruth Richman; Gary Schneider; Andrea Simpson; Scott Sinclair; Ella Stewart; Diane Taylor Stewart; Linda Thomas; Liz Townsend; Simone Vaniderstine; Rosalind Waters; and Jean Watts. These counts would not be possible without their participation.

WEATHER EVENTS:

20 to 25 cm snow on Dec. 17-18 with high wind gusts on 18th (JDM), steady rain with temperature up to 12º C that cleared much of the snow on Dec. 21-22. 12 to 14 cm of snow and drifting on Dec. 31-Jan. 1 which left fields snow covered. Fullerton’s Creek Bunbury Road crossing with small open area unfrozen. 12 to 14 cm of damp snow on Jan. 5-6 and winds gusting to 60 km/hr (JDM). Belvedere Pond 85% ice covered on Jan. 10 (JDM). 12 cm of snow then rain on Jan. 9 (JDM). 10 cm of snow then rain with temperature or 7º C and heavy rain on Jan. 25 that largely

13 cleared fields of snow although 20 to 25 cm of snow remained in the woods at Donagh and Mount Stewart (JDM, GK). Thaw and light rain on Feb. 4-5 followed by freezing conditions then freezing rain (3 to 4 mm) and later rain on Feb. 8 (JDM) that left the first tree wells of the winter with widths of 12 to 20 cm wide around the tree stems in Donagh (JDM). Snow storm on Feb. 13 left 20 to 25 cm of powder snow in Donagh and the snow pellets at its end left a light crust on the snow (JDM). Heavy rain (17.7 mm) on Feb. 16 and a 5.6º C maximum temperature cleared most of the snow in the fields but left many fields with 15 to 75% ice cover in the North Rustico and Argyle Shore through Vernon Bridge area on Feb. 17 & 18 (JDM, LY). Another snow storm on Feb. 21st dropped 10 to 16 cm of powder snow that again covered fields in snow. A mix of snow and light rain on Feb. 24-25 left a surface crust on the snow. (JDM, AES) ANIMAL AND PLANT SIGHTINGS: Compiled by J. Dan McAskill PLANTS: Doug Murray continued his collection of photos as part of an inventory of wildlife at the Fullerton’s Creek Conservation Park.

AMPHIBIANS/REPTILES: The 1,000 lb plus Leatherback Turtle collected from Argyle Shore in December went for necropsy at AVC. It had good fat reserves, was approximately 15 to 20 years of age and there was no sign of external trauma having caused its death. Samples were collected for pathogens. (CBC News)

MAMMALS: Mink swimming in Westmoreland River on Dec. 23 and one of seven Mallards was chased buy the mink (DD). Female River Otter caught in This brown lichen found at Fullerton’s muskrat set in Cardigan in early Nov. (via CR). Raccoon pulled down feeder in Creek Conservation Park appears to be Donagh on Jan. 11 and was at Donagh feeders on Feb. 8 (JDM). Coyote running Melanelixia (Melanelia) subaurifera. down the Hillsborough between Mason and the Hillsborough Bridge on Jan. 23 and Doug Murray photo one in Bunbury the week before (SCo). Coyote 1 at Rice Point on Jan. 19, 1 at (ID thanks to Colin Chapman) Meadowbank on Jan. 26, and 1 at Winsloe on Feb. 2 (VD). 2 to 3 Red Squirrels daily at Donagh feeders in Dec. to mid-Feb. and 4 on Feb. 17 with 2 in a 100 m plus pursuit chase & 6 on Feb. 18 (JDM). 2 Northern Flying Squirrels at feeder in Lower Rollo Bay in January (SD). 29 Seals pulled up on the ice at Hillsborough Bridge on Feb. 7 (WFB, JDM). Lots of reports of Red Fox being seen and one with what appeared to be a severe case of mange was being seen in January and February (LD).

BIRDS: This checklist order has been adjusted to conform with the November 2017 American Ornithological Society’s Checklist of Northern and Middle American Birds. Canada Geese - 800 at Hillsborough River by QEH & 60 at Oyster Bed Bridge on Dec. 10 (JDM, WFB), 130 at Summerside West in Dec. 12 (DEJ), 750 at Hillsborough River in Marshfield on Dec. 16 (LT, BR, AM), 50 flying at West Royalty on Dec. 27 (JDM), 1,000 at Cape Traverse on Dec. 31 (RA), 6 at Oyster Bed Bridge on Jan. 3 (BAM), 500 at Hunter River on Jan. 8 (DD), 55 at Knox Dam, 20 at old Montague Bridge on Jan. 15 (BAM), 250 at Vernon Bridge, 180 at Orwell & 18 at Montague Bridge on Jan. 18 (FdB, SCS), 27 at Ellen’s Creek on Jan. 19 (JDM) & 14 on Feb. 2 (VB), 42 at Souris Causeway on Jan. 18 (DRM), 50 at Elmira, 29 at Cardigan, 100 at Orwell, 300 at Vernon Bridge, 29 at Cardigan on Jan. 19 (BAM, BK), over 100 at Clyde River in Jan. (LY), 200 on Feb. 10 (RA) & 150 on Feb. 11 (BK), 45 at Victoria Cross on Feb. 18 (SGC); Wood Duck - 8 at Kelly’s Pond on Dec. 27 (ASi); Gadwall - 9 at Chapel’s Creek on Jan. 17 (SCor), 25 on Jan. 18 (DRM), 40 on Jan. 19 (VB) & 11 on Feb. 10 (SCS), 4 at Cavendish Water Treatment ponds on Jan. 17 (DRM), 30 at Wright’s Creek on Jan. 26 (JFJ), 20+ at Belvedere Pond on Feb. 7 (WFB, JDM) & 28 on Feb. 15 (JDM), 14 at Oyster Bed Pond on Feb. 10 (SCS); American Wigeon - 3 at Cavendish Water Treatment ponds on Jan. 17 (DRM), 14 at Ellen’s Creek on Jan. 19 (JDM) & 1 on Feb. 1 (VB), 1 male on Jan. 25 (DMo), & 4 on Feb. 1 (BK, BAM), 5 at Hermitage Creek on Jan. 21, 2 on Jan. 30 (BK), 4 on Feb. 10 (BK) & 2 on Feb. 18 (SGC), 3 at Belvedere Pond on Feb. 7 (WFB, JDM); Mallard - 60 at Grand Pere Road (Chapel Creek) on Dec. 13 (JFJ), 200 on Jan. 17 (SCor) & 250 on Jan. 18 (DRM), 1 at Donagh Bridge on Dec. 15 (JDM), 52 at Cape Traverse on Dec. 31 (RA), 25 at Grand River Bridge on Jan. 3 (DEJ), 5 on Jan. 17 (DRM) & 15 on Feb. 4 (DRM), 4 at Cavendish Water Treatment ponds on Jan. 17 (DRM), 1 at Vernon Bridge on Jan. 18 (FdB, SCS), 5 pair at Ellen’s Creek on Jan. 19 (JDM) & 18 on Feb. 16 (SGC), 64 on Feb. 1 (BK, BAM) & 17 on Feb. 2 (VB), 1 at Basin Head, 4 at Fortune, & 6 at Montague Bridge on Jan. 19 (BAM, BK), 22 off McIsaac Drive in Summerside on Jan. 26 (DRM), 12 at Wright’s Creek on Jan. 26 (JFJ), 2 at Midgell River on Jan. 27 (FdB, SCS), 15 at Belvedere Pond on Feb. 7 (WFB, JDM); American Black Duck - 15 at Grand Pere Road (Chapel Creek) on Dec. 13 (JFJ), 30 on Jan. 17 (SCor), 65 on Jan. 18 (DRM), & 13 on Feb. 10 (SCS), 6 at Donagh Bridge (JDM), 300 at Souris causeway, 40 at St. Peter’s & 20 at Midgell River on Dec. 15 (RC, JDM), 20 at Hillsborough River in Marshfield (LT, BR, AM), 300 at Grand River Bridge on Jan. 3 (DEJ), 25 at Belvedere Pond on Jan. 8 & 100 on Feb. 7 (JDM, WFB), 17 on Jan. 17 (DRM) & 45 on Feb. 4 (DRM), 12 at Oyster Bed Bridge on Jan. 3 (BAM) & 60 on Feb. 10 (SCS), 40 at Pembroke Road, & 14 at Point Pleasant Road on Jan. 15 (BAM), 11 at Cavendish Water Treatment ponds on Jan. 17 (DRM), 80 at Vernon Bridge on Jan. 18 (FdB, SCS), 19 at North Lake Creek, 23 at Basin Head, 3 at Cardigan, 120 at Montague Bridge, 32 at Souris Causeway on Jan. 18

14 (DRM), 25 at Vernon Bridge, ~100 at Seal River & 3 at Pownal on Jan. 19 (BAM, BK), 16 at Hermitage Creek on Jan. 21 (BK), 16 off McIsaac Drive in Summerside on Jan. 26 (DRM), 45 at Midgell River on Jan. 27 (FdB, SCS), 69 at Ellen’s Creek on Feb. 1 (BK, BAM), 40 on Feb. 2 (VB), & 6 on Feb. 16 (SGC), 100 at Rusticoville & 40 at Oyster Bed Bridge Pond on Feb. 10 (SCS); Northern Pintail - 16 at North Rustico on Dec. 13 (JFJ), 5 at Chapel’s Creek on Jan. 17 (SCor) & 5 on Jan. 18 (DRM) & on Feb. 2 (VD), 1 at Ellen’s Creek on Feb. 1 (BK, BAM), 10 at Oyster Bed Bridge Pond on Feb. 10 (SCS); Green- winged Teal - 4 pair at Ellen’s Creek on Jan. 19 (JDM), 4 on Feb. 1 (BK, BAM), 8 on Feb. 2 (VB), & 8 on Feb. 16 (SGC), 5 off McIsaac Drive in Summerside on Jan. 26 (DRM), 4 at Oyster Bed Bridge Pond on Jan. 26 (RP), 3 at Kelly Pond in Stratford on Feb. 7 & 2 on Feb. 15 (JDM); Greater Scaup - 400 at Oyster Bed Bridge on Dec. 10 (JDM, WFB), 250 on Dec. 13 (JFJ), 300 on Jan. 3 (BAM), 280 on Jan. 13 (SCS), 100 on Jan. 17 (SCor), 240 on Jan. 18 (DRM), 200 on Jan. 19 (VB), 260 on Feb. 10 (SCS) & 190 on Feb. 17 (JDM), male at Stratford Sewage Lagoons on Jan. 25 (DMo), 10 at Rusticoville on Feb. 10 (SCS) & 175 on Feb. 17 (JDM); Lesser Scaup - 2 at Oyster Bed Bridge on Jan. 3 (BAM) & 1 on Jan. 13 (SCS); Common Eider - 1 at North Rustico & 80 at Brackley Beach on Dec. 13 (JFJ), 225 at East Point on Jan. 5 (SCS, FdB), 33 on Jan. 18 (DRM), 150 Jan. 19 (BAM, BK) & 15 on Jan. 25 (SCS), 2 at Grand River Bridge on Jan. 3 (DEJ); Harlequin Duck - 8 at East Point on Jan. 5 (SCS, FdB), 2 males and 4 females at Launching Harbour on Jan. 26 (BD); Black Scoter - 22 at East Point on Jan. 18 (DRM), 60 on Jan. 5 (SCS, FdB), 12 on Jan. 19 (BAM, BK) & 45 on Jan. 25 (SCS); Long-tailed Duck - 15 at Brackley Beach on Dec. 13 (JFJ), 180 at East Point on Jan. 5 (SCS, FdB), at Jan. 8 (DEJ), 24 on Jan. 18 (DRM) & 30 on Jan. 25 (SCS) , 6 at East Point & 1 at Annandale Wharf on Jan. 19 (BAM, BK); Bufflehead - 3 at North Rustico on Dec. 13 (JFJ), 4 at Oyster Bed Bridge on Jan. 3 (BAM), 1 on Jan. 13 (SCS), 1 on Jan. 17 (SCor), 1 on Jan. 27 (RP), & 2 on Feb. 10 (SCS, VB), 4 at Basin Head on Jan. 5 (FdB, SCS), male at Rustico on Jan. 14 (MBe), 11 (8 males & 3 females) at Souris West on Jan. 18 (DRM), 13 at Lower Rollo Bay & 1 hen at Cardigan on Jan. 19 (BAM, BK); Common Goldeneye - 70 at Oyster Bed Bridge on Dec. 10 (JDM, WFB), 20 on Dec. 13 (JFJ), 30 on Jan. 3 (BAM), 60 on Jan. 13 (SCS), 100 on Jan. 17 (SCor), 85 on Jan. 18 (DRM), 40 on Jan. 19 & 30 on Jan. 27 (VB), & 75 on Feb. 10 (SCS), 5 at Hillsborough River in Marshfield on Dec. 16 (LT, BR, AM), 9 at Rustico on Winter Male Long-tailed Duck at East Point Jan. 14 (MBe), 17 at Victoria by the Sea, 6 at Coleman & 32 at Grand River on Jan. 8, 2019 Bridge on Jan. 3 (DEJ) & 70 on Jan. 17 (DRM), 9 at Cavendish Water Don Jardine Photo Treatment ponds & 11 at Indian River Bridge on Jan. 17 (DRM), 17 at Victoria on Dec. 31 (RA) 10 at old Montague Bridge on Jan. 15 (BAM), 7 at Vernon Bridge on Jan. 18 (FdB, SCS), 14 at Souris on Jan. 18 (DRM), 30 at East Point, 4 at North Lake, 6 at Lower Rollo Bay, 3 at Basin Head, 6 at Lower Rollo Bay, 12 at Fortune, 12 at Cardigan, 34 at Montague Bridge, 21 at Vernon Bridge on Jan. 19 (BAM, BK), 50 on Jan. 25 (VB), 40 on Feb. 4 (FdB), 50 on Feb. 7 (WFB, JDM) & 30 singing and doing head bobs on Feb. 15 (JDM), 6 at Midgell River on Jan. 27 (FdB, SCS), 17 at Stanley Bridge, 14 at Cascumpec Bridge, 32 at Stanley Bridge, 3 at Rusticoville, 85 at Oyster Bed Bridge, & 24 at North River causeway on Feb. 1 (BK, BAM), 125 at Grand River Bridge on Feb. 4 (DRM), 6 at Foxley River on Feb. 5 (DEJ), 50 at Vernon Bridge on Feb. 7 (WFB, JDM) & 30 on Feb. 18 (JDM, 7 at Corran Ban bridge on Feb. 15 (SGC); Barrow’s Goldeneye - 4 at Oyster Bed Bridge on Dec. 10 (JDM, WFB), 50 on Dec. 13 (JFJ), 13 on Dec. 20 (MLa), 51 on Jan. 3 (BAM), 35 on Jan. 13 (SCS), 35 on Jan. 18 (DRM), 6 on Jan. 19 & 50 on Jan. 27 (VB), & 18 on Feb. 10 (SCS), 12 at Grand River Bridge on Jan. 3 (DEJ), 15 on Jan. 17 (DRM), & 35 on Feb. 5 (DRM), 2 at Coleman on Jan. 3 (DEJ) 12 at old Montague Bridge on Jan. 15 (BAM) & 5 on Jan. 19 (BAM, BK), 12 (7 drakes & 2 hens) at Cardigan & 2 at Vernon Bridge on Jan. 19 (BAM, BK), often at West River Bridge since ice restricted open water (VD), at Rusticoville since ice restricted open water (VD) & 45 on Feb. 10 (SCS), 6 at Vernon Bridge on Jan. 25 (VB), 8 on Feb. 4 (FdB), 1 on Feb. 7 (WFB, JDM), 2 at Midgell River on Jan. 27 (FdB, SCS), 5 at Stanley Bridge, 12 