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

ISSUE # 233 JAN - MAR, 2020

SOME HIGHLIGHTS

• President’s Report; • Nature PEI News; • Online Flora of PEI; • First Record of Toad Rush; • Crown Point Natural Area Secured; • Voting Underway for Lichen Emblem for PEI; • PEIMHF & Summerside Natural History Awards; • First PEI Records for Roesel’s Bush-Cricket; • Strong Supporters of Nature - Now Gone; • News from About; • Plant Phenology Monitoring on PEI; • Christmas Bird Counts; • COVID-19; • Weather Events; • Great sightings: Brant, Eurasian Wigeon; Tufted Duck; Lesser Scaup, Glaucous Gull, Cooper’s Hawk, Canada Jay, Carolina Wren, Northern Mockingbird, & Northern Cardinal; • Environmental Calendar; NATURE PEI - NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF P.O. BOX 2346, , PEI C1A 8C1

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 elected from its members. 2020 Executive: President ...... Rosemary Curley, Stratford 902-569-1209 [email protected] Vice-President ...... David Morrow, Charlottetown 902-569-4131 [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, Stratford 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 September 10, 2020.

Illustrations/Pictures: Our thanks to ACCDC, Vanessa Bonnyman, Paul-Michael Brunelle, Colin Chipman, Victoria Doan, Gov PEI, Finton MacKinnon, Diane Griffin, Bob Harding, Island Nature Trust, Donna Martin, Dan McAskill, Dale Murchison, Dwaine Oakley, Roberta Palmer, and David Wake for using their photos/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 and Life Long Learning 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: The wren that is normally seen on PEI is the Winter Wren. The four other wren species recorded on PEI are rated as accidental in PEI. This past winter, Dale Murchison was lucky enough to see and capture pictures of one of these, a Carolina Wren, in his yard in Montague. This is the second year that he seen one on his property. This small chunky wren with a long tail often pops its tail upright.

2 NATURE PEI PRESIDENT’S REPORT FOR 2019: By Rosemary Curley

2019 was a banner year for Nature PEI as we celebrated the 50th anniversary of our beginning in 1969 as the Natural History Society of Prince Edward Island. Among our pursuits was the assembly of an historic minute book; even with gaps, it is an enduring record of our society’s work. More exciting was an introductory birding course with four evening sessions and a field trip. Many of the “students” joined Nature PEI, and membership now stands at 163, up from 110 a year ago. In August (23-25th) we put on a “picnic weekend”. We invited all previous executive members and you to a reception on Friday at Ravenwood, followed by a nature walk. On Saturday we laid on a dragonfly talk and dragonfly hunting expedition, Participants in Society’s 50th Anniversary Greenwich Walk plus mackerel fishing. Then, on Sunday it was birding to David Wake collection East Point, and two nature walks and a barbecue at Greenwich with the cooperation and support of PEI National Park. These events were generally well attended. In July we combined efforts with the Nature Conservancy of Canada to conduct a Bioblitz at Kingsboro Nature Reserve, and in September with Island Nature Trust to celebrate Deroche Pond, the location of the first ever properties secured by Island Nature Trust. We also conducted trail walks at Winter River and Bonshaw and a birding trip from Charlottetown to Borden. Thanks to all bird course and trip leaders, Dan McAskill, Dwaine Oakley, Ray Cooke, Brendan Kelly, Bob Harding, Diane Griffin, Gerald MacDougall, Luke Peters, and Barbara Dylla with Marion Copleston and Tony Reddin. Nature PEI held 9 monthly meetings, each with a speaker and an important topic. It started in January with a citizen science adventure “A Midsummer Night’s Screen: Moths at the Back Door” by Bob Harding. Our member’s night in February featured your input in pictures and artefacts with storylines woven together by Gerald MacDougall. This was followed by Donna Martin on red foxes, Denise Motard on birds of Hawaii, and Norman Dewar’s expose of garbage in Charlottetown streams and wetlands. In June, visiting author Ariel Gordon introduced us to the urban forests of Canada. In October, Dr. Dave McRuer enlightened us on “The Impact of Free-roaming Cats on Wildlife, Environment, and Human Health” and generously supplied a copy for our website (www.naturepei.ca). Megan Harris reviewed 40 years of work by the Island Nature Trust and in December we held out first official book launch with “Mammals of Prince Edward Island and Adjacent Marine Waters”, complete with the five authors signing books and a presentation on the mammals. Again this year, we note our donations to Island Nature Trust and the donation of prize money for the provincial Science Fair, with judging of the natural history entries by Gerald MacDougall and Connie Gaudet. We had both provincial and federal elections in 2019; during the campaigns we joined with over 20 other environmental groups to provide fora in which the candidates were quizzed on their stance on various environmental issues. We contributed questions and money to these events. Citizen Science continues to be a “raison d’etre” for Nature PEI and as usual, we carried out Christmas, Bain and Bennett Bird Counts. In 2018, Bob Harding, Elwood Coakes and Donna Martin submitted specimens of pollinators known as flower flies (Syrphidae) to John Klymko of the Atlantic Canada Conservation Data Center, and in 2019 John reported to us that 9 species new to PEI were collected. All our flower flies have been deposited in the New Brunswick Museum. Meanwhile, a project begun in 2015 concluded in 2019 with the publication in the Canadian Field-Naturalist (dated 2018) volume 132(4): 330–34 of “The spiders of Prince Edward Island: experts and citizen scientists collaborate for faunistics.” The eight authors, including five local naturalists, were credited with the James Fletcher Award for best paper for that volume by the Canadian Field-Naturalist. Naturalists always want to find out more and what better way to support local naturalists and scientists than to provide an online Flora of Prince Edward Island? This project is marching toward completion in cooperation with the Atlantic Canada Conservation Data Center, PEI Wildlife Conservation Fund and the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation. And with donations from members and the public.

3 Your sightings and stories were faithfully recorded in four issues of the Island Naturalist. Thanks to all the members who contributed to the newsletter and to our editor Dan McAskill who glued it together. Again, we salute the Birding on PEI Facebook and Nature PEI webpage managers, Sharon Clark, Ron Arvidson and Ian Scott. Nature PEI is continually advocating for conservation. Our executive meets each month and deals with ongoing and new issues. On November 21, we met with Premier Dennis King and Minister Matthew MacKay to plead for a new museum with a natural history curator and space for specimen storage – this will negate the necessity of sending our science specimens to New Brunswick. Premier King recalled that we asked for a curator of natural history at the environmental forum during the election campaign and that he supported that. We expect to meet again. In 2019 we made online comments on the proposed regulations to the Water Act, sent a letter to the previous government to ask that pleas for Sunday hunting be disregarded and commented publically on the need to manage Boughton Island in line with its designation as a Natural Area, rather than as a tourist destination. We advised the province to avoid placing wind turbines in the defined bird migration area at East Point and presented information to the Community of on the mature forest and possible species at risk in the proposed wind turbine area. Nature PEI is concerned with an ongoing and widespread move away from mussel leases in our bays due to increased water temperatures. Floating oyster cages will replace mussel lines. Among anticipated impacts is the shading of eel grass that may accelerate loss of these sea grass beds. We joined with Island Nature Trust, Hillsborough River Association and the Environmental Coalition of PEI to send our concerns to the Federal Fisheries and Environment Ministers last spring, and to the newly appointed federal ministers this fall. We are carrying issues forward in 2020, namely East Point wind turbines, the night time shoreline fishing of striped bass by truck light, and a proposed expansion of trail systems to accommodate ATVs. In 2019, we made it possible through our website for the public to contact us, and we are now getting inquiries for information. We do not have any staff, but so far we have handled all inquiries. Thank you all for your support.

NATURE PEI NEWS: By Barbara Dylla

Nature PEI’s Executive Council was again busy with a range of nature advocacy activities and initiatives related to its mandate during its monthly meetings on the second Tuesday from January to March 2020. Its Executive Council discussed ongoing activities and assessed new concerns and initiatives for further consideration. These included:

! Building Membership: We are delighted to announce that we currently have 190 members with 121 paid for 2020 and the balance 2019! ! Executive Council Membership Renewal: The 2020 Executive Council Members were appointed at Nature PEI’s Annual General Meeting on Jan. 7th. Rosemary Curley, Bob Harding, Francine Desmeules, Connie Gaudet, Barbara Dylla, and Dab McAskill were re-elected to their previous positions (see page 2). Gerald MacDougall retired as Vice-President after serving for five but he agreed to continue as Nature PEI’s representative to the Island Nature Trust’s Board. David Morrow was elected as Vice-President. ! Mammals of PEI and Adjacent Marine Waters: With a successful pre-sale order, the book was launched in Charlottetown on December 3, 2019, at Beaconsfield Carriage House, with book pickup times in the afternoon and during Nature PEI’s monthly meeting, when lead author Rosemary Curley shared highlights of our mammal fauna to a full house. All five authors were in attendance to sign the books. A second launch was held in Summerside on February 2 at the Eptek Centre, with a presentation by co-authors Kimberly Riehl and Rosemary Curley. ! Proposed 30 Megawatt Wind Project, Eastern Kings: Nature PEI submitted detailed comments to Environmental Assessment Officer, Dale Thompson, PEI Department of Environment, Water and Climate Change.

4 ! Provincial Museum: During the provincial pre-budget consultation in Charlottetown on February 11, Nature PEI Past-President Ian Scott outlined why the province should have a natural history component to our provincial museum. His compelling presentation to the Minister of Finance was applauded by the room and acknowledged by Minister Compton. ! Expansion of ATV trails: Nature PEI sent a letter to Premier King in February regarding recent plans to open up roads and trails to All Terrain Vehicles (ATV). It expressed concerns about potential damage to ecologically sensitive areas, wildlife and habitat and reminded the government that protected areas should not be subject to development. ! Striped bass fishing: In response to complaints received about vehicles on beaches, a letter was sent to Minister of Environment Natalie Jameson with the request that Clause 22 of the Environmental Protection Act be amended to prohibit the use of vehicles for recreational fishing on coastal and estuarine shoreline Pink Earth Lichen at Donagh habitat. This would include Striped Bass fishing. Robert Harding photo ! Provincial lichen emblem: Nature PEI was contacted by Troy McMullin, Canadian Museum of Nature, who is working on a national initiative whereby Canada and each province would have a lichen emblem. Nature PEI has selected four local species and posted them on Nature PEI’s website, along with descriptions, photos, and a voting platform. Deadline to vote by mail or online is Saturday, April 25, 2020. (see full article in this edition page 7-9). ! PEI Science Fair: Nature PEI was to provide two judges and $200 for prizes for this year’s PEI Science Fair scheduled for Wednesday, April 1, at UPEI but this was cancelled due to COVID-19. ! Audits: B. Dylla, with assistance from Treasurer F. Desmeules, conducted an internal audit for Nature PEI’s fiscal records for 2018 and 2019. ! Summer/autumn workshops: Stay tuned for events on (1) insects in August, and (2) mushrooms in October.

FLORA OF PEI: By J. Dan McAskill

Thanks to grants from the PEI Wildlife Conservation Fund, PEI Forests, Fish and Wildlife Division, UPSE Has A Heart, and individual donations, work has been completed on the third section of the Online Illustrated Flora of PEI. This publication uses pictures of plants to allow an individual to identify the various plants. Checklists of each group and a technical text-only key are also available for those that prefer them. This new section which will be released in late March includes 359 species of roses as well as monocots such as grasses and sedges. It builds upon the Ferns, Clubmosses, Horsetails, Conifers, Lilies and Orchid sections released in 2018 and 2019 and which are on line at http://accdc.com/peiflora/s1.htm. Smooth Rose This project is being led by a committee consisting of ACCDC Photo representatives of Nature PEI, PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation and Atlantic Canada Conservation Data Centre (ACCDC). It is being supported by in-kind contributions from ACCDC, Nature PEI, PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation, Island Nature Trust, and PEI Forests, Fish and Wildlife Division. Nature PEI’s goal is to have the complete Online Illustrated Flora of PEI finished in 2021. Those wishing to donate towards the completion of the 4th and final section should visit Nature PEI’s website at www.naturepei.ca

5 ISLAND’S FIRST CONFIRMED RECORD OF FROG RUSH: By Colin Chapman

In the broad sense, Toad Rush (Juncus bufonius s.l.) is a highly variable complex of small annual Rushes with a near worldwide distribution. Though many species have been described within this complex, their evolutionary relationships remain poorly understood and most are not widely accepted at present. Despite difficulties in defining separate groups within the complex, Frog Rush (Juncus ranarius) is one such species that has been recognized by many recent authors (Brouillet et al. 2010+; Voss & Reznicek 2012; Haines 2011 as J. ambiguus). It is subtly distinguished from Toad Rush by its shorter inner tepals and truncate to obtuse fruit capsules. Ecological differences further support the evolutionary divergence of Frog Rush. It is a salt-tolerant species of brackish or saltmarsh habitat whereas Toad Rush prefers freshwater sites. Though widely distributed in coastal regions of Eurasia and North America, little is known about provincial and state conservation statuses of Frog Rush. In Atlantic Canada it is present but unranked in both New Brunswick and Nova Scotia and reported but unconfirmed in both Labrador and insular Newfoundland. During fieldwork for the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) in October 2019, AC CDC botanist / lichenologist Colin Chapman found a large patch of Frog Rush on the Conway Sandhills, Prince Edward Island. The population was growing in open upper saltmarsh on a thin organic layer over sand with Red Fescue (Festuca rubra), Baltic Rush (Juncus balticus ssp. littoralis), and New Belgium Aster (Symphyotrichum novi-belgii). This represents the Frog Rush discovered at Conway Sandhills first confirmed record for Frog Rush for PEI, which Colin Chapman photo will be included in the next volume of the Illustrated Flora of Prince Edward Island: http://accdc.com/peiflora/s1.htm. Readers can help improve our understanding of its distribution by submitting observations to the AC CDC. References Cited Brouillet, L., F. Coursol, M. Favreau, M. Anions, P. Bélisle, and P. Desmet. 2010+. VASCAN, the database of vascular plants of Canada. Accessed 1 Mar 2020. http://data.canadensys.net/vascan. Haines, A. 2011. Flora Novae Angliae, A Manual for the Identification of Native and Naturalized Higher Vascular Plants of New England. Yale University Press, New Haven, Connecticut, USA. Voss, E.G., and A.A. Reznicek. 2012. Field Manual of Michigan Flora. University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.

