familiar with the distinguishing features for separating the Whimbrel and the Eskimo Curlew, watched a 
     
     curlew for an hour and noted the key distinguishing features. Unfortunately, they did not have a camera to 
     
     record the sighting for scientific confirmation that the species is not extinct 
     
    

    
     Its been 18 years since a condor egg laid in the wild was batched in the wild. This spring, it 
     
     happened at the Los Padres National Forest in Ventura County of California. The parents were reared in 
     
     captivity but were released in 1995. (Adapted from www.ens-news.conr/ens/am2002/20021-04-16-07 .html 
     
     and forwarded by FRC) 
     
    

    
     The Island’s newest culture and nature interpretation centre opened at Murray River on June 8‘”, 
     
     2002. The Interpretive Centre of the Eagles View Golf and Interpretive Centre features a equal blend of 
     
     cultural and natural history. The natural history side includes a bird identification centre (books and audio 
     
     CD) for self training, a shell display, illustrations of some of the plants and animals of estuaries and fresh 
     
     water ponds, panels on local plants, amphibians, birds, mammals, habitats and much more. One of two 
     
     interpretive trails is now open and it extends from the centre to run along side MacLure’s Pond and onto the 
     
     bridge spanning the pond before returning to the Interpretive Centre. 
     
    

    
     The Island Nature Trust has been very busy this year raising the necessary ftmds to purchase Bird 
     
     Island. This wooded island is located in the northwestern corner of Malpeque Bay. The Trust is buying the 
     
     entire 200 acre island for $171,500 and must complete the fund raising by March 31, 2003. The Nature 
     
     Conservancy of Canada and the Eastern Habitat Joint Venture together have agreed to contribute just over 
     
     50% of the total purchase price. The EJLB Foundation and McCain Foundation have also confirmed their 
     
     financial support. The Trust’s challenge is to raise the balance and complete the purchase before the end of the 
     
     year. You can help, see the article below on the Neil Bennett Autumn Birding Classic Fund Raiser. (Adapted 
     
     from Island Nature Trust information) 
     
    

    
     Congratulations go to plant ecologist and historian Dr. Doug Sobey and to the Dingwell’s family farm 
     
     “Modhaiedh Farms” at Morell on winning Hon. J. Angus Maclean Natural Areas Awards for 2002. 
     
     (adapted from Island Nature Trust Update, July 2002). 
     
    
   
   
    
     THE BAIN BIRD COUNT 2002: by Dwaine Oakley, David Seeler, Eric Marcum, & J. Dan 
     
     McAskill 
     
    
   
   
    
     Two birding teams provided reports on this year‘s Bain Bird Count held on May 25th. Gerald, 
     
     Eugene, Martha, Richard, and Carolyn MacDonald, Jean Watts, Paul and Arlene McGuigan made up the first 
     
     team in northeastern Prince Edward Island. Dwaine Oakley, David Seeler, and Eric Marcum formed the 
     
     second team and traveled to Peakes and Morell to try some owling, then on to Little Harbour for the rails and 
     
     bittem. East Point was next for seabirds, then along the North Shore and Route 303 for woodland birds and 
     
     warblers, back through Souris for gulls at the lagoon and wharf before heading west to St. Peter's Harbour, 
     
     Mount Stewart for marsh ducks, Pisquid River where we got the Great Egret, then on to Covehead for 
     
     shorebirds, finally ending up at the Charlottetown Airport for Upland Sandpiper and the last bird of the day an 
     
     American Kestrel which was perched on a runway marker. 
     
    

    
     The weather was variable with rain and wind in the early morning. This team got rained out in Peakes 
     
     and Morell while owling but the weather then gave way to clear skies and sun by the time they reached East 
     
     Point at sunrise. Temperatures were cool until lunch time. One of highlights was the very aggressive response 
     
     of a Sora to it‘s taped call with the rail charging the tape recorder on two separate occasions. The time frame 
     
     for the birding was between 3:30 am and 9:00 pm. Together, the two teams seen 112 species. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Common Loon Pied-billed Grebe Northern Gannet 
     
     Great Cormorant Double-crested Cormorant American Bittem 
     
     Great Egret Great Blue Heron Canada Goose