SOME HIGHLIGHTS

• Nature PEI News;• Trout River BioBlitz;• Neil Bennett Autumn BirdingClassic;• New Bird Sounds Book;• News from About;• Lawsuit on NeonicotinoidPesticides;• Winter Finch Forecast;• Osprey Takes Duck;• Weather Events;• Great sighting reports:Greater White-fronted Goose;Cackling Goose; EurasianWigeon; Redhead; HarlequinDuck; Ruddy Duck; AmericanWhite Pelican; Great Egret;Turkey Vulture; Broad-wingedHawk; American Coot; UplandSandpiper; Atlantic Puffin;Black-headed Gull; LesserBlack-backed Gull; Little Gull;Glaucous Gull; Black-billedCuckoo; Pileated Woodpecker;Warbling Vireo; EasternBluebird; Veery; NorthernCardinal, & Indigo Bunting; • Environmental Calendar• Shorebird Report

ISSUE # 224 AUG. - DEC., 2017

ISLAND NATURALIST

NATURE PEI - NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND P.O. BOX 2346,CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. C1A 8C1

Meetings are held of the first Tuesday of the month from October to June at 7:30 p.m. at Beaconsfield’s CarriageHouse, corner of West and Kent Street in Charlottetown. Each meeting commences with a brief businessmeeting 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 availableat any meeting or by contacting the Treasurer at P.O. Box 2346, Charlottetown PE C1A 8C1. Annual membershipis $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 tothose receiving electronic newsletters.

The Society is directed by a volunteer Executive elected from its members.2017 Executive:

President ....................................................Rosemary Curley, Stratford 902-569-1209 rcurleypei@eastlink.ca Vice-President .........................Gerald MacDougall, Charlottetown 902-368-8092 eagle.dynasty@gmail.comPast President ............................... ...............Ian Scott, Charlottetown 902-892-5796 scotts@pei.sympatico.caSecretary ..........................................Robert Harding, Summerville 902-838-2699 rharding@pei.sympatico.caTreasurer ....................................................Don Jardine, Winsloe South 902-368-2549 dejardine@eastlink.caDirector- Program & Publicity .............Connie Gaudet, Stratford 902-367-5774 conniefairmont@gmail.comDirector - Field Trips ...............................Luke Peters, Millcove 902-940-7897 lspeters@hollandcollege.comNewsletter Editor....................................Dan McAskill, Donagh 902-569-4351 jdmcaskill@pei.sympatico.ca

NEWSLETTERS are normally published quarterly and are available in Acrobat Reader colour format via E-mailor 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. Ifyou have seen anything unusual, please share it with us. It is important to have your nature observations recordedso 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, P.E.I. C1B 0T9 or via E-mail to jdmcaskill@pei.sympatico.ca The next deadline for articles, sightings, or other newsletter information is Feb. 10th, 2018.

Illustrations/Pictures: The Society extends its thanks to Canadian Wildlife Federation, Basil Conlin, Ray Cooke,Rosemary Curley, Fish & Wildlife Facebook site, Bob Harding, Melissa Lefebvre, Donna Martin, Dwaine Oakley,John te Raa, and Julie Lynn Zahavich for the use of their photographs.

Reprinting: Editors of other newsletters and teachers wishing to copy classroom materials are welcome to reprintarticles from the Island Naturalist (except when copyrighted). Due acknowledgment must be provided to the IslandNaturalist, the author and illustrator.

Web page: www.NaturePEI.ca Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NaturePEI Nature PEI gratefully acknowledges support from the Department of Education, Early Learning and Culture whichenables distribution of newsletters to schools and libraries desiring it. The Society has representation on the boardof the Island Nature Trust. The Society is a registered charity and a non-profit organization (Part 2, PEICompanies Act). Tax receipts are issued for donations to the Society and these funds are used to further the workof the Society.

Cover Illustration: The Fly Agaric, Fly Amanita or Yellow Amanita (Amanita muscaria) is a widespread basidiomycete

mushroom of the northern hemisphere and is a mycorrhizal symbiont of various trees. Some rate it as poisonousbut, when parboiled, it is used as food in parts of Europe. It more known as a hallucinogen. Photo by John te Raa

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2017 BioBlitz participants at Trout RiverPhoto Donna Martin

NATURE PEI NEWS:

Its been a busy summer and autumn for Nature PEI. Since June, it: • found the necessary funds and volunteers to conduct the Trout River BioBlitz (see article

below);• added its newly developed tagline “Supporting Citizen Science since 1969" to its

letterhead;• discussed the concept of a Maritime citizen science conference;• participated in the province’s Cultural Consultation Strategy;• scanned Margaret Mallett’s slide collection;• explored ways to augment use of Nature PEI’s Facebook site;• participated in UPEI Climate Lab’s Climate Change Adaptation workshop on forests and

biodiversity and provided strong comments address its inadequacy respecting biodiversityon the initial draft;

• produced two issues of the Island Naturalist;• co-hosted the Neil Bennett Autumn Birding Classic; • explored field trips; • submitted a successful Wildlife Conservation Fund application to support the inclusion of

illustrations for the development of the Mammals of PEI book project; • posted new material to the Nature PEI website and Facebook site;• addressed various information requests; and• is seeking a joint meeting to discuss a PEI Biodiversity Strategy with Minister Robert

Mitchell, Island Nature Trust and PEI Invasive Species Council.

RESULTS WORTH WAITING FOR--TROUT RIVER BIOBLITZ: By Rosemary Curley

In mid-June, Nature PEI conducted a BioBlitz at theTrout River Natural Area in Carleton, Prince County, one of35 BioBlitz Canada 150 events organized by the CanadianWildlife Federation as a Canada 150 Signature project. Nowmost of the plants and animals collected in June have beenidentified, and the group is gratified that 267 species werefound within the 24 hour survey period. As expected, plantswere the biggest contributor to the list at 111 species. (Thereare far more insects than plants in the world, but plants areeasier to identify and they don’t hide or fly away). Next werethe moths and butterflies at 73 species. Mammals, birds,amphibians and a Garter Snake were tallied, and a Twice-stabbed Stink Bug was photographed. Eleven different speciesof snails and slugs were identified including a tree-climbingWhite-lipped Snail. Three stalwart university students tookpart in a rainy night of collecting and found sticklebacks intheir minnow traps and moths at mercury vapor and ultraviolet

light traps. A Giant Cream Pattern-Wing Sedge, actually a huge and handsome caddisfly species, turned up in amalaise trap. The names of some of these species are amazingly complex, reflecting their translation from theLatin, but also the difficulty in describing unique species among a great diversity of life forms.

The Trout River Natural Area is owned by Island Nature Trust whose own records show a previouslyidentified list of 108 species of plants in the area. In total, the Bioblitz added 229 plants and animals to the NaturalArea species list and 10 species of moth not currently on the list of moths for the Province, maintained by theAtlantic Canada Conservation Data Centre.

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Silver Whip Moth (Autographa flagellum)Photo Basil Conlin

Twice-stabbed Stink BugPhoto Melissa Lafebvre

The success of a bioblitz in generating a hefty species list iscontingent on the number of experts who take part. At Trout River wewere very fortunate to have Basil Conlin who was expert at trappingand identifying moths, and luckily he heard about the event when hewas visiting his grandmother in St. Edward. Our list of 267 speciesdoes pale compared to the 1,472 in the Norfolk Forest Important BirdArea in southern Ontario. They recorded 649 insects versus 618 plants.

Results of BioBlitz Canada 150 can be seen athttp://inaturalist.ca/projects/bioblitz-canada-150

The BioBlitz is becoming a tradition in biologicalexplorations, but the CanadianWildlife Federation also hoped toencourage a new generation of

naturalists and an educational approach to bio-divining. We did less well inthis department, in part due to rain. The event was quite an adventure for ourgroup but now that we’ve done it once we will probably do it again,somewhere else, sometime soon. We would like to have more youth andfamilies involved in the discovery of our wildlife species.

It takes a lot of cooperation to run a Bioblitz. The Trout River effortbenefitted from 22 participants who took part despite 18 hours of rain. Alsoimportant was the identification expertise of the iNaturalist online community,funding from the PEI Wildlife Conservation Fund and the Government ofCanada via the Canadian Wildlife Federation, and additional assistance fromTrout Unlimited, the UPEI Biology Department, the Stratford & AreaWatershed Improvement Group, and the Province of PEI.

THE 18th NEIL BENNETT AUTUMN BIRDING CLASSIC: By Dan McAskill, Ray Cooke, DavidSeeler, Ron Arvidson, Ian Scott, Brenda Penak, Jackie Waddell, Fiep de Bie, Sharon Clark, ShirleyGallant, Marlene Guignion, Megan Harris, Julie-Lynn Zahavich, Shannon Mader, BrettMacKinnon, Benjamin MacNeil, Zack Trefry, Brendan Kelly, and Vanessa Bonnyman

Five birding teams participated this year in the field with Nature PEI’s lead team, Team Dodo of the IslandNature Trust, “The Rocket Birds” Bennett Youth Team from the Trust, Ron Arvidson’s Birding on PEI team, andBrett MacKinnon’s “Common Goldenguys”. Vanessa Bonnyman participated from her home at Horne’s CrossRoad. This year’s count was held on September 23th.

2017 marked the 23rd anniversary of the Autumn Birding Classic which was designed as a long-term fundraising partnership for the Trust’s land conservation program and as a bird migration monitoring count for earlyautumn. Nature PEI (Natural History Society of Prince Edward Island) and the Island Nature Trust commencedthe Autumn Birding Classic in 1995. It was renamed the Neil Bennett Autumn Birding Classic in 2000 in memoryof Neil’s significant contributions to the Trust and bird conservation.

For the second year, the Island Nature Trust hosted a youth team. This year it was named “The Rocket

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The Rocket Birds Bennet Youth TeamPhoto Julie Lynn Zahavich

Birds”. Julie-Lynn Zahavich was the moving force behind this initiative which brought out 21 children and theirparents to a birding event at the Robinson’s Island PEI National Park trails. She coordinated it and, she andShannon Mader led field interpretation.

The Trust distributed a press release to The BUZZand other media sites in September and put posts on its socialmedia network. There was great coverage on CBC radio andCBC’s social media. Birding on PEI Facebook providedvery good coverage with multiple posts of the Bennett BirdCount poster and on the youth event component. Nature PEI’s lead team of David Seeler, Ray Cookeand Dan McAskill started at 3:00 AM amidst a spectacularstarlit sky and almost dead still wind conditions. It was acool 7° Celsius to start the day and the temperature droppedto 6° before dawn then increased to a high of 24º C by earlyafternoon before dropping back to 22º C at dusk at 7:30 pmwhen our team stopped birding. Conditions were excellentfor acoustic owling. An owl CD was used to broadcast thecalls of the owls. By 5:30 AM, we had picked up GreatHorned Owl, Barred Owl, and Northern Saw-whet Owl, aGrey-checked Thrush and Canada Geese.