CROWN POINT NATURAL AREA SECURED: Adapted from Megan Harris, Island Nature Trust release

We wish to thank all those who have supported our 1,000 new acres target this 40th Anniversary year. As we enter the last full week of our fiscal year, we are on target to close the last five properties towards this goal. One of those five is Crown Point – an ecological gem of a property just outside the Crown Point Natural Area Campaign Continues Town of Stratford along the coast of Island Nature Trust collection

6 Hillsborough Bay on Northumberland Strait. Our fantastic partners at Nova Scotia Nature Trust have loaned us the last $28,000 needed to purchase this coastal headland and we are incredibly grateful to them, along with the 40+ Islanders who have contributed to this purchase. We still need some help with this one. If you are able to support us with a charitable donation, your help would be gratefully appreciated and it would allow us to reduce or clear the amount of that loan from our sister charity in Nova Scotia. You can make donations via e-transfer through your online banking portal (directed to [email protected]), by calling our office at 902-892-7513 during regular business hours and doing a credit card deposit, via our secure website at www.islandnaturetrust.ca or mail your cheque to Island Nature Trust, P.O. Box 265, Charlottetown, PE C1A 7K4. Please Note: Our staff are still working but most are working at home due to the Island’s COVID-19 recommendations for health and safety. Thus public visits to our Ravenwood office are not allowed until the restrictions are removed. We hope that you, your family and friends remain COVID free.

VOTING UNDERWAY FOR LICHEN EMBLEM FOR PEI: by Rosemary Curley, Robert Harding, & Ian Scott

As part of a national initiative through the Canadian Museum of Nature to name the official lichen emblem for Canada and those provinces that have not already named their lichen emblem, Nature PEI has established a voting platform to identify the Island’s lichen emblem. After some research by Nature PEI on the 328 species known to occur on PEI, four nominees have been identified for consideration. These are Bushy Beard Lichen (Usnea strigosa), Pink Earth Lichen (Dibaeis baeomyces), Frayed Ramalina (Ramalina roesleri), and Lungwort (Lobaria pulmonaria). A picture is provided below as well as some information about on each species. Online voting is now open on Nature PEI’s website at www.naturepei.ca or individuals can mail in their vote. Once the votes are tallied, Nature PEI will be recommending the winner to the Government of PEI for consideration as the Island’s official lichen emblem. The voting deadline is midnight on April 25th, 2020 and the winner will be announced at Nature PEI’s May 5th meeting and later in the Island Naturalist.

Background: Lichens are neither plant nor fungus. In lichens, we have a case of two life-forms, fungus and algae, living together with mutual benefits. The algal partner can convert sunlight to provide energy. Fungi are able give algae protection and provide water and minerals. Some lichens have a bacterial partner – it’s complicated.

The Nominees:

Bushy Beard Lichen is found in open sites on branches and trunks of white spruce and other conifers, and on deciduous shrubs and trees, including oak trees. Its pale yellow-green branches may have a reddish brown central cord, but this bushy lichen is most easily identified in the field because its branch tips support round bristly discs of pale yellow or even pinkish. These are the fruiting bodies known as apothecia. This species is distributed worldwide including in eastern North America where it is at the northern edge of its range in Prince Edward Island. It is common throughout the Island but is still poorly documented by those who study lichens. As with some other lichens, it may have medicinal properties, perhaps providing relief from a headache.

7 Bushy Bead Lichen at Ten Mile House Pink Earth Lichen at Ten Mile House Robert Harding photo Robert Haring photo

Pink Earth Lichen is usually found on disturbed soil where competition from moss, herbs, shrubs and other lichens is limited. For example, it thrives on well-drained road banks in full sun where it helps to hold soil in place and build more soil. The whitish grey lichen body that covers the soil is called a thallus, and in this case it has a warty appearance. The fruiting bodies (apothecia) of the Pink Earth Lichen consist of a short stalk, about a half a centimetre long, topped by a tiny turban of unmistakable pink. Its distribution is circumpolar in the northern hemisphere but in North America it is found mostly in the east. Though poorly documented on PEI by those who study lichens, it is common and can definitely be found throughout Prince Edward Island.

Frayed Ramalina is a lichen that structurally resembles a branch or twig. It is found especially on hardwoods and conifers near the coast and less often on rock or wood. It is finely crafted in pale white to yellow-green with main branches about 2 mm in diameter and powdery growths at Frayed Ramalina at New Glasgow the tips, called soredia, that enable vegetative Robert Harding photo reproduction. In North America, the Frayed Ramalina is distributed mainly in Canada but it can be found in northern forests around the globe. It is common in Prince Edward Island where it has been found in coastal bogs and woodlands throughout, and in some interior woodlands. This lichen also may have some medicinal benefits.

8 Lungwort is named for its lobed growth habit showing ridges and depressions like lobes of a lung. The lobes are as much as 12 cm wide and 7 cm broad. This lichen is found in shady locations on the trunks and branches of larger deciduous trees like maple and American Beech, and less commonly on conifers and mossy rocks. Lungwort has a tan to gray look when dry but is bright green when wet. If in doubt as to its identity, simply pour water on it and watch it turn bright green. The underside is fuzzy orange brown with paler patches. Though one of the fastest growing lichens, it does not reproduce until about 25 years old. It contains several acids that discourage snails and slugs from eating it and is widely believed to have medicinal properties. It has also been used a source of dye. Over-collecting in some countries has contributed to its scarcity, and it is also affected by air pollution and acid rain. Car exhaust prevents its growth in urban forests. Lungwort Lungwort is distributed in suitable moist habitats on Diane Griffin photo four continents and throughout Prince Edward Island. It is regarded as a species typical of old forests.

Mail in Ballot:

NATURE PEI’S LICHEN EMBLEM MAIL-IN BALLOT

The voting rules are: you can only submit one vote either via Nature PEI’s online voting system or via Nature PEI’s Mail-in Ballot; all ballots must be submitted on or before April 25th at midnight. For mailed in ballots, please check the box immediately preceding the name of the species for which you are casting your vote. Mail your completed ballot to Nature PEI, P.O. Box 2346, Charlottetown, PE C1A 8C1 by April 25th, 2020. G Bushy Beard Lichen (Usnea strigosa) G Pink Earth Lichen (Dibaeis baeomyces) G Frayed Ramalina (Ramalina roesleri) G Lungwort (Lobaria pulmonaria)

PEI MUSEUM AND HERITAGE FOUNDATION’S NATURAL HISTORY AWARDS:

Congratulations go to David Seeler on being conferred the PEIMHF’s Natural Heritage Award, Caleb Harding on being conferred its Youth Volunteer of the Year Award, Clarence Ryan on being conferred a Heritage Recognition Award, and Doug Sobey on being conferred the Award of Honour by Lieutenant Governor Antoinette Perry at the Museum’s 2020 Heritage Awards Ceremony at Eptek Centre on February 18th. David’s award came as a result of his extensive volunteer work on bird citizen science on PEI, serving as Regional Editor for the American Birding Association’s North American Birds for the Atlantic Canada St. Pierre Miquelon Region, his development of the PEI List Server, his service on the executive of the Nature PEI, co-authorship of Field Checklist of David Seeler receiving Natural Heritage Award

9 Clarence Ryan receiving Heritage Recognition Award Caleb Harding receiving Youth Volunteer of the Year Award Gov of PEI Photo Gov of PEI Photo Birds of Prince Edward Island, and other undertakings. Caleb has been a dedicated citizen scientist who has collected and recorded frogs, dragonflies, damselflies, flower flies, and other species and was instrumental in Nature PEI’s spider collection and identification work which culminated in co-authorship of "The spiders of Prince Edward Island: experts and citizen scientists collaborate for faunistics" published in The Canadian Field-Naturalist 132(4) July 2019 issue. He offered a presentation on his spider work to Nature PEI members in February 2018. Clarence has been a leader in watershed improvement as president of the Pisquid River Enhancement Project of the PEI Trapper’s Association for some 20 years. He has worked to encourage the planting of thousands of trees and shrubs, constructing naturalized bypass pond fishways at Leard’s Pond in Pisquid and MacLean’s Pond in Vernon River, constructing thousands of metres of brush mats, 100s of cover structures, construction and maintenance of sediment traps, removal of beaver dams obstructing fish passage, educating trappers on humane trapping methods, teaching students at Roma on historic wildlife, and chairing the annual Farmer’s Meetings to engage farmers, fishers and shell fishers in discussion of ways and means to improve soil conservation and watershed management. Doug Sobey has been an outstanding leader in both forest and cultural history for decades. His work includes an extensive series of publications and lectures on forest ecology and forest history, articles in The Island Magazine, co-authorship with Earle Lockerby of Samuel Holland: His Work and Legacy on Prince Edward Island, leadership with the Area Historical Museum, and other activities.

SUMMERSIDE NATURAL HERITAGE AWARD:

As part of Summerside’s 2020 Heritage Week Tea Heritage and Culture Awards and in recognition of Rosemary Curley, Kimberley Riehl, Pierre-Yves Daoust, Donald McAlpine, and Dan McAskill’s researching writing and producing the book Mammals of Prince Edward Island and Adjacent Marine Waters published by Island Studies Press, Summerside Mayor Basil Stewart and Councillor Carrie Adams presented Natural Heritage Activity Award plaques to the authors. Rosemary Curley, Kimberley Riehl and Pierre-Yves Daoust were able to attend the ceremony to receive the plaques in person.

10 FIRST PEI RECORDS OF ROESEL’S BUSH-CRICKET By Robert W. Harding Roeseliana roeselii, (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae)

Roesel’s Bush-cricket (also known as Roesel’s Katydid) is a new addition to PEI’s list of Orthopterans (Grasshoppers and Crickets). This medium-sized brownish to greenish species can be identified by the pale margin of its pronotum, a saddle-like structure that covers the thorax, and pale spots along the sides of the abdomen just behind the pronotum. This European species was first found in North America in Montreal in the early 1950s and has since spread across most of Canada and the northern US. The earliest Maritimes records are from New Brunswick in 2003, where it is now widespread, and it was reported from northern Nova Scotia in 2016 – so its spread to PEI was obviously anticipated. I started to look for it in earnest in 2015, after Don McAlpine of the New Brunswick Museum suggested it would likely be found on the Island. Although I hunted for the species in the correct habitat (uncut pastures and roadside fields), my first encounter only came in July 2018 – when my son Caleb found one on the doorstep early one morning, apparently attracted to the porch light in Summerville! However, they have been on the Island for longer than anticipated. I was admiring some of Barry Cottam’s beautiful insect photos, and it turns out that Barry has taken many photographs of this species from Corraville – with his earliest in July 2015! This species has Roesel’s Bush Cricket at Summerville since been encountered many times in Kings County and Prince County, Aug 7 2019 and it is just a matter of time before it is reported from Queens County. Robert Harding Photo

STRONG SUPPORTERS OF NATURE - NOW GONE: by Dan McAskill, Bob Harding, Rosemary Curley

Dr. Louis Hanic, a graduate of UBC, was a professor at UPEI from 1971 to 1991 teaching courses in botany, genetics and phycology. For six years prior to that, he taught at Dalhousie University. During these years, he mentored many students and conducted research on marine green algae, diatoms and other species. Louis published 19 scientific publications including his 1974 A guide to common seaweeds of PEI. During the hay day of Irish moss harvesting on PEI, he researched its growth and tested techniques to culture it on the Hillsborough River and Egmont Bay. He was instrumental in discovering the source of the neurotoxin domoic acid in 1987 which was causing poisoning of some of those who ate cultured blue mussels from PEI. After his retirement from UPEI, he moved back to British Columbia where he continued research at UBC and painted scenes from his life and travels. In 2014, he wrote The 1987 PEI Toxic Mussel Episode: a personal perspective. Louis passed away at 91 years of age on September 15th, 2019. Paul-Michael Brunelle, the region’s foremost expert in Odonata (Dragonflies and Damselflies) passed away in January at home in Nova Scotia. Throughout Paul’s life, he had a passion for natural history and the outdoors. This eventually led him to devote his life to the study of the dragonflies and damselflies of the northeast, at the time relatively poorly known. Throughout the late 1980’s and until his death, Paul’s interest in damselflies and dragonflies never flagged and became his primary vocation. Paul had a deep understanding of the value and importance of natural history collections and was an early Broad-winged Shadow Dragon proponent of citizen science. His data collection was Paul-Michael Brunelle Illustration

11 meticulous with his specimens deposited primarily housed at the New Brunswick Museum and also a few other museums. He had a huge influence on other natural historians in the region and happily shared his knowledge of dragonflies with great patience, with children and adults alike. Paul started the Atlantic Dragonfly Inventory Program in 1993 which resulted in greatly increasing the knowledge of Odonata in the region including PEI. Paul was a charismatic personality who made an out-sized contribution to Maritime natural history – which will continue, as before he died, he completed the first draft of an incredible accomplishment – a 400 page Atlas of Acadian Odonata covering Maine and the Maritimes. Bruce Pigot, for many decades one of the Island’s most accomplished naturalists, passed away on March 1st, 2020 at 85 years of age. Bruce spent his life in Mount Stewart, except for the last few years. He was a farmer, forest steward, fisher, hunter, trapper, bird carver and painter, volunteer firefighter, and sawmill operator. He was a diligent record keeper of both natural and cultural history. He collected specimens for scientists at the National Museum and corresponded with them. Bruce conducted the first tern surveys on the Island and, over the years, contributed sightings and articles to the Island Naturalist, documenting, for example, an early record of beluga on the Hillsborough River and rare melanistic red squirrels that were sometimes seen in the area. He also described the system of dykes and drainage ditches in the upper salt marshes of the Hillsborough and recorded the first breeding record of a Northern Mockingbird on PEI. Bruce was thrilled to see a portion of his property at Allisary Creek became part of the Mount Stewart Wildlife Management Area, and he erected and maintained tree swallow nest boxes in the area. Pigot’s Trail, a birding hotspot, was named in his honour. For his many achievements, Bruce was awarded the 2005 Hon. J. Angus MacLean Natural Areas Award. Bruce remained engaged with nature into his 8th decade; as a local historian he was a proof- reader for brother Franklin Pigot’s original A History of Mount Stewart (1975) and likewise for the recently issued A History of Mount Stewart: Illustrated and Extended Edition (2017). We’ll be reminded of Bruce every time we walk Pigot’s Trail. That is a fitting legacy for a one-of-a kind naturalist.

