and covering shrubs at Maple Hill and Sherbrooke on Sept. 3. A moderate crop of wild apples and mountain ash berries was seen in Hampton hedgerows this Sept. Buttemuts were dropping on Sept. 3 in Donagh (JDM). Turtle- head in flower near Marie along Confederation Trail on Sept. 8'“ (FdB).

INSECTS:

D&MS found a twelve-spotted tiger beetle on a road on Morell River at Martinvale on Jul. 21. Common whitetail dragonflies (Libellula lydia), a hummingbird clearwing moth (Hemaris thysbe), and a few female meadowhawk butterfiles were seen in a Donagh yard on Jul. 16 (D&MS). 35 to 40 painted lady butterflies were feeding on mint at New Dominion on Aug. 11 (EBM). About 2 dozen cabbage white butterflies were seen foraging on red clover in Hampton on Sept. 3 (JDM).

AMPHIBIANS/REPTILES:

‘ 7. Northern leopard frogs were observed in wet grass during the mid-August to early September in Donagh (JDM). A number of dead red-bellied snakes, garter snakes (illustrated here) and American toads in the wheel tracks of ATVs on the Confederation Centre between Tignish and O’Leary with the majority of the red-bellied snakes being seen between Tignish and Alberton the first week of Sept. (F dB).

MAMMALS:

Sightings of red fox on certain beaches in the P.E.I National Park increased this year with the foxes approaching very close to some beach visitors (AP, JDM, RPH). This led to national publicity over safety and a small number of foxes were relocated to reduce the population near the beaches. 3 minke whales seen off North Lake and East Point on Aug. 28 (pelagic birding trip report in this issue).

BIRDS: Pied-billed Grebe - 24 (mostly juvenile) at Mt. Stewart on Jul. 16 (DO, DK); Wilson’s Storm-Petrel — 1 four nautical miles off North Lake on Aug. 28 (Pelagic birding trip report in this issue); Leach’s Storm- Petrel - 1 at East Point on Aug. 6 (DCS); Northern Gannet - 2 feeding on mackerel off Covehead Harbour on Jul. 31 (LY, JDM, C&DS); American Bittern - 1 at Mt. Stewart on Jul. 26 (DO, DK), 1 at Rollo Bay (end of Peter’s Rd) on Aug. 4 (DO), 1 flying at Johnston’s River on Sept. 3 (JDM); Double-crested Cormorant - ~150 on Hillsborough Bridge Piers in late August and early Sept. (JDM), 2 to 10 fishing or flying off shore at Feehan’s Shore on Aug. 6, 14, & 28 (JDM, RPH); Great Cormorant - 2 during pelagic bird tour on Aug. 28 (see article in this issue); Great Blue Heron - immature lifting off Donagh Road in early Aug. (JDM), 1 dead on road in Stratford on Aug. 11 (EBM); Great Egret - 1 at Eglington Cove on Jul. 23 (MEL), 1 at Rollo Bay (end of Peter’s Rd) on Aug. 4 (DO); Black Vulture - 1 at Naufrage on Jul. 29 (GM), I seen at Tyne Valley on Sept. 6 (BSmi via INT); Turkey Vulture - large raptor with dihedral wings, small head and tail seen at Grand Tracadie on Aug. 19 (LD); Canada Geese - 2 adults and 3 downy young at Dingwell’s Mill on Aug. 2 (JDM), 21 at Dalvay on Aug,. 13 (DCS), 13 at Tracadie Harbour on Aug. 18 (DCS), 40 at Village Green on ~Aug. 27 (CS), first of season at Ellen’s Creek on Sept. 9 (JDM); Wood Duck - 5 at Borden lagoons on Aug. 6 & 2 at Noonan’s Marsh on Aug. 20 (DCS); Gadwall - 1 to 14 at Stanhope marsh, John Archie’s Pond, Covehead Pond, Borden Lagoon, New Annan, and Rollo Bay in August (DCS); American Black Duck - ~125 at Ellen’s Creek WMA on Sept. 9 (JDM); . Northern Pintail - 3 at John'Archie’s Pond on Aug. 28 (DCS); Greater Scaup - 108 at Legion’s Shore on Jul. 14 & 41 at Malpeque Bay on Jul. 25 (DCS); Common Eider - 25 to 55 at East Point in Aug. (DCS); Hooded Merganser - 1 at Little Sands on Aug. 14 (DO); Red-breasted Merganser- l or 2 at East Point on Jul. 16 & 30 (DCS); Osprey - 3 at Chappel’s Creek on Aug. 10 (DCS), lfishing off Feehan’s Shore on Aug. 6, 14 & 28 (JDM, RHP), carrying flatfish at Hillsborough Bridge and at Argyle Shore in late August and early Sept. (JDM); Bald Eagle - 1 at Charlottetown on Jul. 4 (GP), adult harassed Osprey into dropping fish in dunes edge at Brackley