ISLAND NATURALIST NATURE PEI CELEBRATED ITS 50th ANNIVERSARY IN 2019
SOME HIGHLIGHTS ISSUE # 234 APR - JUN, 2020
• Nature PEI News; • Alewife Floater Discovered; • Forest Wolf Spider Found; • Hairy Woodpecker; • UPEI Graduate Scholarship in Science Awarded; • 2020 Fly Collections; • Red-bellied Snake; • Tree Swallow; • Valuable Records - E. Coakes Collection; • Flicker Excavation; • PEI Lichen Emblem • Non-fiction Book Award; • Island Naturalist Online; • News from About; • Bain Bird Count; • Cormorant Nests on Hillsborough Piers • Weather Events; • Great sightings: Hairless Chipmunk, Brant, Eurasian Wigeon; Ruddy Duck, Harlequin Duck, Common Nighthawk, Virginia Rail, Black-crowned Night Heron, Black Vulture, Broad-winged Hawk, Brown Thrasher, House Finch, Orchard Oriole, & Northern Cardinal; • Environmental Calendar. Which one can sting you? NATURE PEI - NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND P.O. BOX 2346, CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI C1A 8C1
Meetings are normally 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 Sept. 10, 2020.
Pictures: Thanks to Hélène Blanchet, Vanessa Bonnyman, Don Cheverie, Sharon Clark, Barry Cottam, Rosemary Curley, Kimberly Dawn, Daphne Davey, Elizabeth Deblois, Victoria Doan, Isabel Fitzpatrick, Bob Harding, John Klymko; Kassandra Lynn, Jeanne Maki, Donna Martin, Anna MacDonald, Brett MacKinnon, Troy McMullin, Dale Murchison, Nicole Murtagh, Nellissa Stalenhoef, N.B. Museum, Roberta Palmer, and John te Raa for their photos. 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 and these funds are used to further the Society’s work.
Cover Illustration: Hard to see in the photos, but wasps have two pairs of wings, whereas flies only have one. Also notice that the wasp has a very narrow waist (the connection between the thorax and abdomen; an adaptation that allows the abdomen more range of motion - handy when you're trying to deliver a sting), whereas the fly has a thicker waist. See article on flies on page 6 (John Klymko)
2 NATURE PEI NEWS: By Barbara Dylla
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic announcement on March 11, and the first confirmed case on Prince Edward Island on March 14, programs planned for the spring months were suspended and no meetings will be held until the restrictions on public gatherings related are lifted by the Chief Public Health Officer. Nevertheless, the Executive Council remained busy with a range of nature advocacy activities and initiatives related to its mandate.
C PEI Science Fair: This event, scheduled for April 1st at the University of Prince Edward Island, was cancelled because of COVID-19. It will be held again in 2021. Nature PEI’s 2020 contribution to the prize fund will be retained for te 2021 PEI Science Fair. C Provincial lichen emblem: Voting for an official lichen emblem for PEI began on April 11 on Nature PEI’s website and by mail. The results are provided in an article on page 9. A manuscript on a national lichen symbols for Canada will be submitted to the Canadian Field-Naturalist. C Deer fly, horse fly and flower fly collections: Nature PEI purchased 2000 entomological pins for a summer insect collecting project involving and flower flies, deer flies, and horse flies. This citizen science project is being led by John Klymko, zoologist at the Atlantic Canada Conservation Data Centre (see article on page 6). C Revocation of land in Royalty Oaks Natural Area: In response to the Government of PEI’s request for comments on the proposed destruction of part of the designated Royalty Oaks Natural Area in Charlottetown (East Royalty), Nature PEI submitted comments objecting to this proposal to the Natural Areas Protection Act Technical Advisory Committee on May 21st. It also sent these comments to the Guardian (published as a Guest Opinion: Protect Royalty Oaks Natural Area on May 29th and the Eastern Graphic “Province must ramp up protection of natural areas” on May 28th. C House Spiders: Nature PEI executive member Robert Harding stared top billing with Charlottetown resident Keith Burgoyne on May 24 on CBC’s Morning Show about finding spiders indoors (https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-barn-funnel-weaver-spider-1.5580261 C 2020 Bain Bird Count: With accommodation for physical distancing and other measures, Nature PEI’s Bain Bird Count was held on May 30th. See article on page 11. C PEI Forested Landscape Priority Place for Species at Risk Webinar: Nature PEI participated in this May 21st webinar.
DISCOVERY OF THE FRESHWATER MUSSEL, ALEWIFE FLOATER (Utterbackiana implicata) ON PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND: By Rosemary Curley, Annie Paquet and Mary Sollows
Until recently, only two species of freshwater mussels were known from Prince Edward Island. Clarke (1981) recorded the Eastern Pearlshell (Margaritifera margaritifera), also known as the Pearl Mussel, and the Eastern Floater (Pyganodon cataracta). The current status of Eastern Pearlshell is critically imperiled on PEI, while the Eastern Floater is considered to be secure (CESCC 2016). Kate Bredin, who worked in the Atlantic Canada Conservation Data Centre in 2005, strongly suspected that another mussel, the Alewife Floater (Utterbackiana implicata, formerly Anodonta implicata) was overlooked in PEI. Nevertheless, its documented Canadian distribution is restricted to Nova Scotia, New Brunswick (NB) and Quebec (QC) where the population is fragmented in the St. Lawrence River and a few of its tributaries (Paquet et al. 2018). The species is in the process of being designated under Quebec's Loi sur les espèces menaces ou vulnérables (Species at Risk Act). The life cycle of unionid bivalves is dependent on fish, with the larval mussel, known as a glochidium, spending part of its life on the gills, body or fins of a fish to develop. Each species of freshwater mussel has its specific fish host(s). The Alewife Floater is known to parasitize the Alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus), the Blue-backed Herring (Alosa aestivalis) and the American Shad (Alosa sapidissima). Glochidia develop further in the host, and then drop off wherever the fish host is located to begin their juvenile lives. Interestingly, Alewives occur in the Restigouche and Kedgwick Rivers in NB-QC and in the Matapédia River in QC, but the Alewife Floater has not been documented in those rivers so far. Few surveys has been conducted in these rivers and further
3 investigation is needed (Martel et al 2010; Paquet et al 2018). On September 5, 2018, we visited several locations in Kings County to search for the Eastern Pearlshell, and learn to evaluate the quality of its habitat with Juergen Geist of the Technical University of Munich (Geist and Auerswald 2007). We first stopped at the Midgell River downstream of Pius MacDonald's Pond in Southampton. Immediately below the pond weir and fishway (coordinates 46.359306, -62.592100), Annie Paquet located a shell that was quickly identified by both Annie Paquet and Mary Sollows as the Alewife Floater. Additional empty shells plus one live specimen were collected and deposited in the New Brunswick Museum (NBM- 010232) (Figures 1, 2 and 3). Tissue samples were collected from the live Alewife Floater Fig. 1 Alewife Floater specimens collected September 5, 2018 and also deposited in the frozen tissue collection of the and deposited at the New Brunswick Museum. The 4 valves on Museum (NBMT-MOL- 10232) (Figures 1, 2 and 3). the left were collected along the NE edge of Pius MacDonald’s Pond in Southampton above the pond weir and fish ladder. The One weathered incomplete valve is retained at Quebec 8 valves on the right were collected downstream in the Midgell ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs. The River. substrate in this area of the Midgell River was very rocky with areas of sand, silt and gravel. Additional empty, damaged shells were collected above the pond weir and fishway from the vegetation along the nearby pond edge (NBM- 010232) (Figures 1 and 4). No other living specimens were found during this quick search. The Alewife Floater is a medium to large mussel with a shell length of 100-165 mm. It has an elongated elliptical shape and is laterally inflated. The inside of the shell is characterized by the absence of teeth, as in the Eastern Floater, but the ventral margin of the Alewife Floater shell is thicker at the anterior (rounded) end and thinner at the posterior (pointed) end. The inside surface of the shell (nacre) is usually pale copper, salmon, pinkish or purplish, and often is an amalgam of several colours (Fig. 3). Its outer surface (periostrachum) is smooth with prominent growth rings and can be yellowish-brown, reddish-brown, brown, or black (Figures 1 and 4). Adults tend to become darker with age. We next visited the Naufrage River where we recorded the Eastern Pearlshell in good Fig. 2 Alewife floater (Utterbackiana quantities, in riffle implicata) shells with 2 vials of tissue habitat at very low samples collected below the pond weir water. It was also seen and fish ladder in the Midgell River on at our last stop, the September 5, 2018. Morell River, where a previous sample of that mussel was included in a wider genetic study of the species (Zanatta et al. 2018). Thus the number of known freshwater mussel species on PEI was increased by 50% in one day, and the Alewife Floater occupation of the Midgell River watershed extends its Fig. 3 Alewife floater collected in the Midgell River overall range in Canada. More searches for this species are showing the absence of hinge teeth, the thickening of the needed to determine its range in PEI. ventral margin and remaining dried yellow tissue where the adductor muscles were located.
4 Literature Cited:
Canadian Endangered Species Conservation Council (CESCC). 2016. Wild Species 2015: The General Status of Species in Canada. National General Status Working Group: 128 pp. Available in French under title: Conseil canadien pour la conservation des espèces en péril. 2016. Espèces sauvages 2015: la situation générale des espèces au Canada. Groupe de travail national sur la situation générale: 128 pp. This and other semi-decadal reports with databases are available online at: https://www.wildspecies.ca/reports also available in French at: https://www.wildspecies.ca/fr/rapports Clarke, Arthur H. 1981. The Freshwater Molluscs of Canada. National Museums of Canada, online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/132376#/s Fig. 4 Alewife floater shells collected along the NE edge of ummary the pond above the above the pond weir and fish ladder French version online at: September 5, 2018. https://ia800603.us.archive.org/25/items/mollusquesdquot00 clar/mollusquesdquot00clar.pdf Geist, Juergen and Karl Auerswald. 2007. Physicochemical stream bed characteristics and recruitment of the freshwater pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera), Freshwater Biology 52: 2299-2319. Online at: https://scholar.google.co.kr/citations?user=xt2V4zwAAAAJ&hl=en Martel, Andre L., Donald F. McAlpine, Jacqueline Madill, Dwayne Sabine, Annie Paquet, Mark Pulsifer and Mark Elderkin. 2010. Pp. 551-598. Freshwater Mussels (Bivalvia: Margaritiferidae, Unionidae) of the Atlantic Maritime Ecozone. In D.F. McAlpine and I.M. Smith (eds.). Assessment of Species Diversity in the Atlantic Maritime Ecozone. NRC Research Press, National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, ON. 785 pp. Online at: https://www.nbm-mnb.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/AMEChapter27Freshwatermussels.pdf Paquet, Annie, Nathalie Desrosiers et Andre. L. Martel.2018. Rapport sur la situation de l'anodonte du gaspareau (Anodonta implicata) au Québec, ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs, Direction générale de la gestion de la faune et des habitats, 54 p. Online at: https://mffp.gouv.qc.ca/documents/faune/rapport-situation-anodonte-du-gaspareau.pdf Zanatta, David T., Bernhard C. Stoeckle, Kentaro Inoue, Annie Paquet, André L. Martel, Ralph Kuehn, and Juergen Geist. 2018. High genetic diversity and low differentiation in North American Margaritifera margaritifera (Bivalvia: Unionida: Margaritiferidae). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 123(4): 850-863. Online at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322447297_High genetic_diversity_and_low_differentiation_in_North_American_Margaritifera_margaritifera_Bivalvia_Unionida_Margaritiferidae
FOREST WOLF SPIDER, Hogna frondicola: By Barry Cottam
Discoveries in nature are often the result of chance, happening to be in the right place at the right time, or glancing in a particular direction just as something interesting comes into view. Both bits of luck were operating while we were out on the Boughton River Trail on April 24, 2020. A patch of reindeer lichen caught our eye and we stopped for a closer look. While trying to figure out whether we were seeing one or two species of lichen, a rather large ground spider appeared and, as spiders will when they realize they have been noticed, stopped long enough for a photo op. The result was the photo here of the Forest Wolf Spider, Hogna frondicola, a new PEI record not included in the study recently published in The Canadian Field-Naturalist reporting on Nature PEI’s citizen science project of 2014. I missed out on the project, which more than doubled the number of species known on the Island to 134, but this note is a reminder that such projects can never be truly complete. It’s worthwhile First record of Forest Wolf Spider at Boughton River continuing to note observations of spiders – not to mention other on Apr. 24 2020 Barry Cottam photo animals! – in the chance that you may have found yet another new species.
5 HAIRY WOODPECKER, Leuconotopicus villosus, AND NEST: By Barry Cottam
Woodpeckers tend to be noisy birds, but the racket we heard on Elm Road on June 5th forced us to back up and check it out. The loud chatter was almost continuous as the bird, which eventually came into view as a Hairy Woodpecker, flew rapidly from tree to tree, one side of the road to the other, back and forth. After several minutes, we realized it was lighting most frequently on a snag just a few short feet from a second tree, a poplar, to which it went from time to time. And that’s when we realized it was feeding its nestlings. We could barely hear their cheeps when food arrived, and I could get a shot or two of the opening, about 35 feet up, but not of the little ones. The adult making all the noise and doing all the work was a male, no sign of a female in the 20 minutes or so we spent watching. So what does that mean? Was it his shift? The parents share feeding and brooding their young, so the female may have been on the nest. But why the agitated calls? Was she no longer around? Several species of raptors prey on the adults, so that’s a possibility. As well, this Hairy Woodpecker tending nest in poplar at bird’s behaviour was more characteristic of the female during nesting Elm Road on Jun. 5, 2020 season. If she was gone, then perhaps he was stressed from filling both Barry Cottam photo roles. We returned to the site on June 10th at about the same time of day but had neither sight nor sound of the woodpecker or its family.