NEWS FROM ABOUT: Compiled by Dan McAskill

Great news respecting waste water treatment on the Hillsborough River with the City of Charlottetown finally connecting the sewer pipes feeding its final wastewater treatment lagoon to the Charlottetown Waste Management Plant and the Town of Stratford constructing the pipe to move its wastewater across the Hillsborough Bridge to the treatment plant. A fund raiser is being conducted by the City of Toronto to purchase a property dominated by a 250 year old Red Oak which is recognized as a heritage tree under Forests Ontario’s Heritage Tree Program. The city wishes to protect the tree and create a parkette to do so. (Adapted from “Help Protect Toronto’s Great Red Oak” Toronto Field Naturalist 649-85. For more info contact https://torontofieldnaturalists.org/2020-red-oak) A lawsuit was filed for lack of implementation of Nova Scotia’s Species at Risk Act by Blomidon Naturalist Society, Nature Nova Scotia, Halifax Field Naturalists and Bob Bancroft against the Ministry of Lands and Forestry. The suit was heard over two days in October and the parties are awaiting the judge’s ruling (Adapted from Soren Bondrup-Nielsen’s “From the President - Species at Risk Lawsuit” in Blomidon Naturalists Society Newsletter Vol. 46:4 Winter 2019) In May 2019, a monument of Dr. Abraham Gesner (1797-1864) was unveiled at Chipmans Corner, Nova Scotia (near Kentville) celebrating his many contributions. Best known for his invention of “kerosene”, a liquid he learned to distill from a bituminous material he discovered and named “asphaltum”, he was an intrepid collector and keeper of natural history specimens and records during his surveys for various government departments. When his position as New Brunswick Provincial Geologist ended in 1842, he opened a museum of his natural history specimens. While it was short lived, the collection was maintained by various groups and its collection became part of the basis for the provincial museum in 1929 (Adapted from New Brunswick Museum’s online History and Doug Linzey’s review of “Prophet of the Wilderness” in Blomidon Naturalists Society Newsletter Vol. 46:4 Winter 2019). See also Alliston Mitcham’s Prophet of the Wilderness: Abraham Gesner Nimbus 1995 Many people know leeches primarily as the blood suckers used many years ago to balance the four humors. However, there are also leech species that feed primarily on fresh water invertebrates and snails while another group swallows other leeches, earthworms and crustaceans. Collectively there are some 700 species ranging in size

12 from under 1 cm to an Amazonian species growing up to 45 cm. (Adapted from Sebastien Kvist’s December 2019 talk “Blood, Bait and Bacteria: Evolution of Feeding in Leeches” in Zunaid Khan’s article in Toronto Field Naturalist 649-5). Long Point Bird Observatory and Birds Canada are again offering the Doug Tarry Young Ornithologists Workshops at Long Point in Southern Ontario. These workshops focus on natural history and scientific activities focusing on bird banding and monitoring. Space is limited in these highly subsidized workshops for 13 to 17 year olds. For more information go to https://www.birdscanada.org/opportunities-for-young-ornithologists-in-2020/ (Adapted from Birds Canada’s (formerly Bird Studies Canada) “Opportunities for Young Ornithologists” in Bird Research and Conservation News February 2020 by Stu MacKenzie) Congratulations go to Jon Sweeney, Cory Hughes, and Reggie Webster who found and identified at least 290 new species of beetles to bring the Island’s list to 1,189 species. They used different trapping methods set out in locations in the Auburn, Valleyfield and New Harmony Demonstration Woodlots. The finds included two Megalapodidae species of the genus Zeaugophora which may be new to science. This work was conducted during 2018 and 2019 under the auspices of the Canadian Forest Service stationed at the Atlantic Forestry Centre in Fredericton, NB. (Adapted from Journal Pioneer’s “PEI forests hot spot for beetles” by Alison Jenkins January 27, 2020 & The Eastern Graphic’s “Beetles galore on PEI Scientists find 233 unrecorded species” by David MacDonald Vol. 57:46 November 13, 2019). Based on the Minister’s response to species at risk assessments conducted by COSEWIC, fourteen terrestrial and 17 aquatic species are eligible for addition to Schedule 1, the List of Wildlife Species at Risk under the Species at Risk Act (SARA). They include two terrestrial species with a range that includes PEI (Black Ash and Hudsonian Godwit) and one aquatic species (Shortfin Mako Atlantic Population). Environment and Climate Change Canada are responsible for the terrestrial consultations while Fisheries and Oceans Canada are responsible for the aquatic species. The consultation period depends on the species with one group closing on May 7th, 2020 and one group on October 7th, 2020. (Adapted from a Canadian Wildlife Service Release dated January 14th). Kudos to Gary Schneider and to Peter Richards (The Buzz’s Publisher and Managing editor) for establishing The Nature of PEI column in The Buzz and to Barry Cottam, Theresa Redmond and The Eastern Graphic for their nature column “Getting to know the neighbours” which is published periodically in The Eastern Graphic.

TRACKING THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANCE: PLANT PHENOLOGY By Garrett Mombourquette MONITORING IN PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND: Climate Change Specialist, Parks Canada PEI

As the climate changes, so too will the seasons. This change in the timing of seasons brings with it many opportunities for research, as we seek to better understand how this change will impact the timing of biological events; such as the emergence of leaves in the spring, or the migration of birds in the fall. Ecologists commonly refer to experiments that intervene in an ecosystem’s typical functioning as “kick it and see” experiments. In this sense, the global release of greenhouse gas emissions can be understood as the ultimate kick; accelerating climate change, and intervening in the typical functioning of natural systems at the global scale. In light of this kick, we might ask ourselves: how will this intervention impact the timing of biological events in our own backyard? And how can we monitor such impacts? There is an entire field of study devoted to answering this question. The study of the timing of biological events in plants and animals is referred to as phenology. Phenology is directly impacted by the changing temperature and precipitation patterns that will manifest as a result of climate change. Therefore, phenology can directly indicate the ecological relevance of climate change. By monitoring phenology, we can track how climate change is becoming visible within the ecosystems around us. I would like to take this opportunity to share one novel approach that ecologists have taken to monitor phenology: the PhenoCam network. Led by the University of New Hampshire, the PhenoCam network is an international plant phenology monitoring network that employs webcams to monitor how plants are responding to climate change. Individuals or institutions can set up a particular camera, connect to the PhenoCam network, and submit photos taken automatically by their cameras at regular intervals (typically, cameras in the PhenoCam network take photos once every 30 minutes). The PhenoCam network provides instructions for setup, free access to

13 data from every active camera in the network, and the software tools required to conduct quantitative analysis of each photo. That’s right – there is software that can calculate the level of “greenness” in each photo, which can be used to quantify phenological changes. By providing a quantitative, standardized approach to monitoring plant phenology, and by connecting dozens of monitoring sites in countries around the world, the international PhenoCam network represents a major leap forward from traditional methods of plant phenology monitoring. In February, Prince Edward Island added it’s first camera to the PhenoCam network. Located in the Cavendish area within Prince Edward Island National Park, this camera has its eye on a mixed stand of hardwood and softwood. Over the coming years, this camera will track how seasons are changing in Cavendish, as indicated by the greenness of a mixed hardwood/softwood Acadian forest. You can view the camera here: https://phenocam.sr.unh.edu/webcam/sites/peinpcavendish1/ How will the changing seasons impact those who call the forest home? Only time will tell. But now that we know there is a kick, we can establish new monitoring programs like the PhenoCam that will improve our ability to see. For more information on the PhenoCam network, and how you can get involved, feel free to email me at [email protected]

CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNTS 2019-20: Results compiled by Scott Sinclair, Dwaine Oakley & Dan McAskill

Audubon Christmas Bird Counts have been conducted for 120 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 49th 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 48 times as storms caused its cancellation in 1975. The Montague Christmas count celebrated its 36th anniversary this year and the East Point count marked its 17th anniversary with one year missed for severe weather. This year, announcements on the CBC were posted on Nature PEI and Birding on PEI Facebook sites and Nature PEI’s and Bird Canada’s websites. The state of passage of clay roads was variable. Mud prevented passage on most roads on the East Point and PEI National Park while snow prevented passage on many seasonal roads on the Montague counts. Open water in bays and fresh water ponds was dominant in the East Point, PEI National Park, and Montague counts while coastal ice was present in Pownal Bay and Fullerton’s Creek. The East Point Christmas Bird Count was held on December 14th. The first birders arrived at East Point at 6:15 am but there were owlers out at 4:10 am. For a change, birders were sheltering on the north side of the restaurant/gift shop as a stiff southeast breeze made it cold for birders. Thanks to a recent talk by Dwaine, there was a large group at East Point. Afterward birding East Point, seven teams formed up and took to their zones. The PEI National Park CBC was held on Sunday, December 15th with a starting temperature of 12º C. Almost all of the bays and fresh water ponds were open except a few sheltered ponds. Eighteen field counters and three feeder watchers participated in the count. Kim Gamble and Hailey Paynter picked up a Snowy Owl at Brackley Beach on the 16th while Roberta Palmer picked up a Great Blue Heron at Grand Pere Point. There was a great 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 tasty 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. The Hillsborough CBC on December 26th opened with cloudy conditions and snow covered fields. The check of the starling roost at the Hillsborough Bridge was conducted from the Friendly Pharmacy as the Hillsborough Bridge pull-off was blocked by Stratford-Charlottetown sewage pipe line construction equipment both at dawn and at dusk and there were starlings present. Dwaine Oakley and Nicole Murtagh did some Boreal Chickadee at Fort Amherst Dec. 26, 2020 early morning birding using high power scopes and picked up Victoria Doan Photo

14 some very good birds. Four field counters whose bird feeders were located within the count circle collected and submitted their observations at their feeders and three others also submitted their sightings at their feeders. Diane and Kevin Griffin were our hosts for our wonderful evening potluck. Four teams with ten people participated in the wonderful selection of food at our feast. The satiated crowd shared their sightings amidst lots of laughter. The Montague CBC was held on December 28th. It was cloudy and there was fresh snow overnight that delayed startup as some teams were digging out. Despite the snow, traveling conditions on paved roads were good. There was a brisk northeast wind. Sixteen field counters and two feeder watchers participated. Two adjacent teams birded portions of the Town of Montague zone. Montague river from the wharves to Knox’s Dam was open this year. Dwaine Oakley and Dan McAskill heard some White-winged Crossbills at Victoria Cross but could not call them out. Two Brown Creepers and 7 Belted Kingfisher were seen. Afterwards, 7 counters 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 good crop of mountain ash berries, winter berries, rose hips, and white spruce cones across all four zones. There were some areas in the northeast with a decent crop of Viburnum berries and high bush cranberries. Some of the bird highlights included: a Harlequin, 35 immature Northern Gannets, 9 Great Cormorant, and a Horned Grebe at East Point, Bufflehead and Northern Harriers in three of the CBCs; 27 Gray Partridge and an American Kestrel in the Hillsborough CBC; a Great Blue Heron at Grand Pere Point and 1 at Kinlock marsh; White-winged Crossbill at South Lake and at Victoria Crossing; and a Common Tern and 2 Pine Grosbeak at China Point-Earnscliffe on the Hillsborough CBC. As usual, the standardized system for recording bird numbers, birders, travel, and weather data was collected so that the Montague data was comparable to registered CBCs in North America and the other count zones. This year’s Island CBC summaries are provided below.

