Becky MacMillan (grade 5) of West Kent School had a very informative and attractive display on 
     
     Wetlands. Her display was general and dealt with different kinds of wetlands. When questioned, she 
     
     related her information to P.E.l. effectively. 
     
    

    
     ' ' ‘4 James Sullivan and Matthew Yates, grade four students 
     
     at Montague Consolidated impressed us with their knowledge and 
     
     enthusiasm for Night Hunters. Owls and bats were on display. 
     
     These two boys were excited as they described echo location and 
     
     then very patiently explained how to distinguish the Great Horned 
     
     Owl and from a Barred Owl. I had to remind myself that they 
     
     were nine years old, future naturalists for sure. 
     
    

    
     The third project was from the intermediate group. Shane Thompson and Tyler Fraser, grade nine 
     
     students at Stonepark School, chose the topic Are Birds Declining at Island Feeders? The most impressive 
     
     aspect of the project was the collection of 74 completed feeder surveys from Island residents. I felt the 
     
     information they amassed may have changed their way of looking at our bird population. This project also 
     
     was the recipient of a Forestry Award. 
     
    

    
     Congratulations to all the participants. 
     
    
   
   
    
          
     
    
   
   
    
     Note: The Natural History Society is respected as one of the original supporters of the Science Fair. This 
     
     was mentioned twice, just small references in conversation yet it made me, and I'm sure Ben feel the same. 
     
     Proud to represent the Society. It is nice to know that some one out there is aware of our good intentions. 
     
     The decline in entries for the senior categories is a concern for all those involved and needs to be addressed. 
     
    
   
   
    
     A GROSBEAK WEEK: by Lois Doan 
     
    
   
   
    
     This week has truly been a treat. Just as l was looking back to last spring's new arrivals, and 
     
     reminiscing about the beautiful male Indigo Bunting we had on May 2 and 3, 1996, and hoping for (actually I 
     
     felt like I "m" a 'new bird fix') another sighting of something new, rare or otherwise exciting, it 
     
     happened! An answer to my prayers! 
     
    

    
     On May 12th, around 4:30 pm, I looked out to one of the larger feeders and something struck me as 
     
     slightly unusual. It was more robust than the usual Cowbird feeding. Grabbing my binoculars, I zoomed in. 
     
     It had blue tinges and, when it turned its head and the bill was fully visible, 3 large unmistakable "grosbeak" 
     
     was apparent. Another long look revealed chestnut wing-bars, but the rest was very "mottled" and 
     
     undistinguished, almost drab and dark looking. But that bill, so large, and the pale, greenish-yellow waxy 
     
     look, like it had been modelled from plasticine and stuck on. And still, those very apparent blue patches. 
     
     You really couldn't see the colour in the feathers with the naked eye, but the binoculars really picked up the 
     
     blue and contrasting chestnut (wing-bars, cap and back of the head, nape). 
     
    

    
     I rushed to the (Peterson) field guide. It didn't look like the colouring on the Blue Grosbeaks, but 
     
     more like the moulting Indigo Bunting illustration at first glance. The large grosbeak bill was the clincher. 
     
     Back to the grosbeak text. Definitely not as much blue as the male pictured, but not brown as the drab 
     
     female. In my haste I went back to the binoculars to pick up more clues. Yes — blue cheek patches, blue 
     
     down the central back showed through from where the wings were folded back, blue on rump and outer tail 
     
     feathers (a bit darker looking in middle line of tail feathers). The breast was mottled with brown and blue 
     
     splashed about. A very slight notch in the tail, which was longer than a Cowbird's. 
     
    

    
     Back to the text, aha! I had completely overlooked the description for the immature male. This was 
     
     definitely it. I hardly put down the binoculars for the next three hours, as it stayed and fed until dusk. It 
     
     seemed to be just as happy feeding off the ground on "spill-over" seeds and in an adjacent field edge in the 
     
     leaf duff under a row of poplar and birch. 
     
    

    
     It was at the feeder again the next morning from daybreak until 8:30 am and then disappeared until 
     
     approximately 5:30 pm when it reappeared and stayed until dusk once again. I have not seen it since. 
     
    

    
     In the week previous (starting May 2nd) we had Evening Grosbeaks visiting the feeders for short 
     
     periods each day. One female remained for two full days (May 11th and 12th). On May 14th, we had a 
     
    
   
   
    
     -8-