conditions when the temperature is above 10 degrees Celsius and the humidity is high. The same 
     
     conditions when windmills must operate at highest efficiency. The flying insects do the same to the 
     
     windmill blades as they do to a car windshield - they create a film of remains on the surface. The impact 
     
     can be a substantial reduction in energy conversion. (adapted from TFN 502, p. 17: an article by Dawn 
     
     Walton published in the Globe & Mail Jul.5, 2001) 
     
    

    
     The first test of the protection of the Bald Eagle under the Ontario Endangered Species Act 
     
     occurred in the Ontario Court of Justice on Nov. 8, 2001. DeCarolis Farms pleaded guilty to destroying 
     
    
   
   
    
     endangered species habitat (cutting down an eagle's nest). The company was fined $5,250. (adapted 
     
     from 880 Latest News from BSC) 
     
    
   
   
    
     HILLSBOROUGH PIER PROJECT: report by Bruce Smith 
     
    
   
   
    
     The Common Tern population in Atlantic Canada has been declining for over a decade. After an 
     
     unsuccessful experiment with the use of exclosure wires installed around the tops of each pier to stop 
     
     the nesting of the Great Black-backed Gulls, the Natural History Society began the removal of the eggs 
     
     of those Great Black-backed Gulls nesting on these piers. Great Black-backed Gulls are predators of 
     
     the terns, eating both eggs and young terns. In this way, they were destroying almost all tern production 
     
     in this nesting site. Early this year, Great Black-backed Gulls were nesting on piers # 3 and 4. 
     
    

    
     On May 30th, under a special permit issued through the Canadian Wildlife Service, 
     
     representatives of the Society removed three eggs from a nest on piling #3 and two from a nest on 
     
     piling #4. It was interesting that a partially eaten tern egg was found on piling #4 next to the nest. This 
     
     piling has two nesting levels with the gull nest on the top level. On the lower level, there was at least five 
     
     tern nests. Three of these tern nests had a single tern egg while two nests had two eggs each. Thus, 
     
     Common Terns were attempting to nest on the same pilings as the Great Black-backed Gulls. This may 
     
     be a function of a lack of nesting areas for the terns as the grassed areas of the piers are getting 
     
     reduced rapidly by the deterioration of the pilings. 
     
    

    
     As is often the case, the gulls started new nests. This time the nests were on piers #3 & 6. Both 
     
     nests contained two eggs and neither piling had terns nesting on them although #6 has a flat step 
     
    
   
   
    
     covered in grass which should have been conducive to tern nesting. These eggs were removed on June 
     
     26th. 
     
    
   
   
    
     WEATHER EVENTS: 
     
    
   
   
    
     An one metre storm surge combined with extremely high (120 km+ at East Point) northwest 
     
     winds caused surprisingly light damage along the eastern half of Prince Edward Island on Nov. 7th & 
     
     8th. Some sand dunes were breached at North Lake and there was damage to roads at Savage 
     
     Harbour and Brackley, damage to a cottage at Savage Harbour, and damage to wharf infrastructure at 
     
    
   
   
    
     Tracadie. The first heavy wet snow hit most of the Island on Nov. 11 but temperatures ranged up to the 
     
     teens in late November. 
     
    
   
   
    
     ANIMAL AND PLANT SIGHTINGS: compiled by J. Dan McAskill 
     
    
   
   
    
     P LANTS: 
     
    
   
   
    
     This fall there is an abundant crop of Showy Mountain Ash berries in 
     
     the hedgerows between Rice Point and Argyle Shore. In some areas along 
     
     the north shore there are good crops of false holly berries. Water lobelia and 
     
     Juncus militaris were found in Long Pond at Greenwich by Island Nature Trust 
     
     staff. Some white clover and daisy fleabane were in flower at Hampton on 
     
     Oct. 26 (WFB, JDM). 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
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