UPEI GRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP AWARDED:
The Daryl Guignion and Ian MacQuarrie Graduate Scholarship in Science at UPEI for 2019-20 was recently awarded to Kassandra Devon Lynn to support her Faculty of Biology, Masters of Science research. Her current project involves amphipods (sand hoppers) that inhabit PEI’s north shore sandy beaches. These amphipods are an important link in the food chain connecting primary producers such as plants to top consumers such as shorebirds. She has been surveying beaches to ascertain what species are present as well as conducting laboratory experiments to see the effect of light pollution and other human interference on these creatures. Since the endangered Piping Plover is a consumer of the amphipods, it’s important we don’t disrupt their habitat and take away a food source for the plovers. Her research is being supervised by Dr. Pedro Quijon, a Professor of Biology at UPEI. Her goal is to work as a Marine Biologist either with the government or with a private company where she can directly impact the use of our environment and hopefully work towards being a more sustainable society living in harmony with (not just taking over) our planet. The Daryl Guignion and Ian MacQuarrie Graduate Scholarship in Science at UPEI was created in October, 2013 to support a first year Master of Science student who will conduct research focused on ecology and wildlife at the University of Prince Edward Island. This named scholarship is based on the interest from fund-raised donations and provides a perpetual endowment towards wildlife conservation on the Island and adds to our wildlife knowledge base. The inaugural award of the Guignion-MacQuarrie Graduate Scholarship was made in 2016-17. So far, $49,485 of the goal to raise a minimum of $60,000 has been achieved. You may assist us in achieving this goal by making one or more contributions to this scholarship fund. Should you wish to donate and therefore support graduate student wildlife and ecology research on PEI, please make your cheque(s) payable to UPEI, and note on the memo line that it is for the ‘Guignion – MacQuarrie Amphipod (Americorchestia longicornis) at Scholarship.’ If you prefer, pledges, can be made through Sonia Covehead beach. Kassandra Lynn photo O’Connor ([email protected] or 894-2888) or online at UPEI noting that it is for the ‘Guignion – MacQuarrie Scholarship.’
6 FLY COLLECTORS: THE 2020 SEASON IS HERE! By Rosemary Curley
Flies (Diptera) are one of the most diverse groups of insects, rivalling beetles in the number of species that occur in Canada. However, little is known about the distribution of most fly species, especially on Prince Edward Island and this is an appealing citizen science project. Two groups of flies that can be found with ease on PEI are flower flies (family Syrphidae) and deer and horse flies (family Tabanidae). Flower flies are best known for their resemblance to bees and wasps, such as Sphecomyia vittata, a remarkable mimic of a yellow jacket. Flower flies are important pollinators that have been relatively well surveyed in the Maritimes - some 230 species have been documented. There are 81 known from PEI, 39 of which were first documented by Nature PEI members, mostly during surveys in 2017 and 2018. It is likely that 50 or more could be added to the provincial list with more surveying. Deer and horse flies can be hard to ignore in summer, given their painful bites and insistence in delivering them. Naturalists can take some solace in their beauty and diversity, and the general public in the importance of these flies in the food chain. Deer and horse fly larvae are aquatic, where they are predators of other insects (this likely includes mosquito larvae) and are themselves a food source for fish. Sixty-six species of deer and horse fly have been documented in the Maritime provinces, but to date only 22 have been found on PEI. It is expected that at least 15 additional species occur here awaiting discovery. You can contribute to expanding what is known about PEI's fly fauna by collecting flower fly and deer and horsefly specimens in the spring and summer of 2020. All specimens will be sent to project leader John Klymko, zoologist at the Atlantic Canada Conservation Data Centre. He will identify all material collected, and deposit the specimens in the permanent collection at the New Brunswick Museum. PEI information eventually will be added to a national data base “Wild Species.ca” Nature PEI recommends this project as it will be easy to practice physical distancing while collecting flies. For more information and equipment (entomological pins are now in stock),please contact Rosemary Curley [email protected]
Note: Front cover - the lower photo is "Sphecomyia vittata. This flower fly is a yellow jacket mimic. It has been found in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia and may occur on PEI".
Horsefly Tabanidea novascotiaeae Eristalinus aenus - a stunning flower fly first documented on PEI by at Southampton PE Sept. 2018 Donna Martin in 2008 in Summerside. Rosemary Curley photo
7 RED-BELLIED SNAKE, Storeria occipitomaculata: By Barry Cottam
I spend a lot of time outdoors, camera in hand, looking for insects and spiders and other creatures around our place in Corraville. We have a large patch of raspberry that years ago took over the site of a farm outbuilding. While leopard frogs are seen quite frequently and spotted salamanders occasionally – 2019 was a banner year – I had never seen a snake on the property until June 3. We have been making a path through the raspberry patch and I was on it to see what I could see. An old piece of hose merited further inspection – and turned out to be a small snake, tucked in among last year’s canes. A couple of shots, a step back to check them – and the snake was gone so silently and completely it was hard to believe it had been there. Identification was easy – according to the MacPhail’s Woods website, only three species of snake are found on PEI. The only possibility for mine was the Red-bellied, an identification confirmed on iNaturalist, https://inaturalist.ca/observations/48333873.
TREE SWALLOWS, Tachycineta bicolor: By Barry Cottam
Inspired by seeing boxes and birds where our local road joins the highway to Souris and Montague, we decided to build and put up a couple of boxes in a field we’re encouraging to restore to a more natural state. We were inspired by seeing boxes and birds where our local road joins the highway to Souris and Montague. The boxes went up on May 27th to speculation that if we had expressions of interest next summer we’d be lucky. Didn’t need to wait that long – the very next day, a pair of Tree Swallows parked on the power line overlooking the field and after giving our boxes a good look, decided to check them out. They are still around, chattering away as they swoop and wheel about for insects. We’re not sure if they are nesting, but it does seem hopeful. And now hopefully you too will be inspired! Tree Swallows at new nest box at Corraville. Barry Cottam photo
CITIZEN SCIENCE IN ACTION: by Robert W. Harding VALUABLE RECORDS FROM AN OLD COLLECTION:
Recently, I was fortunate to review a collection of insects brought to me by Elwood Coakes. He had three boxes of pinned specimens containing mostly moths, but also butterflies and even some beetles. They were properly labelled with date and location – and most had been collected from across PEI more than 20 years ago. While they were faded with age and many were broken (common with old insect collections), I was pleased to be able to identify most of them - over 60 - to species, including some species that I had never seen before. I took photos and posted Elwood’s records to iNaturalist.ca to ensure this valuable data would be on the record for future reference. This is an excellent example of citizen science in action: old natural history records have often been lost because it has been difficult for biologists to access them, or even know these collections exist. Fortunately there are tools available today, like iNaturalist, that make it much easier for non-scientists (‘citizens’) to add significantly to what we know about our natural world, and for scientists to access it. Indeed, Elwood’s collection includes some rarely-seen species, and these records are now available to researchers. Thanks to Elwood’s collecting – and most importantly, his labelling - we now have a much better understanding of Collecting sites for Elwood Coakes’ insects distribution of many of PEI’s insect species. referenced in this article, showing broad PEI coverage (Image from the iNaturalist.ca interface with Google Maps) Google and the Google logo are registered trademarks of Google LLC, used with permission.
8 FLICKER EXCAVATION: By Bruce Smith
I thought you might be interested. There is a competition in the woods behind our house in Morell. A Northern Flicker start digging out a hole in a partially dead poplar in our back yard at the edge of the woods in late April. The flicker was nice enough to start the hole facing our back door so we could easily see progress. When it left, a Hairy Woodpecker started working on the same hole. Yesterday we didn't see the flicker but the woodpecker had excavated enough to almost get its entire body into the hole; only it's tail stuck out. There was no sign of the flicker but we were away most of the afternoon, first a fire call then on the Confederation trail. This morning the flicker is back. I wonder which bird will eventually nest there?
PEI’S LICHEN EMBLEM NOMINEE IS: Adapted from Nature PEI May 4th Press Release
The Frayed Ramalina (Ramalina roesleri) is the clear winner in a poll to determine a lichen emblem for Prince Edward Island. Following a public campaign and an online and mail-in vote conducted by Nature PEI, it was the top choice indicated in 381 ballots cast. Voting closed on April 25th. (See www.naturepei.ca) This native species is recognized as a hardy Islander that will live up to its role as a provincial emblem. Frances Anderson, co-author of Common Lichens of Eastern North America says “I've always thought it was an amazing lichen - it can withstand the stress of being on the coast with salt and strong wind, but also likes more sheltered areas”. Nature PEI has forwarded the people’s lichen choice to Hon. Natalie Jameson, who, as Minister of Environment, Water and Climate Change, is responsible for wildlife. It is requested that she submit the Frayed Ramalina to the Legislature in a proposed amendment of the Provincial Emblems and Honours Act. If approved it could be among the first official lichen emblems in Canada. Lichen supporters in all Canadian provinces and territories are working toward their own lichen emblems, and a recent public vote in Canada determined that the Star-tipped Reindeer Lichen (Cladonia stellaris) was the choice of Canadians for a national lichen emblem. A designated lichen emblem of Prince Edward Island would stand alongside the existing provincial floral, avian, animal, sylvan (tree), and A young specimen of Frayed Ramalina soil emblems. The Lady’s at New Glasgow Slipper became the floral Robert Harding photo emblem in 1947 and the Blue Jay joined the family in 1977. The Red Oak was selected in 1987 and the Charlottetown Series was approved as the provincial soil in 1997. The Red Fox became an animal emblem in 2018. Frayed Ramalina Troy McMullin photo
ISLAND NATURALIST AND NHSPEI NEWSLETTER ONLINE:
A number of years ago, as part of a cooperative project between Nature PEI and UPEI Robertson Library staff, the old issues of the Natural History Society of Prince Edward Island’s newsletters were added to its collection. Robertson Library staff scanned these newsletters to enable searches of the various sightings and articles since the newsletter was created in the 1974. Recently the search engine was engaged and part of this collection (1974 to 2005) is now available online at https://islandnewspapers.ca/
9 MAMMALS OF PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND AND ADJACENT MARINE WATERS: NON-FICTION WINNER
The Prince Edward Island Book Awards are sponsored by the PEI Department of Education and Lifelong Learning. They are presented once every two years to recognize authors, editors and book producers in the categories of non-fiction, fiction, poetry, and children’s literature. On May 13th, 2020 Mammals of Prince Edward Island and Adjacent Marine Waters by Rosemary Curley, Pierre-Yves Daoust, Donald F. McAlpine, Kimberly Riehl, and J. Dan McAskill was short listed in the non-fiction category along with Listening for the Dead Bells: Highland Magic in Prince Edward Island by Marian Bruce and The Cove Journal: Life on the Island’s South Shore by JoDee Samuelson. An independent jury assessed the books for their content, quality of design, and production. On June 6th, in partnership with the PEI Writers’ Guild Island Literacy Awards, the awards were presented at an online event. Mammals of Prince Edward Island and Adjacent Marine Waters won the distinction for non-fiction.
NEWS FROM ABOUT: Compiled by Dan McAskill
Researchers at the University of Prince Edward Island are currently looking for volunteers to participate in "The Back 50 Project," an interactive mapping exercise about rural land use change on PEI over the past 50 years. If you’re interested in the history, land use, and environment of rural PEI and you know about a parcel in particular, please consider sharing your knowledge in our online mapping survey. The mapping exercise is available online through: www.upei.ca/back50 Participants will be asked to describe how land use changed on this land by comparing a current map with a map from 1968. Then, they will be asked to describe why they think land use changed and whether they observed any effects of these changes. The mapping exercise may take anywhere between one hour and four hours, depending on how many places the participant would like to map, and how many detailed stories the participant would like to share about the land. The survey will remain open until December 1, 2020. If you are interested in participating, you may follow the link provided above or contact the primary researcher, Dr. MacFadyen, to discuss any questions or concerns you may have, by email at [email protected] or by phone at 902-620-5142. (Adapted from Institute of Island Studies May-June News) The PEI Government began investigating a major liquid manure spill on June 3rd. By 7 pm, silt fences and three dams had been installed to stop the flow. At least 538 trout were collected near Irishtown for evidence along a 4 km stream segment leading into Cousin’s Pond on the North Shore. Provincial officials are also investigating whether this spill could be related to the discovery of dozens of dead gaspereau discovered at Cousin’s Shore beach on June 7th. (Adapted from PEI Justice and Safety news release of June 5 and CBC News articles on Jun. 5th and June 8th) On June 2nd, one day after the delayed oyster and quahog fishing season commenced, the fishery on the Hillsborough River off Stratford was closed by Department of Fisheries and Oceans. This was due to a failure of the Town to complete sludge removal from the Stratford Sewage Lagoon and high bacterial levels in the effluent from the lagoons. The closure could last 14 days and the season closes on July 15th. (Adapted from CBC News Rick Gills article, June 2, 2020) Barricades reduced vehicle flow Hillsborough Bridge deck and its approaches from Apr. 30th to Jun. 10th in preparation for the installation of the sewer line from Stratford to the Charlottetown Waste Management Plant. In response to concerns over social distancing needs for the COVID-19 pandemic, the Province of PEI cancelled the start of the recreational fishery for fin fish and bivalves. There was lots of public outcry. When the Province announced the multi-phased Renew PEI, Together strategy the recreational fishery was opened as part of Phase 1 on May 1st. On June 5th, the Government of PEI announced the creation of the Cleaning Our Shoreline initiative utilizing Island students hired through the Jobs for Youth Program. The students will work in three-person crews to remove debris and waste from Prince Edward Island’s coastal shoreline this summer and will be based in four
10 regions across the province. They will work closely with staff from the Departments of Fisheries and Communities and Transportation, Infrastructure and Energy. The crews will be advised of the location of sensitive natural habitat areas and be trained in protective measures to minimize disturbance of vulnerable wildlife while carrying out their work. (Adapted from June 5th 2020 PEI Department of Fisheries and Communities) COVID-19 concerns led to the cancellation of most Birds Canada surveys and field work that included travel outside one’s property including the 2020 Nocturnal Owl Surveys in the Maritimes. They created The Roost website which contains amazing bird content, resources and activities for all Barred Owl at Victoria Park in March ages (https://wwwbirdscanada.org/the-roost/) (Adapted from Birds Canada 2020 Victoria Doan photo poster released in April, 2020)
2020 BAIN BIRD COUNT: Dan McAskill, Ray Cook, Dwaine Oakley, Nicole Murtagh, Lucas MacCormack, Paul & Arlene McGuigan, Gerald MacDonald, Dave McRuer, Victoria Mellish, Vanessa Bonnyman, and Melanie McCarthy
There were five teams that participated in this year’s Bain Bird Count on May 30, 2020. It was cloudy throughout most of the day. Before daylight it was 19 to 20EC with strong southwest winds. During the day, temperatures ran from 20 to 23EC but, in early afternoon, a brief cold front with light rain for an hour dropped the temperature to 13EC before it returned to the 20s. Strong southwesterly winds that ranged from 24 to 31 km/hr with gusts to 67 km/hr before dawn and 22 to 35 km/hr during the day with gusts to 50km/hr at Harrington AES Station and 24 to 46 km/hr at St. Peters AES Station. The humidex went to 26 to 28 for about 10 hours at Harrington AES and 26 to 30 for 14 hrs at St. Peters’. Ray, Dwaine, Nicole, and Dan commenced their day at 1:30 am and covered the area from Reeve’s Estates to Dromore to Martinvale to Little Harbour to East Point then through to Afton Road, Mount Stewart, Pisquid, Tracadie Harbour, and Covehead Harbour before returning to Stratford at 7:30 pm. Based on COVID-19 rules, two cars were used to achieve the self-distancing protocol. They drove 339 km, walked 0.5 km and ended up with 112 species in total. They had no luck on some birds which they had gotten pretty consistently over the years such as Northern Shoveler, Spotted Sandpiper, Iceland Gull, Wilson’s Warbler, mergansers, and loons amongst others. The numbers for some common species were significantly lower than those of ten plus years ago but they did reasonably well diversity wise on warblers and flycatchers with small numbers of the more common species plus several Blackpoll and Mourning Warblers. There was hardly a bird to be found in Souris Harbour. At East Point, there were lots of fishing boats but very few gulls around the point or the lobster boats. However, they picked up about 50 Common Eider, 45 Black Scoter, and 50 Northern Gannet. There were about 20 Bank Swallows hunting around the Lighthouse Road, parking lot and cliff. It was extremely quiet for woodland birds and raptors at East Point. There were a male Ruddy Duck at Allisary Creek Impoundment, an Upland Sandpiper off Anderson Road, a Common Nighthawk doing aerobatic displays while catching insects at Martinvale, 1 Virginia Rail at River Meadows, 5 Turkey Vultures flying at East Lake with three landing beside an osprey feeding in a field just to the west, an Olive-sided Flycatcher at Afton Road, 2 Boreal Chickadees at East Lake, several Bobolink at Pigot’s Trail, and a Veery at Farmington. At the St. Peter’s lagoons there were ~30 Wood Ducks in the lagoon and, when they lifted, a portion of the flock landed in a poplar tree. Two Savannah Sparrows were fighting on the ground at Souris until our approach flushed them off. It was a fun day of birding and botanizing and our stops allowed the group to learn from each other and enjoy our day. To top things off, the strong wind kept the blackflies and mosquitos at bay! Melanie McCarthy started birding at 1:55 am and birded through to 5:30 am when she met up with Vanessa Bonnyman and they subsequently birded St. Nicholas, Strang Road, Miscouche, and Borden-Carleton for the morning. Between them, they covered 282 km by vehicle and walked 2.5 km. They birded at their homes on Horne Cross Road and in Keppoch respectively in the afternoon finishing their birding day at 4 pm. Their highlights included: a Palm Warbler, 2 Canada Warblers, and a Gray Catbird at Strang Road, 2 Canada Warblers at Miscouche, and 10 Red Knot, 2 Blue-winged Teal, a Northern Shoveler, and a Barn Swallow at Borden Carleton.