at Cascumpec Bridge, 32 at Rusticoville, 31 at Oyster Bed Bridge, & 9 at North River causeway on Feb. 1 (BK, BAM), at Foxley River on Feb. 5 (DEJ), 2 at Corran Ban bridge on Feb. 15 (SGC); Hooded Merganser - 1 at Hyde Park on Dec. 4 (RA), male at Oyster Bed Bridge on Jan. 3 (BAM), 2 at Cavendish Waste Lagoons in New Annan on Jan. 26 (DRM); Common Merganser - 7 at Oyster Bed Bridge on Dec. 10 (JDM, WFB), 12 on Jan. 3 (BAM), 25 on Jan. 13 (SCS), 15 on Jan. 27 (VB), & 30 on Feb. 10 (SCS), 10 at North Rustico on Dec. 13 (JFJ), 30 at Hillsborough River in Marshfield on Dec. 16 (LT, BR, AM), 13 at Coleman on Jan. 3 (DEJ), 30 at Hillsborough River in Marshfield on Dec. 16 (LT, BR, AM), 30 at Grand River Bridge on Jan. 3 (DEJ), 18 on Jan. 17 (DRM) & 19 on Feb. 5 (DRM), 6 at Knox Dam and 20 at Point Pleasant Road on Jan. 15 (BAM), 7 at Cavendish Water Treatment ponds on Jan. 17 & 9 at Indian River Bridge on Jan. 17 (DRM), 6 males and 1 female at exit to Belvedere Pond on Jan. 18 (JDM), 46 at Montague Bridge on Jan. 18 (FdB, SCS), 20 at Ellen’s Creek on Jan. 19 (JDM), 29 on Feb. 1 (BK, BAM), & 12 on Feb. 2 (VB), 8 at North Lake Creek, 26 at Fortune, 15 at Basin Head, 12 at Vernon Bridge on Jan. 18 (FdB, SCS), 4 at Orwell, 21 at Vernon Bridge, 8 at Seal River, & 13 at Pownal on Jan. 19 (BAM, BK), 30 at Midgell River on Jan. 27 (FdB, SCS), 23 at Stanley Bridge & 4 at North River causeway on Feb. 1 (BK, BAM), 10 at Vernon Bridge on Feb. 7 (WFB, JDM), 20 at Oyster Bed Bridge Pond on Feb. 10 (SCS), 24 at Clyde River on Feb. 11 (BK), 10 at Corran Ban bridge on Feb. 15 (SGC); Red-breasted Merganser - 6 at Georgetown Royalty on Dec. 20 Gray Partridge PEI National Park (SCS), 9 at Souris West on Jan. 18 (DRM), 2 at East Point on Jan. 5 (SCS, Dec. 16, 2018 FdB) & 3 on Jan. 18 (DRM), 1 at East Point, 1 at Fortune, 2 at Annandale, & Ron Arvidson Photo 1 at Cardigan, on Jan. 19 (BAM, BK), 1 at Doyle’s Cove on Feb. 10 (SGC); Gray Partridge - 4 at Rustico on Dec. 13 (JFJ), 5 at Horne Cross Road on

15 Dec. 18 (VB), 7 at Stanhope on Dec. 24 (JMcG), 6 at Victoria on Jan. 5 (DD), 9 at Argyle Shore feeders most days between Jan. 10 & Feb. 1 (LY), 12 at Tryon on Jan. 16 (DD), 3 at Malpeque on Jan. 18 (DRM), 7 to 22 at New Dominion in Dec. & Jan. and 10 on Feb. 12 (HNM), 22 daily early Nov. to mid Feb. (VD); Ring-necked Pheasant - male at Baltic Road on Jan. 3 (IF), 3 at Basin Head on Jan. 5 (FdB, SCS), male ran across road in Donagh on Jan. 10 (JDM), 2 males on Donagh Road on Jan. 14 (JDM), 1 at Donagh Bridge on Jan. 18 (JDM), 1 hen at Head of Montague on Jan. 19 (BAM, BK), 2 males & 2 females daily early Nov. to mid Feb. (VD), 2 at Stratford on Feb. 15 (BPM), 2 at Bunbury on Feb. 16 (BPM), 1 at Poole’s Corner on Feb. 17 (RG); Ruffed Grouse - 1 eating rose hips at East Point on Jan. 5 (JHa), 3 discovered in a group under a white spruce blow down by Bess (Brittany Spaniel) at PEINP Stanhope trails the week of Jan. 16 (BH), 2 at Georgetown Royalty on Jan. 30 (SCS), 1 at South Melville on Feb. 10 (RA); Red-necked Grebe - 1 at Basin Head on Jan. 5 Ruffed Grouse flew into in garage at (FdB, SCS); Rock Pigeon - 31 at Crapaud feeders on Dec. 14 & 20 on Jan. 20 (DD), York in Nov., 2018 45 at O’Leary on Jan. 3 (DEJ), 25 at Charlottetown on Jan. 7 (JDM), 16 at Cabot Park Heidi Riley photo on Jan. 17 (DRM), 15 at Souris on Jan. 18 (DRM), 40 at Montague Bridge on Jan. 18 (FdB, SCS), 10 at Fortune on Jan. 19 (BAM, BK), 23 at Abram’s Village on Jan. 26 (CT), 20 at Naufrage Harbour on Jan. 27 (FdB, SCS), 12 at Anglo Tignish on Feb. 15 (DG), 14 at Winsloe South on Feb. 16 (DEJ); Mourning Dove - 7 at Horne Cross Road feeders on Dec. 18 (VB), 3 at O’Leary on Jan. 3 (DEJ), up to 4 at Donagh feeders in Jan. (JDM), 5 at Cabot Park on Jan. 17 (DRM), 8 at Earnscliffe on Jan. 18 (FdB, SCS), 3 at Chelton on Jan. 26 (DRM), 21 at Hermitage Creek on Jan, 27, 22 on Feb. 5, & 45 on Feb. 11 (BK), 13 an unusually high number at this Desable feeder on Feb. 10 (BP), up to 5 intermittently at Donagh feeders in Dec. to mid-Feb. (JDM), 21 at Tyne Valley on Feb. 15 & 12 on Feb. 16 (CRy), 6 at Anglo Tignish on Feb. 15 (DG), 3 at Winsloe South on Feb. 16 (DEJ), 21 at Poole’s Corner on Feb. 17 (RG), 8 at Lakeside on Feb. 18 (JMcK); Black Guillemot - 1 at East Point on Dec. 12 (JMacL), 1 at East Point on Jan. 5 (SCS, FdB); Ring-billed Gull - see CBC reports, 1 at Poole’s Corner on Feb. 17 (RG); Herring Gull - 15 at Brackley Beach on Dec. 13 (JFJ), 2 at Grand River Bridge on Jan. 3 (DEJ), 22 on Jan. 17 (DRM) & 65 on Feb. 5 (DRM), 5 at Summerside Boardwalk on Jan. 17 (DRM), 10 at Lower Rollo Bay, 9 at Cardigan & 12 at Montague Bridge on Jan. 19 (BAM, BK), 29 at Ellen’s Creek on Feb. 1 (BK, BAM), 40 on Feb. 2 (VB), & 40 on Feb. 16 (SGC); Iceland Gull - 16 at Grand River Bridge on Jan. 3 (DRM) & 25 on Feb. 5 (DRM), 15 at Hillsborough Bridge & 25 at Charlottetown Waste Plant cells on Jan. 7 (JDM), 7 at Summerside Boardwalk on Jan. 17 (DRM), 20 at Charlottetown Waste Mgmt Plant Pools on Jan. 18 (JDM), 9 at East Point on Jan. 18 (DRM) & 20 on Jan. 25 (SCS), 4 at East Point & 2 at Lower Rollo Bay on Jan. 19 (BAM, BK), 11 at Ellen’s Creek on Feb. 1 (BK, BAM); Lesser Black-backed Gull - see CBC report; Glaucous Gull - 1 at Victoria Park on Jan. 13 (JFJ); Great Black-backed Gull - 12 at Grand River Bridge on Jan. 3 (DEJ), 35 on Jan. 17 (DRM) & 80 on Feb. 5 (DRM), 7 at Summerside Boardwalk on Jan. 17 (DRM), 1 at Cardigan & 4 at Montague Bridge on Jan. 19 (BAM, BK), 5 at East Point on Jan. 25 (SCS), 5 at Ellen’s Creek on