The New Brunswick Nature Trust has become the proud steward of _ Manawagonish Island and its nearby satellite, Thrumcap Island, noteworthy seabird colonies totaling almost 20 hectares in the 10wer Bay of Fundy. (excerpted from One for the Birds by Donald F. McAlpine, Saint John Naturalists Club Bulletin May/June, 1992)

Two Society members received 1992 Environment Awards from the Hon. Gilbert Clements. Mr. Gary Schneider, a former editor of the Island. Naturalist, the coordinator of the Montague Christmas Bird Count, and a very active volunteer with the EnvironmentaltCoalition on P.E.I., received the “ Citizen Category Award while the Educator Award was presented posthumously to 'Geoff Hogan for his bird courses, hundreds of talks, and very active involvement in the NHS and the Garden Club_of P.E.I. (adapted from the Guardian, June 5th). V - _

A significant addition was made to Canada's national parks system with_ the Creation of a wilderneSs reserve on North Baffin Island. The federal government and the Tungavik Federation of Nunavut announced on April 23rd the withdrawal of lands from industrial development for the North Baffin Island national park. "This is the first significant progress made on expanding the 'national parks system since Grasslands was established in 1988" said Kevin 'McNamee,‘CNF's protected areas coordinator. The 22,200 square kilometer site covers three separate land areas, namely, Bylott Island, the lands around and including Oliver Sound, and part of the Borden Peninsula. These sites are of international significance and include treeless lowlands covered with arctic wildflowers in summer, huge seabird colonies on the steep sea cliffs Of Bylott Island, the breeding area for over 20% Of Canada's greater snow goose ‘ . population, habitat for caribou and polar bear, and the waters offshore from the park reserve shelter narwhal, belugas, walrus, killer whales, and the endangered bowhead whale. (excerpted and adapted from Nature Alert 2:3)

.. In 1991, the James L. Baillie Birdathon raised $110,000. The money was shared with $20,000 going to the birder's designated naturalist club, $20,000 to the James L. Baillie Memorial Fund, and the balance to Long Point Bird Observatory (LPBO) to pay the costs associated with the birdathon and to support its programs. (LPBO Newsletter 23:3, Autumn 1991)' _

‘Long Point Bird Observatory has carried out a detailed analysis of their bird migration data on migrant landbirds for the 1961 to 1988‘period. This analysis showed that the largest population fluctuations were in the spruce budworm specialists (Tennessee, Bay-breasted, and Cape May Warblers) responding to massive out—breaks of the budworm in Ontario and Quebec in the 1970s. A similar trend of decreases in the 19605, increases in the 19703, and decreases in the 19805 was noted in most of the 32 species of tropical _ ' wintering species while the 23 migrants they studied that winter in the United States tended to do the opposite. A further analysis of consistent decrease or increase in populations identified decreases in nine tropical—winterers

(Veery, Gray-cheeked Thrush, Swainson's Thrush, Wood-Thrush, Gray Catbhrd, Nashville Warbler, Ovenbird, Northern Waterthrush, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak) and three temperate—winterers (Brown Thrasher, Rufous-sided Towhee, and White-throated Sparrow) while the Yellow—rumped Warbler was the only species that showed consistent population increase and most. of this was from 1979 to ‘1988. (adapted from an article by David Hussell What do LPBO data tell us about population declines in migrant birds?, LPBO Newsletter 23:3)

‘ To remove your name from those pesky mail and telephone marketing lists centact Mail Preference Service or ‘elephone Preference Service, Canadian. Direct Mail Marketing-Associatidn, 1-Concorde Gate, Suite 607, Don Mills, Ont. M3C 3N6. (Source: Toronto Field Naturalist (TFN) ‘#426 p. 8)