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NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND NEWSLETTER

Newsletter No. 7 April 1975

NEXT MEETING

Date; Tuesday, April 1, 1975. Time: 8 p.m. Place: Provincial Health Building, 3rd Floor, Room 47 and 48.

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

Program: Wendell McKay, one of our directors, will conduct a slide identification contest of wild flowers taken near his home in Stanley Bridge.

‘SPRING

"Che swallow does not make a summer, but one skein of geese cleaving the murk of a March thaw, is the spring."

A (Chickadee) whistling spring to a thaw but later finding him— self mistakenn can retrieve his error by resuming his winter silence. A chipmunk, emerging for a sunbath but finding a blizzard, has only to go back to bed. But a migrating goose, staking several hundred miles of black night on the chance of finding a hole in the lake (or river) has no easy chance for retreat. His arrival carries the con- viction of a prophet who has burned his bridges.

- Aldo Leopold "A Sand County Almanac"

ANNOUNCEMENTS

ENVIRONMENT WEEK: Environment Week is May 19 — 24. Our society is. making preparations for a very active week. We hope to publish articles in the newspaper, have short advertisements on television and schedule a series of hikes led by our members. Are you interested in leading a hike or participating? Please contact us at our next meeting or phone 894-9595.

CANADA GEESE: The geese are back! ’The firét geese observed were on March 18 at the West River CauseWay by Ian MacQuarrie of New Dominion. Currently they number about 75 but will rapidly increasegin numbers to approximately 2000. Be

prepared to be serenaded by wild goose honking on your way to and from work.

HOARFROST

Several times during March, we awakened to be greeted by a world of white. Hoarfrost, which formed during the early morning hours, had by dawn covered everything.with delicate white crystals. These white crystals are formed by the passing of invisible water vapor in the air to the ice crystal stage without first becoming liquid; In late summer this type of water vapor causes early morning dew., The only difference in the formation of hoarfrost and dew is the temperature

at the time they are formed. In both cases, the air has a feeling of dampness and there is no wind..

Photographers especially delight in capturing on film the mystical presence of hoarfrost. The prime photography period is approximately two to three hours after dawn while the sun is burning through the

early morning haze. By mid morning the sun‘s warmth usually causes the frost to drop from the trees, fences and buildings and the world returns to normal.

- Diane Griffin