11 During the night, Melanie encountered hoards of biting flies at Crown Point as well as June Bugs and a chorus of peepers, other frogs, and toads and picked up Northern Saw-whet Owl, Barred Owl, and Ruffed Grouse at O’Keefe’s Lake, and heard the tremolo of a loon on 48 Road. Amidst the fun, together they recorded 76 species. Dave McRuer and Victoria Mellish (age 12) started birding at 6 am in New Perth on Station Road and travelled to Mellish Pond, Georgetown Sewer Lagoon, Whitlock’s and Doc’s marshes. They wrapped field birding at noon after covering 93 km by vehicle and walking 6 km. They observed birds casually in the afternoon at Pisquid. By their birding day’s end, they recorded 63 species. Their birding highlights included: a Black-throated Blue Warbler in New Perth on Station Road; a Mourning Warbler along Confed Trail at New Perth Station, a Barn Swallow and Bobolink at Pisquid; 2 Eastern Kingbirds at Pius MacDonald’s Pond in Southampton; a Nashville Warbler and a Canada Warbler at Mellish Canada Warbler at Pond Road and Victoria discovered a sapsucker nest by first noticing the head sticking out of Strang Road the hole at chest height along Station Road. Dave noted, despite the wind, we had a fun day, May 30 2020 saw some great birds, and instilled a little love of birding into the next generation. Vanessa Bonnyman Thanks to COVID-19 rules this year, Paul and Arlene McGuigan (vehicle 1), Lucas photo and Jill MacCormack (vehicle 2) and Gerald MacDonald, Gene MacDonald, and Susan Keus (Vehicle 3) birded collectively as two groups with much overlap in many places. The general route covered was the Eastern End of Island including St. Peter's Bay along North Side Rd to East Point and South to Basin Head, Little Harbour including interior red-dirt roads such as Kelly Road and Bull Creek Road. Vehicle 1 & 2 covered 87 km each between 7 am and 2 pm while Vehicle 3 covered 52 km between 8:30 am and 5 pm. Jill and Lucas also birded later in the day at Stratford. Excluding the travel down east, the two teams covered 129 km driving and 5.5 km walking. During this birding excursion, they found 82 species of birds and 3 species of mammals (Red Fox, Harbour Seal and Eastern Chipmunk). Their highlights included a Hooded Merganser, a Caspian Tern, Barred Owl, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Eastern Kingbird, Barn Swallow, Nashville and Mourning Warblers. As it was Jill’s first Bain Bird Count, she recognized it certainly was an unusual count year for those involved in that the usual birders in our group were unable to travel together or to have the usual (and much anticipated) end of count lobster feast at Gerald's place. So, lunch at East Point lighthouse with no other humans present was unlike other Mays (and no bathrooms open to the public--also unlike other Mays :( ). All in all, although different than usual for my parents and Lucas in not having Gerald and Jean Watts traveling with them (and sometimes Gene), their general enthusiasm was not thwarted by the pandemic restrictions. Good cheer prevailed and a wonderful time was had by our group members. Roberta Palmer birded at Cardigan Road, St. Charles, Mickle Macum corner and East Point. She found a Harlequin and Red-breasted Mergansers at East Point and Least Flycatcher and Eastern Kingbird at Mickle Macum Road corner.
Our combined species list was 125 bird species:
Canada Goose Hooded Merganser (1 at Johnston’s Killdeer (1) Wood Duck Pond in Clearspring) Semipalmated Plover (4) Blue-winged Teal (2 at Borden & 1 Red-breasted Merganser Piping Plover (exclosure) at Little Harbour, 1 at Ruddy Duck (1 at Pigot’s Trail) Upland Sandpiper (1 at Anderson Johnston’s Pond in Ruffed Grouse (4) Road) Clearspring) Common Loon (tremolo at Spotted Sandpiper (1 Whitty Road Northern Shoveler (1 at Borden) Blikslager’s on 48 Road) in St. Charles) Gadwall Pied-billed Grebe (7) Red Knot (3 Tracadie Harbour, 10 American Wigeon Rock Pigeon at Borden) Mallard Mourning Dove Least Sandpiper (1 at Tracadie American Black Duck Common Nighthawk (1 at Harbour) Green-winged Teal Martinvale) Semipalmated Sandpiper (28 at Ring-necked Duck Ruby-throated Hummingbird Tracadie Harbour) Common Eider Virginia Rail (at least 1) White-rumped Sandpiper (3 at Harlequin (1 at East Point0 Sora Tracadie Harbour) Black Scoter Black-bellied Plover American Woodcock
12 Wilson’s Snipe 2 at Pius MacDonald’s Souris, Charlottetown) Lesser Yellowlegs (1 at Naufrage) Pond Southampton, 1 at Purple Finch Willet Big Pond) American Goldfinch Bonaparte’s Gull Olive-sided Flycatcher (1 Afton Chipping Sparrow Ring-billed Gull Road, 1 at St. Charles Savannah Sparrow Herring Gull Road) Song Sparrow Great Black-backed Gull Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (1 East Swamp Sparrow Caspian Tern (1 at East Point) Lake woodland) White-throated Sparrow Common Tern (2 at Tracadie Alder Flycatcher Dark-eyed Junco Harbour, 2 Little Harbour, Least Flycatcher Bobolink (3 at Pigot’s Trail, 1 at 2 in eastern marshes) Blue-headed Vireo Pisquid) Northern Gannet Red-eyed Vireo Red-winged Blackbird Double-crested Cormorant Blue Jay Common Grackle Great Cormorant (2 at East Point, 2 American Crow Brown-headed Cowbird at Little Harbour) Common Raven (Avondale) American Bittern Tree Swallow Ovenbird Great Blue Heron Bank Swallow (20 at East Point, 1 Northern Waterthrush Turkey Vulture (5 at East Lake) at East Lake) Black-and-White Warbler Osprey (2) Barn Swallow (2 at East Point, 1 at Nashville Warbler Bald Eagle (24) Borden, 1 at Little Mourning Warbler Northern Harrier (4) Harbour, 1 at Pisquid, 1 at Common Yellowthroat Sharp-shinned Hawk (1 at East Naufrage) American Redstart Point) Black-capped Chickadee Cape May Warbler Red-tailed Hawk (1 Five Houses) Boreal Chickadee (2 East Lake) Northern Parula Great Horned Owl (1 at St. Patrick’s Red-breasted Nuthatch Magnolia Warbler Road, 1 at Hermitage Winter Wren Blackburnian Warbler Road) Golden-crowned Kinglet Yellow Warbler Barred Owl (2 at Dromore, 1 at Ruby-crowned Kinglet Chestnut-sided Warbler Avondale, 1 at Kelly Road) Veery (1 at Farmington) Blackpoll Warbler (3) Northern Saw-whet Owl (2) Swainson’s Thrush Black-throated Blue Warbler (1 Belted Kingfisher Hermit Thrush New Perth) Yellow-bellied Sapsucker American Robin Palm Warbler Downy Woodpecker Gray Catbird (1 French Village, 1 at Yellow-rumped Warbler Hairy Woodpecker Strang Road, 1 at Lake Black-throated Green Warbler Northern Flicker Verde, 1 at Whitlock’s Canada Warbler (1 at East Lake, American Kestrel (3) Pond) 2 at Strand Road, 2 at Merlin European Starling Miscouche) Eastern Kingbird (1 at French Cedar Waxwing Rose-breasted Grosbeak Village, 2 at Pigot’s Trail, House Sparrow (5 at Pisquid, 2 at
During the field trip we seen or heard 1 Muskrat, 1 Beaver, 1 Raccoons, 3 Red Squirrels, 3 Eastern Chipmunk, 2 families of Red Fox (one with Silver colour morph), one with 2 kits at East Point and one with 3 kits at St. Peter’s plus a few more foraging and heard Spring Peepers, a few American Toad, lots of Northern Leopard Frogs, a few Green Frogs, Wood Frog tadpoles, salamander egg masses, and a 40 cm long Eastern Garter Snake (40 cm). We seen several moths flying, a few dozen Spring Azure Blues, a few Cabbage White, and bumblebees. There were a small number of mosquitos and black flies but the winds kept them at bay. 1 Garter Snake (~40 cm) at McInnis-Glen Road Junction. The following plants were in flower: Marsh Marigold, Dandelion, lots of Wild Strawberry, Buckbean, Leatherleaf, Northern White Violets, Marsh Blue Violets, Red Maple, Sugar Maple, Gold Thread, Star-flower, Painted Trillium, Blue Bead Lily, Three-leaf Goldthread Tarantum Road May 30 Rhodora (1 patch), Blueberry, Pin Cherry, Service Berry, a few Red-berried Elder and Nicole Murtagh photo Canada Fly Honeysuckle (Lonicera canadensis). Some Field Horsetail were at the
13 strobilus (terminal cone) stage. Alder catkins were still open. A few red maples and a few service berry were going to seed. Willow with yellowish stamens present at a few sites. Leaf flushing had commenced on Red Oak, Red Maple, and Sugar Maple, the bud caps were pushed off on White Spruce, and there was a good flush of leaves on Spirea, Alder, Beech, Service Berry, and Trembling Aspen.
Bog Buckbean at East Tarantum Road Chestnut-sided Warbler at Georgetown May 30 2020 Royalty May 24, 2020 Nicole Murtagh photo Dale Murchison photo
CORMORANT NESTING ON HILLSBOROUGH BRIDGE PIERS: Adapted from PEI Fish and Wildlife Section data
Some good things come from construction traffic stops on the Hillsborough Bridge. On May 28th, Melanie McCarthy observed that Double-crested Cormorant were nesting on the piers and asked about their status at this site. This led to some questions to PEI Fish and Wildlife Section staff which periodically monitor various bird nesting colonies. Matthew Ginn, Wildlife Management Biologist with the section, provided the following observations on the nests on the Hillsborough Bridge piers. The counts of nests observed were: 5 in 2010, 3 in 2011, 7 in 2014, and 17 in 2019.