OBSERVATIONS NUMBERS OBSERVED

Species East Point National Park Hillsborough Montague Total Dec. 14, 2019 Dec. 15, 2019 Dec. 26, 2019 Dec. 28, Four Counts Canada Geese 984 3314 593 4891 Gadwall 49 49 American Wigeon 3 8 11 Mallard 43 189 64 296 American Black Duck 40 711 765 207 1723 Green-winged Teal 3 3 Ring-necked Duck 1 2 3 Greater Scaup 2 2 Common Eider 327 5 3 335 Harlequin Duck 1 1 Surf Scoter 1 1 Black Scoter 615 113 17 745 Long-tailed Duck 168 2 392 47 609 Bufflehead 11 1 1 13 Common Goldeneye 74 4 37 128 243 Barrow’s Goldeneye 1 4 5 Common Merganser 17 61 39 61 178 Red-breasted Merganser 52 126 71 249 UID Ducks 20 20 Gray Partridge 27 27 Ring-necked Pheasant CW CW Ruffed Grouse 1 1 4 6 Horned Grebe 1 1 Rock Pigeon 34 170 123 135 462 Mourning Dove 39 33 177 38 287 Razorbill 1 1 Black Guillemot 2 2 Bonaparte’s Gull 50 8 58 Ring-billed Gull 3 32 12 7 54 Herring Gull 87 267 233 200 787

15 Iceland Gull 79 6 59 4 148 Great Black-backed Gull 27 25 32 21 105 UID Gulls 104 8 112 Common Tern 1 1 Red-throated Loon 2 2 Common Loon 3 3 UID Loon* 1 1 Northern Gannet 35 35 Double-crested Cormorant 1 1 Great Cormorant 9 9 Great Blue Heron 1 CW 1 2 Bald Eagle 8 23 19 25 75 Adults 20 15 17 52 Immature 1 3 4 7 15 Unknown 7 0 0 1 8 Northern Harrier 2 1 1 4 Sharp-shinned Hawk 2 2 4 Red-tailed Hawk 3 3 6 3 15 Rough-legged Hawk CW CW Snowy Owl CW CW Belted Kingfisher 2 2 7 11 Downy Woodpecker 6 15 6 27 Hairy Woodpecker 1 7 6 14 Northern Flicker 1 2 7 2 12 American Kestrel 1 1 Merlin 1 1 Blue Jay 89 113 150 299 651 American Crow 232 741 924 278 2175 Common Raven 21 17 27 56 121 Black-capped Chickadee 47 172 183 210 612 Boreal Chickadee 1 1 2 4 Red-breasted Nuthatch 10 18 22 25 75 Brown Creeper 1 2 3 Golden-crowned Kinglet 4 9 5 8 26 American Robin 82 3 85 European Starling 711 1809 2859 1027 6406 House Sparrow 5 8 Pine Grosbeak 2 2 Purple Finch 4 1 5 White-winged Crossbill 2 15 2 19 Pine Siskin 6 6 American Goldfinch 6 94 123 26 249 UID Finch 1 1 Snow Bunting 1 1 American Tree Sparrow 3 3 Dark-eyed Junco 7 24 43 46 120 White-throated Sparrow 1 1 Savannah Sparrow CW CW Song Sparrow 4 7 11 Sparrow spp 1 1 1 3 Common Grackle CW 2 2 Brown-headed Cowbird 7 3 10

Total Birds 2918 5574 10116 3633 22241 Total Species 46 44 46 36 Add Count Week Species 0 2 4 0 4 Participants: Field 21 18 24 16 79 Count Parties 7 7 7 to 10 8 29 to 32 Feeders 1 3 9 2 15 Mammals: Red Squirrel 1 37 20 12 70 Red Fox 6 6 Snowshoe Hare 1 1 Seal spp 1 1

16 Grey Seal 1 1 Harbour Seal 2 2 Roaming Dogs 3 3 Roaming House Cats 5 4 9 Walked: Km 11.3 7.9 7.4 14.2 40.8 Hours 6 5.33 4.5 8.5 24.33 Driven: Km 366 312.8 403.8 490.9 4373.5 Hours 13.5 19.06 28.25 25.2 86.01 Earliest Start 0.28125 7:15 am 0.30208333333 0.3125 Latest Ending 0.0833333333 3:15 pm 3:30 p m 0.5833333333 Total Party Hours 29.25 24.39 32.75 33.7 120.09 Owling Hours 1.66 2 0 0 2.58 Owling Kilometers 10 11 0 0 21 Number of Feeder Reports 1 3 5 15 Feeder Hours 4 3 9.75 42 27 Snow Cover - aver. cm. 2.5 0 6 17 Snow cover range 70 0 5 to 7 15 to 20 Salt Water Bays - % frozen 0 0 30 90 to 100% Fresh Water - % frozen 80 0 50 50 to 100% Weather: cloudy 80% cloud cloudy Rain at end of day Flurries in PM Bright Sunshine (hrs) 0 1 1 0 Precipitation rain in pm 0 0 slight Cloud % 100 80 to 100 10 100 Temperature C. 0 to 3 12 to 7 -5 to -6 0 to 3 Aver. Wind Speed km/hr 25 31 26.3 Wind speed range km/hr 23-42 27 to 35 19 to 30 20 to 30 West to West Prevail. wind direction Southeast Southwest northwest Northeast

where CW = species seen during the count week (three days before and after count day) * This loon was a probable Pacific loon but the views were way too short in duration with the bird diving constantly especially when you would put it into telescope view. One of the brief looks noted the faint necklace but without pictures and a more prolonged observation it was listed as

PEI National Park Christmas Bird Count Potluck participants at Dalvay Robert Harding Photo

17 unknown 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; Don & Terri Cheverie; Sharon Clark; Ray Cooke, Michelle Cottreau; Rosemary Curley; Wanda Curley; Fiep de Bie; Sara & David Deveau; Lois Doan; Victoria Doan; Larry & Isobel Fitzpatrick; Michele & David Fletcher; Tyler Flanagan; Jo-Ann Gaudet; Kate Gordon; Diane Griffin; Robert Harding; Doyle & Sharon Hachey, Spenser & Ethan Haakman; Eileen Higginbotham; Michelle Johns; Jodi & Jerry LeBlanc; Derek Lowe; Jill MacCormack; Lucas MacCormack; Gerald MacDonald; Ronelda MacDonald; Brett MacKinnon; Benjamin MacNeill, Jeanne Maki; Donna Martin; Dan McAskill; Melanie McCarthy; Arlene & Paul McGuigan; Allison Moody; Dale Murchison; Nicole Murtagh; Dwaine Oakley; Roberta Palmer; Brenda Penak; Emily Pringle; Brian Rolek; Ruth Richman; Jorden Ryder-Clements; Gary Schneider; Andrea Simpson; Scott Sinclair; Ella Stewart; Bruce Thomas; Linda Thomas; Simone Vaniderstine; Rosalind Waters; Jean Watts; and Trudy White. These counts would not be possible without their participation.

COVID-19:

Over the past several centuries, Islanders have had to respond to a variety of diseases that have caused a great deal of fear and trepidation. These include cholera (1830s), typhoid (1840s), smallpox (1825, 1885, 1907, 1920), diptheria and tuberculosis (late 1800s and early 1900s), Spanish flu (1918-19), polio (1950s), and, as of December 31st, 2019, a pneumonia of unknown cause identified in Wuhan, Hubei, China later identified as novel coronavirus and for clarity, officially named on February 11th as COVID-19. On January 30th, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared it was Public Health Emergency of International Concern. By March 7th, 100,000 people in 100 countries had been confirmed having COVID-19. On March 11th, WHO declared it was a pandemic. On January 15th, Canada’s first case was discovered in British Columbia. Each of these disease epidemics have brought about change (e.g. Jenner’s discovery of smallpox vaccination in 1796, PEI’s Vaccination Act in 1862, establishing Canadian Red Cross nurses on PEI in 1920) and medical discoveries that have helped us (Salk Vaccine). We have evolved from a debate over contagion verses miasmata (bad air) up to the mid-1800s to genetic sequencing analysis of all the genes of the COVID virus and potential treatments based on the gene’s impact specific symptoms today. Some of the advice remains much the same self- isolation, quarantine, and vaccination just communicated in different ways. COVID-19s early chronology on PEI (up to March 28th, 2020) :

March 9th Dr. Heather Morrison, Chief Public Health Officer advises international travelers returning home to avoidance large gatherings and visits with elderly; March 10th All school sanctioned trips to Europe for March break cancelled as well as all school travel abroad to March 31st; March 12th Suspension or cancellation of many events (Canadian Folk Music Awards, JUNOs, NHL, NBA) March 13th Recommendations to not travel out-of-country, COVID phone line established by Province, federal Parliament suspended, Premier King commenced self-isolation provisions after out-of-country travel; March 14th Dr. Morrison confirms first positive case of COVID-19 on Island and recommends self-isolation of out-of-country travelers who returned to Island since March 8th, reconsideration of those attending social gatherings where self-distancing cannot be achieved, and cancellation of non-essential travel outside of country; March 15th Health PEI activated its pandemic plan and restricted hospitals to an essential services only delivery system (no elective surgery or appointments), restricted visitation imposed at long-term and community care facilities, three Provincial Cabinet committees with task groups were established with representation by opposition parties, to address economy & and business support, labour & social support, and government operations; March 16th Islanders asked to practice social distancing measures and consider an essential services only local

18 travel and visitation policy, all library programs and services cancelled, government service moved to an on-line system, Provincial Cabinet established a $25 million COVID-19 Emergency Contingency Funds to address worker and business needs, moved provincial government departments and agencies to an essential services mode and cancelled all public consultations, and declared state of public health emergency which enables Dr. Morrison to impose health orders, Dr. Morrison issued a Public Health Order requiring all but those entering the province for non- essential purposes to self-isolate for 14 days as of March 21; March 17th Stay apart policies invoked with all bars, theatres, movie theatres, in-room dining and restaurants closed but drive thru and take out allowed, only emergency dental and optometry allowed, wakes restricted to family only and a maximum 20 people with self-distancing caveat, funerals to be cancelled or rescheduled, indoor play areas closed, all public licensed child care centers and schools closed until April 3rd, provincial government public service delivery sites closed and work- at-home provisions for non-essential services implemented at end of day, front counter police services scaled back, Brookvale ski park & Visitor Information Centres and initial economic incentives for community sector partners (e.g. PEI Food Bank Association), self employed and business announced, the mass of cancellations for April forced the cancellation of the April edition of The Buzz; March 18th CBC News suspended Compass, the Island’s only daily television show & Premier responded to Prime Minister Trudeau and Minister Guilbeault, Stratford Town Hall was closed to the public but phone and email access continued, PEI watershed groups advised that PEI Watershed Management Plan applications and reports were deferred 15 days; March 19th Premier King announced expansion of All Party emergency approach, beauty care providers (e.g. barber shops, beauty salons) are closed, government liquor stores were closed at 2 pm as were their cannabis outlets but private liquor stores and breweries remained open; March 20th 2nd positive COVID-19 reported, stronger public advocacy of stay home (self isolation) and social distancing; March 21st Anyone traveling to PEI except essential workers and compassionate reasons must self-isolate for 14-days for next 10 days; March 23rd Home learning activities through Public Schools Branch and La Commission scolaire de langue française (CSLF) websites commenced, fines of $1,000 to $10,000 established for those failing to comply with self-isolation orders; March 24th Employee Gift Card Program established for employees laid of because of direct impact of pandemic, 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan postponed to 2021; March 25-6th Representative MPs and Senators were convened in Parliament and Senate chambers to debate and pass the $82 billion Bill C13 Act to mobilize funds to assist Canadians, citing health reasons, the Oak Tree liquor store was re-opened with shortened hours and with one hour dedicated to seniors and those with compromised immune systems; March 26th Federal Quarantine Act invoked closing Canada-US border to non-essential travel and 14 day self- isolation period; 9th positive COVID report on Island, CBC News restarted a ½ hour version of Compass; March 27th School closure extended to May 11th and closure of non-essential services indefinitely; Islanders Helping Islanders Volunteer Services Directory opened; March 28th Cough and Fever Clinic established in Charlottetown & Summerside 2 days later.

WEATHER EVENTS: 20 to 23 cm of snow in the Charlottetown to Donagh area on Jan. 9 (JDM, AES). Fullerton’s Marsh and its Hillsborough River junction ice covered except bridge raceway from early January through March 9. Hillsborough River ice covered except for channel around bridge down to the government wharf from early January through March 9. On March 30th, Hillsborough River was open from Hillsborough Bridge upstream out of sight, Belvedere pond was ice free, and the Fullerton’s Creek channel was open from the bridge to the DUC gate and downstream to the cove (JDM).

19 Fields snow covered in Donagh to Mount Stewart to Argyle shore from Jan. 9 to March 20 but a warm period dropped the levels and many fields between Donagh and Charlottetown were centre bare by Mar. 23rd (JDM). Several wind driven snowfalls the week of Feb. 10th. Cold snap down to -17.9 and -19.7 on Feb. 20-21 Rainfall and snowfall totals were: January 24.3 mm & 99.9 cm; February 12.5 mm & 47.5 cm; and March 1 to 29 24.7 & 53.4 mm. There were 5 days in January, 6 days in February and 6 days in March with gusts of 60 km/hr or higher. Average temperatures and temperature extremes were -5.6E C and 9.4E C and -21.6E C in January, -5.7E C and 6.0E C and -21.7E C in February and -3.0E C and 8.7E C and - 12.3E C for first 29 days in March.

ANIMAL AND PLANT SIGHTINGS: Compiled by J. Dan McAskill

LICHENS: Concentric Boulder Lichen at Summerville on Jan. 5 (RWH). Blue Jellyskin Lichen and Mapledust Lichen at St. Theresa’s on Feb. 22 (RWH).