Around dawn, Souris (6:20 am), a south-southwest wind picked up and we had south to southwest windsof 12 to 25 km/hr throughout the day. We birded Little Harbour, Black Pond, Basin Head, Kingsboro, andMacVane’s Creek before arriving at East Point. We picked up a variety of gulls and dozens of Yellow-rumpedWarbler that were moving through and feeding in the coastal spruce as well as Song, Swamp and a solitaryChipping Sparrow at Little Harbour. Basin Head was quiet but there were Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs present. MacVane’s Creek brought our only diversity of warblers with Yellow-rumped, Black-throated Green,Blackburnian, Yellow and Black-and-white Warblers. This year, East Point was very quiet with little sign of migrating birds either arriving or leaving the pointarea and small numbers of gannet and cormorant flying. A group of tuna fishing boats were working the areaoutside the bell buoy. A small flock of ~100 Blue Jays was working and moving around the woodlands. However, just after arriving, a Peregrine Falcon flipped up over the bank and perched on a snag at the point. Latera Merlin also worked the waters off the point or the woodlands. A third large raptor was seen but we picked upinsufficient detail to identify it. Over a nearly two hour period at East Point and the field and woods on the southface of the point, we were unable to locate a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher and there were very few woodland birds. Wechanced upon a group of migrating sparrows feeding on the lee side of a pine and spruce hedge through a blueberryfield at Rock Barra. We identified at least 10 Chipping Sparrows but also discovered a Field Sparrow and a Clay-coloured Sparrow amidst the group. The Nature PEI lead team finished its count trying for woodpeckers at DwaineOakley’s Crossroads feeders but there were none present just before dusk. At Rollo Bay Wildlife ManagementArea we picked up a Hudsonian Godwit and other shorebirds and, at Savage Harbour, we picked up Dunlin, Least,and White-rumped Sandpipers as well as a Caspian Tern. The team traveled 336.3 km by auto, walked about 1 kmand observed or heard 79 bird species matching the total observed I 2012. This was down from the 89 species seenlast year, the 81 bird species seen in 2015, and well below the 102 seen in 2014, the 94 seen or heard in 2013, the96 in 2011, the 81 seen in 2010, and the 108 observed in 2008.

Besides those birds listed above, the highlights of the Nature PEI’s Lead Team for the day’s outing were 2Surf Scoter at East Point and the overall diversity of shorebirds. One of the more significant observations was thelack of robins and Great Cormorant. For the first time during the Autumn Birding Classic, our team did not find asingle bird of those two species. The trend of low numbers of woodland birds was again noted.

In addition to the birds seen or heard below, the Society’s team also observed two raccoon, two red foxes,a coyote (at Little Harbour), a few grey seals and a unidentified whale at East Point, 1 seal at Rollo Bay, three redsquirrels, and three foraging cats. We seen at least 100 Painted Lady butterflies during the day as well as smallnumbers of dragonflies, sulphur and cabbage white butterflies. We hit several locations with rather hungrymosquitos at Savage Harbour and Dromore. New York aster, fall dandelion, tall white aster, and at least six

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Sharp-shinned HawkPhoto Dwaine Oakley

species of goldenrods were still in flower. There was a very large crop of mountain ash and wild rose berries andwhite spruce cones in northeastern and central PEI at almost all sites. In northeastern PEI, there was a small cropof wild raison (Viburnum spp) and holly berries and a small to moderate crop of wild apples throughout the countarea.

Ron Arvidson’s Birding on PEI team was composed of Ian Scott, Brenda Penak and Ron Arvidson. Theystarted their day at 8:30 AM. Their route included Campbell’s Pond (New Glasgow), Chapel Creek, NorthRustico, Orby Head, Cavendish, Carleton Cove, Borden Lagoons/Noonan’s Marsh, Cape Traverse, AugustineCove, and Desable. Their birding highlights included 8 Wood Duck at Borden Lagoons, 12 Red-throated Loon offCavendish, a Spotted Sandpiper at Campbell’s Pond, a Pied-billed Grebe at Clarke’s Pond (Cavendish), anAmerican Kestrel at Stewart Road and a Ruby-crowned Kinglet at Desable. They finished birding at 8:00 PMpicking up 52 bird species during the trip. They also seen a good number of Painted Lady butterflies. During theouting, this team covered 160 km by vehicle and walked about 0.7 km.

Team Dodo was composed of Jackie Waddell, Megan Harris,Fiep de Bie, Sharon Clark, Shirley Gallant, and Marlene Guignion. They had their best ever total of 59 species of birds for their variousBennett Bird Counts. They started at 6:45 AM and covered varioussites including the Watt’s Road, Tracadie Harbour, Dalvay (PEINP),John Archie’s Pond, Stanhope, and Cavendish Beach. They finishedbirding at 12:30 PM but, at the end of their birding day, Sharon pickedup Cedar Waxwing at Hermitage Creek in Charlottetown and ShirleyGallant found a Blue-headed Vireo at Pleasant Grove. Their birdinghighlights were Red Knot and Hudsonian Godwit at Tracadie Harbour,an Osprey and Hooded Mergansers in a pond in Dalvay, and Red-throated Loon at Cavendish. They picked up the only Great Cormorant,Red Knot, and Blue-headed Vireo recorded by the various teams duringthis year’s Bennett Count. Team Dodo finished their day havingcovered 60 km by vehicle and 1.5 km walking.

The Rocket Birds Bennett Youth Team met at Rustico Islandand birded from 9:00 AM to noon. Nine youth and 12 adultsparticipated in the count walking a distance of ~3 km. Their highlightswere a Sharp-shinned Hawk which very cooperatively perched on thetop branch of a snag for several minutes, a young White-throatedSparrow practicing its call, and 2 adult Bald Eagles on a piece ofdriftwood as another 2 flew overhead. They wrapped their BennettCount outing with a Northern Harrier flying over the newly planted

strip in the middle of the trail system. They ended up their day with 18 species along the Robinson’s Island trailsand shore.

A new team formed and participated in the Neil Bennett Autumn Birding Classic this year. It was the“Common Goldenguys” consisting of Brett MacKinnon, Benjamin MacNeil, Zack Trefry, and Brendan Kelly. They picked up the only Black-legged Kittiwakes, Common Loons, a Northern Parula, and a Palm Warbler of theday. The first two were at East Point while the Parula was at East Lake and the Palm Warbler was at Red Point. Their other highlights of the day included 2 Peregrine Falcons at Cross Creek, 1 Caspian Tern and 2 HoodedMergansers at Allisary Creek, an Osprey at Elmira, a Blue-headed Vireo at Basin Head, and 2 Short-billedDowitchers at Dalvay. They commenced their day at 5:30 am and finished their birding trip at 6:00 pm driving 131km. During the day, they picked up 58 species of birds stopping at 20 some locations.

Vanessa Bonnyman who was unable to participate with the Birding on PEI Team this year added a RustyBlackbird from her feeders.

Over the past 23 years, Nature PEI and Island Nature Trust partnership has raised just over $42,500. Thanks to the generosity of this year’s many donors, the Trust’s pledge collectors and team members collectedpledges of $4,441 which includes a donation of $1,000 from Sally Bennett, Neil’s wife. The four CorporateSponsors, namely: Fitzpatrick & Company; City of Summerside, Nature PEI (Natural History Society of PEI)-notconfirmed at this point; and PEI Department of Community, Lands and Environment contributed $1,300 towards

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the 2017 Neil Bennett Autumn Birding Classic. In total, 102 species of birds were either seen or heard during the day. These are listed below.

Canada GooseWood DuckGadwallAmerican WigeonAmerican Black DuckMallardBlue-winged Teal (8)Northern Shoveler (2)Northern Pintail (4)Green-winged TealRing-necked DuckGreater ScaupCommon EiderSurf ScoterBlack ScoterHooded Merganser (4)Common Merganser (2)Red-throated LoonCommon Loon (2)Ruffed Grouse (2)Pied-billed Grebe (9)Northern GannetDouble-crested CormorantGreat CormorantGreat Blue HeronOsprey (4)Bald Eagle

Northern HarrierSharp-shinned Hawk (2)Red-tailed HawkBlack-bellied PloverSemipalmated PloverSpotted Sandpiper (2)Greater YellowlegsLesser YellowlegsHudsonian Godwit (2)Ruddy Turnstone (2)Red KnotSanderlingDunlinLeast SandpiperWhite-rumped SandpiperPectoral Sandpiper (1)Semipalmated SandpiperShort-billed Dowitcher (2)Black-legged Kittiwake (2)Bonaparte’s GullRing-billed GullHerring GullIceland Gull (1)Lesser Black-backed Gull(1)Great Black-backed Gull

Caspian Tern (3)Common TernRock Pigeon (Dove)Mourning DoveGreat Horned OwlBarred OwlNorthern Saw-whet OwlBelted KingfisherHairy WoodpeckerNorthern FlickerAmerican Kestrel (2)Merlin (3)Peregrine Falcon (3)Blue-headed Vireo (2)Red-eyed VireoBlue JayAmerican CrowCommon RavenBlack-capped ChickadeeRed-breasted NuthatchGolden-crowned KingletRuby-crowned Kinglet (1)Gray-checked ThrushHermit Thrush (1)American RobinEuropean Starling

Cedar WaxwingBlack-and-white WarblerCommon Yellowthroat (3)Northern Parula (1)Blackburnian WarblerYellow WarblerPalm Warbler (1)Yellow-rumped WarblerBlack-throated GreenWarblerChipping SparrowField Sparrow (1)Clay-coloured Sparrow (1)Savannah SparrowSong SparrowSwamp Sparrow (3)White-throated SparrowWhite-crowned SparrowDark-eyed JuncoRed-winged BlackbirdRusty Blackbird (1)Icterid blackbirdCommon GracklePurple Finch (3)American GoldfinchHouse Sparrow

Note: Species in italics are rarely seen here at this time of year. Numbers in brackets denote the number of birds where itwas unusual for this time of year.

Editor’s Note: Several years ago, there was an error in the reports for the 15th Bennett Autumn Birding Classic and the numberwas repeated by mistake. This issue corrects the count number and the year it was renamed.

NEW BIRD SOUNDS BOOK:

There is a new resource available for acoustic birders wishing to become more skilled in recognizing birdsby their sounds (songs, calls, mechanical sounds and flight calls) It is Nathan Pieplow’s Field Guide to BirdSounds of Eastern North America by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt: Boston and New York, 2017. ISBN 978-0-547-90558-7).

For beginning birders that wish to become more skilled in acoustic identification of birds, Dendroicahttps://www.natureinstruct.org/dendroica/index.php This resource is free.

NEWS FROM ABOUT: Compiled by Dan McAskill

Beginning on Monday, September 11, 2017 and continuing throughout the fall, portions of the HomesteadTrail will be closed for re-surfacing of pathways, tree trimming and other trail infrastructure improvements. Publicsafety is a priority for Parks Canada. For this reason, the affected sections of the trail will be closed as workprogresses. (Excerpt from PEI National Park press release Sept 7, 2017)

The Hon. J. Angus MacLean Natural Areas Award was presented to Edward & Agnes Laughlin at theAGM in September. (Adapted from INT Quarterly)

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An analysis of the Newfoundland Gray-cheeked Thrush subspecies Breeding Bird Survey data showed avery large population decline in the late 1980s and early 1990s. This finding led to a status review, various researchstudies on potential causes, and genetic and morphological work on this subspecies. These studies indicated thatits population in lowland areas under 375 m of elevation where BBSs are located had collapsed. However, theirpopulations in areas above this elevation revealed a large residual population but only 14% of Newfoundland isabove this height. Potential causes of the decline include: red squirrel predation, an introduced species inNewfoundland; possible loss of breeding habitat in Newfoundland; and habitat change in their wintering rangewhich limited data shows to be in and around Columbia. Needless to say, more research is required. (Adaptedfrom “The Case of the Disappearing Newfoundland Gray-cheeked Thrush” by Dr. Darrock Whitaker in BirdStudies Canada’s “BirdWatch Canada’, Fall 2017, #81)

More than 20,000 citizen scientists, 3,300 from Canada, participated in the 2016-17 Project FeederWatch.The ten most common birds in Atlantic Canada, based on the percent of feeders that had at least one observationbetween November, 2016 and April 2017 were: Black-capped Chickadee (100%); American Goldfinch (96%),Blue Jay (96%), Mourning Dove (96%), Downy Woodpecker (89%) , American Crow (85%), Dark-eyed Junco(81%), Hairy Woodpecker (75%), European Starling (71%), and Red-breasted Nuthatch (56%). (Adapted from“Project Feederwatch: Highlights from 30 Years of Project Feederwatch in North America” by Kerrie Wilcox inBird Studies Canada’s “BirdWatch Canada’, Fall 2017, #81)

The David Suzuki Foundation and the International Task Force on Systemic Pesticides attracted scientistsfrom across the world to a symposium on pollinators, aquatic invertebrates, amphibians and humans they hosted atYork University on September 21st, 2017.