Feb. 2 (VB) & 6 on Feb. 16 (SGC); Common Loon - 1 at East Point on Jan. 25 (SCS); Great Cormorant - 1 at Basin Head on Jan. 5 (SCS); Great Blue Heron - 1 at Brackley Beach on Dec. 2 (D&GM), 1 at North Lake on Dec. 21 (IF), 1 at flying low over Westmoreland River on Dec. 25 (DD), 1 at Kinlock on Feb. 24 (JMacC); Turkey Vulture - 1 at Crapaud on Jan. 6 (DGM), 1 photographed flying at Vernon River on Jan. 15 (DMur); Bald Eagle - immature flushed gulls at Covehead Harbour on Dec. 10 (WFB, JDM), immature at Southampton on Dec. 13 (JDM), 6 at Hillsborough River in Marshfield on Dec. 16 (LT, BR, AM), 1 at Souris on Jan. 18 (DRM), 1 at North Lake Creek, 2 at Basin Head, 2 with one attempting to take a Herring Gull at Montague Bridge, 2 at Seal River & 2 at Turkey Vulture at Vernon River Earnscliffe on Jan. 19 (BAM, BK), 2 at Grand on Jan. 15, 2019 River Bridge on Feb. 5 (DRM); Northern Dale Murchison Photo Harrier - immature at Dalvay on Dec. 10 (BH), male photographed at Murray Harbour North on Jan. 15 (DH), 1 at Covehead Harbour lighthouse on Dec. 27 (BP, SGC), 1 at Cap Egmont on Feb. 5 (LR); Sharp-shinned Hawk - 1 at New Dominion on Dec. 12 (HNM), 1 at Dalvay on Dec. 16 (VB, FdB), 1 with bird in talons at Stratford feeders on Jan. 3 (MZ) & 1 at Stratford on Jan. 13 (MZ), 1 at Priest Pond on Jan. 15 (IF), 1 at Earnscliffe on Jan. 18 (FdB, SCS), 1 at Sherwood on Jan. 24 (SCh), 1 at Tea Hill on Feb. 14 & Feb. 18 (FdB), 1 at Clearview Estates on Feb. 20 (DMu); Northern Goshawk - 1 at Fox Meadows in Stratford on Dec. 9 (LM), 1 at Horne Cross Road on Dec. 18, 1 on Jan. 6 & 1 on Feb. 3 (VB) 1 at Panmure Island on Jan. 15 (BAM), 1 photographed at Belle River on Jan. 20 (JS), periodically taking Mourning Doves since early Nov. to mid Feb. (VD); Red-tailed Hawk - 2 in PEINP at Cavendish on Dec. 8 (BAM), 1 at Clyde River on Dec. 4 (RA), 6 (3 on power poles, 2 on power lines & 1 in a white spruce) along Trans Canada Highway between Cornwall and Tryon on Dec. 11 (BAM), 1 at Oyster Bed Bridge on Dec. 13 (JFJ) & 1 at Brackley Beach on Dec. 14 (BH), 1 at Red-tailed Hawk Stratford on Mason Road on Dec. 14 & 27 (JDM), 1 flying at Desable on Dec. 23 (BP) 1 at mantelled over prey at Hillsborough River in Marshfield (LT, BR, AM), 2 adults at Cherry Valley in mid to late Dec. Charlottetown on (DO), 1 at Tryon on Dec. 31 (RA), 2 at Stratford and 1 at Charlottetown on Jan. 2 (LM), 1 at Feb. 20, 2018 Pisquid River WMA on Jan. 15 (JDM), 1 at Darnley on Jan. 17 (DRM), 1 at Earnscliffe on Jan. 18 Brenda Whiteway photo

16 (FdB, SCS), 4 on Jan. 25 (VB), 1 on Feb. 15 (RP), 4 on Feb. 17 (FdB), 1 on Feb. 18 (JDM), 1 at Souris on Jan. 18 (DRM), 1 at Fortune, 1 at Earnscliffe & 2 at Alexander on Jan. 19 (BAM, BK), 1 at Oyster Bed Bridge on Jan. 18 (DRM), 1 perched in tree in Mermaid on Jan. 21 (JDM), adult killed on road in New Dominion on Jan. 22 (HNM), 1 at Winsloe South on Jan. 25 (DEJ), 1 regularly at Nine Mile Creek this winter (VD), 2 at Greenwich on Jan. 27 (FdB, SCS), 1 at North Cape & 1 at Skinner’s Pond on Feb. 1 (BK, BAM), 2 at Mt. Mellick/Cherry Valley on Feb. 4 (FdB), 4 at Earnscliffe-China Point on Feb. 7 (WFB, JDM), 2 at Brackley Point on Feb. 10 (SCS), 1 at New Annan on Feb. 15 & 17 (BB), 2 at Fredericton on Feb. 17 (SGC), 1 mantelled over prey in Charlottetown on Feb. 20 (BW); Rough-legged Hawk - 1 at Earnscliffe on Jan. 18 (FdB, SCS), 1 on Jan. 25 (VB), 1 on Feb. 4 (FdB), 1 on Feb. 15 (RP), 1 at Dingwell’s Mills on Jan. 27 (FdB, SCS) & 1 on Feb. 7 (WFB, JDM), 2 at Hermitage Creek on Jan 27 (BK), 1 flying along Barbara Weit Road on Jan. 29 (DRM), 1 at Earnscliffe- China Point on Feb. 7 (WFB, JDM) & 1 light phase & 1 dark phase on Feb. 17 (FdB), 1 dark phase at Cherry Valley on Jan. 18 (JDM); Great Horned Owl - 1 calling at Desable on Dec. 1 (BP), 1 calling at St. Charles on Jan. 15 (JGM), 2 calling at Poole’s Corner on Feb. 10 (RG); Snowy Owl - 1 at Marshfield on Dec. 14-16 (MA via LT, AM, BR), 1 at Pownal on Dec. 16 (JWa), 1 at Cornwall on ~Dec. 18 (AWa), 2 at Wood Islands mid-Dec. (Via DMur), 1 at Point Prim on Dec. 25 (via DMur), 1 flying and pursued by 11 crows at Rollo Bay on Jan. 3 (SD), 1 at Cavendish in mid-Jan. (BH), 1 being mobbed by crows at West Royalty the week of Jan. 23 (BH); Northern Hawk Owl - 1 at Panmure Island beach in dune grass on Jan. 25 (JHS); Barred Owl - 1 roosting at Fox Meadows Golf Course on Jan. 16 (LM), 1 flying at dusk on Route 20 near Indian River in Malpeque on Jan. 27 (DRM), 1 at Cavendish on Feb. 4 (BAM), 1 calling at Poole’s Corner on Feb. 10 (RG); Boreal Owl - 1 reported at Mont Carmel on Feb. 21 (B&BC); Northern Saw-whet Owl - 1 being mobbed by chickadees at Hermitage Creek on Jan 27 (BK), 1 calling at Desable on Feb. 4 (BP); Belted Kingfisher - 1 at Canoe Cove on Jan. 4 (BAM), 1 at Campbell’s Pond in Dalvay on Jan. 8 (KM), 1 at Basin Head on Jan. 5 (FdB, SCS), 1 at Fortune on Jan. 19 (BAM, BK), 1 at Hermanville on Jan. 25 (SCS), 1 at Cornwall on Feb. 18 (JG), 1 at Cymbria on Feb. 18 (VB); Red-bellied Woodpecker - see CBC report for Hillsborough CBC, 1 at Halliday Wharf Road in Orwell on Jan. 18 (FdB, SCS), 1 at Cap Egmont on Feb. 5 (LR); Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - 1 at Murray Harbour North on Jan. 18 (DH); Downy Woodpecker - male & female most days Dec. to mid-Feb. (JDM), 2 at Anglo Tignish on Feb. 15 (DG), 1 at Winsloe South on Feb. 16 (DEJ), 3 at Horne’s Cross Road on Feb. 17 (VB), 3 at Kinlock feeders on Feb. 18 (MAM); Hairy Woodpecker - male & female sporadically during Dec. to mid-Feb. (JDM), male & female drumming at St. Charles Road on Feb. 15 (JGM), 2 at Kinlock American Three-toed Woodpecker feeders on Feb. 18 (MAM); American Three-toed Woodpecker - 1 at Bubbling Springs at Bubbling Springs Trail Trail PEINP on Dec. 29 (VD); Northern Flicker - 1 at North Rustico on Dec. 13 (JFJ), on Dec. 29, 2018 male at Stratford suet feeder on Jan. 1 & Jan. 13 (MZ), 1 at Parkdale in early Jan. (DGM), 2 Victoria Doan Photo at Panmure Island on Jan. 15 (BAM), first at Clearview Estates feeder (Stratford) since Nov. (DMu), 1 periodically at Riverview Estates in Charlottetown in Jan. & early Feb. (WFB, EM), 1 at Chelton on Jan. 26 (DRM), 1 at Greenwich on Jan. 27 (FdB, SCS), 1 at Cabot Park on Jan. 27 (DRM), 1 at Tea Hill on Feb. 14 (FdB), 1 at South Melville on Feb. 15 (AA), 1 at Cornwall on Feb. 18 (JG), 1 at PEI National Park on Feb. 18 (FdB), 1 at Hermitage Creek on Feb. 18 (GSC); Pileated Woodpecker - 1 at New Dominion on Dec. 12 (HNM), 1 at Basin Head on Jan. 19 (BAM, BK), 2 at St. Charles Road on Jan. 23 (JGM), 1 at Dromore on Mar. 1 (DO); American Kestrel - 1 at Cherry Valley on Feb. 7 (JHS), 1 at Earnscliffe on Feb. 15 (JDM); Merlin - 1 at Horne Cross Road on Dec. 18 (VB),1 at Richmond St. Charlottetown on Jan. 2 (LM), 1 at Summerside on Jan. 12 (MSt), 1 at Cherry Valley on Jan. 14 (DMur), 1 at Orwell on Jan. 18 (FdB, SCS), 1 at Princetown Road on Jan. 27 (DRM), 1 at Charlottetown on Jan. 30 (BK) 1 at Hermitage Creek on Feb. 5 (BK), 1 at Stratford ~Feb. 22 (LM); Peregrine Falcon - 1 at Hillsborough Bridge on Jan. 2 (LM), 1 on 2 days in early Jan. at Hillsborough Bridge (DO), 1 photographed at Little Sands on Jan. 13 (VD), 1 at Nine Mile Creek on Jan. 20 (VD), 1 immature photographed at North River on Jan. 23 (BAM), 1 at Oyster Bed Bridge on Feb. 10 (BK), 1 actively hunting at Hillsborough Bridge on Feb. 26 (JDM); Northern Shrike - 1 at Brackley Beach on Nov. 25 (D&GM), 1 at South Melville on Dec. 10 (RA), 1 at North Rustico on Dec. 13 (BAM), 1 at North Rustico on Dec. 13 (JFJ), 1 immature at Mount Stewart on Jan. 8 (KP), 1 at Guernsey Cove took a Golden-crowned Kinglet on Jan. 15 (JMacL), 1 at Blooming Point on Jan. 15 (BAM), 1 at Murray Harbour North on Jan. 21 (DH), 1 at Abram’s Village on Jan. 26 (CT), 1 at Cap Egmont on Feb. 5 (LR), 1 at Cavendish on Feb. 12 (BAM), 1 at Covehead Harbour on Feb. 15 (SGC), 1 at Noonan Shore on Feb. 15 (RP, DMo, RA), 1 struck window during storm and recovered at Mont Carmel on Feb. 21 (B&BC), 1 about Donagh feeders on Feb. 23 (JDM); Gray Jay - 2 at Crapaud loop on Dec. 10 (DEJ), 2 along the St. Downy Woodpecker & Northern Flicker Charles Road on Feb. 15 (JGM); Blue Jay - 2 at O’Leary on Jan. 3 (DEJ), 38 at at New Dominion on Jan. 23, 2019 Earnscliffe & 28 at Orwell on Jan. 18 (FdB, SCS), 12 at East Point, 2 at Red Point, Holly MacEachern Photo 16 at Lower Rollo Bay, & 10 at Eglington on Jan. 19 (BAM, BK), up to 6 intermittently at Donagh feeders in Dec. to mid-Feb. (JDM), 3 at Tyne Valley Dove on Feb. 15 & 12 on Feb. 16 (CRy), 8 at Anglo Tignish on Feb. 15 (DG), 23 at Horne’s Cross Road on Feb. 17 (VB); American Crow - thousands in tree tops at Victoria Park to Beaconsfield in Dec. (JDM), 2,000 to 3,000 in trees at corner of Fitzroy and Prince Street in Charlottetown evening of Jan. 15 and morning of Jan. 16 (VB), 15 at Abram’s Village on Jan. 26 (CT), 9 at Cap Egmont on Jan. 27 (LR), 21

17 at Nail Pond on Feb. 1 (BK, BAM), 200 at Augustine Cove on Feb. 15 (RP, DMo, RA); Common Raven - 5 at Donagh Bridge on Jan. 18 (JDM), 2 doing aerial swoops at Mermaid on Jan. 19 (JDM), 2 at Basin Head on Jan. 19 (BAM, BK), 3 at Abram’s Village on Jan. 26 (CT), 20 at South Melville on Feb. 3 (DFe), 4 at Grand River Bridge on Feb. 5 (DRM); Horned Lark - 8 at Victoria on Dec. 10 (DEJ), 5 at Cabot Park & 7 at Darnley on Jan. 17 (DRM), 12 at Malpeque on Jan. 23 (DRM), 3 at Earnscliffe on Feb. 15 (JDM), ~40 flying at Park Corner on Feb. 23 (D&GM) & 14 on Feb. 26 (BAM); Black-capped Chickadee - 8 at Long Pond on Dec. 13 (JFJ), 4 at O’Leary on Jan. 3 (DEJ), 14 at Summerside Boardwalk on Jan. 17 (DRM), 2 at Lower Rollo Bay & 10 at Earnscliffe on Jan. 19 (BAM, BK), 15 at Hermitage Creek feeders on Jan. 20 (ZT), 7 at Chelton on Jan. 26 (DRM), 44 at Abram’s Village on Jan. 26 (CT), 12 at Dingwell’s Mills on Jan. 27 (FdB, SCS), 10 at Nail Pond on Feb. 1 (BK, BAM), 10+ daily at Donagh feeders in Dec. to mid- Feb. (JDM), 16 at Anglo Tignish on Feb. 15 (DG); Boreal Chickadee - 1 at Boreal Chickadee during PEI National Park Dalvay on Dec. 16 (VB, FdB), 2 at Brackley Beach on Dec. 16 (BAM, CBC on Dec. 16, 2018 BMacN), 1 at Chelton on Jan. 26 (DRM), 2 at Dingwell’s Mills on Jan. 27 Nicole Murtagh Photo (FdB, SCS), 2 at Miscouche on Feb. 15 (SSi); Red-breasted Nuthatch - 8 at Long Pond on Dec. 13 (JFJ), 3 at Chelton on Jan. 26 (DRM), 2 daily at Donagh feeders in Dec. to mid-Feb. (JDM), 2 at Anglo Tignish on Feb. 15 (DG); Brown Creeper - 1 at in Stratford feeders on Dec. 11 & ~Feb. 22 (LM), 1 at Murray River Dam on Jan. 11 (SCS); Golden-crowned Kinglet - 1 at Long Pond on Dec. 13 (JFJ), 1 at Cymbria on Jan. 19 (VB); 1 at Earnscliffe on Jan. 19 (BAM, BK)[Editor - very few seen or heard this winter], 2 at Dingwell’s Mills on Jan. 27 (FdB, SCS), 3 at Hermitage Creek on Jan. 29 (BK); Northern Wheatear - 1 at Summerside on Feb. 24 (G&SF); Townsend's Solitaire - 1 photographed at Stratford on Jan. 20 (VD) and identified by (DO); American Robin - 1 at Cymbria on Jan. 19 (VB), 1 at Greenwich on Jan. 27 (FdB, SCS), 1 at Stratford on Feb. 6 (BK), 