THE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND NEWSLETTER Newsletter No. 8 May 1975

Note: This will be the last newsletter issued until the fall of 1975.

NEXT MEETING

Date: Tuesday, May 6, 1975 Time: 8 p.m. Program before Business Meeting. Place: Provincial Health Building, 3rd Floor, Room 47 and 48.

(Enter through underground garage on west side of the Provincial Administrative Building).

Program: We have a special treat for the May program. Mrs Eileen Stewart, one of the society members will bring her grade five pupils from West Kent School. They will tell us through stories, art work, and poetry about their activities in natural history during the past year. You will also hear about the Nature Pamphlet on Warren Grove that they are producing. Be sure you arrive at 8 p.m. to avoid missing any ofthe program.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Unusual Spring Migrants

Spring Migration is an exciting time for the bird watcher. Every year we manage to spot several birds which are either rare or have travelled a thousand miles orsn outcf their way during migration. Spring of 1975 has been no exception! Snow Geese normally use the Central Flyway through Quebec and Ontario but this spring some migrated north on the Atlantic Flyway. Roy Muttarsaw three snow geese on April 8 and seventeen on April 9. They flew by his house on the West River. On April 20,

John Bain noticed three snow geese flyingvith a flock of Canada Geese near Glenfinnan.

Another avian treat was meted out near the Queen's Road in Montague. Barrett Horne phoned on Apri124, to tellts about the pair of Glossy Ibis which had been there for several days. The Glossy Ibis, a rare migrant visitor to P.E.I., is a large, long—legged wading bird with a long decurved beak. Look it up in your Peterson's "Field Guide to the Birds".

— Kathy Martin U.P.E.I.

Speaking of strange birds, here's another-report: - Is It A Bird? -

This description of a strange bird was forwarded to the Fish and Wildlife Division by a stymied observor. The bird has orange wing—tips, a grey back fleckedvith orange, gray neck, white breast and belly and an orange cheek pouch. It was seen at North River the first week of April. One more clue — it was 1 1/2 times the size of-a Canada Goose and was feeding with a flock of honkers. After much discussion it was decided that it was a domestic Chinese Grey Goose from a near-by farm. Some bird!

— Rosemary Curley Fish and Wildlife Division