WEATHER EVENTS:
On Apr. 3, tree wells were starting to show and the yard was 90% snow covered in Donagh while Fullerton’s Creek was clear of ice from the Fullerton’s Creek Bridge to the Hillsborough mainstream and the creek upstream of the bridge was clear of ice although the saltmarsh was still largely ice covered. Bovyer’s Pond was still ice covered and nearby fields were 80% snow covered. There was heavy sediment movement on Brazel Road on Apr. 3. The lawn in Donagh was 60% snow covered on Apr. 12 and there was still snow along edge of Brazel Road south of the pavement. Fullerton’s Creek saltmarsh was free of ice on Apr. 13 as was Bovyer’s Pond (JDM). The Super Moon was on April 10th and there were sustained winds from 31 to 44 km/hr during the afternoon and evening with gusts to 74 km/hr. There was a storm surge with very high water at Brighton Lighthouse (April 10th) where water surrounded it and wave action damaged the nearby Boardwalk (LMF). There were waves were washing up on Victoria Wharf deck on April 10th (JS). This storm surge documented the 9th highest water record on the Hillsborough River with water topping the Confederation Trail at Glenroy Marsh (DEJ, JtR). Damage to Confederation Trail in Glenroy from this storm surge on the Hillsborough was documented on Apr. 30 2020 Storm Surge Debris on Confed Trail at Glenroy (JtR). Apr. 30, 2020 John te Raa Photo In April, there was only 24.8 mm of rain at the Harrington Station with three days recording 20.8 mm of that amount. In May, there was 70.3 mm of rain with 44.8 mm of that in 4 days. In the first 10 days of June, there was 29.3 mm of rain with 27.4 occurring in three days. Daytime maximum temperatures in April ranged from 0.1 to 13.8°C and there were 24 days with temperatures below 0°C and a maximum low of -5.3°C while May had maximum daily temperatures ranging from 2.8 to 26.3°C with 8 days over 20°C and 9 days with temperatures below 0°C and a
14 maximum low of 1.5°C. A thunder and lightning storm on Jun. 9 knocked out power in the Stratford and adjacent areas. Hail accompanied the storm in the Auburn area but not in Donagh (NJB, JDM).
ANIMAL AND PLANT SIGHTINGS: Compiled by J. Dan McAskill
PLANTS: First Snow Drops in flower at Riverview Estates in Charlottetown on Apr. 3 (EM, WFB). Pussy Willows and a few Trembling Aspen buds open at Hazelgrove on Apr. 5 (KEM) and Pussy Willow open at New Glasgow on Apr. 19 (WFB, EM) and at Donagh on Apr. 23 (JDM). First Crocus blooming at Donagh on Apr. 10 & multiple blooms on Apr. 12 (JDM). Speckled Alder shedding pollen at Bethel on Apr. 22 (JDM). Pansies in flower at Argyle Shore on Apr. 19 (LY). Marsh Marigold in flower along Confed Trail at Glenroy and Coltsfoot in flower at Brackley Beach on Apr. 26 (JtR). Beaked Hazelnut in flower at Donagh on Apr. 26 (JDM). Mayflower in flower at Head of Cardigan on Apr. 16 (RWH) and at Head of Hillsborough on Apr. 26 (WFB, EM). Hyacinth in flower at Riverview Estates on Apr. 26 (WFB, EM). Red Maple in flower, Trembling Aspen catkins open, and Willow with green catkins open at Donagh on May 3 (JDM). First few Dandelion in flower at Orwell Cove on Apr. 30 (CR) and at Argyle Shore on May 3 (LY). Trembling Aspen catkins open in Stratford on May 4 (JDM). Daffodil and Tulips in flower on Mason Road, Mountain Ash and Lilac buds swelled at Donagh and Red-berried Elder Coltsfoot at Brackley Beach leaves erupted from their buds on May 4 (JDM). First Northern White Violets on Apr. 26, 2020 and first Daffodil in flower in Donagh on May 11 (JDM). Sweet Gale and John te Raa photo Willow with yellow stamens in flower at Glenroy along Confed Trail on May 12 (JtR). Forsythia in flower and Magnolia starting to flower at Stratford on May 12 (JDM). Dandelion in bloom at Donagh (FOY) and scattered as well along the roadside from Johnston’s River to Stratford on May 14 (JDM) & a fairly large flush of dandelion flowers roadside and in some fields from Johnston’s River to Stratford on May 21 (JDM). Marsh Marigold in flower at Mermaid by Buell Road on May 16 (JDM), at Westmoreland River on May 17 (DD), & New Perth on May 18 (RWH). Marsh Blue Violet in flower at Donagh on May 16 (JDM). Tartarian (Bush) Honeysuckle leaves showing out of bud on May 17 (JDM). American Beech bud scales well separated and Striped Maple leaves flushed 1.5 cm at Royalty Oaks, Heal-All in flower at East Royalty on May 18 (JDM). Mountain Ash leaflets out of the bud and Pin Cherry and Trembling Aspen leaves erupting from buds in Donagh on May 21 (JDM). First Tulip in flower at Donagh on May 22 (JDM) & 20 flowering at Donagh on May 23 (JDM). First several Painted Trillium in flower at Royalty Oaks on May 24 (JDM) and in flower at Hardy’s Mill on May 26 (JtR) and at Clyde River on May 26 (VD). Red Maple in full flower at Hardy Mill on May 25 (JtR). Apple in flower in Stratford on May 26 (JDM) and in Dromore on May 31 (CR, JL). Mountain Ash leaflets visible at Donagh on May 25 (JDM). First Wild Pear (Amelanchier spp) started in flower in Donagh and Johnston’s River on May 27 (JDM). Bud caps starting to fall off at Donagh on White Spruce on May 27 (JDM). Mustard in flower at Mermaid on May 27 (JDM). Blue Bead Lily and Star-flower in flower at Hardy Mill (JtR) and first dandelion in seed at Donagh (JDM) on May 29. Red Oak leaves erupted from bud in Donagh on May 29 (JDM)(see the 2020 Bain Bird Count Summary in this issue for other plants in flower). Buckbean in flower at East Tarantum Road on May 30 (NM, DO, JDM, RC) and at Glenroy on May 31 (JtR). Bunchberry, Leatherleaf, Rhodora, and Red- berried Elder in flower at Royalty Junction on Confederation Trail on Jun. 1 (JtR). Huge patches of Nodding Trillium in flower at old Bonshaw Trail between Appin and Green Roads on May 30 (MC, TR) and in flower at Reeve’s Estates on May 30 (DO, NM). Choke Cherry and Eastern Larch in full leaf at Donagh on Jun. 3 (JDM). Butternut in flower at Donagh on Jun. 4 (JDM). First Lupin in flower at Mount Herbert and about 20 in flower on Charlottetown Perimeter Highway, Horse Chestnut in flower at Stratford, Pin Cherry in flower at Kensington, and Buttercup in flower at Donagh on Jun. 5 (JDM). First Purple Lilac and first Goat’s Beard in flower at Donagh on Jun. Rhodora at Glenfinnan Bog 6 and first Choke-Cherry and Tartarian (Bush) Honeysuckle in flower at Donagh on Jun 12, 2020 Jun. 7th (JDM). Dwarf Ginseng in flower and both Christmas Fern and Oak Fern Robert Harding photo present at the Glen Road on Jun. 7 (NM, DO). Jack-in-the-Pulpit in flower and large patch of Oak Fern at Riverdale on Jun.10 (DO, JeRo). Hawthorne in flower at Donagh on Jun. 8 (JDM). False Soloman’s Seal in flower at Reeves Estates on Jun. 11 (JDM, DO) and large flush of Choke-Cherry between Mount Herbert and Donagh on Jun. 11 (JDM).
15 Mouse-Ear Hawkweed in flower at Donagh on Jun. 12 (JDM). Chives in flower at Donagh on Jun. 15 (JDM). Cotton Grass (Eriophorum virdi-carinatum), Black Chokeberry, and Labrador Tea in flower at Bedford Bog on Jun. 15 (JtR).
WORMS & SLUGS: First Worm castings present at Donagh on Apr. 30 (JDM). Leopard Slug at Stratford on Jun. 8 (ED).
INSECTS: Hoary Pinion Moth at Summerville on Apr. 14 (RWH). First few Mosquitos seen flying on May 1 (JDM). FOY Tri-coloured Bumblebee at Head of Montague on May 3 (RWH). 1 Mourning Cloak butterfly at Confed Trail near Souris on May 6 (WB). 1 Azure Blue butterfly flying and, in evening, a few Blackflies at Donagh on May 17 (JDM) and several Azure Blues on May 21 (JDM). Blackflies biting at Appin Road May Leopard Slug at Stratford 24 (MG). First Cabbage White butterfly seen at Stratford on on Jun. 7, 2020 May 25 (JDM). Bumblebee foraging on Red-berried Elder Elizabeth Deblois photo flower but that had not fully opened on May 24 at Royalty Oaks (JDM). Common Eastern Bumble Bee (Bombus impatiens) queen looking for a nest site along Confed Trail between York and Dunstaffnage on May 26 (JtR). FOY June Beetles at Summerville on May 26 (RWH), at Reeves Estates on May 29 (DO, NM) and Sherwood on May 30 (RC). Gray Half-spot Moth at Summerville on May 29 (RWH). 1 Canadian Tiger Swallowtail flying at Kensington and 1 Clouded Sulphur Butterfly and 4 Cabbage White at Traveller’s Rest on Jun. 5 (JDM).
Grey Half-spot Moth at SPIDERS: See Forest Wolf Spider report in this issue. Summerville on May 29, 2020 Robert Harding photo AMPHIBIANS/REPTILES: FOY Wood Frogs calling at Summerville on Apr. 14 (RWH) and in chorus at Johnston’s River on Apr. 19 (JDM), at West River in Green Bay on Apr. 21 (JW), in a water filled ditch at Byis Lane in Auburn on Apr. 22 (BAM). Spotted Salamander in backyard pool on May 8 (DO). First Spring Peepers calling at Summerville on May 1 (RWH) and at Donagh on May 11 and in chorus on May 15 (JDM). Green Frog at Clyde River on May 26 (VD). Decapitated Red-bellied Snake in backyard pond at Reeves Estates on May 15 (DO).
FISH: American Smelt up at Pisquid River at Shepherd’s Farm on Apr. 8 (SCo, CR), at Old Mill Bridge on Westmoreland River on April 12 and, based on gull behaviour, probably up on Apr. 10th (DD), at Clark’s Creek on Apr. 12-13 (BAM, CR), at Johnston’s River tributary just south of Power Road but not at creek through Beagan’s Farm on Apr. 16 and at Donagh Bridge on Apr. 19 (JDM), at Tannery Creek on Apr. 20 (ADM), at Rte 24 crossing on Vernon River on Apr. 20 (CR). Due to COVID- 19 pandemic restrictions, recreational fishing for fin fish and was not opened until May 1st. Many families were harvesting smelts on May 1st at Clark’s Creek on weekend of May 2nd.
MAMMALS: Red Fox whelped kits last week of March in Argyle Shore (LY). 2 Eastern Chipmunks at feeders on Apr. 9 (JDM). Eastern Coyotes howling at Summerville on Apr. 19 (RWH). Striped Skunk digging holes near feeders in Donagh on May 17 (JDM). Hairless Eastern Chipmunk reappeared at Crapaud on May 31 (DD). Red Squirrel in midst of heavy molt in Charlottetown on Apr. 16 (GJM), Melanistic Red Squirrel video recorded at Kensington on Apr. 17 (BC via FRC). Raccoon at bird feeders in Donagh on Apr. 28 to May 2 (JDM). Snowshoe Hare seen at Clyde River on May 26 (VD). Raccoon predated young in crow’s nest in a spruce tree at Reeve’s Estates on Jun. 8 (DO).
