poor years for seed production. Some species produce abundant crops of seed at three to five year intervals while others might have good seed frequencies once every six to twelve years. The normal interval for good cone crops in white spruce is from 2 to 6 years apart but this can range up to 12 years.

This year’s abundance was caused by the drought like conditions late last year. These conditions stressed the white spruce. As with many trees, white spruce responds to such conditions by shifting a large proportion of its growth energy into reproduction. Hence the huge crop of yellow pollen last spring and this year's bumper cone crop.

ANIMAL AND PLANT SIGHTINGS: compiled by Dan McAskill Weather: Charlottetown Harbour rapidly freezing over on Dec. 13 (JDM).

INVERTEBRATES: Earwigs have been a common complaint in many areas of the Island this year.

MAMMALS: 3 grey seals at Monticello on Oct. 29 (GM).

BIRDS: Northern Gannet - raft of 40+ off Orby Head on Oct. 7 (DW), numerous diving off Cape Turner on Oct. 8 (DW), dozens flying eastward off Savage Harbour on Oct. 24 (RS), 50+ fishing along shoreline at Monticello (GM); Great Cormorant - 16 at Long Pond on Oct. 30 (CS); Common Loon - 1 feeding close to shore in Monticello on Oct. 29 (GM); Red-throated Loon — 3 with 1 feeding an immature off Cavendish on Oct. 5 (lifer for DW); Leach’s storm Petrel - 1 found on sidewalk in downtown Charlottetown in October 28 and taken to Wildlife Veterinary Centre at AVC (RR, TD); Canada Geese - on Nov. 29 only 22 geese at Jenkin’s complex compared to 100 this time last year, down to 16 at on Dec. 10 (HJ); Greater White-fronted Geese - 1 at Rollo Bay in Oct. (GP); Snow Geese - 7 in Kensington on Oct. 29 (BM, LH); Eurasian Widgeon - 1 at Indian River Reserve on Oct. 5 (LH), 1 at Summerside Harbour on Oct. 15 (BM); Bufflehead - 1 at Grand River on Apr. 30 (LH), 2 at Long Pond on Oct. 30 (CS); Harlequin Duck - 1 female at Borden on Nov. 9 (CA,MC); Common Eider - 12 males flew in and landed with a group among females and immatures off Cape Turner on Oct. 8 (DW); Ruddy Duck - 2 at Indian River on Oct. 29 (LH), 1 on Nov. 29 at Indian River (BlM); Hooded Merganser - 1 at Grand River on May 1 (LH), 1 male and 3 others at Indian River on Oct. 31 (LH), 1 at Long Pond on Oct. 30 (CS); Northern Goshawk - this "Lifer" came to the backyard Sherwood clothesline pole (DW), 2 at Borden on Dec. 12 (DB); Sharp-shinned Hawk - 1 in June and July on Appin Road (EC), 1 at Summerside on Dec. 6 (SE) and 1 on Dec. 8 (MR); Bald Eagle - 9 circling over Savage Harbour on Oct. 14 (RS), 1 sitting on perch at Naufrage Bridge (GM), 1 in trees near river on Oct. 27 in St. Catherines (EC); Northern Harrier - 1 seen on Dec. 12 at Noonan’s Marsh near Borden and 1 seen Dec. 14 just east of this area (DB); Peregrine Falcon - 1 playing tumble tag with 2 crows and Greater Black-backed Gull on Oct. 8 at Orby Head (Lifer for DW); Merlin - 2 displaying mating activity on May 13 in Appin Road area (EC), 2 in furious tag game with several crows on Oct. 8 at Cavendish (DW); Ruffed Grouse - reports suggest relatively

12