MARITIMES 
     
     BREEDING BIRD ATLAS 
     
    
   
   
    
     The following letter went out to all bird 
     
     atlas participants, but NHS members who are 
     
     not taking part could lend their voice to 
     
     this effort to raise funds to help make sure that this project continues. 
     
    

    
     "For the last several months, we have been seeking additiona1.funding 
     
     to sustain the operation of the Maritimes Breeding Bird Atlas. A signifi- 
     
     cant part of our fundraising effort has been placed in an appeal to the 3 
     
     provincial ministers responsible for wildlife in the Maritimes. To help 
     
     ensure our success with this appeal we need your assistance. 
     
    

    
     Letters from the voting public can greatly influence which projects re- 
     
     ceive provincial funding. to whow your support for the Atlas, please write 
     
     to the Minister of Community and Cultural Affairs. Some points you might 
     
     mention in your letter are: the atlas is a cooperative project involving 
     
     the efforts of more than 500 volunteers who give generously of their time; 
     
     the initial funding for the project came from the federal government and 
     
     it is important for the provinces to contribute as well; this is the first 
     
     thorough survey of all the bird species of the province, and has the poten— 
     
     tial to be joined to other atlas databases to form a national database; the 
     
     atlas data will be useful for a variety of conservation and management stra- 
     
     tegies (name some); the atlas project is important to you. 
     
    

    
     The Minister's mailing address is: Hon. Gilbert Clements, Minister of 
     
     Community and Cultural Affairs, Box 2000, Charlottetown, P.E.I. ClA 7N8. 
     
     Please send your letter before 15 February (or as soon as possible — ed.) to_i 
     
     lend it the most impact. Writing to the Minister is the simplest way for you 
     
     to generate funding for the atlas. 
     
    

    
     Sincerely, 
     
     Judith Kennedy, Atlas Coordinator 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     Fadtprinfs in “1e snow ‘ 
     
    
   
   
    
     There are lots of footprints in the snow around here 
     
     this time of year, but the strange side-by-side tracks and 
     
     the four-foot long ovals are from my skis and snowshoes. 
     
    

    
     In an effort to learn more about bird nestsrand to perhaps 
     
     aid in work on the breeding bird atlas, I spent a beautiful 
     
     afternoon looking for nests. Although many of the smaller 
     
     nests don't survive the weight of heavy, wet snow or the 
     
     100 km/hr winds, they are surprisingly easy to find. Nests in alders, pin 
     
     cherry trees and tamaracks stand out when there are no leaves or needles to 
     
     obstuct the view. It also gives a good opportunity to take a close look at 
     
     what the nests are made of, how they are put together, and where in the tree 
     
     or shrub are they positioned. 
     
    

    
     As I was tromping around in the woods or in overgrown fields, it occur- 
     
     red to me that this would be a great learning experience for children as 
     
     well as adults. Wouldn't it be fun to find out exactly what type of bird 
     
     blends yellow birch bark, plant fibers and spider silk into a work of art 
     
     ’1{ , and hangs it from the fork of an alder? Wouldn't it be nice to go 
     
     " back to that hole in the poplar and see what type of woodpecker 
     
     will call it home? 
     
    

    
     If you have any suggestions for activities that involVe children in 
     
     any aspect of natural history, please let me know and we can run 
     
     some of the ideas in future newsletters. 
     
    

    
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