On August 25th, 2017, Hon. Robert Mitchell unveiled the new Blanchard’s Pond dam and fishway in St.Felix that suffered a wash-out three years ago. The dam was repaired and rebuilt to handle larger rain events andthere is now a highly improved fish passageway structure through collaboration between Ducks Unlimited, theprovincial government and the federal government. (Adapted from Fish and Wildlife PEI Facebook post)

The Institute of Island Studies, UPEI Research Services, and UPEI Climate Research Lab co-hosted theevening symposium “Making the Case for the Island as a Carbon-Neutral Province” at UPEI on October 26th. Itfeatured: Dr. Catherine Potvin, a professor at McGill University and associate staff scientist at the SmithsonianTropical Research Institute as the principal speaker; Dr. Jim Randall, the Chair of the Institute of Island Studiesand UNESCO Co-chair in Island Studies and Sustainability, spoke about the experiences and challenges of othersmall islands in their quest to achieve a version of carbon-neutrality; Mr. Bob Ashley, Chief Administrative Officerfor the City of Summerside talked on “Summerside’s Renewable Energy Quest”; and Colonel Gray Student ChrisRandall spoke to some of the challenges respecting renewable transportation and electronic vehicles on PEI andcirculated a petition for audience members to sign. Dr. Adam Fenech Chaired the symposium. (Adapted fromResearch Communications and Institute of Island Studies press releases and attendance at the symposium)

On Nov. 1st, Palaeontologist Dr. John Calder and Archaeologists Dr. Helen Kristmanson, Erin Mundy andDr. David Keenlyside held an artifact and fossil identification event at Beaconsfield Historic House hosted by thePEI Aboriginal Affairs Secretariat in collaboration with the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation and Dr. JohnCalder.

LAWSUIT ON NEONICOTINOID PESTICIDES: Adapted from The Cardinal #248 via TFN 631-17

Ecojustice lawyers working pro bono for Ontario Nature, the David Suzuki Foundation, Friends of theEarth, and the Wilderness Foundation were successful in arguing a case contending that the federal governmentfailed to meet the risk assessments requirements of the Pest Control Products Act be heard. For more informationvisit www.ontarionature.org/connect/blog/neonic-lawsuit/

WINTER FINCH FORECAST 2017-2018: By Ron Pittaway

GENERAL FORECAST: Cone crops in the Northeast are at bumper levels in 2017. It is the best cone cropin a decade or more. This will be a banner winter to see boreal finches in central and northeastern Ontario, Quebec,

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Atlantic Canada, northern New York, and northern New England States. White-winged and Red Crossbills andPine Siskins have moved east to areas of abundant seed crops. The Big Question is: will finches concentrate inareas of highest cone abundance (more likely) or be spread out across the Northeast? This is not an irruption yearsouth of traditional wintering areas in the Northeast. Cone crops are generally low west of a line from LakeSuperior to James Bay extending west across the Prairie Provinces, British Columbia and Alaska. For moreinformation on individual finch forecasts see http://jeaniron.ca/2017/wff17.htm .

Ron noted that the mountain ash berry crop is good to excellent across the boreal forest from Alaska toNewfoundland.

OSPREY TAKES DUCK: By Greg and Sandra Feetham

Sandra and I just witnessed an unusual event from our balcony at our new apartment building on thewaterfront here in Summerside. We overlook the harbour and are only about a football field length from the shore.On August 13th, there were about 30-40 gulls on the shore line in front of us along with four black Ducks. All of asudden, an Osprey flew down and took one of the ducks! I said to Sandra "that was an Osprey that just took aduck". Sandra went inside and got her binoculars and watched the Osprey fly to its nest which located near ourapartment building just the other side of the waste plant. We could then see the duck being pulled apart and eatenby the Osprey.

I had NEVER seen or heard of Osprey eating anything other than FISH before. I had checked with LesHomans and he said he only knew of Osprey eating fish as well. I checked with Dave Seeler and Dwaine passedalong the following information taken from North American Birds Online.

Anecdotal observations of Ospreys with non-fish prey include birds, snakes, voles, squirrels, muskrats(Ondatra zibethica), salamanders, and even a small alligator (Alligator mississippiensis; Wiley and Lohrer 1973,Proctor 1977, Thorpe and Boddham 1977, Castrale and McCall 1983, Taylor 1986d, King 1988, Poole 1989a,Pawloski 1996, Watermolen 1996, Douglass 1997). An Osprey was observed foraging by walking along the groundand sallying out 2 m to capture ground squirrels (Citrellus sp.; Werren and Peterson 1988). Some of these reportsinclude non-fish taken in water, probably using typical foraging techniques (e.g., alligator, muskrat) andemphasizing the generalist nature of Osprey predation while hunting over water; some may result from Ospreystrimming their nests with skeletal remains and thus not represent prey taken. Bad weather (high winds, choppy orturbid water) or early arrival on breeding grounds (when lakes are frozen) may promote such behavior; e.g.,feeding on dead and dying fish tossed on the ice by fishermen in Georgian Bay of Lake Huron (Ewins andCousineau 1994).

WEATHER EVENTS:Unseasonably warm temperatures in October - low 20s C on Oct. 26-27 (JDM) and 19º C on Nov. 3 and

15º C on Nov. 19 (JDM). In November, there were eight days with a temperature over 10º C. Short torrential rainstorm on Nov. 10th followed by first snow flurries night of Nov. 10-11 with puddles froze over on Nov. 11th (JDM). On Nov. 23rd, high winds (80 to 105 km and Confederation Bridge winds of up 125 to 146 km/hr) caused havocwith widespread power outages, trees partially blocking portions of some roads, and Northumberland Strait ferriesand Confederation Bridge closed to traffic. The up to 8 cm of wet snow in the Bonshaw Hills mostly melted laterin the day as did the 6 cm of snow received on Nov. 28th. The temperature was 7º C on Nov. 29th.

ANIMAL AND PLANT SIGHTINGS: Compiled by J. Dan McAskill

PLANTS: Pink Lady Slipper - few still in bloom in Dalvay on Aug. 1 (RWH). Showy Lady Slipper in full bloom alongConfederation Trail near Perth Station Road on Jul. 4 (photo in Island Naturalist Issue 223). Round-leaved Sundew seen atJohnston’s River WMA bog on Aug. 21 (RWH). Tremendous crop of Mountain Ash in Queens and Kings counties inSeptember and October (JDM) and winter finch forecast indicated this berry crop extended across the north. Chanterelle flushat Watervale on Oct. 6 (BD). Butternut leaves falling and Red Oak leaves changing colour with a few fallen in Donagh onOct. 15 with 20% of red oak leaves down on Oct. 22 (JDM). A flush of white amanita and fly agaric mushrooms at Mount

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Showy Lady’s SlipperPhoto Bob Harding

Bee-mimic BeetlePhoto Bob Harding

Northeastern ScorpionflyPhoto Bob Harding

Red-bellied SnakePhoto Dwaine Oakley

Herbert in late Oct. (JDM). A few Shaggy Mane (Copernicus sp) mushrooms flushed atNorth Rustico on Oct. 14, a flush of about 20 roadside at Savage Harbour on Oct. 21, &four at Summerside West on Nov. 3 (JDM). Autumn leaf colour in Bonshaw Hillspeaked in mid-Oct and, by Oct. 20th, 10% of leaves had fallen (JDM). Good crop of RedOak acorns on the ground along Bedford Road in Afton Road in October (BH). EasternLarch changing colour at Donagh on Nov. 3 (JDM). There was a very large crop ofMount Ash berries and a very good crop of white spruce cones this autumn. In someareas, there were flushes of Winter Berry (JDM).

INSECTS: Cecropia Moth - attracted to light in Summerville on Jun. 23/17(photographed)(RWH). Bee-mimic Beetle - nectaring on Pink Lady Slipper atDalvay on Jun 26/17 (photographed)(RWH). Roesel’s Bush Cricket - attractedto light in Summerville on Jul. 15/17 (no photo)(RWH). Sphagnum GroundCrickets - on bog mat at Buckskin Road Bog on Aug 12/17, at Sigsworth Roadbog on Aug. 16/17, at Klondike Road bog on Aug. 20/17, & at Johnston’s RiverWMA bog on Aug. 21/17 (no photo)(RWH). Summer Fishfly - attracted tolight at Summerville on Jul. 9/17 & at Dalvay on July 25/17(photographed)(RWH). Northeastern Scorpionfly – at Dalvay on Sept. 10/17(photographed)(RWH). Black-horned Tree Cricket at Klondike Road bog on Aug. 20/17, attracted to light in

Summerville on Aug. 26/17, & dozensat Blooming Point on Sept. 13/17(photographed)(RWH). First Monarchseen at Stratford in 11 years on Aug. 2(DMot). A Viceroy at BonshawEquestrian Park on Sept. 12 (DD). Afew sulphur butterflies foraging inCavendish, North Rustico and Donaghon Oct. 7 (JDM, HY) and at Traveller’sRest (JDM, LY, BH) and Donagh onOct. 20 as well as a few CabbageWhites (JDM).

AMPHIBIANS/REPTILES: Red-bellied Snake photographed on Aug 21, 2017 at FullertonCreek Conservation trails and an adult American Toad and a toadlet also seen the same day (DO). Garter Snake photographed with recently shed skin at Hardy Pond on Aug. 3 (JtR). Orangecoloured Garter Snake seen at Harmony Line in early Oct. (BH, BS). Spring Peepers amidst thefallen oak leaves at Donagh on Nov. 10 (JDM).

FISH: Sad news, a large Koi - an exotic species was captured in the Morell River in earlyNovember (Fish & Wildlife Facebook Site).

MAMMALS: In August, the PEI Forests, Fish & Wildlife Division posted “Old Wells arePotential Bat Habitat” on its Facebook site and encouraged submission of locations and pictures. 6 Harbour Porpoise & 20 Grey Seals at East Point on Jul. 30 (MI), Melanistic Raccoon atCanavoy ~ Sept 26 (BH). Dolphin seen between the bridges at Mount Stewart on Oct. 27th and

10

Eastern Chipmunk atDarlington

Photo John te Raa

remained present for a number of days (DMi). 5 Red Fox seen between Milton and NorthRustico on Oct. 2 (JDM). Very small Striped Skunk at Pisquid West on Oct. 20 (JDM). Eastern Chipmunk still foraging at Donagh on Oct. 24 (JDM) and at Darlington on Oct 25(JtR). Melanistic red squirrel at Morell in Oct. (BMS).