1 at Dunstaffnage on Feb. 15 (SGC), 1 at Donagh on Feb. 18 (JDM), 1 at Cymbria on Feb. 18 (VB); European Starling - 60 at Donagh cornfield on Jan. 10 (JDM), 1,000 at Earnscliffe on Feb. 4 (WFB, JDM), 1 calling at Donagh on Feb. 18 (JDM); Bohemian Waxwing - 1 feeding on berries at Crapaud on Dec. 11 (DD), 30 at Grand Pere Road on Dec. 13 (JFJ) & 7 on Jan. 18 (DRM), 8 at Rustico on Dec. 13 (JFJ), 16 at Tea Hill on Dec. 14 (FdB), 4 at Murray Harbour North on Jan. 4 (DH) & on Jan. 12 (DH), 4 at North Lake on Jan. 5 (FdB), 30 to 40 feeding on berries at QEH trail on Jan. 13 (RP), 200 put up by Sharp-shinned hark at Graham’s Road on Jan. 18 (DRM), 30 at Lewis Point on Jan. 19 (JFJ), 35 at Hermitage Creek on Jan. 20 (ZT), 15 at South Melville on Feb. 2 (PFe), 14 at Arlington on Feb. 5 (DEJ); Cedar Waxwing - 6 at Richmond on Dec. 10 (DEJ), 15 at Charlottetown on Jan. 18 (PD); House Sparrow - 5 at Lewis Point on Jan. 19 (JFJ), 1 at Charlottetown on Jan. 25 (FdB), 3 at Earnscliffe on Feb. 7 (WFB, JDM) & Feb. 15 (VB), 5 at Cherry Valley farm on Feb. 18 (JDM); Evening Grosbeak - 2 at Desable on Nov. 29 (BP), 2 at Fortune in Nov. (PK), 2 at Rocky Point on Dec. 14-15 (LD), male at Hartsville on Dec. 21 (JWa), 20 at Long River feeders on Dec. 27 (MP), 23 at St. Eleanor’s feeders & 2 on Jan. 1 (KSc), 10 at Whim Road feeders on Jan. 2 (LH), 2 at Tyne Valley on Feb. 15, 9 on Feb. 16 & 15 on Feb. 18 (CRy); Pine Grosbeak - 1 eating Mountain Ash berries at Souris on Dec. 29 (WB), 2 at Tryon on Jan. 4 (BAM), 1 at North Lake on Jan. 5 (FdB), 1 at East Point on Jan. 25 (SCS), male at Elmira on Feb. 3 (MMacI), 8 at Miscouche on Feb. 4 (DRM); Purple Finch - 4 at Desable on Nov. 13 (BP), 1 at Earnscliffe on Jan. 18 (FdB, SCS), male at Hermitage Creek on in mid-Jan. & female on Jan 30 (BK); White-winged Crossbill - 3 at Oyster Bed Bridge & heard flying over Long Pond on Jan. 21 (BK), 15 at Chelton on Jan. 26 (DRM), 80 in spruce trees at Malpeque on Jan. 29 (DRM), 65 at 3 sites in PEI National Park on Feb. 18 (FdB); Common Redpoll - at Grant Road on Dec. 7 (IF), 2 at Mount Stewart on Jan. 15 to 21 (KP), at Stratford feeders on Jan. 13 (MAM), 1 in Orwell on Jan. 18 (FdB, SCS), 1 at South Melville feeders on Jan. 20 &n 5 on Jan. 21 (RA), 3 at Naufrage Harbour on Jan. 27 (FdB, SCS), 2 at Desable on Jan. 31 (BP), 3 at Summerside feeders on Feb. 12 (G&SF), first 2 since Feb. 2017 appeared at Horne Cross feeders during a snow storm on Feb. 12 & Feb. 13 (VB), 2 feeding under Gray Birch tree at Donagh on Feb. 18 (JDM); Pine Siskin - 2 at North River on Jan. 3 (MLG), 4 at Rollo Bay on Jan. 7 (SD), 21 at Stratford feeders on Jan. 13 & 23 on Feb. 18 (MAM), 1 at Desable on Jan. 16 (BP), 9 in Orwell on Jan. 18 (FdB, SCS), 2 at East Point on Jan. 19 (BAM, BK) & 2 on Jan. 25 (SCS), 1 at Hermitage Creek on Jan. 21 (BK), 1 at South Melville on Feb. 14 (RA); American Goldfinch - 5 at O’Leary on Jan. 3 (DEJ), 25 at North Rustico feeders on Jan. 6 (HY), 100+ at Summerside on Jan. 20 (MSt), 11 at Hermitage Creek on Jan. 21 (BK), up to 31 in South Winsloe feeders in Jan. (DEJ), 26 at Abram’s Village on Jan. 26 (CT), 50 at Hermitage Creek on Jan. 29 (BK), after seeing only 1 at Crapaud feeders, there were 20 on Jan. 30 after yesterday’s snow (DD), dozens at Burnt Point on Jan. 30 (ST), 17 at Summerside feeders on Jan. 30 (DRM), 40 at Poole’s Corner on Feb. 8 (RG), 42 at Winsloe South feeders on Feb. 9 & 34 on Feb. 15 (DEJ), 14 at Tyne Valley on Feb. 16 (CRy); Lapland Longspur - 4 at Earnscliffe on Jan. 14 (BAM), 15 on Jan. 18 (FdB, SCS) & 9 on Jan. 19 (BAM, BK), 3 at Malpeque on Jan. 23 (DRM), 1 at Park Corner on Feb. 26 (BAM); Snow Bunting - 7 at Foxley River & 10 at Crapaud loop on Dec. 10 (DEJ), 6 at North Rustico on Dec. 13 (JFJ), 60 at Union Road near Confed Trail on Dec. 28 (VB), 20 at Kinkora on Jan. 13 (PF), at Earnscliffe on Jan. 14 (BAM) & 50+ on Feb. 15 (JDM), 10 at Borden on Jan. 13 (DEJ), 22 at Blooming Point on Jan. 15 (BAM), 16 at Cabot Park & 2 at Darnley on Jan. 17 (DRM), 18 at Oyster Bed Bridge on Jan. 17 (SCor), 15 at East Point & 102 at North Lake on Jan. 19 (BAM, BK), 11 at Millstream (VB) & 35 at Tea Hill Trails (FdB) on Jan. 19, at Mermaid feeders on Jan. 21 (MMacK), 60 at Charlottetown on Jan. 21 (BK), 150 at Malpeque on Jan. 23 (DRM), 30 at Cap Egmont on Jan. 27, Jan. 30, 17 on Feb. 4 & 55 on Feb. 13 (LR), 60 at Nine Mile Creek on Jan. 22 to 24 (VD), 16 at North Cape & 100 at Kensington on Feb. 1 (BK, BAM), 80+ at Point Prim on Feb. 2 (DMur), 45 at Augustine Cove on Feb. 15 (RP, DMo, RA), 500 on lawn in Summerside on Feb. 24 (G&SF), 26 at Bethel Road, 36 at Roberston Road, & 60 at Earnscliffe on Feb. 26 (BAM); American Tree Sparrow - 4 at Oyster Bed Bridge on Dec. 13 (JFJ), 1 at Donagh feeders Dec. 13, 16 on Dec. 27 one with all its primary tail feathers missing during snow flurries, 16 during Jan. 9 snow storm, 16 on Jan. 18, 24 on Jan. 19 & up to 22 to mid-Feb. (JDM), 28 at Horne Cross Road on Dec. 16 & 1 on Jan. 19 (VB), 1 at High Bank feeders on Jan. 7 (SPa), 1 at Crapaud feeder on Jan. 9 & 20, & on Feb. 16 (DD), 1 at Blooming Point on Jan. 15 (BAM), 3 at