BIRDS: This checklist order has been adjusted to conform with the November 2019 American Ornithological Society’s Checklist of Norther Mostly hairless Eastern Chipmunk on and Middle American Birds. Snow Goose - 1 at Augustine Cove on Apr. 9 May 31, 2020 Daphne Davey photo (DRM), 1 at Tryon River on Apr. 11 (VB, MAM) & Apr. 12 (FdB, GS), 8 at Central Lot 16 (near Nebraska Road Rte 12) on Apr. 5 (F&GM), 1 at Pownal corn field with Canada Geese on Apr. 16 (MAM, SGC), 1 on Apr. 17 (SGC), and 1 on Apr. 25 (MAM); Brant - 7 on the Hillsborough off the QEH on Apr. 21 (MAM,
16 RP, SGC), 7 at Jacques Cartier Park on Apr. 24 (SCor); Canada Geese - 4,000 with a hybrid Canada-Snow Goose in Lower New Annan corn stubble field on Apr. 3 (DRM), 540 at Tryon River on Apr. 11 (MAM), 6 very young (yellow down feathers) goslings at Dromore PREP wetland on approx. May 18 (CR), 3 goslings at Allisary on May 18 (AMa), 10 goslings at Afton Road on May 18 (RP); Wood Duck - 1 at Weisner’s Pond on Apr. 26 (RP), 1 at Pigot’s Trail on May 1 (SGC), 2 at Bangor on Morell Rover on May 17 (NM, DO), 8 at Borden on May 18 & 15 on May 26 (DRM), 2 at MacVane’s Creek on May 23 (DO, NM), 3 at Abram’s Village Station on May 27 (JFJ); Blue-winged Teal - pair flying at Wisener’s Pond on Apr. 9 (RP), 3 at Borden lagoons on Apr. 24, 1 on May 18, May 26 (DRM), & 3 on Jun. 4 (MAM, VB), pair at Pius MacDonald’s Pond in Southampton on Apr. 26 (BC&TR), 2 at Abram’s Village on May 18 (JFJ), pair at Ravenwood Pond on May 21 (SCor), 1 at Abram’s Village Station on May 27 (JFJ); Northern Shoveler - 4 males and a female at Cavendish Lagoon in New Annan on Apr. 7 (DRM), 1 male at Andrew’s Pond on Apr. 10 & a female and 3 males on Apr. 21 (LJD), 4 at Tryon on Apr. 9 (DRM), pair at Chapel Creek on Apr. 10 (RP), 5 at Borden lagoons on Apr. 24 & 2 on May 2 (DRM), 3 males and a female at Pigot’s Trail on May 1 (SGC), 3 on May 21 (SGC), & 1 on Jun. 1 (DRM); Gadwall - 45 in Lower New Annan on Apr. 3 (DRM), 25 at Tryon on Apr. 9 (DRM), 8 at Borden lagoons on Apr. 24, 6 on May 26 (DRM), & 24 on Jun. 10 (SGC), pair at Allisary Greek Impoundment on May 18 (JDM) & May 19 (VB); Eurasian Wigeon - still present at Ellen’s Creek on Mar. 31 (MAM), 1 at Naufrage Harbour near bridge on Jun. 8 (BAM); American Wigeon - 2 at Borden lagoons on Apr. 24 (DRM), pair at Pigot’s Trail on May 21 (SGC); Mallard - 17 at Tryon on Apr. 9 (DRM); American Black Duck - 50 at Tryon on Apr. 9 (DRM), 20 at Borden lagoons on Apr. 24 (DRM), 2 at Crown Point on Jun. 13 (MAM, VB); Northern Pintail - 2 at Chapel Creek on Apr. 5 (VB), pair at Pisquid River pothole on May 15 (DLM); Green-winged Teal - 5 at Fullerton’s Creek on Apr. 5 (MAM), 4 males & 4 females at Wisener’s Pond on Apr. 7 (RP), pair at Andrew’s Pond on Apr. 10 (LJD), 15 at Borden lagoons on Apr. 24 & 16 on May 11 (DRM); Ring-necked Duck - 2 males at Hyde Park Pond on Apr. 6 (VB), 6 males & female at Cavendish Waste Management New Annan on Apr. 7 (DRM), 13 males & 2 females at Wisener’s Pond on Apr. 7 (RP), pair in Morell estuary on Apr. 17 (BC&TR), 60+ at Borden lagoons on Apr. 24 & 22 on May 11 (DRM); Greater Scaup - 10 at Summerside on Apr. 5 (SRa), 3 at Deroche Pond on Apr. 25 (RP), 2 at Borden on May 11 (DRM); Lesser Scaup - 2 at Borden lagoons on Apr. 24 & 1 on May 18 & May 26 (DRM), 12 in Morell River estuary on Apr. 24 (BC&TR), 1 at Borden on May 11 (DRM), 2 at Abram’s Village on May 18 (JFJ), 2 at Pigot’s Trail on May 23 (DRM); Common Eider - 20 at Summerside on Apr. 7 (SRa), 500+ at East Point on Apr. 15 (DLM), 150 on May 17 (FdB, GS, RW, SCS), 75 on May 21 (RP), 70 on May 23 (MAM), 120 on May 24 (SCS), & 70 on Jun. 13 (RP), 320 at North Cape on May 24 (JFJ), 25 at Cape Egmont on May 27 (JFJ); Harlequin Duck - 5 males & 2 females at East Point on Apr. 15 (DLM) & 22 on May 7 (RP); Surf Scoter - 40 at East Point on Apr. 15 (DLM), 12 on May 18 (SGC), 1 on May 30 (RP), & 5 on Jun. 13 (RP), 6 at Mont Carmel on May 3 (JFJ), 5 at Borden on May 31 (SGC); White-winged Scoter - 3 at Malpeque Bay south on Apr. 7 (DRM), 8 at Mont Carmel on Apr. 20 (JFJ); Black Scoter - 5 at Malpeque Bay south on Apr. 7 (DRM), 1,000 at East Point on Apr. 15 (DLM), 100 on May 17 (FdB, GS, RW, SCS), 20 on May 21 (RP), 50 on May 23 (MAM), 60 on May 24 (SCS), & 6 on Jun. 13 (RP), 12 at North Cape on May 24 (JFJ); Long-tailed Duck - 2 at Malpeque Bay south on Apr. 7 (DRM), present off Delta in Charlottetown on Apr. 17 (SGC); Bufflehead - 2 at Deroche Pond on Apr. 25 (RP), 2 at East Lake on Apr. 26 (SCS); Common Goldeneye - 38 at Fullerton’s Creek and 23 at Aptos Lane (Stratford) doing courtship displays on Apr. 5 (MAM), 1 adult male on Jun. 1 at Mt. Carmel (JFJ); Barrow’s Goldeneye - 2 at Hyde Park Pond on Apr. 6 (VB) & 5 on Apr. 8 (BJ), 2 at Grand River Bridge on Apr. 14 (DRM); Hooded Merganser - 2 males at Hyde Park Pond on Apr. 5 (SGC) & 1 on Apr. 6 (VB), 1 at Mooney’s Pond on Apr. 14 (KD), pair at woodland pond at St. Charles on Apr. 15 (JGM), 1 at Bangor on Morell Rover on May 17 (NM, DO), 1 at Borden on May 31 (SGC); Common Merganser - 33 at Wright’s Creek bridge & 27 at Fullerton’s Creek bridge on Apr. 5 (MAM), 15 at Pisquid River on Apr. 13 (JDM), 35 off Pigot’s Trail on May 1 (SGC); Red-breasted Merganser - 27 at Aptos Lane (Stratford) doing courtship displays on Apr. 5 (MAM), 30 at Summerside on Apr. 7 (SRa), 14 at East Point on May 23 (MAM), 3 at Anglo Rustico on Jun. 5 (SCor); Ruddy Duck - 3 males and a female at Allisary Creek Impoundment on May 18 (JDM) & 1 on May 19 (VB) & 1 on Jun. 1 (DRM); Gray Partridge - pair at Summerville on Apr. 11 (RWH), 1 at Elmwood on May 8 (BJ); Ring-necked Pheasant - 1 at Elmwood on May 17 (BJ), male at Mermaid on May 19 (JDM), 2 males fighting at Mount Herbert on May 24 & male crowing on Jun. 3 (BAM); Ruffed Grouse - 1 at South Melville on Apr. 10 (RA), drumming at Milburn Road on Apr. 25 (MAM), 6 at Milburn Road in Corraville on May 9 (MAM), 4 at Crown Point on Jun. 13 (MAM, VB); Pied-billed Grebe - 1 at Milburn Road in Corraville on May 9 (MAM), 2 at Ruddy Duck off Pigot’s Trail Allisary Creek Impoundment on May 18 (JDM, BAM) & 3 on May 19 (VB); Rock May 22, 2019 Brett MacKinnon photo Pigeon - 3 to 5 at Winsloe South in Apr. To mid-Jun. (DEJ), relatively common around many dairy farms and grain silos (JDM); Mourning Dove - up to 30 daily at Riverview Estates in Apr through Mid- Jun (WFB, EM), 1 to 4 daily at Donagh feeders in Apr through mid-Jun (JDM); Black-billed Cuckoo - 1 at Mont Carmel on Jun. 4 (JFJ); Common Nighthawk - see Bain report; Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 1 at Abney on May 7 (BPEI), 1 at Brackley on May 8 (JJ), FOY at Dromore & Summerville May 15 (AC, RWH), 1 at High Bank on May 16 (CMP), 1 at
17 Kinlock on May 17 (MAM), 1 at Elmwood on May 17 (BJ), 1 at Horne Cross Road on May 17 (VB), 1 at South Melville on May 18 (RA), FOY at Cascumpec on May 18 (DCG) , first of year at Egmont Bay on May 19 (WGH), FOY male arrived at Corraville May 27 & female on May 31 (BC&TR), FOY at Crapaud on May 31 (DD); Virginia Rail - 1 at Farmington (Albion Road marsh) on May 11 (DRM), 1 at Dundas on Cumberland Road on Jun. 5 (SCS); Sora - 1 at Noonan’s Marsh on Apr. 24 (DRM), 1 at Ravenwood on May 7 (VB), 1 at Milburn Road in Corraville on May 9 (MAM), 1 at Crown Point on May 18 (MAM), 1 at Little Harbour & 1 at Allisary on May 18 (BAM); Sandhill Crane - 2 in hay field at Souris on Jun. 7 (KD); Black-bellied Plover - 6 at Borden on May 18 & 9 on May 26 (DRM), 6 at Chelton Beach on May 26 (DRM), 71 at Abram’s Village Haldimand River on May 27 (JFJ),14 at Anglo Rustico on May 28 (MSa), 37 at Borden on May 29 (DRM) & 28 on May 31 (SGC, RA), 35 at Schurman’s Point on Jun. 3 (DRM), 26 at Anglo Rustico on Jun. 3 (SGC); Killdeer - 1 at Sandhill Crane Souris Cavendish Lagoon in New Annan on Apr. 7 (DRM), nesting at Nine Mile Creek on on Jun. 7, 2020 Apr. 14 (VD), calling near Farm Centre on May 12 (JLZ), 1 at Campbell’s Pond in New Kimberly Dawn photo Glasgow on May 22 (NM), 1 at QEH Walking Trail on May 29 (MAM), 2 at Sunbury Cove West Side on May 31 (JFJ), 1 at Summerside Boardwalk on Jun. 10 (DL); Semipalmated Plover - 1 at Wood Islands on May 23 (MSa), 9 at Chelton Beach on May 26 (DRM), 8 at Abram’s Village Haldimand River on May 27 (JFJ); Piping Plover - back on PEI on Apr. 24 (INT), 1 at Rustico Beach on Apr. 30 (DRM) & 10 on Jun. 3 (MSa), 1 at Stillman’s Beach on May 4 (SD), 1 photographed with black tag NM at Anglo Rustico on May 18 (VB) & 6 on May 19 (MSa), & 1 tagged individual on Jun. 3 (SGC) Upland Sandpiper - see Bain count; Ruddy Turnstone - 1 at Belle River on May 18 (NM), 4 at Abram’s Village Haldimand River on May 27 (JFJ), 1 at Borden on May 29 (DRM), 5 at Schurman’s Point on Jun. 3 (DRM); Red Knot - 1 at Abram’s Village Haldimand River on May 27 (JFJ), at Borden beach on Jun. 1 (SGC), 6 at Borden on May 29 (DRM) & 6 on May 31 (SGC, RA); Sanderling - 1 at Rustico Beach on Apr. 30 (DRM); Least Sandpiper - at Borden on May 15 (SGC), 4 at Belle River on May 18 (NM), 1 at Abram’s Village on May 18 & 1 on May 27 (JFJ), 4 at Allisary on May 18 (BAM), 5 at Basin Head on May 20 (RP, VB), 3 at Mount Herbert on May 24 (BAM), 9 off Anglo Rustico on May 25 (BAM), 1 at Anglo Rustico on Jun. 3 (SGC); White-rumped Sandpiper - 3 to 8 at Borden on May 31 (SGC, RA) & 2 on Jun. 4 (MAM), 5 at Rustico on Jun. 3 (MSa); Semipalmated Sandpiper - 2 at Anglo Rustico on Jun. 3 (SGC); American Woodcock - 1 calling at Monticello on Apr. 1 (JGM), 2 peenting at Harmony Road on Apr. 24 (DRM) and 3 at Milburn Road on Apr. 25 (MAM), 1 at Mont Carmel on May 27 (JFJ); Wilson’s Snipe - winnowing at Corraville on Apr. 20 (BC&TR), 1 winnowing at Harmony Road on Apr. 24 (DRM), 8 winnowing at Milburn Road on Apr. 25 (MAM), 1 at East Point on May 7 (RP); Spotted Sandpiper - 2 at Bangor on May 17 (NM, DO), 4 at Basin Head on May 18 (SGC) & 3 on May 20 (VB, RP), 1 at Borden on May 31 (SGC, RA); Lesser Yellowlegs - 1 at Aptos Lane Southport on May 19 (MAM); Willet - displaying at Pisquid River marsh on May 15 (DLM), 17 at Crown Point on May 18 (MAM), 1 at Hillsborough River off Pigot’s Trail on May 18 (JDM), 4 at Belle River on May 18 (NM); Greater Yellowlegs - at Borden on May 15 (SGC), 3 to 10 at Hillsborough River off Pigot’s Trail on May 18 (JDM, BAM), 4 at Borden on May 18 (DRM), 2 at Poverty Beach on May 18 (DO, NM); Wilson’s Phalarope - 1 at Borden Lagoons on Jun. 3 (DRM) & Jun. 4 (MAM, VB) & 1 on Jun. 5 (RA); Thick-billed Murre - 1 off Murray River on Apr. 14 (DH); Black Guillemot - 3 at East Point on Apr. 15 (DLM) & 2 on May 18 (DRM), 6 at North Cape on May 24 (JFJ); Bonaparte's Gull - 1 at Fullerton’s Creek & Hillsborough Bridge on Apr. 20 (JDM), 2 at Oyster Bed Bridge on Apr. 30 (DRM); Black-headed Gull - 1 photographed at Rollo Bay on May 8 (RP), 2 photographed at Borden on Jun. 10 (SGC); Ring-billed Gull - pair mating at Chapel’s Creek on Apr. 15 (JtR); Herring Gull - small numbers around Hillsborough Bridge in Apr & May (JDM), 20 to 30 at Belvedere Pond in Apr. (JDM), none in Souris Harbour on May 30 (DO, NM, RC, JDM); Iceland Gull - 1 at East Point on Apr. 15 (DLM), 3 at Hillsborough Bridge & 3 at Charlottetown Sewage Waste Management plant on Apr. 20 (JDM), 3 at Hillsborough Bridge on May 19 (JDM), 2 at North Cape on May 24 (JFJ); Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1 at Clermont on Apr. 3 (DRM), 1 at Oyster Bed Bridge on Apr. 30 (DRM); Glaucous Gull - 1 at Maximeville on May 18 (JFJ); Great Black- backed Gull - 2 on the Hillsborough Pier near the centre span on May 14 (JDM); Black-headed Gull at Borden Caspian Tern - at Indian River on Apr. 25 (DRM), 2 at Oyster Bed Bridge & 3 at Jun. 10, 2020 Rustico Beach on Apr. 30 (DRM), 2 at Chapel Creek on May 7 (VB), 1 at Mont Carmel Sharon Clark photo on May 11 (JFJ), 1 at Anglo Tignish on Jun. 3 (SCor); Common Tern - 19 at Belle River on May 18 (NM), 1 at Abraham Village on May 18 (JFJ), 1 at Pigot’s Trail on May 19 (VB), 7 at Wood Islands on May 23 (MSa), 3 off Anglo Rustico on May 25 (BAM), 26 at Abram’s Village Haldimand River on May 27 & 6 on Jun. 9 (JFJ), 2 at Borden on May 29 (DRM) & 3 on May 31 (RA), 41 at Sunbury Cove West Side on May 31 (JFJ); Red-throated Loon - 1 at
