SOCIETY SEEKS TWO DIRECTORS:

The Natural History Society is seeking members willing to take on the roles of directors for the balance of the year (until the January meeting). Arj a Page is stepping down as Treasurer and Bonnie McOrmand will be

heading south for work for a year. If you would be interested, please contact Ben Hoteling at 65 8-2036 or David Seeler at 566-4505.

FRANCIS BAIN ON THE WEB: by Sharon Clark

In the spring of 2002, I worked on a project for the Archives Council of PEI which included updating their small web site with two theme exhibits using images from their members' archival collections. A Day in Island Life includes a section called "The Birds & the Bees" where I include a brief biography of Francis Bain (1842-1894), and eight images from his journal of 1877-1884. He used his journals to write detailed, eloquent descriptions of the natural life of the province and sometimes included his own drawings. His journals as well as some lecture notes and unpublished manuscripts are held at the Public Archives and Records Office of P.E.I.

Francis Bain's many achievements include the publishing of the books, "The Natural History of Prince Edward Island" and "Birds of Prince Edward Island". He was a founding member of the first P.E.I. Natural History Society. The virtual exhibit can be found at http://www.library.pe.ca/acpei/ .

THE BAIN BIRD COUNT 2003: by Ray Cooke, David Seeler, Eric Marcum, Jim Marcum, Jean Watts, & Dan McAskill

Two birding teams provided reports on this year's Bain Bird Count held on May 31“. The first team was composed of Jean Watts, Gerald MacDonald, and Paul & Arlene McGuigan while the second was made up of Ray Cooke, David Seeler, Jim and Eric Marcum, and Dan McAskill.

The first team had a great day birding in eastern Prince Edward Island.

They picked up the elusive Gray Jay and, at Basin Head, an itinerant Snowy Egret. Their highlight of the day was a heron-like bird at Little Harbour Marsh. It was prancing up and down the beach while a female strutted behind it. Every now and then, the male would flash prominent white plumage on his shoulder area. The birds were American Bittems and their courtship antics fascinated the watchers for the better part of an hour. -

The second team commenced acoustic birding in Charlottetown at the Agro Co-op plant where it picked up the House Sparrow and a Greater Yellowlegs at 2:38 am. Audio tapes of the rails, bittem, and owls were played at sites in Mount Albion, Lake Verde, Avondale, and Dromore with excellent results. These culminated with a pair of Barred Owls flying within 20 feet of the team and a Long Eared Owl responding to the tapes at Avondale.

From Dromore, this team headed cast for the New Harmony Demonstration Woodlot to pick up forest birds. On the way, a variety of birds including a Veery were picked up in young forests, fields, bays, and estuaries. New Harmony yielded a variety of warblers including the often elusive Black-throated Blue Warbler. East Point was relatively quiet but yielded among other species, Sharp—shinned Hawk, Osprey, Long-tailed Duck, White- winged, Black, and Surf Scoters. The team’s route then followed along the North Shore Road (Route 16) with various stops leading to Priest Pond. Highlights included Caspian Tern in a field at North Lake, six immature Bald Eagles along the tops of the dunes at North Lake and an American Kestrel seen on the wires near Campbell’s Cove. The highway culvert was out at Priest Pond so the team headed south working woodlands and flooded areas to pick up Rusty Blackbird, Northern Wateithrush, Black-backed Woodpecker, a dark phase Broad-winged Hawk, and other species including an unidentified buteo-shaped raptor.