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CHANGE TO EXECUTIVE:

With regrets, Arja Page resigned her position as Treasurer of the Natural History Society in May, 2004. Nanette Gauthier is taking over as Treasurer and will be fulfilling the Treasurer’s duties for the balance of the term. The Society wishes to express its thanks to Arja for the many hours of volunteer work she gave to the Society on the Treasurer’s position during the past 2 '/2 years.

BIRDING HIGHLAND PARK ROAD: by Eric Marcum

From Charlottetown, take the Trans-Canada highway to Cornwall. Turn left on route 19 towards New Dominion then take the first right after Glen Afton Community Centre. Then take your first road on the right which is Highland Park Rd. Go all the way down the road until it becomes a dirt road. This is where the birding is best. I find the first 1/4 to 1/2 mile is usually birdy and the area is good from spring through to autumn.

Some 74 species of birds have been seen in this area in the past few years. A few specialties that can usually be seen here include Brown Creeper, Winter Wren and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. Birds seen in summer at this site during the past few years have included Chestnut-sided warbler, Nashville Warbler, Mourning Warbler and Olive-sided Flycatcher. Spring birds have included Lincoln’s Sparrow, Scarlet Tanager and most of the warbler species. In 2003, one nice thing which I enjoyed while birding here were the antics of the ravens which I presumed were nesting here.

You never know what you might find here. Unexpected birds seen here in the past include White-winged Crossbill, Northern Goshawk and, of course, the Scarlet Tanager mentioned above. So come out and see for yourself what Highland Park Road might yield for you.

FLORA OF PEI UPDATE: by Kate MacQuarrie

In 2003, Island Nature Trust (INT) began an ambitious three-year project: working with the Province of PEI, the Atlantic Canada Conservation Data Centre, UPEI and Acadia to create a new Flora of Prince Edward Island. The current version - David Erskine’s Plants of Prince Edward Island - is based primarily on field work from the early 19505. Since that time, there have been dozens of new provincial plant records found, new research into the Island’s plant communities, and major changes in scientific nomenclature. The new book will expand on Erskine’s work, including the addition of illustrations and botanical keys.

Thanks to the enthusiastic letters of support provided by NHS and others, INT successfully secured funding for the first year. In April 2003, Paige Harris was hired through HRDC as a researcher. Funding from Mountain Equipment Co-op supported Matthew Fraser as a researcher, Shell Environmental Fund helped with equipment and the Department of Environment provided some support for travel. Others working on the project include: Kate MacQuarrie, Rosemary Curley, Diane Griffin, Katherine Clough, Mary Myers, Glen Kelly, Niki Heddle, Robert Sharkie, Gary Schneider, Sean Blaney (Sackville), and Jean Gagnon (Quebec).

In early spring 2003, herbaria at UPEI, the PEI Museum, Agriculture Canada, Acadia and UNB were visited and searched for new data. The May-October field season saw nearly 70 sites surveyed across the province. More than 1,000 plant specimens were collected, including more than 20 new provincial records; many hundreds of new locations for provincially-rare species were also found. Highlights to date include discovery of Aster subulatus (Saltmarsh Aster) near Condon’s Pond. This species was lmown from a just single site in Canada before this discovery: an area in J ourimain, N.B., that Hal Hinds suggested may have been disturbed when the bridge was built. The next closest population is in southern Maine! Another exciting find was Dasiphorafruticosa ssp. floribzmda (Shrubby Cinquefoil) near Miscouche. This is the same yellow-flowered species as that used as an