18 Mont Carmel on May 3 & 2 on May 18 (JFJ); Common Loon - 1 at Mont Carmel on May 16, 2 on May 18, 12 on May 20 (JFJ) & 4 on Jun. 1 (JFJ), 2 flying over Desable on May 17 (REM), 1 at MacVane’s Creek on May 23 (DO, NM), 1 flying over at East Point on May 24 (RP) & 4 on May 24 (SCS), 1 at Borden on May 31 (RA), 1 at Abram’s Village Haldimand River on Jun. 9 (JFJ), 2 at Sunbury Cove West Side on Jun. 10 (JFJ); Loon Spp - 1 at MacVane’s Creek on Jun. 3 (RP); Northern Gannet - 12 at Mont Carmel on Apr. 20 (JFJ), 30 at Jacques Cartier Park on Apr. 24 (SCor), 300 at East Point on May 7 (RP), 50 on May 23 (MAM), 500 on May 30 (RP), & 180 on May 24 (SCS); Double-crested Cormorant - 15 at Stanley Bridge on Apr. 9 (DRM), 40 at Hillsborough Bridge on Apr. 11 (MAM), 200 on Hillsborough Bridge piers on May 17 & nesting on one at least one pier on May 25 (JDM)[see occupied nest summary in this issue], 9 at East Point on May 23 (MAM) & 17 on May 24 (DRM); Great Cormorant - 4 at East Point on Apr. 15 (DLM), 1 on May 23 (MAM), 7 on May 24 (DRM), & 4 on Jun. 13 (RP); American Bittern - 5 at Milburn Road in Corraville on May 9 (MAM), 1 at Farmington (Albion Road marsh) on May 11 (DRM), 1 at Five Houses Albion Road on May 18 (BAM), 1 at Mont Carmel on Jun. 1 (JFJ); Great Blue Heron - 2 at Tryon on Apr. 9 (DRM), 1 flying at Keppock on Apr. 9 (MAM), 1 at Westmoreland on Apr. 11 (DD), at Malpeque on Apr. 12 (F&GM), 1 at Grand River Bridge on Apr. 14 (DRM), 8 flying at Mount Herbert on Apr. 18 (BAM), 7 at Aptos Lane Southport on May 19 (MAM), 51 at Crown Point on Jun. 9 (BAM); Black- crowned Night Heron - 1 photographed at Pigot’s Trail on Jun. 13 (AMa); Black Vulture - 1 photographed at East Point on May 18 (DRM) & 2 on May 23 (MAM, DRM); Turkey Vulture - 4 in field at East Point on Apr. 21 (VB), 4 at East Point on Apr. 22 (VB), 4 circling at Grandview on May 11 (DMur), 12 at Murray Harbour North on May 14 (DH), 9 at East Point and 4 at East Lake on May 17 (FdB, GS, RW, SCS), 3 at East Point on May 18 & 7 on May 24 Black-crowned Night Heron off Pigot’s Trail (DRM), 5 at Comm. East Point Jun. 13, 2020 Anna MacDonald photo on May 18 (DO, NM) & 1 on May 23 (DRM), 1 flying over Stratford on May 18 (LM), 1 flying at Monticello on May 26 & 9 on Jun. 5 (JGM), 1 at Sunbury Cove West Side on May 31 (JFJ), 1 photographed at Strang Road on Jun. 5 (DRM), 3 on MacLean Road in East Point on Jun. 13 (RP), 5 at Cape Egmont on Jun. 13 (JFJ); Osprey - 2 at North Rustico on Apr. 9 (DRM) & 2 at nest on Apr. 11 (VB), 2 at Cymbria near golf course on Apr. 12, 2 days earlier than recent years & on Apr. 18 the mates had arrived at the 3 nest platforms there (JtR), pair back at the Black Vulture at East Point Wright’s Creek wooden bridge platform on Apr. 17 (SGC), at Morell River estuary on May 18, 2020 and 1 on the Midgell River nest beside Route 2 on Apr. 17 (BC&TR), 2 at North Donna Martin photo Rustico & 1 flying at Oyster Bed Bridge on Apr. 19 (WFB, EM), 1 at Johnston’s River pole nest on Apr. 30 and pair on it on May 4 (JDM); Northern Harrier - male at Lower New Annan on Apr. 3 (DRM), pair at Clarkin (48 Road) on Apr. 9 (RP), 1 over Corraville fields on Apr. 11 (BC&TR), 1 at Mount Herbert on Apr. 18 (BAM), 1 at East Point on May 7 (RP) & 2 on May 18 (DRM), 5 at East Point & 3 at East Lake on May 17 (FdB, GS, RW, SCS), 1 at Kingsboro on May 18 (SGC), 6 at Comm. East Point on May 18 (DO, NM), 1 at Pigot’s Trail on May 19 (VB), female on nest with 4 eggs at Sunbury Cove West Side on May 31 and pair on Jun. 10 (JFJ), 1 carrying grass at Little Harbour and landed on Jun. 2 (RP), male hunting at Orwell Cove on Jun. 3 (JDM); Sharp-shinned Hawk - 1 at Wright’s Creek bridge on Apr. 5 (MAM), 2 at East Point on May 7 (RP), 2 on May 18 (DRM), 1 on May 21 (RP), & 6 on May 17 (FdB, GS, RW, SCS); Northern Goshawk - 1 at New Harmony on May 18 (DRM), 1 at Dromore Woodland Trail on Jun. 10 (DO); Bald Eagle - 1 in nest in broken off white spruce at South Rustico (Grand Pere Point Road) on Apr. 5 (VB), 12 at Anglo Rustico on Jun. 3 (SGC); Broad-winged Hawk - 1 soaring over Mill Road at Larkin’s Pond on May 23 (DO, MAM) & photographed on May 24 (SCS), 8 (adults and immatures) in a kettle with 5 Turkey Vultures over Panneau Road at Cape Egmont on Jun. 13 (JFJ); Red- tailed Hawk - 1 at South Rustico (Grand Pere Point Road) on Apr. 5 (VB), 1 at Corraville on Apr. 12 (BC&TR), 1 at Valleyfield Demo Woodlot on May 16 (MAM), 1 at Green Meadows Snowy Owl at Nine Mile Creek on May 22 (RP), 1 at Pigot’s Trail on May 23 (DRM), 1 at Hampton & 1 at New Haven on on Apr. 4, 2020 May 31 (SGC), 1 adult at Milton and 1 at Summerfield on Jun. 5 (JDM), 1 at Tracadie Victoria Doan photo Harbour on Jun. 7 (MAM), 1 at Crown Point on Jun. 9 (BAM); Rough-legged Hawk - 1 at Earnscliffe on Apr. 5 (FdB) & white morph on Apr. 7 (MAM), 1 at Tryon on Apr. 11 (RP); Great Horned Owl - calling at Reeve’s Estates on Mar. 27 & 31 (DO, NM), 1 at Crown Point on May 18 (MAM), 2 at South Melville on May 21 (RA); Snowy Owl - 2 at Nine Mile Creek on Apr. 4 and male on Apr. 6 (VD, TF); Barred Owl - 1 at
19 Victoria Park on Mar. 24 (VD), 1 calling at South Melville on Apr. 6 (RA), 2 calling at Summerville on Apr. 19 (RWH), 2 calling at Milburn Road on Apr. 25 (MAM), 2 at Valleyfield Demo Woodlot on May 16 (MAM), 1 at Crown Point on May 18 (MAM), 1 at Brooklyn on May 31 (DMur), 1 Albion Cross at Little River Road on Jun. 5 (RC); Northern Saw-whet Owl - 2 singing at Keppock on Apr. 4 (MAM), 1 calling at Georgetown Royalty on Apr. 7 (SCS), 1 at Tea Hill on Apr. 8 (FdB), calling for over 2 hours at Donagh on Apr. 15 (JDM), 1 on nesting platform at Southwest River on Apr. 21 (F&GM), 1 at Harmony Road on Apr. 24 (DRM), 1 at Valleyfield Demo Woodlot on May 16 (MAM), 1 at Clyde River on May 26 (VD); Belted Kingfisher - 1 at Mt. Carmel on Apr. 5 (JFJ), pair at QEH on Apr. 9 (MAM), periodically at Donagh Bridge in Apr.-Jun. (JDM), 3 at Bangor on May 17 (NM, DO); Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1 at Earnscliffe on Mar. 31 (EMu); Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - female at Reeves Estates on Apr. 14 (NM), 1 drumming and calling at Harrington & Union Road on Apr. 15 (JtR), 2 at St. Charles on Apr. 15 (JGM), at Corraville on Apr. 20 (BC&TR), at Stratford on May 18 (LM), 1 along Confed Trail Brackley to Union May 24 (VB); Black-backed Woodpecker - male at McKenna’s Marsh on Apr. 9 (RP), 1 at McKenna’s Marsh on Apr. 9 (RP), 1 at Bonshaw Park on Apr. 29 (KMar), pair at cavity tree in a small cedar swamp off Route 2 in Kildare on May 20 (JWe), 1 at East Tarantum Road on May 23 (DRM); Downy Woodpecker - daily at Riverview Estates (WFB, EM), Donagh (JDM) in Apr through mid-Jun.; Hairy Woodpecker - adult feeding fledgling at Reeves Estates on Jun. 11 (DO, JDM), male and female at Donagh feeders on Apr through mid-Jun (JDM); Northern Flicker - 1 at China Point on Mar. 19 (JH), 2 at Wright’s Creek bridge on Apr. 5 (MAM), Black-backed Woodpecker at 4 at East Point on May 7 (RP), 5 at Milburn Road in Corraville on May 9 (MAM); McKenna’s Marsh on Apr. 9, 2020 Pileated Woodpecker - 1 calling at Reeves Estates on Apr. 1 (DO), 1 at Suffolk on Apr. 8 Roberta Palmer photo (RMa), 1 at Rocky Point on Apr. 18 (BAM), 1 calling near QEH on Apr. 21 (MAM), 1 at Tea Hill on Apr. 30 (MAM), 1 at Milburn Road in Corraville on May 9 (MAM), 1 at MacVane’s Creek on May 13 (RP), pair at Stratford on May 19 (NLD), 1 at Father James Road on May 24 (RP, DRM), 1 at Bonshaw on May 27 (MC, TR) & 1 on Jun. 9 (AF); American Kestrel - 1 at Tryon on Apr. 11 (RP), 1 male at Union Road on Apr. 15 & 1 on Jun. 1 (VB), 1 at North Tryon on Apr. 27 (SGC), at Souris Line Road on May 18 (BC&TR), FOY at Donagh on May 14 (JDM), 1 at Elmwood on May 17 (BJ), 2 at East Point on May 18 & May 24 (DRM), 2 at Union Road on May 24 (VB); Merlin - pair at Monticello on Apr. 12 (JGM), 1 at Mont Carmel on May 18 & 1 on May 31 (JFJ), 1 at East Point on May 18 (DRM) & 2 on May 20 (RP, VB) & 1 on May 23 (RP) & May 24 (DRM), 1 at East Tarantum Road on May 24 (RP), 1 tried for a Least Sandpiper at Mount Herbert on May 24 (BAM), 2 at Jacques Cartier Park on Jun. 9 (SCS); Peregrine Falcon - 1 at East Point on May 18 (DRM), 1 at Summerside on May 23 (SRa); Gyrfalcon - white morph at China Point on Mar. 23 & Mar. 25 (JH); Eastern Kingbird - 2 at Campbell’s Pond in New Glasgow on May 22 (NM) & 2 on May 31 (RA), 1 at St. Margaret’s May 30 (RP), 1 at Priest Pond on Jun. 5 (IF), 1 at Cape Egmont on Jun. 13 (JFJ); Olive-sided Flycatcher - 1 at Mont Carmel on May 28 (JFJ), 1 at Mill Road at Larkin’s Pond on May 28 (RP), 1 photographed at Strang Road on May 29 (DRM), 1 at Fountain Road in New Harmony on Jun. 4 (RP), 3 at Albion Cross at 2 sites on Little River Road on Jun. 5 (RC), 1 at Riverton on Jun. 5 (BAM), 2 at Crown Point on Jun. 6 (MAM), 1 at Jack Campbell Road on Jun. 10 (DO); Eastern Wood Peewee - 1 at Mickle Macum Road on May 28 (RO), 1 at Wellington on May 28 (JFJ), 1 photographed at Strang Road on May 29 (DRM), 2 at Abram’s Village Haldimand River on Jun. 9 (JFJ), 1 at Dromore Jack Campbell Road on Eastern Kingbird at Priest Pond Jun. 10 (DO), 1 at Horne Cross Road on Jun. on Jun. 5, 2020 10 (VB), 1 at Cape Egmont on Jun. 13 (JFJ), 2 Isabel Fitzpatrick photo at Crown Point on Jun. 13 (MAM, VB); Yellow-bellied Flycatcher - 3 at Sunbury Cove West Side on May 31 (JFJ), 1 at Little Harbour on Jun. 4 (RP), 1 at Fountain Road in New Harmony on Jun. 4 (RP), 1 at Albion Cross at Little River Road on Jun. 5 (RC), 1 at Crown Point on Jun. 6 (MAM), 1 photographed at Strang Road on Jun. 9 (DRM), 1 at East Point on Jun. 13 Yellow-bellied Flycatcher at Strang Road (RP); Alder Flycatcher - 1 at Crown Point on May 20 (MAM), 1 at Baldwin’s on Jun. 9, 2020 Donna Martin photo Road & 1 at Martinvale along Jessie Maybelle Road on May 22 (RC), 1 at Mont Carmel on May 28 (JFJ), 6 at Sunbury Cove West Side on May 31 (JFJ); Least Flycatcher - 2 at Strang Road on May 21 (DRM, VB), 1 at Baldwin’s Road (MacKinnon South Road) on May 22 (RC), 3 at Mont Carmel on May 22 (JFJ), 2 at East Tarantum Road on May 23 (MAM), 3 at Father James Road on May 24 (RP, DRM);
