NEWS FROM ABOUT by J. Dan McAskill

A reintroduction programme for the Thick-billed Parrot, begun with the 1986 release of 29 birds to the Chiricahua Mountains in Arizona, is continuing even though the initial success was poor. A 1989 drought destroyed the pine seed crop on which this species depends and a forest fire struck the release area in 1990. Despite these setbacks, 2 young were fledged. The 1991 release of 18 more birds also struggled with poor seed crops, predation, and weather and a revaluation of the programme resulted in the 16 birds of the December 1992 release being kept together for one month to become a flock. Nine of these birds survived to the spring. The Thick-billed Parrot is one of only two parrots native to the United States. Spring 1993 issue).

While the success of the Thick-billed Parrot has yet to be determined, the 0.5. Fish and Wildlife Service efforts that began in 1967 with the Aleutian Canada Geese have helped increase numbers from fewer than 800 to approximately 8,000. Recently 10 pairs were placed on permanent loan to Russia in an attempt to start a successful captive breeding program to re—establish the migrating population to Japan. (adapted from "Birding Briefs" in Birder's World, April 1993). . . .

For those interested in expanding both their birding and travel horizons (and possibly their resume), they might consider working as a volunteer on a variety of projects. The American Birding Association’s winging It lists a wide variety of opportunities across the United States. There is usually no salary but out of pocket field expenses at the site are covered in certain projects. The last listing was December 1992. (adapted from winging It Vol.4, No. 12)

Nick Hill, an Associate Professor at Mount Saint Vincent University while studying Long’s Bulrush growth in Queen's County bogs in Nova Scotia, found clumps of the rush five to six meters in diameter to be approximately 100 years old. Their age can be estimated by using the yearly bulges along the plant’s underground stem. He related their survival to a fire which swept the bog a hundred years ago allowing //fl‘ifl§fl§f-7“§M the plant to set seed and for the seed to germinate in the rich ash layer of the burned bog. (adapted from Federation of Nova Scotia Naturalists NEWS Vol.2#4) After almost a decade of campaigns by the Canadian Nature Federation, the Western Canada Wilderness Committee, World Wildlife Fund, and other groups, 8.0. Premier Michael Harcourt announced the designation of the one million hectare Tatshenshini River Wilderness Area as a Class "A" Provincial Park. (adapted from Working for Wildlife Fall, 1993)