l 
     
    
   
   
    
     CHANGE TO EXECUTIVE: 
     
    
   
   
    
     With regrets, Arja Page resigned her position as Treasurer of the Natural History Society in May, 2004. 
     
     Nanette Gauthier is taking over as Treasurer and will be fulfilling the Treasurer’s duties for the balance of the 
     
     term. The Society wishes to express its thanks to Arja for the many hours of volunteer work she gave to the 
     
     Society on the Treasurer’s position during the past 2 '/2 years. 
     
    
   
   
    
     BIRDING HIGHLAND PARK ROAD: by Eric Marcum 
     
    

    
     From Charlottetown, take the Trans-Canada highway to Cornwall. Turn left on route 19 towards New 
     
     Dominion then take the first right after Glen Afton Community Centre. Then take your first road on the right 
     
     which is Highland Park Rd. Go all the way down the road until it becomes a dirt road. This is where the birding is 
     
     best. I find the first 1/4 to 1/2 mile is usually birdy and the area is good from spring through to autumn. 
     
    

    
     Some 74 species of birds have been seen in this area in the past few years. A few specialties that can 
     
     usually be seen here include Brown Creeper, Winter Wren and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. Birds seen in summer at 
     
     this site during the past few years have included Chestnut-sided warbler, Nashville Warbler, Mourning Warbler 
     
     and Olive-sided Flycatcher. Spring birds have included Lincoln’s Sparrow, Scarlet Tanager and most of the 
     
     warbler species. In 2003, one nice thing which I enjoyed while birding here were the antics of the ravens which I 
     
     presumed were nesting here. 
     
    

    
     You never know what you might find here. Unexpected birds seen here in the past include White-winged 
     
     Crossbill, Northern Goshawk and, of course, the Scarlet Tanager mentioned above. So come out and see for 
     
     yourself what Highland Park Road might yield for you. 
     
    
   
   
    
     FLORA OF PEI UPDATE: by Kate MacQuarrie 
     
    

    
     In 2003, Island Nature Trust (INT) began an ambitious three-year project: working with the Province of 
     
     PEI, the Atlantic Canada Conservation Data Centre, UPEI and Acadia to create a new Flora of Prince Edward 
     
     Island. The current version - David Erskine’s Plants of Prince Edward Island - is based primarily on field work 
     
     from the early 19505. Since that time, there have been dozens of new provincial plant records found, new research 
     
     into the Island’s plant communities, and major changes in scientific nomenclature. The new book will expand on 
     
     Erskine’s work, including the addition of illustrations and botanical keys. 
     
    

    
     Thanks to the enthusiastic letters of support provided by NHS and others, INT successfully secured 
     
     funding for the first year. In April 2003, Paige Harris was hired through HRDC as a researcher. Funding from 
     
     Mountain Equipment Co-op supported Matthew Fraser as a researcher, Shell Environmental Fund helped with 
     
     equipment and the Department of Environment provided some support for travel. Others working on the project 
     
     include: Kate MacQuarrie, Rosemary Curley, Diane Griffin, Katherine Clough, Mary Myers, Glen Kelly, Niki 
     
     Heddle, Robert Sharkie, Gary Schneider, Sean Blaney (Sackville), and Jean Gagnon (Quebec). 
     
    

    
     In early spring 2003, herbaria at UPEI, the PEI Museum, Agriculture Canada, Acadia and UNB were 
     
     visited and searched for new data. The May-October field season saw nearly 70 sites surveyed across the province. 
     
     More than 1,000 plant specimens were collected, including more than 20 new provincial records; many hundreds 
     
     of new locations for provincially-rare species were also found. Highlights to date include discovery of Aster 
     
     subulatus (Saltmarsh Aster) near Condon’s Pond. This species was lmown from a just single site in Canada before 
     
     this discovery: an area in J ourimain, N.B., that Hal Hinds suggested may have been disturbed when the bridge was 
     
     built. The next closest population is in southern Maine! Another exciting find was Dasiphorafruticosa ssp. 
     
     floribzmda (Shrubby Cinquefoil) near Miscouche. This is the same yellow-flowered species as that used as an