Division, Strathcona County, and - as lead partner - the Sherwood Park Fish and Game Association. (from ConservACTION release)

Ten Peregrine Falcons released in Aurora, Ontario by the Ministry of Natural Resources appear to be off to a good start. In late September, Tracey Smith, Fish and Wildlife supervisor reported that all the birds seem to be surviving away from the hack box on food they are catching themselves. (adapted from an article in the Toronto Field Naturalist #415, November 1990)

FEEDER MODIFICATIONS by Nylie Barrett

On one of our hopper feeders I have built a fence with vertical wires placed about 1 3/4 inches apart. This keeps Blue Jays,

grackles, and other larger birds

from the seeds. Pine Siskins, J”

American Goldfinch, Purple Finch, Hopper

and Evening Grosbeaks can transit Feeder spaced the screen. I tried 1 1/2 inch wires

spacing but Evening Grosbeaks would not transit the screen. . (Editor's Note: wooden dowels with a similar spacing also do a great job.)

EXTRA BENEFITS

A number of common household plants (spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum), English ivy (Hedera helix), philodendrons, and ChrysanthemumsT’have been shown by NASA to reduce the levels of some common air pollutants, including benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene (TCE). Eight to fifteen plants spaced about the room will significantly improve the air quality. (Adapted from a Toronto Field Naturalist #410 article which was adapted from a Jack Lord article in PAPPUS, Vol. 9, No. 1, Winter 1990.)

PIPING PLOVER SURVEY DATES SET

The plight of the Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) was brought to national media attention a number of years ago by the combined action of the Natural History Society and the Canadian Nature Federation. The status of the Piping Plover was changed from threatened to endangered and, in 1988, Environment Canada established a recovery plan and a Piping Plover Recovery Team for both the Atlantic and Prairies populations.

One of the tasks set by the recovery

teams in both Canada and the United States has ‘.rp:ffgfl;é. been a simultaneous survey of all of the

Piping Plover's breeding range in North America. The dates of this massive undertaking ,, I were established by the Canada and United

v.4~£ States teams and the Atlantic Piping Plover Recovery Team has decided that they will attempt to complete the surveys in the first week of June. If bad weather or unforeseen events delay the surveys, the survey will be extended to June 14th.

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