Newsletter by contacting the Island Nature Trust at P.O. Box 265, Charlottetown or by phoning Dan McAskill at 569-4351 (evenings). Membership is $5.00 annually and they are available at NHS meetings from Geoff Hogan, Rosemary Curley, Winston Johnston or Dan McAskill. Tax receipts are issued for all monies given in excess of $5.00 annually. -

EDIBLE WILD AT MT. BUCHANAN. On the warm and pleasant sunny evening of June 18, ten members and friends gathered at Liz Baglole's lovely country home. Early comers waded out into the rising tide to gather soft-shelled clams and mussels before joining later arrivals'for a picnic on the lawn. An osprey leisurely hunted over the cove, plunging once to wrestle his own taste of the edible wild from the shallow waters. Supper eaten, the group set off to scavenge for the feast that was to come. Hardy souls crashed through a dense hedge- row to gather the few late elderberry flowers which remained; the second stop was the salt marsh, where most of the goodies were to be found; a quick tour of Liz's garden completed the haul. Back at

the house a gigantic salad was prepared which included such delicacies as garden herbs, orach, lamb‘s quarters, goose tongue, sea lettuce and cat-tail stems. This accompanied a huge pot of steamed clams

and mussels plus day lily roots and goose tongue greens. Mint tea and pancakes made from elderberry flowers, topped off the meal. Many thanks to Liz for a most delectable evening.

BANDED GANNET

by Geoff Hogan

On August 29, 1981 I found an adult Gannet on the beach at Blooming Point. The bird was wearing a band on its left leg. The band number was sent to the banding office in Maryland and a few weeks later, a reply was received. The Gannet had been banded on the Gaspe Peninsula (presumably at the Bonaventure Island gannetry) on September 5, 1967 when at least one year old. This means that it was not a nestling but an individual capable of flight. Thus, the bird was at least 15 years old, but possibly older, at the time of its death. According to Nelson (1978), Gannets have an average life span of 16 years with some individuals expected' to approach 50 years.

Banding information provides valuable information on birds' longevity, movement patterns, population dynamics, etc. If you find or see a banded bird, try to obtain the band number and send it to.... Bird Banding Laboratory, Office of Migratory Bird Management, Laurel, Maryland 20811, U.S.A.

Reference ‘

Nelson B. 1978. The Gannet. Buteo Books, Vermillion, South Dakota

336 p. .4-