20 Eastern Phoebe - 1 at Mont Albion on May 14 (JFJ); Northern Shrike - 1 at Stratford on Apr. 18 (BAM); Blue-headed Vireo - 1 at Milburn Road in Corraville on May 9 (MAM), 2 at Valleyfield Demo Woodlot on May 16 (MAM), 1 at Stratford on May 15 (LM), at Friendship Park in Summerside on May 17 (DRM); Red-eyed Vireo - 1 at Valleyfield Demo Woodlot on May 16 (MAM), 1 at Selkirk Trail on May 15 (JGM), at Friendship Park in Summerside on May 17 (DRM); Canada Jay - 1 at East Tarantum Road on May 23 (MAM), 2 Albion Cross at Little River Road on Jun. 5 (RC); Blue Jay - 11 at Horne’s Cross Road on Apr. 11 (VB); American Crow - common in Apr to mid- June (JDM); Common Raven - nest near Cotton Park in Stratford crowded with young on May 13 - must be nearing fledgling as one was in the nest on Mar. 13 (FRC); Horned Lark - 4 at Mont Carmel on May 3 (JFJ); Purple Martin - 1 found in back yard and delivered to AVC on May 9 (NS); Bank Swallow - 4 at East Point on May 17 (FdB, GS, RW, SCS) & 4 on May 24 (DRM), 1 at Mont Carmel & 1 at Abram’s Village on May 18 & 14 on May 27 (JFJ), 2 at North Cape on May 24 (JFJ), lots at Murray Harbour North colony on May 25 (DH), 1 at Cape Egmont & 1 at Abram’s Village- Maximeville on May 27 (JFJ), 1 at Church Road at St. Charles on May 30 (RP), 135 at Sunbury Cove West Side on May 31 & 50 on Jun. 9 (JFJ), 2 at MacVane’s Creek on Jun. 3 (RP), 9 at Mont Carmel on Jun. 7 & 50 on Jun. 13 (JFJ), 3 at Abram’s Village Purple Martin submitted to AVC Haldimand River on Jun. 9 (JFJ), 9 at Crown Point on Jun. 10 (BAM) & 12 on Jun. 13 on May 9, 2020 (MAM, VB); Tree Swallow - 1 at Orwell on Apr. 18 (CR), 1 at Tracadie Harbour on Nellissa Stalenhoef photo Apr. 18 (MAM), 3 at Cape Egmont on Apr. 22 (WGH), FOY at Summerville on May 8 (RWH), 2 at Milburn Road in Corraville on May 9 (MAM), 4 to 6 at Pigot’s Trail on May 18 (JDM, BAM) & 2 on May 19 (VB), & 16 on May 23 (DRM), 60 at East Point and 30 at East Lake on May 17 (FdB, GS, RW, SCS), 100 at Whitty Road at Selkirk Pond on May 18 (DO, NM), 1 on top of new nest box and vocalizing along Wright’s Creek buffer area on May 25 (JMa, JDM), 35 at Borden on May 29 (DRM), 28 on Jun. 1 (DEJ), 40 at Fullerton’s Marsh Mt. Herbert on Jun. 3 (BAM); Barn Swallow - 1 at Alliston on May 7 and 8 on May 16 (GCu via FRC), FOY at Summerville on Jun 8 (RWH), back at Green Bay horse barn on May 12 (JW), 5 at East Point on May 17 (FdB, GS, RW, SCS), 2 entering sheds at Basin Head on May 18 (SGC), 1 at Trout River trail on May 23 (JFJ), 3 at Green Bay and 1 on nest on May 29 (RA), 2 at Little Harbour on Jun. 2 (RP); Black-capped Chickadee - chickadees nest building in earnest- taking small items, too small for me to identify, into nest box (FRC); Boreal Chickadee - 3 at East Lake on May 17 (FdB, GS, RW, SCS), 2 in Albion Cross at Little River Road on Jun. 5 (RC); Red-breasted Nuthatch - daily at Donagh feeders on Apr. through mid-Jun. (JDM); White-breasted Nuthatch - 1 at Dunk River Trail on Apr. 2 (SH), 1 at Dunk River (Scales Pond) trail on Apr. 5 (DRM), 1 at Valleyfield Demo Woodlot on May 16 (MAM); Brown Creeper - 1 at Dunk River (Scales Pond) trail on Apr. 5 (DRM), 1 at Fullerton’s Creek Conservation Park on Apr. 12 (FRC), 1 at Winter River Trail on May 3 (VB), 1 at Bangor on May 17 (NM, DO), 1 at MacVane’s Creek on May 25 (RP), 1 at Strathgartney on May 29 (RA); Winter Wren - singing at Cow River on Apr. 14 (JGM), singing on St. Charles Road on Apr. 21 (JGM), 1 at East Point on May 7 (RP), 1 at Milburn Road in Corraville on May 9 (MAM), 2 at Valleyfield Demo Woodlot on May 16 (MAM), 1 at Bangor on May 17 (NM, DO), 5 at Winter River trail on May 21 (BR); Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - 1 at East Point on May 20 (RP, VB), 1 on May 21 (RP), & 3 on May 24 (DRM), 1 at MacVane’s Creek on May 23 (DO, NM), 1 at Whitty Road Selkirk Pond on May 24 (SCS); Golden-crowned Kinglet - 3 at Dunk River (Scales Pond) trail on Apr. 5 (DRM); Ruby-crowned Kinglet - singing on St. Charles Road Blue-gray Gnatcatcher at East Point on on Apr. 21 (JGM) and at Milburn May 20, 2020 Roberta Palmer photo Road on May 9 (MAM), at O’keefe’s Lake on Apr. 26 (RP), 30 at East Point on May 7 (RP); Eastern Bluebird - male and female at Rocky Point on May 13 (VD); Veery - 1 at Hyde Park on May 20 (SGC), 1 at East Tarantum Road on May 23 (DRM), 1 at Mont Carmel on May 24, 1 on May 25, 2 on May Eastern Bluebird at Rocky Point 26, 1 on May 31, Jun. 7, & 1 on Jun. 12 (JFJ), 1 at Cape Egmont on May 27 on May 13, 2020 Victoria Doan photo (JFJ), 1 at Sunbury Cove West Side on May 31 (JFJ), 1 at Strang Road on Jun. 9 (DRM); Swainson’s Thrush - 3 at Valleyfield Demo Woodlot on May 16 (MAM), 1 at Afton Road on May 18 (RP), 1 at New Harmony on May 18 (DRM), 1 at Mont Carmel on May 20 & May 22 (JFJ); Hermit Thrush - 1 at
21 White’s Road in Donagh on Apr. 21 (RP), 1 at Harmony Road on Apr. 24 (DRM), 3 at Tea Hill on Apr. 30 (MAM), 4 at Milburn Road in Corraville on May 9 (MAM), 4 at Valleyfield Demo Woodlot on May 16 (MAM), 1 at Selkirk Trail on May 15 (JGM), at McKenna’s Marsh on May 17 (VB, MAM); American Robin - 13 cleaning off mountain ash berries at Belfast on Mar. 19 (BJH), ½ robin egg in Donagh driveway on May 24 (JDM); Gray Catbird - 1 at Borden on May 18 (DRM), 1 at East Point on May 21 (RP), 1 at Strang Road on May 21 (DRM, VB), 1 at Mont Carmel on May 22, 1 on May 25, 2 on May 26, 1 on May 30, 1 on Jun. 7 & 1 on Jun. 12 (JFJ), 1 at Launching on May 26 (JAl), 1 at Monticello on May 26, 1 at St. Peter’s Bay on May 26 (via MAM), 1 at Cape Egmont on May 27 (JFJ), 1 at Strang Road on May 28 & Jun. 9 (DRM), 1 at Klondyke Road on May 29 (KD), 1 at Corraville on Jun. 1 (BC&TR), 1 at Donaldston on Jun. 1 (PDa); Brown Thrasher - 1 at Rice Point on May 14 (DCa). 1 at East Point on May 22 (DCh); Northern Mockingbird - 1 at Mont Carmel on May 27, 1 on Jun. 6 (JFJ), 1 on Jun. 9 (DRM), & 1 on Jun. 13 (JFJ); European Starling - carrying nesting material into nest box at Argyle Shore (LY); Cedar Waxwing - 4 at Mt. Carmel on Apr. 5 (JFJ), 11 at Keppock on Apr. 9 (MAM), at Wright’s Creek buffer on Apr. 16 (JMa), 1 at MacVane’s Creek on May 20 (RP, VB), 12 at Cape Egmont on May 27 (JFJ), 25 in Charlottetown feeding on apple blossoms on May 30 (SGC), 6 feasting on apple blossoms at Corraville on Jun. 9 (BC&TR), ~18 Cedar Waxwing at Wright’s Creek Buffer hovering around Monticello apple on Apr. 16, 2020 Jeanne Maki photo tree on Jun 12 (JGM); House Sparrow - 1 at Parkdale on Apr. 3 (FdB), 4 at Earnscliffe on Apr. 5 (FdB), 1 at Summerside on May 18 (SRa); American Pipit - 1 at North Cape on May 24 (JFJ), 1 at Rustico Breakwater on May 24 (JDo); Evening Grosbeak - at South Lake on May 4 (HB), at Murray Harbour North on May 6 (DH); Pine Grosbeak - 10 eating on St. Charles Road on Apr. 3 (JGM); House Finch - 2 females at West Royalty millet feeder on Jun. Brown Thrasher at East Point 12 (DC&ES); Purple Finch - at Belfast on Mar. 19 (BJH), numbers climbed to on May 22, 2020 Don Cheverie photo 19 at Reeve’s Estates on Mar. 27 & 30 on Apr. 1 (DO, NM), 3 at Stratford feeders in Apr. 3 (JCr); White-winged Crossbill - 6 at Abram’s Village Haldimand River on Jun. 9 (JFJ), 1 at Cape Egmont area on Jun. 13 (JFJ); Pine Siskin - 1 at Murray Harbour North on May 14 (DH), 4 at Mont Carmel on May 22, 1 on May 25, 1 on Jun. 4 & 14 on Jun. 12 (JFJ), 1 at North Cape on May 24 (JFJ), 1 at Sunbury Cove on Jun. 10 (JFJ); American Goldfinch - good numbers at various feeders, gathering & carrying nesting material at Donagh on May 19 (JDM); Snow Bunting - 2 at Jacques Cartier Park on Apr. 24 (SCor); Chipping Sparrow - 1 at Stratford and 1 at Donagh on May 13 (A&PM, JDM), 1 at Mont Carmel on May 16 (JFJ), 1 on Confed Trail near Hunter River to Clyde (SCor), 3 at Winsloe South on May 23 (DEJ); Fox Sparrow - 1 at Reeves Estates on Apr. 1 (DO, NM), 1 at Cavendish on Apr. 10 (RP), 2 at Campbell’s Pond in New Glasgow on May 22 (DEJ); American Tree Sparrow - 1 at Watts Road on May 9 (SGC); Dark-eyed Junco - 2 at Wright’s Creek bridge on Apr. 5 (MAM), 8 at Dunk River (Scales Pond) trail on Apr. 5 (DRM), leucistic male at Priest Pond on Apr. 16 (IF); White-crowned Sparrow - 1 at Donagh feeders on Apr. 21 (JDM), 1 at Horne Cross Road on May 13 (VB), 1 at Mont Carmel on May 16 (JFJ), 1 at Souris River feeders on May 17 (MR), 6 at Father James Road on May 24 (RP); White-throated Sparrow - 1 at Mt. Mellick Marsh on Apr. 4 (MAM), 2 at Mont Carmel on May 3 (JFJ), 8 at East Point on May 7 (RP), influx at Donagh on May 8 (JDM), 11 at Milburn Road in Corraville on May 9 (MAM), 30 at Winter River trail on May 21 (BR); Nelson’s Sparrow - 5 at Crown Point on May 20 (MAM), 1 at Borden-Carleton on May 31 (SGC), 1 at Wharf Road in Alexandra on Jun. 6 (MAM) & 1 on Jun. 12 (FdB), 14 at Abram’s Village Haldimand River on Jun. 9 (JFJ), 2 at Sunbury Cove West Side on Jun. 10 (JFJ); Savannah Sparrow - 2 at Rustico Beach on Apr. 30 (DRM), 1 at Wharf Road Alexandra on May 11 (LM), 3 at Belle River on May 18 (NM), 3 at Pigot’s Trail on May 19 (VB); Song Sparrow - 6 at Mt. Mellick Marsh on Apr. 4 (MAM), 14 at South Rustico (Grand Pere Point Road) on Apr. 5 (VB), several singing at Donagh on Apr. 9 and 2 at feeders for first time in 2 months (JDM); Lincoln’s Sparrow - 1 at East Point on May 18 (DRM), 1 at Mont Carmel on May 19 (JFJ), 2 at Lorne Valley on May 22 (RC), 1 at MacVane’s Creek on May 23 (DO, NM), 3 at Bothwell on May 23 (RP), 2 at Crown Point on May 31 (MAM), 1 at Little Harbour on Jun. 4 (RP); Swamp Sparrow - 1 at Mont Carmel on Apr. 20 (JFJ), FOY at Borden lagoons on Apr. 24 (DRM), many at Milburn Road on Apr. 25 (MAM), 8 at Deroche Pond on Apr. 25 (RP); Bobolink - first one calling at Green Bay on May 16 (JW), 3 calling at Royalty Friendship Park in Summerside on May 17 (DRM), 3 at Cape Egmont & 2 at Arsenault Pond at Cape Egmont on May 17 (JFJ), 2 males at Pigot’s Trail on May 18 (JDM), 2 on May 19 (VB), 4 on May 22 (RP), 6 on May 23 (DRM), & 7 on May 29 (DEJ), 1 at South Melville on May 18 (RA), 2 at Abram’s Village on May 18 (JFJ), first 2 Bobolinks at Egmont Bay property in 15 years on May 19 (WGH), 9 at Ebenezer on May 21 (VB), 1 at Mount Herbert (across from Fullerton’s Marsh) on May 24 (BAM), 3 at Dunstaffnage on May 24 (JtR), 2 at Village Green on May 25 (BR, AM), 3 at MacKinnon’s Point Road in Pisquid on May 27