INSECTS: 1 Caddisfly (a Snow Sedge Psychoglypha subborealis) at Reeve’s Estates feeders on Mar. 21 (DO). 1,000s of Snow Fleas at Reeve’s Estates feeders on Mar. 24 Snow Sedge caddisfly (DO). Dwaine Oakley Photo

MAMMALS: 1 Flying Squirrel in early Dec., Dec. 19, and Jan. 14 at Milton Station (BPr), 2 at Rocky Point feeders most evenings in early Jan. 9 (LD), & 1 at Stratford feeders several times in Dec. & on Feb. 5 (LM). 1 Muskrat at Pownal on Feb. 13 (LM, PMcG). A few Red Squirrels doing short chases in Donagh near feeders in mid Feb. (JDM). Striped Skunk active on lawn at Argyle Shore in late Feb. (LY) & at Reeve’s Estates feeders periodically in Mar. 24 (DO). Jet black Red Fox and Red Fox most days in Feb. & Mar. at Argyle Shore in late Feb. (LY). Up to 5 Raccoons at Reeve’s Estates feeders in Mar. (DO). First Eastern Chipmunk foraging at Donagh on Mar. 31 (JDM).

BIRDS: This checklist order has been adjusted to conform with the November 2019 American Ornithological Society’s Checklist of Northern and Middle American Birds. Snow Goose - hybrid Snow- Canada Goose picture posted on Birding on PEI at Summerside; Brant - 1 photographed at Souris River on Feb. 20 (SD); Canada Geese - 320 at on Jan. 1 (SCS), 600 on Jan. 3 (RP), & 475 on Jan. 7 (DRM), 680 at China Point on Jan. 1 (FdB), 9 at Ellen’s Creek on Jan. 4 & 40 on Jan. 25 (BR), 430 at Malpeque marsh on Jan. 9 (DRM), 2 at Nebraska River Bridge on Feb. 4 but no others between it and North Cape on Feb. 24 (FRC, DRM), 200 at Vernon Bridge on Jan. 10 (RP), ~300 at Orwell River saltmarsh on Jan. 14 (JDM), 200 at Cardigan on Feb. 17 (SGC), 500 below Knox Dam bridge on Feb. 22 (RP), 120 at Bridgetown on Mar. 8 (SCS), 45 at Murray River & 450 at Beach Point on Mar. 15 (SCS), several flocks flying at Argyle Shore in mid-March (LY), 1,000 at Tryon on Mar. 18 (RA), 1,700 at China Point fields on Mar. 23 (FdB) & 5,000 on Mar. 30 (RP), 400 at Belle River on Mar. 28 (FdB), 300 at Glenfinnan on Mar. 29 (RP); Northern Shoveler - 1 at Belvedere Pond (Riverside Creek) on Feb. 1 (KMcK), male at Cavendish Waste Mgmt Lagoons on Mar. 4 (DRM), 1 at Barbara Waite Road on Mar. 28 (RP); Gadwall - 14 at Brackley Beach (Millstream) on Jan. 3 (FdB, SCS), 4 at Chapel Creek on Jan. 7, 15 on Jan. 20, 2 on Mar. 6 (DRM), 16 at Cavendish Waste Mgmt Pond on Jan. 9, 18 on Jan. 18, 11 on Jan. 25 & 7 on Jan. 30 (DRM), 38 at Wright’s Creek estuary on Jan. 11 (MAM), 60 on Jan. 24 (FdB), 13 at Oyster Bed Pond on Feb. 17 (FdB, SCS), 60 at Belvedere Pond (Riverside Creek) on Feb. 22 (RP), 13 at Lower Hamilton on Mar. 6 (DRM), 4 at Ellen’s Creek on Mar. 14 (DRM), 110 at Wright’s Creek estuary on Mar. 18 (FdB), 70 at Barbara Waite Road on Mar. 28 (RP); Eurasian Wigeon - 1 male photographed at Ellen’s Creek on Mar. 13 (RP), on Mar. 14 (DRM), on Mar. 15 (VB), on Mar. 18 (RA), on Mar. 20 (FdB), on Northern Pintail at Cymbria on Jan. 1, 2020 Mar. 30 (MAM); American Wigeon - 1 at Brackley Beach Victoria Doan photo (Millstream) on Jan. 3 (FdB, SCS), 15 at Ellen’s Creek on Jan. 4 &

20 25 on Jan. 25 (BR), 14 on Jan. 20 (DRM), 6 on Feb. 14 (FdB), 11 to 24 on Feb. 15 (BJ, VB), 21 on Mar. 13 (RP), & 6 on Mar. 18 (RA); Mallard - 5 at Souris West on Jan. 1 (SCS), 20 on Jan. 3 (RP), & 35 on Jan. 7 (DRM), 2 at Covehead Harbour on Jan. 3 (FdB, SCS), 14 at Oyster Bed Bridge Pond on Jan. 3 (FdB, SCS), 12 at Chapel Creek estuary on Jan. 3 (FdB, SCS), 85 on Jan. 7 & 49 on Jan. 20 (DRM), 3 at Chapel Creek on Jan. 3 (BAM), 29 on Mar. 6 (DRM), 35 on Mar. 19 (VB), 65 at Grand River Bridge on Jan. 4, 65 on Jan. 16 (DRM), & 60 at Nebraska River Bridge & 10 at Goff’s Bridge on Feb. 4 (FRC, DRM), 40 at Ellen’s Creek on Jan. 4 & 10 on Jan. 25 (BR) & 12 on Feb. 14 (FdB), 15 at Hyde Pond in Cornwall on Jan. 5 (VB), 45 at St. Peter’s on Jan. 7 (DRM), 11 at Cavendish Waste Mgmt Pond on Jan. 9 & 11 on Jan. 18 (DRM), 19 at Wright’s Creek estuary on Jan. 11 (MAM) & 55 on Jan. 24 (FdB), 50 at China Point on Jan. 27 (RP), 30 at Cornwall on Feb. 15 (JG), 50 at Cape Traverse on Feb. 25 (RA), 17 at Lower Hamilton on Mar. 6 (DRM), 50 at Murray River on Mar. 15 (SCS); American Black Duck - 160 at Souris West on Jan. 1 (SCS), 100 on Jan. 3 (RP), & 120 on Jan. 7 (DRM), 50 at China Point on Jan. 1 (FdB), 7 at Brackley Beach (Millstream) & 214 to 250 at Brackley Beach North to Covehead Harbour on Jan. 3 (FdB, SCS, BAM), 135 at Grand River Bridge on Jan. 4, 240 on Jan. 16 (DRM), & 42 on Feb. 4 (FRC, DRM), 90 at Ellen’s Creek on Jan. 4, 100 on Jan. 25 (BR), 55 on Feb. 14 (FdB), 35 on Jan. 20 (DRM), & 30 on Mar. 13 (RP), 135 at St. Peter’s on Jan. 7 (DRM), 13 at Cavendish Waste Mgmt Pond & 26 at Malpeque marsh on Jan. 9 (DRM), 120 at Georgetown Royalty on Jan. 10 (SCS), 40 at Vernon Bridge on Jan. 10 (RP), 320 at Kinlock Beach on Jan. 11 (MAM), 7 at Wright’s Creek estuary on Jan. 11 (MAM), & 15 on Jan. 24 (FdB), 4 at Donagh Bridge on Jan. 14 (JDM), 150 at China Point on Jan. 27 (RP), 240 at Nebraska River Bridge & 127 at Goff’s Bridge on Feb. 4 (FRC, DRM), 150 at Cardigan on Feb. 17 (SGC), 25 at Belvedere Pond (Riverside Creek) on Feb. 22 (RP), 60 at Cape Traverse on Feb. 25 (RA), 85 at Lower Hamilton on Mar. 6 (DRM), 40 at Murray River on Mar. 15 (SCS), 60 at Glenfinnan on Mar. 29 (RP); Northern Pintail - at Cymbria on Jan. 1 (VD), 15 on Jan. 7, 5 on Jan. 20 (DRM), 3 on Mar. 14 (DRM), & 5 on Mar. 19 (VB), 23 at on Jan. 3 (FdB, SCS); Green-winged Teal - 2 at Chapel Creek on Jan. 3 (BAM), 3 at Wright’s Creek estuary on Jan. 11 (MAM), & 9 on Jan. 24 (FdB), 1 at Ellen’s Creek on Jan. 20 (DRM), 13 on Feb. 14 (FdB), 6 on Feb. 15 (VB), & 11 on Mar. 13 (RP), 5 at Cavendish Waste Mgmt Pond on Jan. 25, 1 on Jan. 30 & 1 on Mar. 4 (DRM), male at Kinross on Jan. 27 (JMacL), 9 at Hyde Park Creek on Feb. 16 (RP); Ring-necked Duck - 1 at St. Peter’s on Jan. 7 (DRM), 1 at Cavendish Waste Mgmt Pond on Jan. 9, 1 on Jan. 18, 1 on Jan. 25, & 1 on Jan. 30 (DRM); Tufted Duck - 1 male photographed at Oyster Bed Bridge on Feb. 17 (SCS, FdB, RP, VB, DO, DCS), on Feb. 18 (MAM), & on Mar. 14 there were no scaup at Oyster Bed Bridge but they were present at Rustico Bridge and there was an Tufted Duck on left with Greater Scaup at Oyster Bed immature male and a female Tufted Duck on Mar. 14 (DRM); Bridge Causeway on Feb. 17, 2020 Greater Scaup - 240 at Oyster Bed Bridge on Jan. 3 (FdB, SCS), Roberta Palmer Photo 200 on Jan. 4 (RP), 350 on Jan. 7 (DRM), 300 on Jan. 10 (VB), 160 on Jan. 20 (DRM), & 85 on Mar. 6 (DRM), 150 at Rustico on Mar. 10 (DEJ), 110 at Rusticoville on Mar. 14 (DRM), 1 at Belle River on Mar. 28 (FdB), 35+ on Hillsborough at Charlottetown on Mar. 29 (SGC); Lesser Scaup - 2 at Oyster Bed Bridge causeway on Mar. 6 (DRM), at Rustico on Mar. 10 (DEJ), 3 at Rusticoville on Mar. 14 (DRM); Common Eider - 12 at East Point on Jan. 1, 30 on Jan. 18, 30 on Feb. 9, 275 on Mar. 22 (SCS), & 400 on Mar. 29 (SCS), 8 at Orby Head on Jan. 3 (FdB, SCS), 22 at Murray Head (Cape Bear) on Feb. 9 (BAM); Harlequin Duck - 2 at Orby Head on Jan. 7 & 2 on Jan. 13 (DRM), 1 at Murray Head (Cape Bear) on Feb. 9 (BAM); Surf Scoter - 2 at Chapel Creek estuary on Jan. 3 (FdB, SCS); White-winged Scoter - 2 at East Point on Jan. 1 (SCS); Black Scoter - 24 at East Point on Jan. 1 (SCS) & 25 on Jan. 18, 260 on Mar. 22 & 550 on Mar. Female Tufted Duck on right with Greater Scaup 29 (SCS), 10 at Chapel Creek estuary on Jan. 3 (FdB, at Rustico on Mar. 14, 2020 SCS), 1 at Orby Head on Jan. 3 (FdB, SCS); Long- Donna Martin Photo tailed Duck - 32 at East Point on Jan. 1, 34 on Mar. 22, 45 on Mar. 29 (SCS), 60 on Jan. 18, 6 on Feb. 9 (SCS), 125 on Mar. 8 (SCS), 9 at Orby Head on Jan. 3 (FdB, SCS), calling off Monticello on Mar. 23 (JGM); Bufflehead - 3 at Basin Head on Jan. 3 (RP), 2 at Souris West on Jan. 7 (DRM), male at Cardigan in early Feb. (PVB), 1 at Cornwall n Feb. 19 (CE), 1 at North River Causeway on Mar. 13 (RP), & 1 on Mar. 15