18 Cabot Park & 5 at Summerside Boardwalk on Jan. 17 (DRM), 3 at Earnscliffe on Jan. 18 (FdB, SCS), 5 at East Point on Jan. 19 (BAM, BK), at Nine Mile Creek regularly this winter (VD), 4 at Abram’s Village on Jan. 26 (CT), 3 at Naufrage Harbour on Jan. 27 (FdB, SCS), 4 at Nail Pond on Feb. 1 (BK, BAM), 3 at Cymbria on Feb. 18 (HB); Fox Sparrow - sporadically at Rocky Point feeders in Oct. (LD), 1 at Desable on Nov. 28 (BP); Dark-eyed Junco - 4 at Tea Hill on Dec. 14 & 12 on Feb. 13 (FdB), 39 at Horne Cross Road on Dec. 21, 11 on Jan. 19 & Feb. 3 & 31 on Feb. 13 (VB), 10+ during snow flurries at Donagh on Dec. 27 & up to 4 most days in Jan. but sporadically in early to mid-Feb. (JDM), and up to 3 at Summerside Boardwalk on Jan. 17 (DRM), 25 in Orwell on Jan. 18 (FdB, SCS), 4 at Red Point on Jan. 19 (BAM, BK), 4 at Winsloe South feeders on Jan. 19 (DEJ), at York Point in Jan. & Feb. (ASm), up to 21 at Desable from Jan. 1 to on Feb. 2 (BP), 5 at Chelton on Jan. 26 (DRM), 6 at Abram’s Village on Jan. 26 (CT), 10 at Lakeside on Feb. 18 (JMcK); White-throated Sparrow - 1 at Desable on Nov. 28 (BP), 1 Song Sparrow during PEI National Park CBC on Dec. at North Bedeque on Dec. 21 (FLA), 1 at Horne Cross Road on Dec. 7 16, 2018 & 1 on Dec. 21 (VB), 1 at St. Catherine’s on Dec. 27 (JMacL), 2 at Nicole Murtagh Photo Chelton on Jan. 26 (DRM), 2 at Tea Hill on Feb. 13 (FdB), 1 at Lakeside on Feb. 18 (JMcK); Savannah Sparrow - 1 at North Rustico & 1 at Oyster Bed Bridge on Dec. 13 (JFJ); Song Sparrow - 1 at Crapaud feeders on Dec. 11 & Feb. 17 (DD), 1 at High Bank feeders on Jan. 7 (SPa), 2 at Summerside Boardwalk on Jan. 17 (DRM), 1 at Winsloe South on Jan. 19, Jan. 21, Jan. 23, & Jan. 24 & Feb. 2 & Feb. 17 (DEJ), 1 at Chelton on Jan. 26 (DRM), 1 at Summerside feeders on Jan. 26 & Jan. 30 (DRM), 1 at Naufrage Harbour on Jan. 27 (FdB, SCS), 1 at Victoria Ave in Charlottetown in Feb. (AH), 2 at Earnscliffe on Feb. 7 (WFB, JDM), 1 at Tea Hill on Feb. 13 (FdB), 1 at Ebenezer on Feb. 15 & Feb. 16 (VB), 1 at Charlottetown feeders on Feb. 16 (SGC), 2 at McGill Ave Charlottetown feeders on Feb. 16 & 1 on Feb. 17 (SG), 1 at Cymbria on Feb. 18 (HB); Swamp Sparrow - 1 at Hermitage Creek on Jan. 20 (ZT) & Jan. 27 (BK); Red-winged Blackbird - 1 at Rocky Point feeders in mid-Nov. (LD), 1 at Desable on Nov. 25 (BP); Rusty Blackbird - 1 at feeders at Monticello on Jan. 12, the week before, and on Feb. 15 (JGM); Common Grackle - 1 at Desable on Nov. 18 (BP), 1 at Horne Cross Road on Dec. 21 & Jan. 6 (VB), 1 at Hermitage Creek on Jan. 21 & Jan. 27 (BK), 1 injured at McGill Ave Charlottetown feeders on Feb. 16 & Feb. 17 (SG), 1 at Cornwall on Feb. 18 (JG); Brown-headed Cowbird - 1 male at Summerside feeders on Jan. 26 & 2 on Jan. 29 (DRM); Pine Warbler - 1 at North River feeders on Jan. 1 (CMacR); Northern Cardinal - 1 at Morell feeders in Dec. & Jan. (C&DM), 1 daily at feeders in Earnscliffe since Dec. 1 (MLaf), female at Point Prim in late Dec. & Jan. (DMur, RMJ&KJ), female at St. Chrysostome in mid-Jan. (JKi), 1female at Charlottetown 3rd week of Jan (AH via DFG), 1 male at Chelton on Jan. 26 (DRM), 1 at Chelton on Feb. 15 VBu). Older reports and corrections: Correction on blister beetle article in last issue - chemical formula should be “3,6-epoxy hexahydro” (JtR). Thanks to the following contributors who provided records for this listing, namely: AA - Anne Arvidson; FLA - F. Lowell Arsenault; L&RA - Lenore & Roger Andrew; RA - Ron Arvidson; B&BC - Bev & Brian Cooper; HB - Hailey Blacquiere via Ebird; MBe - Matt Beardsley; VB - Vanessa Bonnyman; VBu - Vicky Burton; WB - Wanda Bailey; WFB - Bill Bowerbank; EC- Elwood Coakes; FRC - Rosemary Curley; RC- Ray Cooke; SGC - Sharon Clark; SCh - Shalin Chakravarthi via Ebird; SCo - Shelagh Connors; SCor - Susan Corrigan; BB - Buffy Boily via Ebird; BD - Billy Dockendorff; BPEI - Birding on PEI/Nature PEI Field Trip; FdB - Fiep de Bie; DD - Daphne Davey; JD - JoAnne Dunphy; LD - Lois Doan; PD - Pat Davies via Ebird; SD - Sarah Deveau via BPEI; VD - Victoria Doan; G&SF - Greg & Sandra Feetham; IF - Isabel Fitzpatrick; PF - Peter Feinberg via Ebird Canada; PFe - Peter Feldstein; W&SF - Warren & Sherron Foulkes; DFG - Diane Griffin; DG - Donna Gaudet via Ebird; JG - John Gibson via Ebird; KG - Kate Gordon; MLG - Margaret Lesley Gladstone via BPEI; RG - Robbie Gallant; SG - Stephen Gouthru via Ebird; AH - Ann Howatt; BH - Ben Hoteling; DH - Debbie Hill via BPEI; JHa - Jane Hanlon via BPEI; LH - Louise Howlett; RWH - Robert Harding; MH - Megan Harris; DEJ - Don Jardine; JFJ - Jean-François Jetté; RMJ&KJ - Robyn Murchison Jackson and Kenny Jackson; BK - Brendon Kelly; GK - Glen Kelly; JK - John Klymko; JKi - Julia Kilbride via BPEI & CBC News; PK - Patricia Kier via BPEI; MLa - Michelle Lawlor via BPEI; MLaf - Monique Lafontaine; AM - Allison Moody; A&PM - Arlene & Paul McGuigan; BAM - Brett MacKinnon; BMacN - Ben MacNeil; BPM - BP MacLean; C&DM - Connie & Dave MacDougall; DGM - Gerald MacDougall; CMacR - Cindy MacRae via BPEI; D&GM - Don & Glenda McLelland; DRM - Donna Martin; DMo - Denise Motard; DMu - Doug Murray; DMur - Dale Murchison; EM - Evelyn Martin; HNM - Holly MacEachern; JDM - Dan McAskill; JGM - Gerald MacDonald; JMacC - Jill MacCormack; JMacL - Janelle MacLeod via BPEI: JMcK - Jane McKinney via Ebird; KM - Kathy Martin; KMcK - Ken McKenna; LM - Lucas MacCormack; MAM - Melanie McCarthy; MMacI - Martin MacIntyre; MMacK - Marney MacKinnon; NM - Nicole Murtagh; WJM - Wade MacKinnon; DO - Dwaine Oakley; BP - Brenda Penak; KP - Kevin Pitman; MP - Marion Paynter via BPEI; PEINP - PEI National Park; RP - Roberta Palmer; SP - Shirley Prowse; SPa - Sandra Palmer; BR - Brian Rolek; CR - Clarence Ryan; CRy - Carol Rybinskki via Ebird; JtR - John te Raa; LR - Leone Richard; ASi - Andrea Simpson; ASm - Ardeth Smith; DC&ES - David & Elaine Seeler; GS - Gary Schneider; IS - Ian Scott; JS - John Steward; JHS - Jim Sutton; KS - Kathy Stewart; KSc - Kathy Scott via BPEI; MSt - Mike Straw via BPEI: SCS - Scott Sinclair; SSi - Susan Simpson via Ebird; CT - Courtney Thompson; LT - Linda Thomas; ST

