NEWS AND NOTES.

MAY MEETING REPORT. About 30 people attended the last meeting of the season. It was announced that the society has received an Environment 2000 grant of $17, 000 to study the status of the Piping Plover on Prince Edward Island outside of the National Park. The project runs from May to Sept. and will be led by Joyce Macheod, assisted by Melissa McGonnell and Peggy Jo Jenkins.

The evening's program featured a showing of slides entered in the nature slide contest, with comments by Andy Dean. Prizes were awarded as follows: First'- Cormorant on nest by John sylvester; second - Blue Jay on snag by Dave MacDonald; Third - Clothespins on a line by Marian Coppleston; and Third (tie) - Nhitecoat pup by Dave MacDonald.

192’]! INTERNATIONAL ORNITHOLOGICAL CONGRESS. Details of this first ever international ornithological conference [NTERNATIONAUS to be held in Canada have recently been released. The ORNITHOLOGICUS

meetings are to be held in Ottawa June 22 - 29, 1986,

and will bring together people seriously interested in @. birds from around the world. The program will feature the presentation of scientific papers on ornithological topics, as well as discussions, workshops, and tours across Canada. For more information write Dr. Henri Ouellet, National Museum of Natural Sciences, Ottawa, Ontario KIA 0MB.

VALLEYFIELD OUTTNG. On the damp and showery morning of June 2, approximately 25 people gathered at the Dept. of Forestry woodlot in valleyfield fbr a hike to look for spring wildflowers and warblers. Many beautiful wildflowers were in evidence including painted trillium, common lady’s slipper (both pink and white), Indian cucumber root, clintonia, false Sblomon's seal, wild lily-ofL the-valley, goldthread and twisted stalk. Although the dampness made the birds more difficult to spot, a respectable total of 45 species was noted: Northern Harrier, American Kestrel, Ruffed Grouse, Cbmmon snipe, Herring Gull, Rock Dove, Barred Owl, Ruby—throated Hummingbird, Common Flicker, Least Flycatcher, Eastern Pewee, Tree swallow, Barn Swallow, Gray Jay, Blue Jay, American Crow, Black- capped Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Gray Catbird, American Robin, Hermit Thrush, European Starling, Red-eyed Vireo, Black-and-white Warbler, Northern Parula Warbler, Yellow warbler, Magnolia warbler, Black-throated Green warbler, Ovenbird, Northern waterthrush, Mourning harbler, Common Yellowthroat, American Redstart, House Sparrow, Bobolink, Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, Brown- headed Cowbird, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Evening Grosbeak, Purple Finch, American Goldfinch, Northern Junco, White-throated Sparrow, and Sbng Sparrow. Later in the afternoon a few people travelled on to Sharam Point, where the Wbotton’s provided a very interesting tour of their beautiful shoreline property.

OCTOBER MEETING. The first fall meeting will be held on Tue., Oct. 2 at 8:00 p.m. The speaker will be well-known Island nature photographer Nayne Barrett,

who will be speaking and showing slides on Anticosti Island.

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TURTLES ON P.E.I. ? A recent finding of a hbod Turtle on the Marie River was a surprise, as turtles are not known to be native to the Island. The Natural History Society is attempting to collect any information regarding turtle occurrence on P.E.I. to help determine their status in the province. Please contact Geoff Hogan (894-5995) or mail to the society’s P.O. Box with any information you may have on past or present observations of turtles in this province.