BIRDS: Greater White-fronted Goose - 2 at Point Prim on Oct. 28 (TMu via DCla &

DO); Snow Goose - 7 at Freetown Road on Oct 2 (GM); Cackling Goose - 1photographed at O’Keefe’s Lake on Nov. 22 (DO, WCT); Canada Geese - 40 at LongPond on Sept. 10 (M&SM), 75 at Brackley Beach-Covehead Marsh on Sept. 25 (VB), 40 atSouris Causeway & 250 at Leslie’s Pond on Oct. 1 (SCS), 100 at Mermaid on Oct. 13 (RC),200 at Clarke’s Pond in Cavendish on Oct. 13 (RA), ~100 at Miscouche on Oct. 20 (WFB,EM), 250 at Black Pond on Oct. 21 (RC), 500 in Pisquid River WMA on Oct. 21 (JDM),~1,000 landing from north into Pisquid River WMA on Oct. 29 (JtR), 500 in corn stubblefield in Marshfield on Nov. 1 (JDM), 700 at Hunter River Pond, 700 at Red Bridge onWilmot River, 1,000 in field at Linkletter, 140 in grain field at Sherbrooke airport, 80 atSummerside West off boardwalk, & 50 in Miscouche on Nov. 3 (JDM), 85 at Weisner’s

Pond on Nov. 12 (RC), ~100 at Glenfinnan Lake periodically in early Nov. (JDM), 100 at Tea Hill Park on Nov. 13 (FdB), 75to 150 in grain stubble at Johnston’s River periodically between Nov. 15 and 22 (JDM), a leg and neck band were recovered atCornwall on Nov. 17 from a Canada Goose banded in Kansas in on July 26th 1991 that was neck collared in Greenland (KSmvia DCla), 1,500 at Hunter River Pond on Nov. 18 (JDM), 500 along Confed Trail between Mount Stewart & Peakes on Nov.19 (JtR), several thousand behind Miscouche lagoons on Nov. 15 (RGA), >2,000 flying westward along southern end ofMalpeque Bay on Nov. 21 (JDM, BH, LY), ~1,500 in freshly disced seed corn field in Sherbrooke on Nov. 25 (DFG, JDM,LY) & over 2,000 on Nov. 27 (JDM, LY), 200 in seed corn stubble at Bedford on Nov. 29 (JDM), 700+ at Hunter River pondlifted at 4:10 pm while ~500 geese were landing in a seed corn stubble field at Springfield on Nov. 30 (JDM); Wood Duck - 1at Brackley Beach on Aug. 6 (MMcCl), 15 at Black Pond on Aug. 25 (SCS), 4 at Woodville Mills on Aug. 26 (JDS), 18 atPigot’s Trail on Sept. 9 (DEJ); Gadwall - 6 at Long Pond on Sept. 10 (M&SM), 4 at Clarke’s Pond in Cavendish on Oct. 13(RA), 30 at Rolling’s Pond on Oct. 31 (JtR), 1 at Chapel Creek on Nov. 16 (RA), 15 at Clermont on Nov. 17 (DEJ); EurasianWigeon - 1 at Monaghan Road pond in Nov. (DCla); American Wigeon - 20 at Long Pond on Sept. 10 (M&SM), 10 atRolling’s Pond on Oct. 7 (JDM), 25 at Brackley Beach-Covehead Marsh on Sept. 25 (VB), 2 at Rollings Pond on Sept. 30 (SL),8 at Leslie’s Pond on Oct. 1 (SCS) & 26 on Oct. 29 & 3 on Nov. 5 (SCS), 11 in Hyde Park lagoons on Oct. 24 (JDM, WFB), 1at Red Bridge on Wilmot River on Nov. 3 (JDM), 8 at Cavendish Grove area on Nov. 7 (RF&RJ), 4 at Ellen’s Creek inCharlottetown on Nov. 12 (DEJ); American Black Duck - 10 at Long Pond on Sept. 10 (M&SM), 15 at Brackley Beach-Covehead Marsh on Sept. 25 (VB), 25 at Cape Traverse on Sept. 28 (JAD), 30 at Rollings Pond on Sept. 30 (SL), 30 at Leslie’sPond on Oct. 1 (SCS), 70 at Clarke’s Pond in Cavendish on Oct. 13 (RA), 200 in Pisquid River WMA on Oct. 21 (JDM), 80 infarm pond along York Point Road on Oct. 24 (WFB, JDM), 60 at Black Pond on Oct. 29 (SCS), 30 at Rolling’s Pond on Oct.31 (JtR), 126 at Rollings Pond on Nov. 11 (DEJ), 9 at Ellen’s Creek in Charlottetown on Nov. 12 (DEJ), 6 at Dalvay Lake onNov. 13 (VB), 3 at Chapel Creek on Nov. 16 (RA), 68 at Clermont on Nov. 17 (DEJ), 72 off Wharf Road in Cardigan on Nov.30 (KMcK); Mallard - 5 at Long Pond on Sept. 10 (M&SM), 2 at Campbell’s Pond New Glasgow on Sept. 25 (DEJ), 1 atRollings Pond on Sept. 30 (SL), 8 at Clarke’s Pond in Cavendish on Oct. 13 (RA), 100+ in Pisquid River WMA on Oct. 21(JDM), 20 in farm pond along York Point Road on Oct. 24 (WFB, JDM), 2 at Black Pond on Oct. 29 (SCS), 4 at Rolling’sPond on Oct. 31 (JtR), up to 30 in Argyle Shore pond in Nov. (LY), 22 at Ellen’s Creek in Charlottetown on Nov. 12 (DEJ), 2at Dalvay Lake on Nov. 13 (VB), 100 at Chapel Creek on Nov. 16 (RA), 1 off Wharf Road in Cardigan on Nov. 30 (KMcK); Blue-winged Teal - 2 at Cavendish Wetlands at New Annan on Aug. 27 (JBr); 1 at Deroche Pond on Oct. 3 (LY), 2 at Leslie’sPond on Oct. 1 (SCS); Northern Shoveler - 12 at Campbell’s Pond New Glasgow on Sept. 25 (DEJ); Northern Pintail - 1 atCavendish Wetlands at New Annan on Aug. 27 (JBr), 2 at Rollings Pond on Sept. 30 (SL) & 10 on Nov. 11 (RA), 25 atRolling’s Pond on Oct. 31 (JtR), 20 at Summerside West off boardwalk on Nov. 3 (JDM); Green-winged Teal - 35 atCavendish Wetlands at New Annan on Aug. 27 (JBr), 8 at Bonshaw in Sept. (DD), 2 at Brackley Beach-Covehead Marsh onSept. 25 (VB), 5 at Stanley Bridge on Sept. 28 (JAD), 1 at Rollings Pond on Sept. 30 (SL), 10 at Clarke’s Pond in Cavendish onOct. 13 (RA), 2 in farm pond along York Point Road on Oct. 24 (WFB, JDM), 5 at Leslie’s Pond on Oct. 29 & 4 on Nov. 5(SCS), 2 at Rolling’s Pond on Oct. 31 (JtR), 10 at Mermaid DUC pond on Nov. 2 (JDM), 4 in marsh adjacent to CoveheadHarbour on Nov. 4 (JtR), 3 at Borden Carleton on Nov. 8 (DMB&SB), 2 at Charlottetown on Nov. 14 (BK); Redhead - 1 maleat Long Pond in late Oct, (DO, WCT), 1 with raft of scaup (mostly Greater) and a few Ring-neck Ducks at Dalvay Pond on Oct.30 (DLM, VB, photo JtR); Ring-necked Duck - 4 at Long Pond on Sept. 10 (M&SM), 20 at Leslie’s Pond on Oct. 1 (SCS), 60at Clarke’s Pond in Cavendish on Oct. 13 (RA), 2 at Black Pond on Oct. 21 (RC), 40 at Borden Lagoons on Oct. 30 (RA), 7 atWeisner’s Pond on Nov. 12 (RC); Greater Scaup - 40 at Clarke’s Pond in Cavendish on Oct. 13 (RA) & 350 in Oct. (DO,WCT), raft at Dalvay Lake on Oct. 30 (VB, JtR), 1 at Borden Carleton on Nov. 8 (DMB&SB); Lesser Scaup - 4 at BordenCarleton on Nov. 8 (DMB&SB); Common Eider - 30 at East Point on Aug. 10 (CD), 100 on Sept. 4 (SCS, FdB, GS), 340 on