19 - Sylvia Teasdale; ZT - Zack Telfry; AW - Anne Wootton; AWa - Allan Watts; BW - Brenda Whiteway; GW - Geoff Wood; JW - Jackie Waddell; JWa - Jean Watts; WCT - Wildlife Conservation Technology Class; HY - Harry Yeo; LY - Lorne Yeo; JLZ - Julie-Lynn Zahavich.; and MZ - Mike Zbihlyj. ENVIRONMENTAL CALENDAR: Note: All Society presentations and field trips are open to the public. Society meetings start at 7:30 PM at Beaconsfield, the Carriage House, corner of West and Kent Street, Charlottetown. YN = young naturalists encouraged to attend or participate

Mar. 5th - Birds of Hawaii - Denise Muttard will be Nature PEI’s guest speaker. Meeting starts at 7:30 pm at Beaconsfield, the Carriage House, corner of West and Kent Street, Charlottetown. YN Mar. 15th - Help Species at Risk Youth Contest - Submission deadline for a species at risk public service announcement contest for youth aged 12 to 16 (i.e. Grades 6 to 9) sponsored by Island Nature Trust and PEI National Park (For more information see News from About in this issue). Mar. 16th & 23rd - Celebrating PEI’s Protected Wetlands - The Island Nature Trust is hosting a presentation from 1 to 3 pm on Island wetlands followed by an opportunity to build nest boxes for a nearby wetland. The first will be at the Dave Biggar Memorial Interpretive Centre just off Highway 2 in Carleton and the second is at the Tracadie Cross Community Centre on Station Road. Mar. 28 - Nature PEI’s Introduction to Birding Course: Using Bird Features, Behaviour and Birding Tools (Binoculars, Telescopes, Birding Guides, Bird Songs) to Assist in Identification - Part of Nature PEI’s 50th Anniversary celebration, this is the first of our four evening and one field trip course . Our course is being co-hosted by Nature PEI and the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation. It starts at 7:00 pm at Beaconsfield’s Carriage House. The course is free but donations or memberships will be gladly accepted. Mar. 29th - Invasive Species Council’s Workshop and AGM - The PEI Invasive Species Council’s workshop and AGM will be held at the Farm Centre from 1 to 4 pm. The list of speakers will be posted at www.peiivaives.ca in mid-March. Apr. 2nd - Island Red Foxes - Donna Martin will be Nature PEI’s guest speaker. Meeting starts at 7:30 pm at Beaconsfield, the Carriage House, corner of West and Kent Street, Charlottetown. YN Apr. 11th - Nature PEI’s Introduction to Birding Course Featuring Loons, Cormorants, Herons, Waterfowl, Hawks & Grouse - Part of Nature PEI’s 50th Anniversary celebration, this is the second part our introductory birding course . This course which is co-hosted by Nature PEI and the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation starts at 7:00 pm at Beaconsfield’s Carriage House. The course is free but donations or memberships will be gladly accepted. Apr. 22 - Earth Day 2019 - The collective action theme for this 49th Earth Day is “Protect Our Species”. May 1st - World Migratory Bird Day. May 2nd - Nature PEI’s Introduction to Birding Course Featuring Rails, Shorebirds, Gulls, Terns, Owls, Flycatchers & Jays - Part of Nature PEI’s 50th Anniversary celebration, this is the third part of our introductory birding course. This course which is co-hosted by Nature PEI and the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation starts at 7:00 pm at Beaconsfield’s Carriage House. The course is free but donations or memberships will be gladly accepted. May 7th - Ponds, Wetlands and Wildlife of Charlottetown - Norman Dewar will be Nature PEI’s guest speaker. Meeting starts at 7:30 pm at Beaconsfield, the Carriage House, corner of West and Kent Street, Charlottetown. YN May 10th - Island Nature Trust 35th Fund Raising Dinner - Please mark this important date. The Trust has reserved it for its annual fund raising dinner which will be held at the PEI Brewing Company this year. Details on the dinner will be announced in March. For more information, contact the Trust at www.islandnaturetrust.ca May 16th - Nature PEI’s Introduction to Birding Course Featuring Larks, Swallows, Wrens, Warblers, Sparrows, Grosbeaks, Blackbirds, & Finches - Part of Nature PEI’s 50th Anniversary celebration, this is the fourth and final evening of our introductory birding course . This course which is co-hosted by Nature PEI and the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation starts at 7:00 pm at Beaconsfield’s Carriage House. The course is free but donations or memberships will be gladly accepted. May 25th - Nature PEI’s Bain Bird Count. Birders are encouraged to form teams and submit lists for our spring count. For info, please contact Dan McAskill by email at [email protected] Jun. 1st - Nature PEI’s Introduction to Birding Course Field Trip - This Nature PEI field trip is intended for those who participated in Nature PEI’s Introduction to Birding Course. Meet at 5:45 am at the Provincial Administration Building Kent Street Parking Lot for car pooling with departure at 6:00 am. Jun. 4th - Walking in Canada’s Urban Forests with Ariel Gordon, author of Treed- Aerial Gordon will be Nature PEI’s guest speaker. Meeting starts at 7:30 pm at Beaconsfield, the Carriage House, corner of West and Kent Street, Charlottetown. YN Jun. 9 - Canada Rivers Day - Please plant a wildlife shrub or tree to enhance wildlife.

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