22 (DLM), male at Alexandra on Jun. 6 (MAM); Orchard Oriole - 1 photographed at Pigot’s Trail on Jun. 14 (SGC) & on Jun 15 (MAM, DRM, RP); Baltimore Oriole - 1 at Mill River East on May 18 (MLH), 1 at Roseville on May 22 (JAr), 1 at Orwell on May 22 (SL), 1 at Riverdale on May 23 (via JW), 1 photographed at Summerside on Jun. 10 (DRM); Red- winged Blackbird - back at Cherry Valley on Mar. 19 (JH), singing in Johnston’s River marsh at Donagh first week of April (JDM), 23 at Mt. Mellick Marsh on Apr. 4 (MAM), 4 males at Crapaud feeders on Apr. 10 (DD), female at Allisary on May 18 (BAM), female at Hyde Park Pond on May 20 (SGC), first female at Donagh on May 27 (JDM); Brown- headed Cowbird - 2 at Summerside (Read Dr.) on Apr. 2 (DRM), 1 at Horne Cross Road on Apr. 8 (VB), 3 males at Crapaud feeders on Apr. 10 (DD), male and female at Sherwood on Apr. 25 (RP); Rusty Blackbird - 1 seen and singing at Milburn Road in Corraville on May 9 (MAM); Common Grackle - heavy nest building activity in Stratford on Apr. 14 (FRC), 7 at Grand River Bridge on Apr. 14 (DRM), young starting to fledge at Stratford Orchard Oriole at Pigot’s Trail colony on May 13 (FRC); Ovenbird - 1 at Bangor on May 17 (NM, DO), 6 at Afton Road Jun. 15, 2020 on May 18 (RP) & 12 on May 19 (VB), at Harmony (Prince Co) on May 17 (DRM), 2 at Sharon Clark photo New Harmony on May 18 (DRM), 25 at Winter River trail on May 21 (BR); Northern Waterthrush - 2 at Milburn Road in Corraville on May 9 (MAM), at Friendship Park in Summerside & 2 at Strang Road on May 17 (DRM), 2 at Crown Point on May 18 (MAM); Black-and-white Warbler - 1 at East Lake on May 17 (FdB, GS, RW, SCS), 1 at Bangor on May 17 (NM, DO), 1 on Confed Trail near Hunter River to Clyde (SCor), 1 at Friendship Park Summerside, 2 at Strang Road & 1 at Harmony (Prince Co) on May 17 (DRM), 4 at Crown Point on May 18 (MAM), 4 at Afton Road on May 18 (RP), 1 at New Harmony on May 18 (DRM), 4 at Mont Carmel on May 18 (JFJ), 1 at Boughton River Trail on May 22 (HBl), 1 at QEH woods on Jun. 11 (MAM), 1 at Donagh on Jun. 13 (JDM); Tennessee Warbler - 1 at Abram’s Village-Maximeville on May 27 (JFJ), 1 at Camp Tamawaby on May 28 (JFJ), 1 at Sunbury Cove West Side on May 31 (JFJ), 1 at Schurman’s Point on Jun. 3 (DRM) 1 at Strang Road on Jun. 5 & Jun. 9 (DRM) & 1 photographed on Jun. 11 (RP); Nashville Warbler - 1 at Friendship Park Summerside on May 17 (DRM), 1 at Crown Point on May 18 (MAM), 2 at Mont Carmel on May 18 (JFJ), 1 at Strang Road on May 29 (DRM); Mourning Warbler - 1 at Mont Carmel on May 28 (JFJ), 1 at Mill Road at Larkin’s Pond on May 28 (RP), 1 photographed at Strang Road on May 29 (DRM), 1 at Tea Hill on May 30 (FdB), 1 at Crown Point on Jun. 13 (MAM, VB); Common Yellowthroat - 1 at Afton Road on May 18 (RP), 3 at Mont Carmel & 2 at Abram’s Village on May 18 (JFJ), 1 at Pigot’s Trail on May 22 (RP); American Redstart - 1 at Mont Carmel & 1 at Maximeville on May 18 (JFJ), 2 at Crown Point on May 18 (MAM), 1 at Afton Road on May 18 (RP); Cape May Warbler - 2 at Bangor on May 17 (NM, DO), 1 at Harmony (Prince Co) on May 17 (DRM), 1 at Crown Point on May 18 (MAM) & 1 on Jun. 13 (VB, MAM), 1 at Whitty Road at Selkirk Pond on May 18 (DO, NM), 3 at Mont Carmel on May 21 (JFJ), 3 at Camp Tamawaby on May 23 (JFJ); Northern Parula - 1 at Selkirk Trail on May 15 (JGM), 1 at Murray Harbour North on May 15 (DH), 1 at East Lake on May 17 (FdB, GS, RW, SCS) & 1 at Tarantum Road on May 17 (FdB, GS), at Friendship Park in Summerside, 1 at Strang Road, & 1 at Harmony (Prince Co) on May 17 (DRM), 1 on Confed Trail near Hunter River to Clyde on May 17 (SCor), 3 at Crown Point on May 18 (MAM), 3 at Afton Road on May 18 (RP), 2 at New Harmony on May 18 (DRM), first of season at Donagh on May 20 (JDM); Magnolia Warbler - 1 at Abraham Village on May 18 (JFJ), 2 at Baldwin’s Road MacKinnon Road South on May 22 (RC); Bay-breasted Warbler - 1 at Mont Carmel on May 23 (JFJ), 2 at Kingsboro on May 28 (WK), 1 at Haldimand River Road in Abrams Village on May 28 (SCor) 1 photographed at Mickle Macum Road on May 29 (RP), 1 at Sunbury Cove West Side on May 31 & 3 on Jun. 10 (JFJ), 1 at Confed Trail at Munns Road on Jun. 7 (HB); Blackburnian Warbler - 1 at Mont Carmel on May 21 & May 22 (JFJ), 2 at Uigg on May 22 (BAM), 1 at Camp Tamawaby on May 23 (JFJ), 1 at MacVane’s Creek on May 26 (RP), 3 at Cape Egmont on May 27 (JFJ); Yellow Warbler - 1 at Friendship Park Summerside on May 17 (DRM), 2 at Crown Point on May 18 (MAM), 2 at Borden on May 18 (DRM), 1 at Pigot’s Trail on May 21 (SGC), collecting threads from white ash at Westmoreland on May 31 (DD); Chestnut-sided Warbler - 2 at Strang Road on May 21 & 1 on May 29 (DRM, VB), 5 at Mont Carmel on May 22 (JFJ), 1 at Camp Tamawaby on May 23 (JFJ), 6 along Confed Trail Brackley to Union on May 24 (VB); Blackpoll Warbler - 1 at Fountain Head Road in New Harmony on May 25 & 1 on Jun. 4 (RP), 1 at Sunbury Cove West Side on May 31 (JFJ), 1 at Little York on Jun. 1 (VB), 1 at Mont Carmel on Jun. 3 (JFJ); Black-throated Blue Warbler -1 at Comm East Point & 1 at Basin Head on May 21 (RP), 1 photographed at Valleyfield Demo Woodlot on May 22 (DMur), 3 at Glen and New Harmony Roads on May 23 (MAM, NM, DO), 1 at Crown Point on May 31 (MAM); Palm Warbler - singing at Fanningbrook Road in Pisquid on Apr. 29 (DLM) and at Winter River trail on May 6 (JMa), 1 at East Lake on May 17 (FdB, GS, RW, SCS), 1 at Strang Road on May 17 & May 29 & 3 on Jun. 5 (DRM), 2 at Crown Point on May 18 (MAM), 1 at Afton Road on May 18 (RP), 1 at Whitty Road at Selkirk Pond on May 18 (DO, NM), 1 at Mont Carmel on May 18 (JFJ), 1 at Martinvale on May 22 (RC), 2 at Sunbury Cove West Side on May 31 (JFJ), 2 at Crown Point on May 31 (MAM) & 1 on Jun. 9 (BAM), 2 in Albion Cross at Little River Road on Jun. 5 (RC); Yellow-rumped Warbler - 1 at White’s Road in Donagh on Apr. 21 (RP), singing at St Charles on Apr. 30 (JGM), 35 at East Lake on May 17 (FdB, GS, RW, SCS); Black-throated Green Warbler - 1 at
23 Bangor on May 17 (NM, DO), 1 at Crown Point on May 18 (MAM), 3 at Afton Road on May 18 (RP), 1 at New Harmony on May 18 (DRM); Canada Warbler - 1 at Mill Road at Larkin’s Pond on May 24 (SCS), 2 at Cape Egmont on May 27 (JFJ), 2 at Camp Tamawaby on May 28 (JFJ), 1 photographed at Strang Road on May 29, 3 on Jun. 5, & 3 pairs on Jun. 9 (DRM) & 3 on Jun. 1 (RP), 3 at Sunbury Cove West Side on May 31 & 2 on Jun. 10 (JFJ), 1 at Afton Road on Jun. 3 (BAM), 2 at Abram’s Village Haldimand River on Jun. 9 (JFJ), 4 at Cape Egmont on Jun. 13 (JFJ); Wilson’s Warbler - 1 at East Tarantum Road on May 23 (MAM, RP) & 2 on May 24 (RP), 1 at Mont Carmel on May 28 (JFJ), 1 at Schurman’s Point on Jun. 3 (DRM); Northern Cardinal - male near Summerside on May 9 & May 11 (FC), male and female in Sherwood on May 15 (JCo), 1 at Montague on Jun. 12 (DMur); Rose-breasted Grosbeak - 1 1st year male at Murray Harbour North on May 1 (DH), 1 at Indigo Bunting at South Lake on May 20, 2020 Orwell on May 15 (SL), 1 at Elmwood on May 17 (BJ), 1 at Crown Point Hélène Blanchet photo on May 18 (MAM), male and female at Donagh on May 19 through mid- Jun. (JDM), 2 at Mont Carmel on May 20 (JFJ); Indigo Bunting - 1 in Souris area on May 15 (FC via DO), 1 at South Lake on May 20 (HB), 1 at Greenwich on May 31 (ASh).
Editor’s Note: Osprey reported by call at Marshfield on Mar. 21 was a Bald Eagle (GK).
Thanks to the following contributors who provided records for this listing, namely: JAl - Judi Allen; JAr - Jodi Arsenault via BPEI; MA - Mark Arsenault; PA - Phil Arbing; RA - Ron Arvidson; HB - Hailey Blacquire via Ebird Canada; HBl - Hélène Blanchet; NJB - Nic Bergeron; VB - Vanessa Bonnyman; WFB - Bill Bowerbank; AC - Alma Currie; BC - Barbara Clements; BC&TR - Barry Cottam & Theresa Redmond; DCa - Don Carroll; EC- Elwood Coakes; FC - Farrley Corbett via BPEI); FRC - Rosemary Curley; GC - Ginny Cook; GCu Georgie Curley; JCo - Jim Coady; MC - Marion Copleston; RC- Ray Cooke; SGC - Sharon Clark; SCor - Susan Corrigan via Ebird Canada; BPEI - Birding on PEI Facebook or BPEI/Nature PEI Field Trip; FdB - Fiep de Bie; DD - Daphne Davey; ED - Elizabeth Deblois; JDo - Jody Doucette via BPEI; KD - Kimberly Dawn via BPEI; LD - Lois Doan; LJD - Lou Daley; PD - Pat Davies via Ebird Canada; PDa - Philip Davies via BPEI; SD - Sarah Deveau via BPEI; VD - Victoria Doan; AF - Albert Flavell via BPEI); IF - Isabel Fitzpatrick; TF - Tyler Flanagan; CGa - Connie Gaudet; DCG - Darlene C. Gallant via BPEI; DFG - Diane Griffin; GGr - Garry Gregory; MRG - Marlene Guignion; BH - Ben Hoteling; BJH - Bonnie Hayden; DH - Debbie Hill via BPEI; JH - John Hayden; MH - Megan Harris; RWH - Robert Harding; WGH - Bill Hartford; BJ - Bill Jamieson; DEJ - Don Jardine via Ebird Canada; JFJ - Jean-François Jetté via Ebird Canada; DK - Dan Kennedy; GK - Glen Kelly; JK - John Klymko; DL - David Lord-riehl via BPEI; JL - John LeLacheuer; WK - William Knight via Ebird Canada; NLD - Natasha Lewis Devereau via BPEI; SL - Steve Leath; A&PM - Arlene & Paul McGuigan; AM - Allison Moody; AMa - Anna MacDonald; BAM - Brett MacKinnon; DLM - Dave McRuer; DRM - Donna Martin; DMur - Dale Murchison; EM - Evelyn Martin; EMu - Eric Mutch via BPEI); G&FMa - Gisele & Fred Martin; GJM - Gloriajean Murphy; JDM - Dan McAskill; JGM - Gerald MacDonald; JMa - Jeanne Maki; JMacC - Jill MacCormack; KMar - Kristine Martin via BPEI; KEM - Kate MacQuarrie; LM - Lucas MacCormack; MAM - Melanie McCarthy via Ebird Canada; MMa - Maria MacCormack; NM - Nicole Murtagh; REM - Rosanne MacFarlane; RMa - Roxy Maye; WJM - Wade MacKinnon; DO - Dwaine Oakley; BDP - Brad Potter; CMP - Caroline Marie Palmer via BPEI; PEINP - PEI National Park; RP - Robert Palmer via Ebird Canada; BR - Brian Rolek via Ebird Canada; CR - Clarence Ryan; JeRo - Jennifer Roma; JtR - John te Raa; MR - Marcy Robertson via SAB); TR - Tony Reddin; ASh - Anastasia Sheptikita via BPEI; BS - Bruce Smith; DC&ES - David & Elaine Seeler; GS - Gary Schneider; IS - Ian Scott; JS - Jamie Smith via Ocean 100 Radio; MSa - Michael Salter; NS - Nellissa Stalenhoef; SCS - Scott Sinclair; JW - Jackie Waddell; JWe - Jon Wedge via BPEI; RW - Rosalind Waters; WCT - Wildlife Conservation Technology Class; LY - Lorne Yeo; and JLZ - Julie-Lynn Zahavich..
ENVIRONMENTAL CALENDAR:
Public meetings, non-essential travel, and many other activities have been restricted since March 18th due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In April, the Government of PEI established Renew PEI, Together. a multi-phase strategy to ease restrictions and start normalizing life on PEI. It started on May 1st. The first three phases have been successfully implemented but public meetings and many other activities are still restricted. Until public meetings are allowed, Nature PEI will not be holding presentations and most other public events including public group field trips. With the appropriate physical distancing (2 metres), sanitation precautions, non-sharing of equipment, and other measures, small groups can self organize and participate in birding, hiking, recreational fishing, nature photography, and certain other nature activities.
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