21 (VB), 2 at Souris on Mar. 18 (DRM), 1 at Montague on Mar. 18 (DMur); Common Goldeneye - 6 at Mount Stewart & 50 at Basin Head on Jan. 3 (RP), 50 to 70 at Oyster Bed Bridge (RP, SCS, FdB) & 35 at Chapel Creek estuary on Jan. 3 (FdB, SCS), 16 at Grand River Bridge on Jan. 4, 120 on Jan. 16, 21 on Feb. 4 (FRC, DRM), 33 on Mar. 6 (DRM), 30 at Ferry Wharf Road Georgetown Royalty on Jan. 4 (SCS), 27 at Oyster Bed Bridge on Jan. 7 (DRM), 80 on Jan. 10 (VB), 37 on Jan. 20 (DRM), & 38 on Mar. 6 (DRM), 35 at Vernon Bridge on Jan. 10 (RP) & 37 on Feb. 23 (FdB), 15 at Dunedin Bridge on Jan. 27 (DEJ), 72 at Nebraska River Bridge (1 km east Grand River bridge), 20 at Goff Bridge & 9 at Seacow Pond to North Cape on Feb. 4 (FRC, DRM), 60 to 70 at North River Causeway on Feb. 16 (SGC, RP), & 54 on Mar. 15 (VB), 25 at Montague River on Feb. 22 (RP), & 25 on Mar. 11 (FdB); Barrow’s Goldeneye - 8 at Oyster Bed Bridge on Jan. 3 (FdB, SCS), 20 on Jan. 4 (RP), 11 on Jan. 7 (DRM), 25 on Jan. 10 (VB), 28 on Jan. 20 (DRM), 42 on Feb. 17 (VB), 11 on Mar. 6 (DRM), 3 at Grand River Bridge on Jan. 4, 4 & 24 on Jan. 16 (DRM)(BRM), 16 with 12 being males on Feb. 4 (FRC, DRM), 15 on Mar. 6 (DRM), 42 males & 17 females at Goff Bridge on Trout River on Feb. 4 (FRC, DRM), 8 at Vernon Bridge on Jan. 10 (RP), 3 males & 2 females on Jan. 26 (SGC), & 10 on Feb. 23 (FdB), at Cardigan River on Jan. 25 (DMur) and male Feb. 15 (RWH), 10 at Dunedin Bridge on Jan. 27 (DEJ), 40 at North River Causeway on Feb. 16 (RP), 2 at Montague River on Feb. 22 (RP), 2 at North River Causeway on Mar. 13 (RP), 16 on Mar. 15 (VB), 6 at Hyde Park on Mar. 14 (RP); Hooded Merganser - male Male Barrow’s Goldeneye at Cardigan River at Oyster Bed Bridge on Jan. 3 (FdB, SCS), 1 at Oyster Bed Bridge on Jan. 25, 2020 - Dale Murchison Photo pond on Mar. 13 & Mar. 23 (G&DM), 3 at Mooney’s Pond on Mar. 22 (JDM), 1 at Pownal on Mar. 30 (RP); Common Merganser - 4 at Mount Stewart & 17 at Basin Head on Jan. 3 (RP), 7 at Grand River Bridge on Jan. 4, 19 on Jan. 16, 15 on Feb. 4 (FRC, DRM), & 7 on Mar. 6 (DRM), 7 at Oyster Bed Bridge on Jan. 7 (DRM), 12 at Georgetown Royalty on Jan. 10 (SCS), 23 at Panmure Island on Jan. 10 (RP), 20 at Ellen’s Creek on Jan. 25 (BR), 90 at Goff’s Bridge on Feb. 4 (FRC, DRM), & 90 on Feb. 15 (RP), 3 at Summerside harbour on Feb. 19 (SRa), 10 at Wilmot on Feb. 20 & 31 on Feb. 21 (CE), 6 at Montague River on Feb. 22 (RP) & 35 on Mar. 11 (FdB), 9 at Lower Hamilton on Mar. 6 (DRM), 35 at Murray River on Mar. 15 (SCS); Red-breasted Merganser - 5 at Ferry Wharf Road Georgetown Royalty on Jan. 4 & 4 on Jan. 10 (SCS), 60 at Vernon Bridge & 30 at Panmure Island on Jan. 10 (RP), 1 at Covehead Harbour on Feb. 17 (VB), 4 at Cymbria on Feb. 17 (VB), 4 at West River Causeway on Mar. 13 (RP); Gray Partridge - 9 at Seal River on Jan. 2 (JH via BJH), 2 at Stratford on Jan. (FRC), 14 at Glenfinnan on Jan. 2 (RP), 9 at Slemon Park on Jan. 4 (DRM), 5 at Souris West on Jan. 7 (DRM), 3 at Midgell on Jan. 13 (BAM), 9 at New Cove Road on Jan. 14 (CR), 26 at Eldon on Jan. 16 (JL), 12 at on Jan. 15 (DEJ), flock at MacNeil’s Brook in Cavendish on Jan. 22 (D&GM), 10 at Lower Malpeque on Jan. 18 (DRM), 9 at Alexandra on Feb. 5 (LM, JMacC), 2 at Stratford on Feb. 9 (FRC), 6 at Elmwood on Feb. 13, 8 on Feb. 24, & 8 on Feb. 29 (BJ), 18 at Anglo Rustico on Feb. 14 (SCor), 6 at New London on Feb. 18 (BAM), 10 at St. Andrew’s on Feb. 21 (JDM), 7 at China Point-Earnscliffe on Feb. 22 (LM, JMacC), 8 at Tryon River on Feb. 25 (RA), 4 daily at Summerville throughout Feb. (RWH), 8 at Fort Augustus on Mar. 6 (BAM), 14 at Lower Hamilton on Mar. 6 (DRM); Ring- necked Pheasant - 3 males (1 melanistic) and 1 female at Cherry Valley on Jan. 1 (RP), male at Gowan Brea on Jan. 31 (JHa), 1 at Darnley on Feb. 10 (LM-F), 3 females and a male at Nine Mile Creek in late Jan-early Feb (VD), 1 male at Mermaid on Feb. 25 (JDM), 1 at Village Green on Feb 24 (RWH), 1 male at Johnston’s River on Feb. 25 (JDM), 1 at Lower Hamilton on Mar. 6 (DRM); Ruffed Grouse - 2 at DeGros Marsh on Feb. 17 (BL), 1 at Corran Ban on Feb. 17 (RP), 1 at South Melville on Feb. 17 (RA), 1 at Vernon River on Feb. 19 (DK), 3 budding in poplar at St. Charles Road on Mar. 8 (JGM); Rock Pigeon - 8 at Winsloe South feeders on Dec. 29 (DEJ), 35 at China Point on Mar. 15 (DRM); Mourning Dove - 10 at Winsloe South feeders on Dec. 29 (DEJ), 21 at Sherwood feeders on Jan. 1 & 16 on Jan. 14 (RP), 1 to 12 at Tea Hill feeders in early Jan. (FdB), 1 to 11 in Jan to early Feb at Donagh feeders (JDM), 30 at Sherwood on Feb. 14 (KH), 45 at Riverview Estates on Feb. 14 (SSt); Killdeer - 2 roadside at Bonshaw on Mar. 23 (RP), 1 on Campbell Road in New Glasgow on Mar. 23 (NM), 1 at China Point on Mar. 30 (RP); Razorbill - 1 at East Point on Jan. 18 (SCS); Black Guillemot - 1 at East Point on Jan. 7 (DRM), 3 on Jan. 18 (SCS), & 12 on Mar. 8 (SCS); Bonaparte's Gull - see CBC report; Black-headed Gull - 1 at Brackley Beach entrance marsh on Jan. 3-4 (VB, BAM, RP, DMur); Ring-billed Gull - 1 at Ferry Wharf Road Georgetown Royalty on Jan. 4 & 30 on Mar. 20 (SCS), 2 at Wellington Waste Mgmt plant on Jan. 4 (DRM), 24 at Kinlock Beach on Jan. 11 (MAM), 2 at Montague wharf on Feb. 1 (MAM), 1 at Corran Ban Bridge on Mar. 19 (VB), 300 at China Point on Mar. 30 (RP); Herring Gull - 2 at East Point on Jan. 1 (SCS), 120 at Grand River Bridge & 200 at Wellington Waste Mgmt plant on Jan. 4 (DRM), 160 at Tignish Run on Jan. 23 (DRM), 108 at Belvedere Pond (Riverside Creek) on Feb. 1 (KMcK), 150 at Tignish Run lobster plant waste on Feb. 4 (FRC, DRM); Iceland Gull - 12 at East Point on Jan. 1, 180 on Jan. 18 (SCS), 35 on Mar. 8 (SCS), 14 at Grand River Bridge on Jan. 4 (DRM), 60 at Tignish Run on Jan. 23 (DRM) & at Tignish Run lobster plant waste on Feb. 4 (FRC, DRM), 1 at Belvedere Pond (Riverside Creek) on Feb. 1 (KMcK) & 1 on Feb. 22 (RP); Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1

22 at Tignish Run on Jan. 23 (DRM) & 1 on Feb. 4 (FRC, DRM), 1 at Milton on Feb. 23 (JDM); Glaucous Gull - 1 at Tignish Run on Jan. 23 (DRM) & 1 on Feb. 4 (FRC, DRM), 1 at Belvedere Pond (Riverside Creek) on Feb. 1 (KMcK); Great Black- backed Gull - 2 at East Point on Jan. 1 & 60 on Jan. 18 (SCS), 27 at Grand River Bridge, & 150 at Wellington Waste Mgmt plant on Jan. 4 (DRM), 100 at Tignish Run lobster plant waste on Feb. 4 (FRC, DRM), 6 at Belvedere Pond (Riverside Creek) & 3 on Feb. 22 (RP), 45 at Tignish Run on Jan. 23 (DRM); Red-throated Loon - 1 at East Point on Jan. 7 (DRM); Double- crested Cormorant - 1 at East Point on Jan. 1 (SCS); Great Cormorant - 1 immature on ice at North Lake Creek on Feb. 4 (IF), 8 in breeding plumage at East Point on Mar. 8 (SCS), 3 on Mar. 15 (RP), 35 on Mar. 22 & 75 on Mar. 29 (SCS), 4 at Orby Head on Mar. 25 (BJ); Great Blue Heron - 1 flying over Donagh on Mar. 23 (JDM), 1 flying over Covehead Bay on Mar. 24 (CRFG), 6 on Hillsborough River on Mar. 29 (LM), 1 at Murray Harbour North on Mar. 29 (DH); Turkey Vulture - 1 at Gail Avery’s in St. Margaret’s on Jan. 22 (JGM), 1 on Selkirk Road on Jan. 31 (RCa); Osprey - first report of spring with 1 at Marshfield on Mar. 21 (GK); Northern Harrier - male & juvenile at Brackley Beach North on Jan. 3 (BAM), 1 at Covehead Harbour on Jan. 3 (VB) & 1 on Jan. 4 (DMur), male at China Point Earnscliffe on Mar. 15 (FdB, DRM); Sharp-shinned Hawk - 1 flying at Red House (Fortune Rd.) on Jan. 2 (BAM), 1 at McVane’s Creek on Jan. 3 (RP), 1 at Sherwood on Jan. 10 (RP), 1 at Horne Cross Road on Jan. 12 (VB), 1 at Cymbria on Jan. 13 (DRM), 1 at Vernon River on Jan. 24 & Feb. 14 (DK), 1 periodically at Crossroads feeders in Feb. & Mar. (DO), 1 at Winsloe South on Mar. 17 (DEJ), 1 at Tea Hill on Mar. 26 (FdB), 1 at Little Sands on Mar. 28 (FdB); Cooper’s Hawk - 1 hit a car grill in Stratford and taken to AVC on Feb. 28 where it recovered and it was released on Mar. 12 (FdB); Northern Goshawk - 1 at DeGros Marsh on Jan. 26 (CJ), 1 along St. Charles Road on Jan. 22 (JGM), 1 at Hyde Park on Feb. 16 (SK), 1 photographed at unknown Island site on Feb. 24 (BFA), 1 photographed near Mount Stewart on Feb. 26 (SM), adult flying at Cherry Valley on Feb. 29 (LM), 1 at Vernon River on Mar. 6 (DK); Bald Eagle - 3 at Glenfinnan on Jan. 2 (RP), immature hunting waterfowl at Oyster Bed Bridge on Jan. 29 (D&GM), 3 at Grand River Bridge & 1 between Seacow Pond and North Cape on Feb. 4 (FRC, DRM), 6 in one tree over-looking geese and ducks at Murray River on Feb. 15 (BMcI); Red-tailed Hawk - 1 a few times a week at Rocky Point in Dec. & Jan. 10 (LD), 1 at Cherry Valley on Jan. 1 (RP), 1 at Kingsboro on Jan. 1 (SCS), 1 at Oyster Bed Bridge on Jan. 3 (FdB, SCS), 1 at Camp Tamawaby & 1 at Summerside Boardwalk on Jan. 4 (DRM), 1 at West Royalty on Jan. 4 (VB), 1 at on Jan. 10 (DRM), 1 at Rollo Bay on Jan. 16 (SD), 1 at East Lake on Jan. 18 (SCS), 1 at Ellen’s Creek on Jan. 25 (BR), 1 at Dingwell’s Mills on Feb. 11 (BAM), 2 at China Point-Earnscliffe on Feb. 13 (LM, PMcG), 1 at Tea Hill on Feb. 16 (FdB) & 1 on Feb. 22 (LM, JMacC), 1 at Brackley Beach (Shaw’s) on Feb. 17 (VB), 1 at Cymbria on Feb. 17 (VB), 2 at Brackley Beach on Feb. 18 (BAM), 1 at Vernon River on Feb. 20 (DK), 1 at Winsloe South on Feb. 26 & 2 on Feb. 27 (DEJ), 2 at Souris River on Feb. 28 (BAM), 1 at Wright’s Creek estuary on Mar. 18 (FdB), 1 at Tryon on Mar. 18 (RA), 3 soaring at Orwell on Mar. 25 (FdB), 2 at Pownal on Mar. 30 (RP); Rough-legged Hawk - 1 at China Point on Dec. 29, 1 on Jan. 27, 1 on Mar. 6 (RP), 1 on Mar. 13 (G&DM), 1 at Cherry Valley on Jan. 1 (RP), 1 at Souris West on Jan. 7 (DRM), 1 at Rollings Pond on Jan. 13 (DRM), 1 at Earnscliffe & 1 at Cherry Valley on Feb. 23 (FdB), 2 at China Point Earnscliffe on Mar. 15 (FdB, BAM) & 2 on Mar. 29 (FdB); Great Horned Owl - reports of 1 at Monticello in mid-Jan. (JGM), 1 calling at Tea Hill on Feb. 5 (FdB), 1 calling at Monticello on Mar. 23 (JGM); Snowy Owl - 1 at South Rustico on Feb. 22 (SRa); Barred Owl - 1 at Bonshaw Hills on Jan. 22 (DP), reports of 1 at Monticello in mid-Jan. (JGM), 1 at Horne’s Cross Road on Feb. 24 (VB), 1 at Auburn on Mar. 16 (RC), 2 at Victoria Park on Mar. 18 (DRM); Northern Saw-whet Owl - 1 calling at Tea Hill on Feb. 20 (FdB), 1 calling at South Melville on Feb. 22 (RA), 1 calling in Stratford on Feb. 24 (LM), 1 photographed and videotaped at Argyle Shone of Feb. 24 (ERT) & 1 on Mar. 23 (VB), 1 at South Melville on Feb. 29 (RA); Belted Kingfisher - 1 at Chapel Creek estuary on Jan. 3 (FdB, SCS), 1 on Jan. 13 (DRM), & 1 on Mar. 19 (VB), 1 at Wright’s Creek on Jan. 24 (FdB), 1 at Hyde Park creek on Feb. 16 (RP) & male on Mar. 4 (BAM), 1 at Donagh Bridge on Jan. 25 & Feb. 24 (JDM), 1 at Oyster Bed Pond on Feb. 17 (FdB, SCS), 1 at Cymbria on Feb. 17 (VB), 1 at Pownal on Mar. 6 (RP), 1 at Hunter River on Mar. 13 (TS); Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - 1 photographed at Murray Harbour North on Feb. 3 (DH); Black-backed Woodpecker - 1 flicking off larch bark at INT’s Hon. Lloyd G. MacPhail Natural Area in South Milton on Jan. 25 (JLZ), 1 female at Beck’s Trail in Murray River on Feb. 23 (VD), 1 at Dunk River Trail on Feb. 28 (SH), 1 at Stanhope in Mar. 21 (BH); Downy Woodpecker - male & 2 females at Kinlock feeders on Dec. 29 (MAM), male & female most days at Rocky Point feeders on Jan. 10 (LD), 8 at Hazelbrook on Feb. 17 (TJ), pair most days this winter at Riverview Estates (WFB, EM), 1 at Donagh feeders most days from Jan to Mar (JDM); Hairy Woodpecker - male & female at Kinlock feeders on Dec. 29 Black-backed Woodpecker at Murray (MAM), 2 male & a female most days at Rocky Point feeders on Jan. 10 (LD), pair River on Feb. 23, 2020 most days this winter at Riverview Estates (WFB, EM), 1 periodically at Donagh Victoria Doan Photo feeders from Jan to Mar (JDM); Northern Flicker - 1 at Kinlock feeders on Dec. 29 (MAM), male at Rocky Point feeders on Dec. 31 (LD), 1 at Camp Tamawaby & 1 at