11

American White Pelican at Black PondPleasant View Nov. 23, 2017

Photo via Fish & Wildlife Facebook

Oct. 1 (SCS), 85 on Sept. 21 (KMcK), 300 on Oct 21 (RC), 50 on Oct. 29 (SCS), on Nov. 1 (DEJ), 75 on Nov. 5 (SCS), 22 onNov. 4 (RC), & 32 on Dec. 1 (KMcK), 6 at North Cape on Nov. 3 (DEJ), 2 off Covehead Harbour on Nov. 8 (DMB&SB); Harlequin Duck - 3 at East Point on Oct 21 (RC) & 9 on Oct. 29 (SCS) & 8 on Nov. 5 (SCS) & 22 on Nov. 22 (DO, WCT), 18on Dec. 1 (KMcK), 1 off Rollings Pond on Nov. 11 (DEJ); Surf Scoter - 9 at East Point on Sept. 4 & 24 on Oct. 1 (SCS) & 8on Sept. 11 (JT) & 1 on Oct 21 (RC) & 1 on Nov. 4 (RC), 2 at East Point on Sept. 21 & 3 on Dec. 1 (KMcK), 25 at Clarke’sPond in Cavendish on Oct. 13 (RA), 20 off Cumberland shore & 1 at entrance to Charlottetown Harbour on Oct. 24 (JDM,WFB), 2 off Covehead Harbour on Nov. 8 (DMB&SB), 1 at Corran Ban on Nov. 18 (JtR); White-winged Scoter - 1 at EastPoint on Sept. 4 (SCS, FdB, GS) 1 & 1 on Sept. 11 (JT) & 5 on Sept. 21 (KMcK) & 18 on Oct 21 (RC) & 20 on Oct. 29 (SCS)& 20 on Nov. 5 (SCS) & 4 on Dec. 1 (KMcK), 1 off Covehead Harbour on Nov. 8 (DMB&SB), 1 at PEI National Park on Nov.30 (LM); Black Scoter - 19 at East Point on Sept. 4 & 34 on Sept. 21 & 60 on Dec. 1 (KMcK) & 55 on Oct. 1 (SCS) & 250 onOct 21 (RC) & 400 on Oct. 29 (SCS) & 450 on Nov. 1 (DEJ) & 50 on Nov. 4 (RC) & 260 on Nov. 5 (SCS), 4 at Long Pond onSept. 10 (M&SM), 1 at Savage Harbour on Oct. 21 (JDM), 1 in Summerside Harbour on Nov. 3 (JDM); Long-tailed Duck - 4at East Point on Oct. 1 (SCS) & 12 on Oct. 21 (RC) & 48 on Oct. 29 (SCS) & 22 on Nov. 4 (RC) & 3 on Nov. 5 (SCS) & 150on Dec. 1 (KMcK), 4 off Cumberland shore on Oct. 24 (JDM, WFB), 7 off shore of Dalvay on Nov. 4 (JtR), 25 off CoveheadHarbour on Nov. 8 (DMB&SB), 15 off Cavendish on Nov. 11 (RA); Bufflehead - 7 at Black Pond on Oct. 29 & 10 on Nov. 5(SCS), 1 female at Borden Lagoons on Oct. 30 (RA), 1 at Borden Carleton on Nov. 8 (DMB&SB); Common Goldeneye - 2 atRollings Pond/North Rustico on Sept. 30 (SL), 4 at Black Pond on Oct. 29 & 1 on Nov. 4 (SCS), 1 at Cavendish Grove area onNov. 7 (RF&RJ), 10 at Hillsborough Bridge on Nov. 30 (JDM); Barrow’s Goldeneye - 1 at Black Pond on Oct. 29 (SCS);Hooded Merganser - 1 at Cavendish Wetlands at New Annan on Aug. 27 (JBr), 6 at Clarke’s Pond in Cavendish on Oct. 13(RA), 4 at Leslie’s Pond on Oct. 29 & 1 on Nov. 5 (SCS), 1 at Rollings Pond on Nov. 11 (RA), pair at Moore’s Pond inStratford on Nov. 2 & 2 on Nov. 24 (LM), 25 at Dalvay Lake on Nov. 13 (VB), 4 at Clermont on Nov. 17 (DEJ); CommonMerganser - 6 at Pigot’s Trail on Sept. 9 (DEJ), 8 at Black Pond on Nov. 5 (SCS), 25 at Clermont on Nov. 17 (DEJ), 17 atAvondale (48 Road) & 7 off Wharf Road in Cardigan on Nov. 30 (KMcK); Red-breasted Merganser - 2 at East Point onAug. 10 (CD) & 6 on Sept. 4 (SCS) & 3 on Oct 21 (RC) & 1 on Oct. 29 (SCS) & 13 on Nov. 5 (SCS) & 4 on Dec. 1 (KMcK), 5off Covehead Harbour on Nov. 8 (DMB&SB), 17 at Weisner’s Pond on Nov. 12 (RC), 20 off Cumberland shore on Oct. 24(JDM, WFB), 2 at North Cape on Nov. 3 (DEJ), 32 at Clermont on Nov. 17 (DEJ), 28 off Georgetown on Nov. 30 (KMcK); Ruddy Duck - female in Borden Lagoon on Nov. 15 (RGA); Gray Partridge - 5 at Battery Point Road at Ten Mile House onAug. (DF), covey of 8 and a covey of 4, 3 of which entered a lobster trap at Cavendish in late Sept. (HY), 19 in two groups ingrain corn stubble at Cymbria on Nov. 24 (JtR); Ring-necked Pheasant - 1 in field at Cavendish on Sept. 2 (DBF), 1 atNortham on Oct 20 (WFB, EM), 1 flushed along Confed Trail between Mount Stewart & Peakes on Nov. 19 (JtR), male &female at Donagh on Nov. 23 (JDM); Ruffed Grouse - 1 landed in midst of Stratford subdivisions on May 28 (FRC), adultwith 4 partially grown young at Greenwich on Sept. 1 (SCA), 1 at Tyne Valley on Oct 20 (WFB, EM), 1 at Rocky Point on Oct.24 (JDM, WFB), 1 at Johnston’s River on Oct. 26 (JDM), 3 at Selkirk on Confed Trail in Selkirk on Oct. 28 (JGM), 2 atDromore Trail South Loop on Nov. 5 (RC), 1 at South Melville yard on Nov. 12 (RA), 1 along Confed Trail between MountStewart & Peakes on Nov. 19 (JtR); Turkey - 2 at Kingston (Dock Road) on Nov. 11 (DD); Sharp-tailed Grouse - 1 atCable Head on Sept. 15 (PE); Red-throated Loon - 2 at East Point on Aug. 10 (CD) & 1 on Sept. 21 (KMcK) & 3 on Oct 21(RC) & 20 on Oct. 29 (SCS) & 45 on Nov. 5 (SCS) & 7 on Dec. 1 (KMcK), 20 off Cavendish in Oct. (DO, WCT), 1 at WoodIslands on Nov. 5 (DMur), 5 off Covehead Harbour on Nov. 8 (DMB&SB), 1 off Kinlock Beach on Nov. 23 (LM); Common

Loon - 2 about 1.5 mi off North Lake during tuna charter trip on Aug.(GWi), 1 at East Point on Sept. 21 (KMcK), 1 at North Rustico on Oct.16 (JDM), & 1 at East Point on Oct. 21 (RC), 1 at CharlottetownHarbour entrance on Oct. 24 (JDM, WFB), 2 off Cavendish in Oct. (DO, WCT), 2 calling off Hampton on Oct. 24 (DEJ), 2 off CoveheadHarbour on Nov. 8 (DMB&SB); Pied-billed Grebe - 6 at Pigot’s Trailon Sept. 9 (DEJ); Red-necked Grebe - 1 at East Point on Oct. 21 (RC)& 2 on Oct. 29 (SCS), 1 at Clarke’s Pond in Cavendish in Nov. (DO,WCT), 1 off Cumberland shore on Oct. 24 (JDM, WFB); GreatShearwater - 1 at East Point on Jul. 30 (MI), 12 off Cape Egmont onAug. 3 (CRo); Sooty Shearwater - 1 few seen off North Rustico inSept. (HY); Wilson’s Storm-Petrel - 3 at East Point on Aug. 10 (CD); Leach’s Storm Petrel - 1 picked up at Delta Prince Edward andsubmitted to AVC on Nov. 3 and released on Nov. 6 (FdB); NorthernGannet - 120 at East Point on Sept. 4 (SCS) & 40 on Sept. 21 (KMcK)& 40 on Oct. 1 (SCS) & 200 on Oct. 21 (RC) & 45 on Oct. 29 (SCS) &16 on Nov. 1 (DEJ) & 500 on Nov. 4 (RC) & 160 on Nov. 5 (SCS) &50 on Dec. 1 (KMcK), 20 off Covehead Harbour on Nov. 8(DMB&SB); Double-crested Cormorant - 20 at East Point on Aug. 10

12

Leucistic Red-tailed HawkLittle Bungay Road Jul. 31, 2017

Photo Dwaine Oakley

(CD) & 20 on Sept. 4 (SCS) & 12 on Sept. 21 (KMcK) & 14 on Nov. 5 (SCS) & 3 on Dec. 1 (KMcK), 70 at Greenwich onSept. 8 (M&SM), 30 off Hampton on Oct. 24 (DEJ); 250 at Hillsborough Bridge piers on Nov. 2 & 200 on Nov. 4 (JDM) & 8on Nov. 25 (JDM), 5 at North Cape on Nov. 3 (DEJ); Great Cormorant - 1 at East Point on Aug. 10 (CD), 8 at Greenwich onSept. 8 (M&SM), 1 at East Point on Oct. 1 (SCS), & 1 on Oct. 21 (RC) & 5 on Nov. 4 (RC), & 4 on Dec. 1 (KMcK); American White Pelican - 1 photographed at Pleasant View in Prince County on Nov. 23 (DMcL) & Nov. 24 (G&SF) and stillpresent to Nov. 27th (Guardian); American Bittern - 1 at Cavendish on Sept. 12 (MRe); Great Blue Heron - 1 perched onfence around Crapaud lagoon on Aug. 2 (DD), 2 at Chelton on Aug. 9 (DMa), 10 at Brackley Beach-Covehead Marsh on Sept.25 (VB), 9 at Leslie’s Pond on Oct. 1 (SCS), 1 at Cymbria on Oct. 20 (JtR), 16 at Covehead Harbour on Oct. 20 (DMcL); 2 atLeslie’s Pond on Oct. 29 (SCS), 1 flying at Fullerton’s Marsh on Nov. 1 (JDM), 1 at Corran Ban on Nov. 4 (JtR), 1 found deadon Union Road on Nov. 15 (JtR); Great Egret - 1 at photographed at Doyle’s Cove on Aug. 7 (LHoo); Turkey Vulture - 1 atSelkirk on Sept. 26 (JGM); Osprey - juvenile calling constantly on nest platform on Sept. 2 (SCA), 1 along Confed Trail

between Morell & Mt. Stewart on Sept. 22 (JtR); Bald Eagle - 11 all agesclasses at Georgetown on Sept. 12 (GCa), 2 at Campbell’s Pond NewGlasgow on Sept. 25 (DEJ), 2 at East Point on Oct. 1 (SCS), 2 adults atDesable on Oct. 1 (RA), 1 adult at Cavendish on Oct. 2 (JDM, HY), 2 atNew Glasgow on Oct. 9 (DEJ), 1 at Mermaid on Oct. 13 (RC), 2 adults withone carrying a 24" long narrow prey item from a talon in Donagh on Oct. 26(JDM), 2 at East Point on Oct. 29 (SCS), 5 at PEI National Park and 2 wereobserved successfully capturing a sea duck on Nov. 30 (LM); NorthernHarrier - 1 at Tracadie Harbour on Aug. 27 (MAn), 1 at Long Pond onAug. 27 (SPa), 2 at Greenwich on Sept. 8 (M&SM), 1 at Brackley Beach-Covehead Marsh on Sept. 25 (VB), 2 at Covehead Harbour on Sept. 27(JAD), 1 at Argyle Shore on Oct. 1 (RA), 1 female & 1 male at Cavendishon Oct. 2 (JDM, HY), 1 at Ellerslie on Oct. 20 (WFB, EM), 1 at New Perthon Nov. 19 (RG), 1 at Cherry Valley on Nov. 22 (LM), 1 at PEI NationalPark on Nov. 30 (LM); Sharp-shinned Hawk - 1 at East Point on Sept. 21(KMcK), at Cape Egmont on Sept. 23 (WGH) ; Northern Goshawk - 1 atSelkirk on Oct. 28 (JGM); Broad-winged Hawk - 1 at Greenwich on Sept.8 (M&SM); Red-tailed Hawk - 1 leucistic individual discovered atBungay on Jul. 30 (JSy; photographed and identified DO, BAM, &BMacN), 1 at Pigot’s Trail on Sept. 9 (DEJ), 1 at Cavendish on Oct. 2 & 7(JDM, HY), 1 at Mermaid on Oct. 13 (RC), 1 at Charlottetown on Nov. 12& Nov. 14 (BK), 1 at Charlottetown on Oct. 28 (BK), 1 at Hunter River & 1at North Rustico on Nov. 11 (RA), 1 on electrical wires at Bunbury on Nov.17 (JDM), 1 at New Perth on Nov. 19 (RG), 1 at Clyde River on Nov. 21(JDM, BH), 1 dark phase at Bouyer Creek in Bunbury on Nov. 23 (JDM), 1

