NEWS FROM ABOUT: Compiled by J. Dan McAskill

Nova Scotia plays host to the world‘s largest surviving reptile. Up to 1997, there were only 73 reports of leatherback turtle sightings in Nova Scotia waters. Thus, a report of a dozen off Shelbume Harbour in August of 1997 evoked speculation as well as action. A grassroots organization now titled the Nova Scotia Leatherback Turtle Working Group formed and in 1998 it documented 170 geo-referenced sightings through cooperation of fishers, tour boat operators, and their coordinator Mike James. In 2000, their team was successful in satellite tagging a female off Nova Scotia. For more information visit web site www.seaturtle.ca [adapted from Discovery October 2000 #17]

Last May, the Parksville Protocol was announced under which Canada and the United States agreed to changes in the 1916 Migratory Bird Convention. The amendments make more explicit the conservation principles underlying the management of the continental migratory birds and accommodate traditional and customary hunting patterns including aboriginal peoples harvests under treaties that were not part of the 1916 treaty. The Canadian Wildlife Service annually reviews the Migratory Birds Regulations with respect to hunting seasons and bag limits. In addition to these changes which are made after consultations with the provincial and territorial directors of wildlife, they are looking at: a simplification of the salvage permit process; new possession permits for educational, rehabilitation and zoo purposes; revision of the list of migratory bird regulations that will trigger environmental assessments; definition of conditions for feeding migratory game birds; prohibition of wastage of migratory birds; creation of consistency between regulations and land claims agreements; establishment of commercial and hobby aviculture permits; expansion of several Migratory Bird Sanctuaries (including Gridstone Island, N.B.).[Excerpted from "Proposals to Amend the Canadian Migratory Birds Regulations", Dec. 2000

ANDVIAL AND PLANT SIGHTINGS: Compiled by J. Dan McAskill

North Shore Ice: Water completely open at North Rustico National Park entrance (D&ESe) on Jan. 6 (D&SE). Trees: Wonderful cone crop this year (white spruce)at Robinson's Island (DG&GS). Mammals: Seeing less sign of snowshoe hare this year (DG&GS).

BIRDS: Northern Gannet - 10 at East Point on Dec. 25 (KMcK); Great Cormorant - 1 at East Point on Dec. 25 (KMcK), 4 at Georgetown on Dec. 24 (KMcK); Great Blue Heron - 1 in Rocky Point marsh on Dec. 31 (LD), 1 at Donagh on Jan. 5 (JDM), 1 at pond in Loyalist in early Jan. (LC), 1 at Murray Harbour on Jan. 19 (LB); Canada Geese - 10 at Souris River on Jan. 29 (JDM); Black Duck - present at Cardiganon Dec. 24 (KMcK), 8 at Souris River on Dec. 25 (KMcK), 100 at Midgell River between Rte 2 and Confederation Trail on Jan. 15 and 0 on Jan. 29 (JDM); Mallard - present at Cardigan on Dec. 24 (KMcK); Long-tailed Duck (formerly Oldsquaw) - 1200 at East Point on Dec. 25 (KMcK); Common Eider - 30 at East Point on Dec. 25 (KMcK); Black Scoter - 6 at East Point on Dec. 25 (KMcK); White-winged Scoter - 1 at East Point on Dec. 25 (KMcK), l in open water at North Rustico National Park entrance on Jan. 6 (D&ESe); Common Goldeneye - present at Cardigan on Dec. 24 (KMcK), group in open water at North Rustico National Park entrance on Jan. 6 (D&ESe) Barrow's Goldeneye - 2 in Cardigan on Dec. 24 (KMcK), group in open water at North Rustico National Park entrance (D&ESe); Bufflehead - 5 in open water at North Rustico National Park entrance on Jan. 6 (D&ESe); Common Merganser - present at Cardigan on Dec. 24 (KMcK); Bald Eagle - 1 adult at East Point on Dec. 25 (KMcK), regular sightings at Rocky Point (LD); Northern Harrier - 1 at Brackley on Dec. 22 (DSe); Sharp-skinned Hawk - one took a Chickadee off feeder at Rocky Point on Dec. 23 (LD); Cooper’s Hawk - l at Rocky Point feeder in early Jan. (LD); Northern Goshawk - 1 at Elliotvale on Dec. 26 (KMcK), 1 at Desable on Jan. 2 (BP), 1 landed in Willow overlooking feeder while only 2 feet away a Blue Jay flitted in the branches at Rocky Point on Jan. 2 (LD); Broad-winged Hawk - see Montague CBC report; Red-tailed Hawk - 1 came in for turkey scraps in South Melville but was harassed by crows on Dec. 27 (R&AA), 1 at Rocky Point in early Jan. (LD), B&RH reported seeing more this Autumn and early Winter than in the past several years, 1 immature at Charlottetown on Jan. 23 (JDM), 1 adult at Mount Stewart on Jan. 29 (JDM); Rough-legged Hawk - l at Brackley on Dec. 22 (DSe), l at Hampton on Jan. 10 (JDM); Gray Partridge - lots around this year, seeing three flocks regularly up to early Jan. and patients reporting many (DG&GS), 2 coveys totalling about 20 birds in Donagh in early Jan. (RPh), 6 near Brackley Beach on Jan. 3 (SCI), 5 at Donagh Road on Jan. 17 & 19 (JDM), 5 scrambling out of thicket in deep snow at St. Peters on Jan. 15 (JDM), 4 coveys along

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