23 Chelton on Jan. 4 (DRM), 2 at Hyde Pond in Cornwall on Jan. 5 (VB) & 1 on Feb. 16 (SK), 1 at Georgetown Royalty on Jan. 8, 1 on Jan. 14, 1 on Jan. 20, 1 on Jan. 28, 1 on Feb. 15 (SCS), 1 at Sherwood feeder on Jan. 12, 1 on Jan. 19, & 1 on Mar. 24 (RP), 1 at South Melville on Jan. 14 & Mar. 1 (RA), 2 at Stratford on Feb. 13 (LM); 1 at Horne Cross Road on Feb. 15 (VB), 1 at Hazelbrook on Feb. 17 (TJ), 1 at Elmwood on Feb. 24 (BJ), 2 at Stratford feeders on Mar. 4 (JCr), 1 at Rosebank feeders on Mar. 1 (BDi); Pileated Woodpecker - female videotaped at Woodville Forest on Feb. 23 (RM), 2 at St. Charles Road on Feb. 25 (JGM) + 1 calling and drumming on Mar. 23 (JGM), 1 photographed at Stratford on Feb. 29 (RWH) and 1 seen at Clearview Estates on Mar. 5 (HAS), 1 at St. Charles on Mar. 28 (JGM); American Kestrel - see CBC report; Merlin - 1 at Tea Hill feeders on Jan. 17 (FdB), 1 at Lower Newtown on Feb. 9 (FdB), 1 regularly at Crossroads feeders in Feb. & Mar. (DO), 1 at Rosebank feeders on Mar. 1 (BDi), 1 at Summerside Boardwalk on Mar. 6 (DRM), 1 at Moore’s Pond in Stratford on Mar. 14 (LM), 1 at Chelton on Mar. 25 (DRM), 1 at East Lake on Mar. 29 (SCS); Peregrine Falcon - 1 at Alexandra on Jan. 1 (FdB), 1 in Murray Harbour North area on Jan. 5 (DH); Northern Shrike - 1 at Murray Harbour North on Jan. 7 (DH), 1 at South Melville on Jan. 13 (RA); Canada Jay - 1 at Lower Newton on Jan. 16 (RGa); Blue Jay - 17 at Horne’s Cross Road feeders on Dec. 29 & 16 on Jan. 12 (VB) , 19 at Summerside boardwalk on Jan. 25 (DRM), 12 at Anglo Tignish on Feb. 14 (DG), 25 at North Wiltshire on Feb. 15 & 40 on Feb. 16 (AMu); American Crow - 140 at Covehead Harbour on Jan. 3 (FdB, SCS), 350 flying NW at Tea Hill trails on Jan. 3 (FdB), 120 on Jan. 17 (FdB), 7 at Summerside Boardwalk on Jan. 11, 39 on Jan. 25 (DRM) & ~1,000 flying on Feb. 17 (SRa), article in Toronto Star on Mar. 14, 1 white-winged crow at Summerside on Mar. 16 (FM) & on Mar. 23 (JCR); Common Raven - 10 at Earnscliffe on Jan. 26 (SGC), 12 at China Point-Earnscliffe on Feb. 13 (LM, PMcG), 4 at Anglo Tignish on Feb. 14 (DG), 9 at Hyde Park on Feb. 16 (SK), sitting in a nest in a tall deciduous tree in Cotton Park on Mar. 14- 5 (FRC); Horned Lark - 10 at Orwell on Dec. 29 & 12 on Jan. 1 (RP), 12 Leucistic crow at Linkletter on Mar. 16, 2020 at China Point on Dec. 30 (BAM), 12 on Jan. 26 (SGC), 18 on Jan. 27 (RP), Finton MacKinnon Photo on Birding on PEI 16 on Feb. 3 (DRM), 6 on Mar. 6 (RP), 4 on Mar. 14 (RP), 2 at Lower Malpeque on Jan. 18 (DRM), 12 at Earnscliffe on Feb. 17 (BR), 3 at Clinton on Feb. 18 (RCa), 2 at Earnscliffe and 15 at China Point on Feb. 23 (FdB), 18 roadside at Tryon & 12 at Victoria on Feb. 25 (RA), 18 at Lower Hamilton on Mar. 6 (DRM), 22 at Jenkins Road in Marshfield on Mar. 12 (FdB), 21 at Cumberland on Mar. 13 (RP), 9 at Malpeque on Mar. 28 (RP); Black- capped Chickadee - 8 at Camp Tamawaby on Jan. 4 (DRM), 10 to 14 daily in Jan. & Feb (JDM), 8 at Anglo Tignish on Feb. 14 (DG), 3 at Brackley Beach (Shaw’s) on Feb. 17 (VB), 25 at Summerside boardwalk on Feb. 23 (SRa); Boreal Chickadee - 3 at Camp Tamawaby & 2 at Chelton on Jan. 4 (DRM), 2 at Brackley Beach (Shaw’s) on Feb. 17 (VB), 4 at Chelton on Mar. 25 (DRM); Red-breasted Nuthatch - 9 at Camp Tamawaby & 5 at Chelton on Jan. 4 (DRM), 2 daily at Rocky Point feeders on Jan. 10 (LD), 3 at Brackley Beach (Shaw’s) on Feb. 17 (VB); Brown Creeper - 1 foraging on birch on Jan. 8 (FdB), 1 at Georgetown Royalty on Jan. 20 (SCS), 1 at White’s Road in Donagh on Mar. 6 (RP), 1 at Reeve’s Estates feeders for few days in early Mar. (DO), 1 at Chelton on Mar. 25 (DRM); Carolina Wren - 1 photographed at Montague feeders on Jan. 18, Jan. 31, and still present on Feb. 5 (DMur, RP); Golden-crowned Kinglet - 2 at Camp Tamawaby on Jan. 4 (DRM), 1 at Oyster Bed Bridge on Jan. 13 (VB), 1 at Cape Breton Road South on Jan. 25 (RC), 1 at Oyster Bed Pond on Feb. 17 (FdB, SCS), 2 at Brackley Beach (Shaw’s) on Feb. 17 (VB), 2 at Cymbria on Feb. 17 (VB), 1 at Montague on Mar. 11 (FdB); American Robin - 2 at Tea Hill feeders on Jan. 1 & on Mar. 18 (FdB), 6 at St. Charles on Jan. 2 (BAM), 60 at Comm East Point & 40 at Basin Head on Jan. 3 (RP), 2 at Linkletter on Jan. 4 (DRM), 60 at East Lake on Jan. 18 (SCS), 3 at Wright’s Creek on Jan. 24 (FdB), 14 at East Point on Feb. 9 (SCS), 12 roadside near Dingwell’s Mills on Feb. 9 (JGM), 14 at Vernon River on Feb. 19 (DK), 1 at Georgetown Royalty on Feb. 23 (SCS), 1 at Summerside boardwalk on Feb. 23 (SRa), 6 at Mont Carmel on Feb. 24 (JFJ), 1 at South Melville on Feb. 24 (RA), 6 at Georgetown Royalty on Feb. 24 (SCS), 3 at St. Charles Road on Feb. 25 (JGM), 6 at Noonan’s Marsh on Feb. 25 (RA), 2 at Mont Carmel on Feb. 25 & 8 on Mar. 21 (JFJ), 1 on Donagh Road on Feb. 25 & 12 feeding on Mt. Ash berries at Donagh on Feb. 28 (JDM), 1 on lawn in Stratford on Mar. 11 (FRC), 8 at Hyde Park on Mar. 14 (RP), 3 at Linkletter on Mar. 17 (DRM), 10 at Tryon on Mar. 18 (RA), 15 in Stratford on Mar. 19 (RP), 50 feeding on high bush cranberry at Sherwood on Mar. 24 (RP), 30 at Point Prim on Mar. 25 (FdB); Northern Mockingbird - 1 at Charlottetown on Feb. 16 (BR); European Starling - 250 at Hillsborough Bridge on Jan. 2 (FdB), 350 at Earnscliffe on Feb. 23 (FdB) & 1,000 on Feb. 29 (VB); Bohemian Waxwing - 7 at Monticello on Feb. 22 (JGM), 1 at Mont Carmel on Feb. 24 (JFJ); Cedar Waxwing - 11 at Comm East Point on Jan. 3 (RP), 6 at East Lake on Jan. 18 (SCS), 6 at Keppock on Feb. 23, 7 on Mar. 18 & 23 eating holly berries on Mar. 21 (MAM), 1 at Tea Hill Trails on Mar. 5 & 7 on Mar. 18 (FdB), 8 at China Point on Mar. 15 (DRM), 8 at Cotton Park in Stratford on Mar. 23 (FRC), 28 eating highbush cranberry at Tea Hill on Mar. 23 & 42 on Mar. 24 (FdB), 18 feeding on high bush cranberry at Sherwood on Mar. 24 (RP); House Sparrow - 3 at Winsloe South on Dec. 30 & 2 on Jan. 12 (DEJ), 7 at St. Eleanor’s on Jan. 4 (DRM), 1 at Read’s Corner on Jan. 16 (DRM), 5 at Riverview Estates on Feb. 14 (SSt), 3 at Hyde Park on Feb. 16 (SK), 2 at Tim’s in Sherwood on Mar. 13 (RP), 3 at Ellen’s Creek on Mar.