at Cymbria on Nov. 24 (JtR), 1 in tree at Ravenwood in Charlottetown on Nov. 29 (INT), 1 at South Lake on Dec. 1 (KMcK); Rough-legged Hawk - 1 hunting at Sherbrooke on No. 25 (JDM, LY); American Coot - 1 at Black Pond on Nov. 5 (SCS); Sandhill Crane - 7 landed in a field in Baltic on Oct. 2 (RR), 2 at Indian River shore on Oct. 14 (TF); Black-bellied Plover -small flock landed in fields at Souris Line Road on Aug. 7 (R&KM), 34 at Souris Causeway on Oct. 1 (SCS), 2 working sealettice Ulva spp along shore at Desable on Oct. 1 (RA), 8 at Desable on Oct. 30 (RA), 1 at Covehead Harbour on Nov. 8(DMB&SB), 7 at Tea Hill Park on Nov. 13 (FdB); American Golden Plover - 1 at Souris Causeway on Oct. 1 (SCS); Semipalmated Plover - 16 at Chelton on Aug. 9 (DMa), 5 at Brackley Beach-Covehead Marsh on Sept. 25 (VB), 2 atCovehead Harbour on Sept. 27 (JAD), 11 at Robinson’s Island on Sept. 30 (SL); Piping Plover - 1 at Tracadie Harbour onAug. 27 (MAn), 2 photographed at Brackley Beach on Aug. 28 (SGC), 1 at Covehead Harbour on Sept. 27 (JAD); SpottedSandpiper - 3 at Chelton on Aug. 9 (DMa), 6 while kayaking along Dunk River in Lower Freetown on Sept. 3 (DO), 1 at EastPoint on Sept. 5 (M&SM); Solitary Sandpiper - 1 at Strathgartney Equestrian Centre temporary water pond on Aug. 27 (DD),3 while kayaking along Dunk River in Lower Freetown on Sept. 3 (DO), 1 at Old Mill Pond in Crapaud on Sept. 15 (DD), 2 atCape Egmont pond on Sept. 15 & 1 on Sept. 23 (WGH), 2 at Rollings Pond/North Rustico on Sept. 30 (SL), 1 at York Point onOct. 24 (JDM, WFB); Greater Yellowlegs - 9 at Chelton on Aug. 9 (DMa), 2 at Cymbria on Oct. 3 & 5 on Oct. 20 (JtR), 13 atWest River Causeway saltmarsh at New Dominion on Oct. 24 (JDM, WFB), 6 at Desable on Oct. 30 (RA), 1 at Brackley BeachNorth Marsh on Nov. 8 (DMB&SB), 1 at Chapel Creek on Nov. 11 (DEJ); Willet - 1 at Tracadie Harbour on Aug. 27 (MAn),1 at Cape Traverse on Sept. 4 (RA); Lesser Yellowlegs - 13 at Chelton on Aug. 9 (DMa), 6 at Stanley Bridge on Sept. 28(JAD); Upland Sandpiper - 2 at Anderson Road on Aug. 11 (DMc); Whimbrel - 1 at East Point on Sept. 5 (M&SM), 1 atGreenwich on Sept. 8 (M&SM); Hudsonian Godwit - 2 at Tracadie Harbour on Aug. 27 (MAn), 1 at Covehead Harbour nearentrance on Oct. 22 (JtR); Ruddy Turnstone - 11 at Chelton on Aug. 9 (DMa), 11 at Tracadie Harbour on Aug. 27 (MAn); Red Knot - see Bennett summary in this issue; Sanderling - 12 at Tracadie Harbour on Aug. 27 (MAn), 1 at Kingsboro on

13

Pomarine Jaeger at CoveheadPhoto Ray Cooke

Sept. 21 (KMcK), 85 at Rollings Pond/North Rustico on Sept. 30 (SL), 50 atDesable on Oct. 30 (RA), 1 near Covehead bridge gulf side on Nov. 4 (JtR), 18 atOceanview on Nov. 16 (RA); Dunlin - 1 at Kingsboro on Sept. 21 (KMcK), 150at Brackley Beach North Marsh on Nov. 8 (DMB&SB), 14 at Tea Hill Park onNov. 13 (FdB); Least Sandpiper - 5 at Chelton on Aug. 9 (DMa), 26 at BrackleyBeach-Covehead Marsh on Sept. 25 (VB); White-rumped Sandpiper - 1 atKingsboro on Sept. 21 (KMcK), 2 at Brackley Beach North Marsh on Nov. 8(DMB&SB); Pectoral Sandpiper - 4 at Brackley Beach on Sept. 10 (M&SM), 1at Brackley Beach North Marsh on Nov. 8 (DMB&SB); SemipalmatedSandpiper - 9 at Chelton on Aug. 9 (DMa), 2 at Kingsboro on Sept. 21 (KMcK),1 at Rollings Pond/North Rustico on Sept. 30 (SL), 1 at East Point on Nov. 1(DEJ); Short-billed Dowitcher - 1 at Cape Traverse on Sept. 28 (JAD); Wilson’s Snipe - 1 at Charlottetown on Nov. 14 (BK); American Woodcock - 1at North Rustico on Oct. 17 (JDM), 1 at Goose River on Nov. 6 (BH); PomarineJaeger - 1 at East Point on Jul. 30 (MI) 1 photographed at Covehead Harbour onSept. 19 (RC); UID Jaeger - 1 at East Point on Sept. 4 (SCS, FdB, GS); Common Murre - 1 at East Point on Jul. 30 (MI); Razorbill - 1 about 1.5 mi off North Lake during tuna charter trip on Aug.(GWi), 1 at East Point on Sept. 4 (SCS, FdB, GS) & 1 on Oct. 1 (SCS) & 5 on Oct. 29 (SCS) & 3 on Nov. 5 (SCS), 2 offCovehead Harbour on Nov. 8 (DMB&SB); Black Guillemot - 1 at East Point on Sept. 6 (M&SM) & 1 on Oct. 1 (SCS) & 2 onNov. 5 (SCS) & 1 on Dec. 1 (KMcK), 1 off Covehead Harbour on Nov. 8 (DMB&SB); Atlantic Puffin - 1 off North Rusticoand 1 off Savage Harbour in mid-Sept. (HY); Black-legged Kittiwake - 11 at East Point on Jul. 30 (MI) & 1 on Sept. 11 (JT)& 4 on Nov. 5 (SCS); Bonaparte's Gull - 135 at East Point on Sept. 4 (SCS), 5 at Kingsboro on Sept. 21 (KMcK), 12 hawkinginsects at Cape Egmont on Sept. 23 (WGH), 263 at Rollings Pond/North Rustico on Sept. 30 (SL), 266 at East Point on Oct. 1(SCS) & 27 on Oct. 21 (RC) & 55 on Oct. 29 (SCS) & 100 on Nov. 4 (RC), & 60 on Nov. 5 (SCS) & 10 at Black Pond on Oct.29 (SCS), 11 at North Cape on Nov. 3 (DEJ), 4 at Belvedere Pond on Nov. 4 (JDM), 47 on Nov. 12 (RC) & ~125 on Nov. 23(JDM), 20 at Borden Carleton, 40 at Covehead Harbour, & 25 at Brackley Beach Marsh North on Nov. 8 (DMB&SB), 30 atClermont on Nov. 17 (DEJ); Black-headed Gull - 2 at East Point on Oct. 21 (RC); Little Gull - 1 at East Point on Sept. 4(SCS, FdB, GS); Ring-billed Gull - ~350 at Kingsboro on Sept. 21 (KMcK), 100 at Rollings Pond/North Rustico on Sept. 30(SL), 120 at Souris Causeway & 80 at Leslie’s Pond on Oct. 1 (SCS), 75 at East Point on Oct. 1 (SCS), 2 on Oct. 21 (RC), 20on Oct. 29 (SCS), & 13 on Nov. 4 (RC), 50 at Black Pond on Oct. 29 (SCS), 36 at Belvedere Pond on Nov. 12 (RC), 150 infields at South Lake on Dec. 1 (KMcK); Herring Gull - 50 at Kingsboro on Sept. 21 (KMcK), 300 at Rollings Pond/NorthRustico on Sept. 30 (SL), 32 at East Point on Oct. 1 (SCS) & 20 on Oct. 29 (SCS), 17 at East Point on Oct. 21 (RC), 500 onbeach and field at Borden-Carleton on Oct. 31 (JDM, BH), 6 at North Cape on Nov. 3 (DEJ); Iceland Gull - 1 atCharlottetown Sewage Treatment Plant on Nov. 3 (JDM), 3 at Borden Carleton & 2 at Covehead Harbour on Nov. 8(DMB&SB), 7 at Wood Islands & 15 at East Point on Dec. 1 (KMcK); Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1 at Brackley Beach onAug. 6 (MMcCl), 1 at Covehead Wharf on Aug. 9 (CJ), 1 adult at Charlottetown Mall on Nov. 29 (JDM); Glaucous Gull - 1over Northumberland Strait on Oct. 10 (RCa); Great Black-backed Gull - 50 at Kingsboro on Sept. 21 (KMcK), 11 at SourisCauseway & 24 at East Point on Oct. 1 (SCS) & 8 on Oct. 29 (SCS), 8 at North Cape on Nov. 3 (DEJ); Caspian Tern - 1 atTracadie Harbour on Aug. 27 (MAn), 5 at Stanley Bridge on Sept. 28 (JAD); Common Tern - 5 at Tracadie Harbour on Aug.27 (MAn), 14 at East Point on Sept. 4 & 2 on Oct. 1 (SCS), 45 at Georgetown on Sept. 12 (GCa), 5 at Kingsboro on Sept. 21(KMcK), 1 at Souris Causeway on Oct. 1 (SCS), 5 over Northumberland Strait on Oct. 10 (RCa), 4 off Hampton on Oct. 24(DEJ); Arctic Tern - 1 at Georgetown on Sept. 12 (GCa); Mourning Dove - 3 at Winsloe South on Sept. 25 & 5 on Oct. 9 &13 on Nov. 18 (DEJ), 5 at Horne’s Cross Road on Sept. 30 & 10 on Nov. 18 (VB), 3 at Charlottetown on Oct. 28 (BK); RockPigeon - 10 at Winsloe South on Sept. 25 & 13 on Oct. 9 & 12 on Nov. 18 (DEJ); Black-billed Cuckoo - 1 calling at BonshawHills on Aug. 2 (BAM); Great Horned Owl - 1 calling at Horne’s Cross Road Oct. 1 (VB), 1 calling at Stratford on Oct 1(DMut), 2 at New Perth on Nov. 19 (RG); Snowy Owl - 1 seen at Bay Fortune on ~Nov. 19 (KMacC), emaciated individualbrought to AVC week of Nov. 20th and died shortly after it arrived (BPEI); Barred Owl - 3 calling at Horne’s Cross Road onSept. 12 (VB), 1 calling at Horne’s Cross Road Oct. 1 (VB), 2 at New Perth on Nov. 19 (RG), 1 seen regurgitating a food pelletat Cable Woods in Stratford on Nov. 24 (LM); Common Nighthawk - pair at St. George’s on Aug. 1 & 8 (JDS); Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 1 at Horne’s Cross Road on Sept. 3 (VB); Belted Kingfisher - 1 at Cymbria on Sept. 26 (JtR) & 3on Aug. 28 (VB), 1 most days at Mill Pond in Crapaud in Aug & Sept (DD), 1 or sometimes 2 most days at Donagh bridge inAug. & Sept. (JDM), 1 at MacVane’s Creek on Nov. 5 (SCS), 1 at Brackley Beach North Marsh on Nov. 8 (DMB&SB), 1 atMoore’s Pond on Nov. 24 (LM); Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1 struck window in Canavoy on Nov. 30 but recovered quickly(via DMu); Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - 1 at Horne’s Cross Road on Sept. 3 & 1 on Sept. 30 (VB); Downy Woodpecker - 1at Winsloe South on Sept. 25 (DEJ), 1 at Horne’s Cross Road on Sept. 30 & 2 on Nov. 18 (VB), 2 at Mermaid on Oct. 13 (RC),1 at Dromore Trail South Loop on Nov. 5 & 1 on Dec. 1 (RC); Hairy Woodpecker - 1 at Winsloe South on Sept. 25 & 1 onNov. 18 (DEJ), 1 at Dromore Trail South Loop on Nov. 5 (RC), 1 along Confed Trail at Darlington on Nov. 1 (JtR); Northern

