I have consulted a copy of the Sibley guide from the library, which includes another possibility not appearing in my out-of—date Golden guide: Streptopelia decaocto, the Eurasian Collared-Dove. It is noted as “much larger and heavier than mourning dove”, with markings very close to the turtle-dove. The bird I saw was quite a bit taller and plumper than the mourning doves with which I saw it - this was the first thing I noticed, before the difference in colouration. So now I am unsure which it might have been. Sibley indicates the Collared-Dove is “rapidly colonizing North America” and that the Turtle-dove “fares poorly in the wild”. Is it the Turtle-dove or the Collared-dove which appears on the 2003 checklist for PEI? I have only the French version.

Editor’s Note: Based on the description, it appears that the bird seen was a Ringed T urtle-Dove. It is most probable that this bird was an escapee from captivity.

WEATHER EVENTS:

Dubbed by some of the media as White Juan, a strong nor'easter brought hours of winds with sustained velocities of 90 km/hr, wind gusts of 103 km/hr, and 75 cm of snow on February 19th. Many roads were blocked till the evening of the 20th when many secondary roads were partially opened. Drifts of 2 to 4 metres were not uncommon. Fortunately, a predicted 1.2 to 1.3 metre storm surge was less severe that anticipated and little flooding damage occurred.

LY reported 20 to 24 inches of ice in Summerside Harbour and Hillsborough River in February. The north shore was completely closed in with ice to the horizon on Mar. 14 although there were some open leads earlier in the week (DCS).

By early March, many field centres had patches bare of snow in central and eastern PEI (JDM).

ANIMAL SIGHTINGS: Compiled by J. Dan McAskill

MAMMALS: 1 ermine at Maximeville on Feb. 21 (GMa). 1 flying squirrel on Dec. 23 and up to 5 red squirrels in Jan. at Crossroads feeder (DMu). 2 flying squirrels feeding in a tray feeder at 5 am on Mar. 1 (DO). Red squirrels were seen on Feb. 25 at Beach Grove in Charlottetown in what appeared to be in the repeated pursuit chases utilized to select mates (J DM) 1 very large raccoon feeding on sunflower seed hulls at Donagh feeder on Mar. 15 (JDM, RPh). Moderate sized raccoon killed in yard near feeder in Donagh by animals. 2 red fox, 1 male with a black tail, at Argyle Shore on Mar. 18 (LY). Dark phase coyote at Bunbury on Mar. 15 (JDM). Lots of sightings of red fox in various areas (JDM, LY, DO). One fox walked by the edge of a flock of 30+ Canada Geese in a Bunbury grain field before deciding to retreat to better hunting grounds (JDM). Adult harp seal at Rusticoville causeway on Feb. 15 (DCS).

BIRDS: Great Cormorant - 2 to 4 at North Rustico breakwater on Jan. 1 to 4 (DCS); Great Blue Heron - 1 at Tryon Marsh in late Feb. (BH); Canada Geese - 200+ at Dalvay on Jan. 1 (DCS), 200+ at Eamscliffe on Jan. 11 (DCS), 49 in grainfeild at East Point on Jan. 23 (DCS), 8 flying at Argyle Shore in Mar. 4 & 7 in grain field on Mar. 10 (LY), flying and later in day in field at Clyde River on Mar. 13 (RA), 6 at Victoria on Mar. 14 (RPh), 18 at Reeds Comer on Mar. 15 (HM via SMa), ~30 in grain field in Bunbury with ~50 American Crows on Mar. 16 & 18 (JDM), 70 along Argyle Shore on Mar. 18 (LY), 20 feeding in Donagh potato field on Mar. 25-27 (JDM); Wood Ducks - l at Norboro on Feb. 16(JDM); Eurasian Wigeon - l foraging on grass at Stratford lagoon on Jan. 2 (DCS); American Wigeon - male & female at North Rustico on Jan. 4 (DCS); Black Duck — 50 at Ellen's Creek on Jan. 18 (JB), ~30 in corn field at Vernon River on Feb. 6 along with ~120 crows (DK), numerous at Cardigan Bridge on Feb. 6 with some black ducks chasing goldeneye to retrieve mussels dropped from harassment (DO); Mallard - 20 at Ellen's Creek on Jan. 18 (JB); Gadwall -3 at Chapel Creek on Jan. 2 (DCS), 1 male at Ellen's Creek on Jan. 3 (DCS), l at Cardigan on Jan. 10 (DCS), 9 at Chapel Creek on Jan. 18 (DCS), 21 at Cymbria, 33 at Anglo Rustico, & 13 at New Glascow Mills on Feb. 6 (DO), 1 female at Ferry Rd. in Cornwall on Mar. 9 (EMa); Mallard - 4 pairs at Cardigan on J an. 10 (DCS), 4 males & 2 females at Cumberland Golf Course on Jan. 21 (DCS), couple at Cardigan Bridge on Feb. 6 (DO);

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