ANIMAL AND PLANT SIGHTINGS: Compiled by J. Dan McAskill

Dragonflies filled the air during a recent outing On August 10 near Howe Bay (CH). A 25 to 30 cm long smooth green snake and an 8 to 10 cm Red Eft were seen on the Confederation Trail in Cherry Hill on August 3lst, a sunny warm day (SJ). Spring Peepers were calling from reed lined pond near Point Prim lighthouse on May 6 (DW).

Northern Gannet - numerous along north shore on certain days in August and September (JDM, DGS), 2 adults reported on shore preening within a few feet of children on Aug. 28 (J&GHo); Common Loon - 2 adults and 2 downy young at Deroche Pond on Aug. 15 (DG&JS); um Loon - 7 offshore at nt on Aug. 14 (JS);M- 1 at Cavendish Farm on Jun. 9 (LE); W 1 at New Annan on . , 1 at Brander’s Pond on Sept. 29 (LB), 5 irc ' Sept. 30 (HM); White-winged Scoter - e on Aug. 25 (J&GHo); m- 4 at Indian River on Sept. 29; fl - 6 a 9 at Brander's on on Sept. 29 (1.8); m - repor e on pr. h at Pleasant Grove by Penny Sterling via Suza arp- shinned Hawk - reported utilizing a chimney screen in Rice Point on Aug. 4 as return

point after flights about yard (JHa); Bald Eagle - scattered sightings throughout the Island (FC, HG, BB, JDM, JEGHo); Northern Harrier - l hen Harrier circling low

over red pine plantation on May 9 & Ma 9 (HG); Large UID Raptor - with 3 ft wingspan off Selkirk Road; on - 1 at East Pt on Sept. 14 (LE), 2 at

North Cape on Oct. 5 (LB); rouse — several broods of 6 birds reported at Mt. Albion (HJ); Piping Plover - 4 at Cabot Park, including 2 immatures of almost parent size, on Jul. 31 (LH), 6 at July 6 (3 immatures)(ADM), 1 at Savage Harbour on Au . 18 ; flew - 1 at Blooming Point on Jul. 17 (DG&JS); - in 6 at Goose River hay field (TW via GM); Semi- palmated S p r - 8 at South Lake on Oct. 5 standing on one leg and remaining on

one leg when waves came in around them instead of moving at the edge like they normally do (RR); Lesser Golden Plover - 23 at Locke Shore Road on Aug. 12 (LH); Whimbrel -20 reported in July at China Point (JH), 30 at Locke Shore Road on Jul. 24 (LR); Sanderling - 1 at Canavoy on Jul. 6 (ADM); was seen in early August chasing gulls off shore at Greenwich (E ; n all - 1 at Summerside Harbour on Apr. 15 (LB); Bonaparte’ - flocks of up to 40 birds at Ellen's Creek and Hillsborough River “1014);” l at Cavendish Sandspit in summer (RC); Caspian Terns - everyday sigh gs in mid- ug. (DGS), 2 off Savage Harbour several days in September (JDM); Northern Saw-whet Owl - 1 calling on Sept.

28 at Clyde Rd (BM); Ruby-throated Hummingbird — lst t French Village feeder on May Blst (HG), l at Crossr Mu); - 1 at ' Jul G ); - l at Rocky Point 0 . 12 (LD);

1 at Rocky Point on Jun. 19 (LB); Tree Swallow — 3 at

French Village on May 3rd (HG); Barn Swallow - 8 nests in machine shed and 2 in pig barn at Cherry Valley (JH); w - l drinking water from the wing at Victoria by the Sea (DW); 3 - at Elliotvale on May 10 (JR), 2 at Upton on Aug. 6 (PRC), 3 at Afton Road on Oct. 5 (JDM, RP, LT); Red-breasted Nuthatch - few sightings or audio records on outings this autumn (JDM, RC, RP, LT); Gray Catbird — l at Priest Pond on Oct. 5 (JDM, RP, LT); winter Wren - l at upper end of Larkin’s Pond on several occasions in July (GM); Cedar Waxwing - 2 in Desable in late Aug. (JGGHo), flocks feeding in larch in early Sept. (JDM); Yellow Warbler - l at East Point and l at North Lake on Oct. 5 (JDM, LT, RP); Yellow-rumped Warbler - several hundred at East Point in Sept. (CS); Bobolink - 1 at Mt. Buchanan on Jun. 1 (DW); Bullock's Oriole - in woods at French Village on Jun. 7 (HG); Common Grackle - tried we Tree Swallows at French Village but driven off by swallows (HG); H

1 reported on the Island on Jun. 14th radio show (DW); Evening Gros ea - present a Point Prim feeder on Jun. 24 (DW); Pine Siskin — attending seed feeder at Point Prim on Jun. 24 (DW), a dozen or more visited a Summerside feeder in late July (W8), feeding on niger seed at Desable in late Aug. (J&GHo).

PLANTS: Its been a great year for Boletus mushrooms, one the size of a football with no worms was found by C. Gallant (KC). A bed of Yellow Lady slippers was photographed in the Naufrage River area (EM). KC reported that CP found a small hawkweed (Eyeracum virginicum) in a blueberry field in August.

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