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Flicker - 1 at Horne’s Cross Road on Sept. 3 & Sept. 30 (VB), 1 at Leslie’s Pond on Oct. 1 (SCS), 1 at Winsloe South on Oct.2 (DEJ), 1 at Charlottetown on Oct. 28 (BK), 2 along Confed Trail between York & Suffolk on Oct. 29 (JtR), 1 at CavendishGrove area on Nov. 7 (RF&RJ), 1 at Dalvay Lake on Nov. 13 (VB), 3 at Charlottetown on Nov. 12 & 1 on Nov. 14 (BK), 1 atHorne’s Cross Road on Nov. 18 (VB); Pileated Woodpecker - 1 at Green Gables Cavendish on Aug. 12 (PC), 1 at PEINational Park on Sept. 27 (JAD), 1 at Head of Hillsborough on Oct. 9 (JtR), 1 at Dromore Trail South Loop on Nov. 5 (RC); American Kestrel - 4 at Greenwich on Sept. 8 (M&SM), 1 at Donagh on Oct. 5 (JDM), 2 on electrical wires at Augustine Coveon Oct. 12 (RA), 1 at Cherry Valley on Nov. 25 (BPEI); Merlin - 1 at Tracadie Harbour on Aug. 27 (MAn), 1 at East Point onOct. 1 (SCS), 1 at Cavendish on Oct. 2 (JDM, HY), 1 at Cymbria on Oct. 3 (JtR); Peregrine Falcon - 1 at Stanhope on Sept. 2(DBF), 1 at East Point on Oct. 1 (SCS), 1 at Mount Stewart on Oct. 8 (JtR); Eastern Wood Peewee - 1 at Greenwich on Aug.8 (MMcCl) & 1 on 9th (CD); Yellow-bellied Flycatcher - 1 at St. George’s on Jun. 11 (JDS); Least Flycatcher - 1 along EastTarantum Road on Aug. 30 (SCS); Eastern Phoebe - 1 at St. George’s on Jun. 14 (JDS), 1 at Greenwich on Aug. 9 (CD); Great-crested Flycatcher - 1 at Campbell’s Cove on Aug. 29 (RV); Eastern Kingbird - pair at St. George’s on Jun. 16(JDS), 1 at Greenwich on Aug. 8 (MMcCl) & 1 on Sept 8 (M&SM); Blue-headed Vireo - 1 at Long Pond on Sept. 10(M&SM), 1 at Greenwich on Sept. 15 (SCS); Warbling Vireo - 1 at St. George’s on Jun. 27 (JDS); Philadelphia Vireo - 1 atMacphail Woods on Sept. 5 (BK); Red-eyed Vireo - 30 along East Tarantum Road on Aug. 30 (SCS), 3 at Long Pond on Sept.10 (M&SM), 3 at Greenwich on Sept. 15 (SCS); Gray Jay - 2 at St. George’s on Jun. 11 (JDS), pair at Woodville Mills onAug. 26 (JDS), 2 at Selkirk on Sept. 26 & 2 on Oct 28 (JGM), 1 at Gaul’s Road in Avondale on Oct. 7 (CR), pair at St.George’s on Nov. 14 (JDS); Blue Jay - 11 at Black Pond on Oct. 29 (SCS), 17 at Cavendish Grove area on Nov. 7 (RF&RJ); American Crow - hundreds flying to Victoria Park Charlottetown roost area in late Nov. (JDM); Common Raven - 1 at EastPoint on Oct. 1 (SCS) & 28 kettling over East Point on Nov. 5 (SCS); Horned Lark - 1 flying over at Brackley Beach on Aug.6 (MMcCl); Tree Swallow - 1 at Long Pond on Aug. 27 (SPa); Bank Swallow - flock at Crapaud lagoon on Aug. 2 (DD),192 active nests at Maximeville cliff on Aug. 2 (R&AG via G&FMa), 80 at East Point on Jul. 30 (MI), 30 at Greenwich onAug. 8 (MMcCl), 12 at Wood Islands on Aug. 14 (LHoo); Barn Swallow - 2 at Greenwich on Aug. 8 (MMcCl), 2 at WoodIslands on Aug. 14 (LHoo); Black-capped Chickadee - 4 at Horne’s Cross Road on Sept. 30 (VB), 14 at Dromore Trail SouthLoop on Nov. 5 & 31 on Nov. 11 & 5 on Dec. 1 (RC), 28 at Cavendish Grove area on Nov. 7 (RF&RJ); Boreal Chickadee - 7at Chelton on Aug. 9 (DMa), 1 at Stanhope on Sept. 2 (DBF), 1 at Long Pond on Sept. 10 (M&SM), 1 at Cavendish on Sept. 15(G&KH); Red-breasted Nuthatch - 1 at Horne’s Cross Road on Sept. 30 (VB), 1 at East Point on Oct. 1 (SCS), 1 alongConfed Trail Winsloe to Sleepy Hollow on Oct. 28 (JtR), 13 at Dromore Trail South Loop on Nov. 5 & 11 on Nov. 11 & 6 onDec. 1 (RC), 2 at Cavendish Grove area on Nov. 7 (RF&RJ); White-breasted Nuthatch - 1 at Canoe Cove on Aug. 21 (GWi),1 at Cavendish on Sept. 8 (G&KH); Brown Creeper - 4 at Greenwich on Sept. 8 (M&SM) & 5 at Long Pond on Sept. 10(M&SM), 1 at PEI National Park on Sept. 27 (JAD), 1 at Dromore trail on Nov. 11 (RC), 1 at Pondside Park on Nov. 24 (LM),1 at Donagh on Nov. 30 (JDM); Winter Wren - 2 at Strang Road (Prince Co.) on Jul. 31 (DMa), 1 at Greenwich on Aug. 8(MMcCl); Golden-crowned Kinglet - 2 at Charlottetown on Oct. 28 (BK), 5 at Dromore Trail South Loop on Nov. 5 & 4 onNov. 11 & 1 on Dec. 1 (RC); Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 1 along Confed Trail Winsloe to Sleepy Hollow on Oct. 28 (JtR), 1 atSt. George’s on Aug. 7 (JDS), 2 at Cavendish Grove area on Nov. 7 (RF&RJ); Eastern Bluebird - 1 at Souris Line Road onJul. 30 (MI); Veery - 1 at Canoe Cove on Aug. 21 (GWi); Hermit Thrush - 1 at St. George’s on Jun. 10 & Jul. 4 (JDS); American Robin - leucistic robin with white flecking on its wings seen at Hunter River on Aug. 13 (DD), very few being seenin August through November despite a huge mountain ash berry crop (JDM), 2 at Cavendish on Oct. 2 (JDM, HY), 3 atMermaid on Oct. 13 (RC), finally small numbers (a few to 10) being seen in North Rustico, Donagh, and Traveller’s Rest inearly Oct. (JDM), 6 at Black Pond on Nov. 5 (SCS), 12 at Dromore Trail South Loop on Nov. 5 (RC), 11 along Confed Trailbetween Mount Stewart & Tracadie on Nov. 12 (JtR), 6 along Confed Trail Union to York on Nov. 15 (JtR), 20 along ConfedTrail between Mount Stewart & Peakes on Nov. 19 (JtR), 5 at East Point on Dec. 1 (KMcK); Gray Catbird - 1 at Long Pondon Sept. 10 (M&SM); European Starling - 33 at Winsloe South on Oct. 9 (DEJ), several hundred murmuring at HillsboroughBridge last week Oct. (JDM), 1,500 at York Point Road on Oct. 24 (WFB, JDM); American Pipit - 1 at East Point on Sept. 6(M&SM), 1 picked up during October field trip (DO, WCT); Cedar Waxwing - 5 at Anderson Road on Aug. 11 (DMc), 45 atBlack Pond on Aug. 25 (SCS), 30 at Selkirk on Sept. 27 (JGM), 35 along Confed Trail between Mount Stewart & Tracadie onNov. 5 & 5 on Nov. 12 (JtR); Snow Bunting - 25 at Traveller’s Rest on Nov. 3 (JDM), small flock at PEI National Park onNov. 30 (LM), 1 over water at East Point on Nov. 5 (SCS), 12 at Weisner’s Pond on Dec. 1 (RC); Northern Waterthrush - 2at Strang Road (Prince Co.) on Jul. 31 (DMa); Black-and-white Warbler - 1 at St. George’s on Jun. 21 (JDS), 4 at StrangRoad (Prince Co.) on Jul. 31 (DMa), 2 at Long Pond on Aug. 6 (CD), 2 at Macphail Woods on Sept. 5 (BK), 1 at Horne’s CrossRoad on Sept. 30 (VB); Tennessee Warbler - 1 at Greenwich on Aug. 9 (CD); Nashville Warbler - 1 at Greenwich on Aug.9 (CD), 1 along East Tarantum Road on Aug. 30 (SCS); Mourning Warbler - 1 at Strang Road (Prince Co.) on Jul. 31(DMa), 1 at Homestead Trail in Cavendish on Sept. 9 (DS); American Redstart - 1 along East Tarantum Road on Aug. 30(SCS); Cape May Warbler - 1 at St. George’s on Jul. 4 (JDS), 1 at Greenwich on Aug. 8 (MMcCl), 1 at Horne’s Cross Roadon Sept. 3 (VB), at Egmont Bay on Sept. 23 (WGH); Northern Parula - 2 at Homestead Trail in Cavendish on Sept. 9 (DS),at Cape Egmont on Sept. 23 (WGH); Bay-breasted Warbler - 1 at St. George’s on Aug. 21 (JDS), 2 along East TarantumRoad on Aug. 30 (SCS), 1 at Horne’s Cross Road on Sept. 17 (VB); Blackburnian Warbler - 1 at Long Pond on Aug. 6 (CD),

