While the failure of three nests is alarming, it is felt that 
     
     the actual numbers of nesting pairs on P.E.I. is much greater than 
     
     indicated by the aerial surveys. Nests in less dense vegetation 
     
     in Prince County were easily sighted, whereas the Boughton River 
     
     nest was not seen at all from the air. Ospreys appear to be 
     
    
   
   
    
     increasing throughout Prince Edward Island and the Division plans to 
     
     conduct a more comprehensive survey this summer. 
     
    
   
   
    
     .3» _ 
     
    
   
   
    
     Osprey on P.E.I. return from the wintering areas in Florida 
     
     after ice break-up in early May. The nest is a huge bundle of 
     
     sticks measuring up to 4 feet across and in P.E.I. is usually in 
     
     a spruce tree since these are most available. Of five nests examined, 
     
     three were located in dead spruce and two in living spruce. The 
     
     clutch of usually three eggs is incubated about 28 days with the 
     
     young hatching out in mid to late June and fledging by August. 
     
    
   
   
    
     - Nelson Hurry 
     
     Fish & Wildlife Division 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     TURN ON TO SOUND 
     
    
   
   
    
     Young and old are initiated to natural history education with a 
     
     host of motivations associated with the outdoors generally. One of 
     
     the major stumbling blocks to greater involvement with nature comes 
     
     with nothing more than the setting of the sun. We are afraid of 
     
     the dark! Introduction to the sounds of nature can open up a new 
     
     dimension, experience can provide a security blanket. 
     
    
   
   
    
     When one is conducting a field trip for novices, it is frequently 
     
     rewarding to emphasize relationships rather than identification. 
     
     Through your eyes, students may get turned on by new relationships 
     
     they see. However, how you learn is frequently as important as what 
     
     you learn. Seeing provides me kick.in itself. Next spring, find a 
     
     quiet wood or field, sit your-class down~for an hour or so in silence 
     
     and identify the songs and tiny rustles. You will be pleasantly 
     
     surprised to find that discovery through sound has a kick. Today in 
     
     our well-lit world, too little emphasis is placed on hearing. With 
     
     experience everyone can learn to identify not only with what is making 
     
     the sound but, in some cases, even its intentions. With a little effort 
     
     people will learn to marvel at the activities of the evening instead 
     
     of fear them especially on P.E.I. where there are no wild animals 
     
     which would inflict harm on humans. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Kathy Martin 
     
     Revised from Alberta Naturalist 
     
     Volume 4, No. l, 1974 
     
    
   
   
    
     $ t