24 15 (VB); Evening Grosbeak - female at Milltown Cross on Feb. 4 (DMur); Pine Grosbeak - 9 at Linkletter on Jan. 4 (DRM), at Murray Harbour North on Jan. 8 (DH), 2 at Charlottetown on Feb. 18 (SH), 1 at Mont Carmel on Feb. 25 (JFJ), male & female at St. Charles on Mar. 18 (JGM); Purple Finch - 3 at Tea Hill feeders on Jan. 1 & 1 on Mar. 23 (FdB), 5 at Comm East Point on Jan. 3 (RP), male at Murray Harbour North on Jan. 23 (DH), 1 at Montague on Jan. 31 (RP), 2 at Stratford on Feb. 13 (LM), 5 at Cornwall on Feb. 15 (JG), 1 at Hazelbrook on Feb. 17 (TJ), 1 at Winsloe South on Mar. 13 (DEJ), couple at Reeve’s Estates feeders ~ Mar. 18 (DO), male at Donagh on Mar. 22 (JDM), 2 at Elmwood on Mar. 24 (BJ), 8 at Tea Hill on Mar. 24 (FdB), 2 males & female at Horne Cross Road on Mar. 25 (VB), 4 at Elmwood on Mar. 25 (BJ), 5 at South Melville on Mar. 27 (RA), 4 at Tea Hill on Mar. 27 (FdB); Common Redpoll - 11 at Comm East Point on Jan. 3 (RP); White-winged Crossbill - 12 at Tea Hill trails on Dec. 29 (FdB), 11 at Camp Tamawaby & 11 at Chelton on Jan. 4 (DRM), 1 at Mont Carmel on Feb. 25 (JFJ); Pine Siskin - 1 at Tea Hill on Mar. 24 (FdB); American Goldfinch - 16 at Horne’s Cross Road feeders on Dec. 29 (VB), 16 at Rocky Point feeders on Jan. 10 (LD), 15 at Donagh feeders on Jan. 16 (JDM), 50 at Sherwood feeders on Jan. 9 (RP), 50 at Stratford on Feb. 13 (LM), 40 at Lower Rollo Bay on Feb. 14 (SD), 12 at Green Bay on Feb. 17 (JW), 28 at Mont Carmel on Feb. 24 (JFJ); Lapland Longspur - 1 at Lower Malpeque on Jan. 18 (DRM), at China Point corn field on Jan. 21 (DMur), 5 on Jan. 27 (RP), 11 on Feb. 3 (DRM), & 3 on Mar. 14 (RP), 3 on Hamilton Road on Jan. 25 (DRM), 20 at China Point-Earnscliffe on Feb. 22 (LM, JMacC) & 45 on Feb. 29 (VB), 1 at China Point on Feb. 23 (FdB) & 12 on Mar. 15 (FdB, DRM), 1 at North Lake on Mar. 8 (SCS); Snow Bunting - 9 at Borden on Jan. 4 (DRM), 200 at Elmsdale on Jan. 10 (DEJ), 6 at Blooming Point on Jan. 13 (BAM), 40 at Pisquid (MacKinnon’s Pt Rd) on Jan. 8 and increased to 120 on Jan. 22 (DLM), 9 at East Lake on Jan. 18 (SCS), 265 at Traveller’s Rest on Jan. 22 (DRM), 30 at Earnscliffe on Jan. 26 (SGC), 90 on Feb. 3 (DRM), 1 on Feb. 29 (VB), 20 on Mar. 6 (RP), & 250 on Mar. 15 (BAM), 50 to 60 at Nine Mile Creek in late Jan-early Feb (VD), ~25 at Alexandra on Feb. 5 (LM, JMacC), 8 on Confed Bridge railing on Feb. 13 (BJ), 2 at Anglo Tignish on Feb. 14 (DG), 20 at North Wiltshire on Feb. 15 & 32 on Feb. 16 (AMu), Borden on Feb. 25 (RA), 30 at Souris River on Feb. 28 (BAM), 5 at North Lake on Mar. 8 (SCS), 20 at Mont Carmel on Mar. 21 (JFJ), 25 at Malpeque on Mar. 28 (RP); Fox Sparrow - 1 at Murray Harbour feeders on Mar. 23 (DH), 1 at Launching on Mar. 28 (JAl), 1 at Kinlock on Mar. 29 (MAM), first of season in Donagh on Mar. 30 (JDM); American Tree Sparrow - 3 at Summerside Boardwalk & 1 at Chelton on Jan. 4 (DRM) & 4 on Feb. 23 (SRa), 1 at Rocky Point feeders on Jan. 10 (LD), up to 8 most days at Donagh feeders in mid Jan. (JDM), 2 at Mount Stewart feeders on Jan. 10 (RP), 7 at Summerside Boardwalk on Jan. 11, 5 on Jan. 16, 7 on Jan. 25, 2 on Mar. 6 (DRM), 7 on road edge feeding in white spruce tops heavily laden with cones on Feb. 1 (JDM), 1 at Anglo Rustico on Feb. 14 & Feb. 17 (SCor), at Murray Harbour North on Mar. 14 (DH); Dark-eyed Junco - 12 at Horne’s Cross Road feeders on Dec. 29, 13 on Mar. 1 & 7 on Mar. 23 (VB), 32 at Grand Pere Road on Jan. 3 (FdB, SCS), 6 at Camp Tamawaby on Jan. 4 (DRM), 24 at Rocky Point feeders on Jan. 10 (LD), 1 at Summerside Boardwalk on Jan. 11 (DRM), 6 at Kinlock feeders on Jan. 12 (MAM), 14 at South Melville on Jan. 14 & 13 on Jan. 21 (RA), 5 at Lower Malpeque on Jan. 18 (DRM), 4 at Vernon River on Jan. 24 (DK), 10 at Anglo Rustico on Feb. 14 & 20 on Feb. 16 (SCor), 14 at South Melville on Feb. 14 & 7 on Mar. 1 (RA), 4 at Anglo Tignish on Feb. 14 (DG), 25 at North Wiltshire on Feb. 15 & 45 on Feb. 16 (AMu), 2 at Riverview Estates on Feb. 15 (FD); White-crowned Sparrow - 1 at Murray Harbour North on Mar. 14 (DH); White-throated Sparrow - 1 at Camp Tamawaby on Jan. 4 (DRM), 1 at Rocky Point feeders on Jan. 10 (LD), 2 at South Melville feeder on Jan. 13, 3 on Jan. 14, 1 on Jan. 21, Feb. 14 & Mar. 1 (RA), 1 at Murray Harbour North on Jan. 14 (DH), 2 at Rennie’s Road on Jan. 18 (TS), 1 at Hunter River on Mar. 18 (TS); Savannah Sparrow - see CBC report; Song Sparrow - 1 at Winsloe South on Dec. 30 & 2 on Jan. 12 (DEJ), 1 at Sherwood feeders on Jan. 1, 1 on Jan. 9, 1 on Jan. 14 & 2 on Jan. 19 (RP), 1 at Camp Tamawaby, 2 at Summerside Boardwalk & 2 at Chelton on Jan. 4 (DRM), 1 at Charlottetown on Jan. 4 (BR), 1 at Georgetown Royalty on Jan. 10 (SCS), 1 at Summerside Boardwalk on Jan. 11, 2 on Jan. 16, 1 on Jan. 25, 1 on Mar. 6 (DRM), 2 at Lower Malpeque on Jan. 18 (DRM), 1 at Vernon River on Jan. 23 & 24 (DK), singing in Sherwood on Feb. 19 (RP) & Feb. 25 in Charlottetown (DGM), 2 at Anglo Rustico on Feb. 14 (SCor), 5 at Hyde Park on Feb. 16 (SK), Male Northern Cardinal at Montague on Feb. 20, 2020 6 at Mont Carmel on Mar. 29 (JFJ), started singing at Launching on Dale Murchison Photo Mar. 28 (JAl), ; Red-winged Blackbird - 20 at Donagh grain corn field stubble on Jan. 14 (JDM), 1 at Horne Cross Road on Mar. 1 (VB), 4 at Winsloe South on Mar. 14 (DEJ), 5 at Hyde Park on Mar. 14 (RP), 2 arrived with a Common Grackle at Monticello feeder on Mar. 14 (JGM) & 4 on Mar. 18 (JGM), 3 at Georgetown Royalty on Mar. 16 (SCS), back at Launching on Mar. 28 (JAl), 5 at Linkletter on Mar. 17 (DRM), 2 at South Melville on Mar. 19 (RA), 10 at Vernon River on Mar. 20 (DK), 1 at Mont Carmel on Mar. 21 (JFJ), 6 at Horne Cross Road on Mar. 23 (VB), 30 at China Point wetland on Mar. 23 (FdB); Brown-headed Cowbird - 6 at North Wiltshire on Feb. 15 & 15

25 on Feb. 16 (AMu), 7 at Montague on Feb. 22 (RP), 2 at Rusticoville on Mar. 14 (DRM), 15 to 20 regularly at Reeve’s Estates in Mar. (DO), male at Crapaud on Mar. 29 (DD); Common Grackle - 1 at Sherwood feeders on Jan. 1 & 1 on Jan. 19 (RP), 1 still present at Rocky Point feeders on Jan. 10 (LD), 1 at Sherwood on Feb. 14 (KH), 1 at Cornwall on Feb. 15 (JG), 3 at Winsloe South on Mar. 14 (DEJ), marauding group at West Royalty feeders on Mar. 14 with single male Red-winged Blackbird (DCS), 5 at Hyde Park on Mar, 14 (RP), 2 at Horne Cross Road on Mar. 14 & 4 on Mar. 23 (VB), 7 at Cavendish on Mar. 14 (DRM), back at Launching on Mar. 28 & started singing on Mar. 29 (JAl), 3 at Linkletter on Mar. 17 (DRM), 12 at Tea Hill Trails on Mar. 18 & 20 on Mar. 19 (FdB), 4 at South Melville on Mar. 19 (RA), 2 at Mont Carmel on Mar. 21 (JFJ), 30 in driveway at Monticello on Mar. 23 (JGM); Yellow-rumped Warbler - 2 at Wright’s Creek on Jan. 31 (NW); Northern Cardinal - male periodically at Montague feeder from October to Jan. (EMc via Eastern Graphic Jan 15, 2020 issue), male at Chelton feeders in Dec.-Jan. (VB, DRM), male & female at Abram’s Village on Jan. 18 (RAr), 1 at North Carleton on Feb. 14 (CC), male photographed at Montague Feb. 20 (DMur) & Feb. 22 (RP).

Thanks to the following contributors who provided records for this listing, namely: JAl - Judi Allen; RA - Ron Arvidson; RAr - Roger Arsenault via BPEI; VB - Vanessa Bonnyman; WFB - Bill Bowerbank; CC - Crystal Cromwell via Ebird Canada; EC- Elwood Coakes; FRC - Rosemary Curley; JCr - James Crosby; RC- Ray Cooke; RCa - Ronelda Cahill via BPEI; SGC - Sharon Clark; SCo - Shelagh Connors; SCor - Susan Corrigan via Ebird Canada; BD - Billy Dockendorff; BDi - Betty Dingwell via Ebird Canada; BPEI - Birding on PEI Facbook or BPEI/Nature PEI Field Trip; FdB - Fiep de Bie; DD - Daphne Davey; FD - Francine Desmeules; LD - Lois Doan; LJD - Lou Daley; SD - Sarah Deveau via BPEI; VD - Victoria Doan; CE - Cindy Esau via Ebird Canada; BFA - Betty Lou Frizzell Abbott via BPEI; IF - Isabel Fitzpatrick; W&SF - Warren & Sherron Foulkes; CRFG - CRF Gordon; DFG - Diane Griffin; DG - Donna Gaudet via BPEI; JG - John Gibson via Ebird Canada; KG - Kate Gordon; RGa - Robert Gay; BH - Ben Hoteling; BJH - Bonnie Hayden; DH - Debbie Hill via BPEI; JH - John Hayden; JHa - Jane Hanlon via BPEI; KH - Keisha Holmes via Ebird Canada; RWH - Robert Harding; SH - Spencer Haakman; BJ - Bill Jamieson; CJ - Carla Johnston via BPEI; DEJ - Don Jardine via Ebird Canada; JFJ - Jean-François Jetté via Ebird Canada; DK - Dan Kennedy; GK - Glen Kelly; SK - Sandra King via Ebird Canada; TJ - Tracy Jenkins via Ebird Canada; BL - Barbara Lundrigan via Ebird Canada; JL - John LeLacheur; A&PM - Arlene & Paul McGuigan; AMu - Anne Muckle via Ebird Canada); BAM - Brett MacKinnon; BMcI - Brian McInnis; D&GM - Don & Glenda McLelland; DGM - Gerald MacDougall; DLM - Dave McRuer; DRM - Donna Martin; DMur - Dale Murchison; EM - Evelyn Martin; EMc - Edna McMaster via Eastern Graphic, Jan. 15, 2020 p1); FM - Finton MacKinnon via BPEI: JDM - Dan McAskill; JGM - Gerald MacDonald; JMacC - Jill MacCormack; JMacL - Janelle MacLeod via BPEI; KMcK - Ken McKenna; LM - Lucas MacCormack; LM-F - Linda Matheson-Ford via BPEI; MAM - Melanie McCarthy via Ebird Canada; NM - Nicole Murtagh; RM - Richard Macphee via BPEI; SM - Shannon MacDonald via BPEI; DO - Dwaine Oakley; RC - Ray Cooke; BPr - Betty Pryor; DP - David Power via BPEI; PEINP - PEI National Park; RP - Robert Palmer via Ebird Canada; SP - Shirley Prowse; BR - Brian Rolek via Ebird Canada; CR - Clarence Ryan; ERT - Erin C. Robertson-Tippett via BPEI; JCR - Jayden Codi Ryder-Clements vi BPEI; SRa - Sarah Rainsberger via Ebird Canada; ASm - Ardeth Smith; DC&ES - David & Elaine Seeler; HAS - Art Smith; IS - Ian Scott; SCS - Scott Sinclair; SSt - Sheila Stapleton via Ebird Canada; TS - Tony Simmonds via Ebird Canada; VSB - Victoria Scott Burton; PVB - Peter Vanden Broek; AW - Anne Wootton; BW - Brenda Whiteway; JW - Jackie Waddell; JWa - Jean Watts; NW - Nicola Ware via Ebird Canada; WCT - Wildlife Snow Fleas at Reeves Estates on Mar. 25, 2020 Conservation Technology Class; LY - Lorne Yeo; and JLZ - Dwaine Oakley Photo Julie-Lynn Zahavich.

26 Snow Fleas at Reeves Estates Blue Jellyskin Lichen at St. Theresa’s Feb. 22, 2020 Dwaine Oakley Photo Robert Harding Photo

Concentric Boulder Mammals of Prince Edward Island and Adjacent Marine Lichen at Summerville Robert Harding Photo Waters Book Signing at Carriage House Dec. 3, 2019

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

Nature PEI’s monthly programs as well as many other activities have been suspended because of the Island’s Public Health Orders respecting the COVID-19 pandemic. During the COVID restrictions for stay at home, you can assist birds by posting your observations to Ebird Canada!

May 9 - Global Big Bird Day / International Migratory Bird Day - Count birds and post your findings to Ebird Canada. Jun. 8 - World Oceans Day & World Oceans Week Jun. 1st to 8th - Please take some time to plan and implement a family event to help conserve our shores. Jun. 14 - Canadian Rivers Day - A great day to celebrate our rivers and their watershed. Help by planting a tree or shrub on your property, clean-up a section of a riverside trail, or another river enhancement activity.

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