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3 at Greenwich on Aug. 9 (CD), 2 at Macphail Woods on Sept. 5 (BK); Chestnut-sided Warbler - 1 at Long Pond on Aug. 6(CD), 1 at Fountain Head Road on Aug. 30 (SCS); Blackpoll Warbler - 2 at Cavendish on Sept. 15 (G&KH), 1 at East PointRoad on Sept. 21 (KMcK); Palm Warbler - 2 at Horne’s Cross Road on Sept. 24 (VB), 1 at St. George’s on Jul. 7 (JDS); Pine Warbler - 1 at Green Gables Cavendish on Sept. 2 (SCA); Yellow-rumped Warbler - 6 along East Tarantum Road onAug. 30 (SCS), 16 at Greenwich on Sept. 15 with 1 Myrtle morph (SCS), 4 at Horne’s Cross Road on Sept. 17 & 7 on Sept. 30(VB), 1 at East Point on Oct. 1 (SCS), 3 at Clarke’s Pond in Cavendish on Oct. 13 (RA); Black-throated Green Warbler - 6along East Tarantum Road on Aug. 30 (SCS); Canada Warbler - 2 at Strang Road (Prince Co.) on Jul. 31 (DMa); Wilson’sWarbler - 2 at Long Pond on Aug. 6 (CD), 2 at Greenwich on Aug. 9 (CD), 1 at Campbell’s Cove on Aug. 29 (RV), 1 atHomestead Trail in Cavendish on Sept. 9 (DS); American Tree Sparrow - 6 at Cavendish Grove area on Nov. 7 (RF&RJ); Chipping Sparrow - 1 at Horne’s Cross Road on Sept. 23-4 (VB); Nelson’s Sparrow - 3 at Battery Point Road at Ten MileHouse on Aug. (DF), 2 at Long Pond on Sept. 10 (M&SM); Fox Sparrow - 2 at Greenwich on Aug. 4 (OP); Song Sparrow -2 at Horne’s Cross Road on Sept. 30 (VB), 2 at Winsloe South on Oct. 9 (DEJ), 6 at Mermaid on Oct. 13 (RC), 2 at Clarke’sPond in Cavendish on Oct. 13 (RA), 2 at Cavendish on Oct. 2 (JDM, HY), 4 at Charlottetown on Oct. 28 (BK), 1 at CavendishGrove area on Nov. 7 (RF&RJ), 1 along Confed Trail between Mount Stewart & Tracadie on Nov. 12 (JtR); Lincoln’sSparrow - 1 at Cavendish Wetlands at New Annan on Aug. 27 (JBr); Swamp Sparrow - 5 at Cavendish Wetlands at NewAnnan on Aug. 27 (JBr), 2 along Confed Trail between Morell & Mt. Stewart on Sept. 22 (JtR); White-throated Sparrow - 6at East Point on Sept. 21 (KMcK), 1 at Winsloe South on Oct. 9 (DEJ), 3 at Mermaid on Oct. 13 (RC), 100s seen duringOctober field trip (DO, WCT); Dark-eyed Junco - 2 at Horne’s Cross Road on Sept. 24 & 3 on Sept. 30 (VB), 1 at WinsloeSouth on Oct. 9 (DEJ), 6 at Sherwood on Oct. 28 (JC), few being seen this autumn (JDM), 12 at Cavendish Grove area on Nov.7 (RF&RJ), 1 along Confed Trail between Mount Stewart & Tracadie on Nov. 12 (JtR), 1 along Confed Trail Union to York onNov. 15 (JtR); Northern Cardinal - 1 adult male photographed at Chelton on Aug. 9 (DMa); Indigo Bunting - 1 struckwindow at UPEI Gym on Oct. 28 and recovered at AVC before being released on Oct. 31 (BK, HB, FdB); Bobolink - maleand female with female carrying food at Souris Line Road on Jul. 30 (MI); Red-winged Blackbird - ~100 at Pisquid Westcornfield on Sept. 19 (DLM), 3 at Horne’s Cross Road on Sept. 23 (VB); Yellow-headed Blackbird - 1 at Priest Pond onSept. 28 (LK) Rusty Blackbird - 400 at Pisquid West cornfield on Sept. 19 (DLM), 1 at Horne’s Cross Road on Sept. 23(VB), 1 at Pondside Park on Oct. 25 (LM); Common Grackle - 2 at Chelton on Aug. 9 (DMa), ~50 at Pisquid West cornfieldon Sept. 19 (DLM), 2 at Winsloe South on Sept. 25 (DEJ), 30 at South Melville on Oct. 13 (RA), 300 at Bedford on Oct. 29(JtR), 3 along Confed Trail between Mount Stewart & Tracadie on Nov. 12 (JtR), 1 at Horne’s Cross Road on Nov. 26 (VB); Brown-headed Cowbird - 15 at Black Pond on Aug. 25 (SCS); Baltimore Oriole - 1 at Long Pond on Aug. 6 (CD) ; PineGrosbeak - 1 at Dromore trails on Dec. 1 (RC); Purple Finch - 1 at East Point on Sept. 21 (KMcK), 1 at Traveller’s Restfeeders on Nov. 30 (JDM), 1 at Dromore trails on Dec. 1 (RC); White-winged Crossbill - seen during October field trip (DO),2 males at Pondside Park on Nov. 9 (LM); Pine Siskin - 2 at Greenwich on Aug. 8 (MMcCl), 25 at Leslie’s Pond on Nov. 5(SCS); American Goldfinch - 4 at New Glasgow on Oct. 9 (DEJ), 1 at Cumberland on Oct. 24 (JDM, WFB), 2 at DromoreTrail South Loop on Nov. 5 (RC), 40 at East Point on Nov. 5 (SCS), 12 along Confed Trail Union to York on Nov. 15 (JtR), 9at Horne’s Cross Road on Nov. 18 (VB), 8 at Winsloe South on Nov. 18 (DEJ); House Sparrow - 2 at Mount Stewart on Oct.8 (JtR), 2 at Sherwood Mall on Nov. 4 (JDM), 6 at Traveller’s Rest feeders on Nov. 30 (JDM).

Thanks to the following contributors who provided records for this listing, namely: JAl - Judi Allen; MAn - MarlaAnderson bia Ebird; RA - Ron Arvidson; RGA - Ron Arsenault; DBF - Deanna Baker-Ferrell; DMB&SB - DavidM. Bell & Sydney Bliss via Ebird Canada; HB - Hailey Blacquiere ; JBr - Jeremy Bryan via Ebird; VB - VanessaBonnyman; WFB - Bill Bowerbank; BCo - Brenda Cobb; DCla - Danny Clark; EC- Elwood Coakes; FRC -Rosemary Curley; GCa - Geoff Carpenter; JC - Jim Coady; PC - Paul Cook; RC- Ray Cooke; RCa - RichardCarlson via Ebird; SCA - Sharon Cormier-Aagaard; SGC - Sharon Clark; SCA - Sharon Cormier-Aagaard viaEbird; BDo - Bree Donovan; BPEI - Birding on PEI/Naure PEI Field Trip; CD - Christian Detellier; FdB - Fiep deBie; DD - Daphne Davey; JAD - JoAnn Dalley via Ebird; JD - JoAnne Dunphy; LD - Lois Doan; LJD - Lou Daley;PE - Peter Eppig via Ebird; DF - David Fraser via Ebird; G&SF - Greg & Sandra Feetham; RF&RJ - Ryan Fisk &Rebecca Jardine via Ebird Canada; W&SF - Warren & Sherron Foulkes; R&AG - Robert and Alice Gallant; CGa -Connie Gaudet; CEG - Chuck Gallison; RG - Robbie Gallant via Ebird; BH - Ben Hoteling; BHo - Betty Howatt;G&KH - Greg & Kathy Harris via ebird; LHoo - Larry Hooge; RWH - Robert Harding; WGH - Bill Hartford; MH- Megan Harris; MI - Marshall Iliff (via Ebird); CJ - Colin Jones et al via Ebird; DEJ - Don Jardine; BK - BrendanKelly via Ebird; JK - John Klymko; LK - Lois Kilburn; SL - Sarah Ludlow via Ebird; BAM - Brett MacKinnon(formerly listed as BMacK); BMS - Bernadine Mullin-Splude via Island Nature Trust; DLM - Dave McRuer; DMa- Donna Martin; DMc - Dave McCorquodale; DMcL - Don McLelland; DMi - Debbie Misener; DMo - DeniseMotard; DMu - Doug Murray; DMur - Dale Murchison; EM - Evelyn Martin; G&FMa - Gisele & Fred Martin; GM- George Mallett; INT - Island Nature Trust; JDM - Dan McAskill; JGM - Gerald MacDonald (formerly listed as

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GM); KMacA - Kathleen MacAulay; KEM - Kate MacQuarrie; KMacK - Katie MacCormack; KMcK - KenMcKenna; LM - Lucas MacCormack; MMcCl Michael McCloy (via Ebird); M&SM - Mathias & Sharon Mutzi viaEbird; TMu - Troy Murphy; DO - Dwaine Oakley; OP - Oliver Patrick (via Ebird); SPa - Sally Pachulski; CR -Clarence Ryan; CRo - Cody Rowe (via Ebird); JR - John Read Sr.; JtR - John te Raa; MRe - Michele Reyes; RR -Roland Richard; ASm - Ardeth Smith; BS - Bruce Smith; DC&ES - David & Elaine Seeler; DS - Dan Sullivan viaEbird; DSa - Debbie Salter; GS - Gary Schneider; IS - Ian Scott; JDS - John D. Somers; JSy - John Sylvester; KS -Kathy Stewart; KSm - Kent Smith; SCS - Scott Sinclair; JT - James Turland via Ebird; RT - Reg Thompson; RV -Ron Valentine; AW - Anne Wootton; GWi - Graham Williams via Ebird; JW - Jackie Waddell; WCT - WildlifeConservation Technology Class; HY - Harry Yeo; LY - Lorne Yeo.

ENVIRONMENTAL CALENDAR:Note: All Society presentations and field trips are open to the public.

Society meetings start at 7:30 PM at Beaconsfield, the Carriage House, corner of West and Kent Street,Charlottetown. YN = young naturalists encouraged to attend or participate

Dec. 5 - PEI Flora: Regional Themes and New Discoveries. Sean Blaney of the Atlantic Canada ConservationData Centre will utilize photos and descriptions to highlight recent plant discoveries on the Island as wellas few favourite showy flowers and a general overview of the Island’s flora. He will be the guest speakerfor the Society’s meeting which starts at 7:30 PM at Beaconsfield’s Carriage House, corner of West andKent, Charlottetown. YN

Dec. 14th to Jan. 5th - The Audubon Christmas Bird Counts. These are held annually across Canada, UnitedStates, Latin America and the Caribbean. Nature PEI hosts four of these 24 km diameter count circles:Dec. 16th (Saturday) - The East Point Christmas Bird Count. Please contact Dwaine Oakley at 393-

6223 or dwaine.oakley@gmail.com for details and to register. The date may change in the adventof severe weather so please contact your coordinator.

Dec. 17th (Sunday) - The Prince Edward Island National Park Christmas Bird Count - Please contactDan McAskill at 569-4351 or E-mail at jdmcaskill@pei.sympatico.ca for information or toregister. The date may change in the advent of severe weather so please contact your coordinator.

Dec. 26th (Tuesday) - The Hillsborough Christmas Bird Count. There will be a pot-luck after theevent for participants at 6 PM. Please contact Dan McAskill at 569-4351 or E-mail atjdmcaskill@pei.sympatico.ca for information or to register. The date may change in the advent ofsevere weather so please contact your coordinator.

Dec. 30 (Saturday) - The Montague Christmas Bird Count. Please contact Scott Sinclair via E-mail atscsinclair@pei.sympatico.ca for information or to register. The date may change in the advent ofsevere weather so please contact your coordinator.

Jan. 2 (Tuesday) - CBC4Kids - 8:00-11:30 am at the Fullerton’s Conservation Park in Stratford. LukePeters of Nature PEI will lead the walk. Kelley Farrar, SAWIG Watershed Coordinator, will pre-register participants at 902-367-3605 or stratfordwater@gmail.com All ages are welcome.

Jan. 9th - Sable Island: Horses and Nature - The Hon Diane Griffin, Kathy Martin and Jackie Waddell will bethe guest speaker for the Society’s Annual meeting which starts at 7:30 PM at Beaconsfield’s CarriageHouse, corner of West and Kent, Charlottetown. YN

Jan. 27th - PEI Winter Woodlot Tour - will be held at Strathgartney Equestrian Park. Checkout#winterwoodlottour

Feb. 6 - Nature PEI’s Member's Night - All are welcome to share photography, poetry and maybe even a few talltales with Nature PEI members. This Nature PEI meeting starts at 7:30 pm at Beaconsfield, the CarriageHouse, corner of West and Kent Street, Charlottetown. YN The Carriage House, 7:30 p.m.

February 16th to 19th - 2017 Great Backyard Bird Count - This free 4-day annual event allows bird watchers tocontribute their sightings be it in their backyard or on a field trip. The GBBC creates a real-time snapshotof where the birds are. Anyone can participate, from beginners to experts. You can count for as little as 15minutes on a single day, or for as long as you like each day of the event. It's free, fun, and easy - and ithelps the birds See http://gbbc.birdcount.org/ YN

Mar. 6th - Nature PEI meeting - guest Speaker to be announced. Meeting starts at 7:30 pm at Beaconsfield, theCarriage House, corner of West and Kent Street, Charlottetown. YN The Carriage House, 7:30 p.m.

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