this site. In addition, there were a few Black-bellied Plovers present. At Redhead Beach, we saw two White- rumped Sandpipers, several Semipalmated Plovers, some Semipalmated Sandpipers, Least Sandpipers, and a few Short-billed Dowitchers. At Mount Stewart, there were very few shorebirds. We saw a few Common Eiders, Black

Scoter, White-winged Scoter and Northern Gannets at East Point. A small group were on the trip but it was a nice trip.

NEWS FROM ABOUT: Compiled by Dan McAskill

A new publication, “Bird status changes - and changes in environment - in the Chegnecto Isthmus region of Atlantic Canada” is now available as Technical Report Series Number 430. It covers the period from 1930 to 2000. The authors are Anthony Erskine and Reid McManus, Jr. (adapted from CWS letter)

One of our members, Denyse Lejeunesse, the Parks Ecologist with the RBI. National Park, recently moved back home to Gatineau for a new job with Parks Canada. In the past four years since her arrival, Denyse has been instrumental in building a research and collaboration network to expand our knowledge on the habitats in and near the Park. During her time on the Island, Denyse has supported the Society by participation in the Christmas Bird Counts, presentations to the Society, and by her Society membership. We wish to express our thanks to Denyse for her contributions to the Island and look forward to seeing her in the years ahead.

The Island Nature Trust’s Fundraising Dinner was a great success. Thanks to the generosity of those who bought tickets and purchased auction items and raffle tickets, nearly $22,000 was raised for the Trust’s conservation and land acquisition programs. (adapted from Island Nature Trust Update Issue 89, Aug. 2005)

Twenty-four Piping Plover guardians and Island Nature Trust staff conducted surveys of Piping Plover beaches on Prince Edward Island this year. The number of adults was down to 80 this year from last year’s 85 and our highest count of 112 in 2001. This year, Piping Plover were found on 18 beaches from Hog Island to Diligent pond. Thanks to the installation of nest exclosures to protect nests from predation, signage symbolic fencing, and advocacy, fledging success rates were good. (adapted from Island Nature Trust Update Issue 89, Aug. 2005)

The Natural History Society was advised via a letter from the P.E.I. Department of Environment, Energy and Forestry that the department had changed the composition of the Wildlife Conservation Fund Advisory Committee to restructure the committee to include only one non-consumptive group whereas two groups, the Society and the Island Nature Trust, had been included since the fund was created. The Society was one of the inaugural groups that supported the creation of the WCF to enable projects enabling wildlife conservation on Prince Edward Island. (adapted from an EEF letter to the Society dated August 5'“, 2005)

The Prince Edward Island Wildlife Federation, with the assistance of the National Wild Turkey Federation, advised a number of organizations of its intent to submit a proposal to the Government of Prince Edward Island outlining a strategy for the introduction of the eastern wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris). The Federation’s E-mail indicates that the approximately 50 wild turkeys to be released on Prince Edward Island will be live captured from wild stock from Ontario. They will then be immediately transported to Prince Edward Island, and released in one or two predetermined areas. The Federation hopes that the capture and introduction will occur sometime in February or March 2006. (adapted from an August 31“, 2005 E-mail from the P.E.I.'Wildlife Federation)

ANIMAL AND PLANT SIGHTINGS:

PLANTS: ‘ -

A spectacular swath of grass pink (Calopogon pulchellus) orchids was seen blooming in a small Cardross bog on Jul. 21 and several lesser purple-fringed orchids (Platanthera psycodes) were blooming in the ditch adjacent to the bog (D&MS). Chicory in flower in Pisquid on Aug. 6 (JDM, RHP). The first red oak acorns were dropping in Charlottetown on Aug. 31 at West Royalty. First fruiting field mushrooms were seen at Donagh this year on Sept. 1 and there was a flush of them in Southampton on Sept 6th. Indian cucumber root was flowering

4

Compiled by Dan McAskill '