ANINIAL AND PLANT SIGHTINGS: Compiled by J. Dan McAskill

INSECTS: Wasp in Bethel on Apr. 3 (TR). Blackflies started at Donagh on May 14th (JDM, RPh), were bad at French Village on May 26 (HG). Mosquitos first noticed by TR in Bethel on his deck on Apr. 7th and by WK on Morell River on May 15th.

PLANTS: Dandelion in flower at Hardy's Mill Pond on Apr. 24 (Ml). Colts foot in flower at Carr's Creek on Apr. 24 (Bl-I). Marsh Marigold flowering at Cardross on May 12th (KM). Red-berried Elder flower bud starting to open in Tracadie Cross (MA). Red-berried Elder in flower at Hazelgrove on May 13th (KM). Pin Cherry starting to flush (MA).

The wet, cold summer delayed the berry crop and wild raspberries were just becoming ripe on July 19th in the Maple Plains area. The blackberries were still green on August 8th at Donagh (JDM, RPh) and the first wild raspberries were picked on Aug. 13 (JDM). Hazelnut in the Donagh area had a large crop for the first time in at least five years. These fruit were ripening early compared to the raspberry/blackberry group (JDM).

AMPHIBIANS: Wood Frogs singing at Riverton and Bethel on Mar. 29 and Spring Peepers singing on Apr. 3 at Deroche and Bethel (TR). Spring Peepers calling at MacCallurn's Pond on Apr. 4 (MA). First heard on Apr. 8 with a full chorus of American Toad in Bethel on Apr. 9 (TR). Wood Frog egg masses and salamander eggs in Marshfield (GK). For the first time in many

years, spring peepers singing at French Village ponds did not start until May 16. It was immediately suppressed by cold weather and then restarted on May 20th (HG).

FISH: Smelts up at Clyde River on Apr. 9 (SMacL). Rainbow trout running in Hillsborough River at Cherry Hill in late April (EMcK). Big sand eel (sand lance) phenomena in Northumberland Start on Jul. 31, dying all over the beach at low tide and attracting thousands of birds in the Basin Head and to west area (EVL).

MAMMALS: 6 bats at Hardy's Mill Pond on May 19 (MJ). Chipmunk at Crossroads feeder on Mar. 9 (DO). 1 dead melanistic (black) red squirrel found dead at Savage Harbour (BM). 1 Red Fox sniffmg and licking something that was frozen in the ice on Morell River on Mar. 18 and 1 roadside in Crossroads on Apr. 25 (RWH). A Clyde River Red Fox had lined up 3 mice in its culvert den entrance on Apr. 12 as well as a line of smelt (SMacL). Beaver at Hardy's Mill Pond on May 14 (Ml). One raccoon curled up in a ball at the top of an electric pole in Summerville on Apr. 17 (RWH). Large coyote crossing the road at Rollo Bay approx. May 15 (WK). Meinke Whale seen ofl' Rustico Harbour while deep sea fishing on evening of Jul. 4 (BH).

BIRDS: Common Loon - 2 in National Park on Apr. 24 (EMa), 2 at Rocky Point on May 7 (SC), 3 at Clearsprings on Jun. 19 (EMa), 1 at Covehead Harbour on Jun. 19 (BF), 4 at St. Margaret's on Jul. 15 (EVL), 3 at Stanhope on Jul. 28 (JDM, RPh); Pied-billed Grebe - 2 in National Park on Apr. 24 (EMa); Northern Fulmar - 6 attracted by chum of sand lances, cod frames & livers, mackerel, & herring on Aug. 12 3.78 miles off North Lake (EVL); Greater Shearwater - 60 seen 2 miles off North Lake on Aug. 11, 800 attracted by chum of sand lances, cod frames & livers, mackerel, & herring on Aug. 12 3.78 miles off North Lake (EVL); Manx Shearwater - 1 (second record for P.E.I.) attracted by churn of sand lances, cod frames & livers, mackerel, & herring on Aug. 12 3.78 miles off North Lake (EVL); Sooty Shearwater - 5 attracted by churn of sand lances, cod fi‘ames & livers, mackerel, & herring on Aug. 12 3.78 miles off North Lake (EVL); Wilson's Storm Petrel - 6 seen ofl‘ Rustico Harbour while deep sea fishing on evening of Jul. 4 (BI-I), 2 miles 011‘ North Lake Harbour on Jul. 5, large numbers (over 200) located 3.5 miles north of North Lake to Campbell's Cove on Jul. 28, large numbers with flocks of 50 to 60 being seen off North Lake Harbour fluttering over slicks in early Aug. (EVL), several hundred 2 miles off North Lake on Aug. 11, 1,000 attracted by chum of sand lances, cod frames & livers, mackerel, & herring on Aug. 12 3.78 miles off North Lake (EVL); Leach's Storm Petrel - 6 attracted by chum of sand lances, cod fiames & livers, mackerel, & herring on Aug. 12 3.78 miles off North Lake (EVL); Northern Gannet - several off shore at East Point on Jun. 16 (BF), hundreds possibly 1,000 feeding at Murray Corner just up from Cape Jourimain, N.B. on Apr. 25, 75 attracted by chum of sand lances, cod frames & livers, mackerel, & herring on Aug. 12 3.7 8 miles off North Lake (EVL), adult with no visible external signs of damage died at Mont Carmel in early Aug. (GMa); American White Pelican - 1 unconfirmed report at Cascumpec Sand Hills bar on Aug. 7 and still present, usually in late evening the week of Aug. 18 (BR); Great Cormorant - 30 in East Point area on Apr. 7 (EMa), 8 at Cape Bear/Murray Head on Apr. 15 (JDM); Great Blue Heron - 1 flying at Cherry Valley on Mar. 25 (RWH), massive arrival on Mar. 28 at Glenfinnan (TJD), at Clyde River on Mar. 28 (WFB, EM), 1 in Charlottetown Harbour on Apr. 10, 16 in Covehead Harbour on May 6, 6 at West River Causeway on May 7 (SC); Little Blue Heron - 1 at Murray River on Jun. 5 (EMa); Great Egret - l at small river just south of West Point Harbour on May 27 (RP, LT, JDM, RC, & EMa); White Ibis - first record reported by Lily and Alan Baker at Beach Point on May 13 & 22, bird seen by EMa on May 17 on shallows off sand Island 011' Beach Point, seen May 20 at in small marsh on north side of Gordon's Island by JMacK, seen May 25 at Beach Point by JDM, RC, JoMacK, & JMacK, seen May 30? by JoMacK, & JMacK in cove behind house near Beach Point, Jun. 18 on sandbar at Poverty Beach (AP);

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