biological phenomena such as bud flushing, flowering, or bird migration) will be 
     
     monitored as indicators of global change. [adapted from Delta Vol. 6, 3 & 4, 1995) 
     
    

    
     Good news from the southwest with Monarchs clustering at their favourite 
     
     wintering sites in California after several years in which they disappeared. (adapted 
     
     from Toronto Field Naturalist 459) 
     
    
   
   
    
     N33 SCIENCE PAIR WINNERS: by Rosemary Curley 
     
    
   
   
    
     Ben Hoteling and I were able to attend the rescheduled Provincial Science Fair 
     
     and selected winners for the Natural History Society prizes. There were virtually no 
     
     entries at the Intermediate and Senior levels so we gave three prizes at the Junior 
     
     level (grades 4, 5 & 6). The science fair was a busy spot and there were some really 
     
     good entries to pick from. 
     
    

    
     We gave first prize ($30) to Montague Consolidate School students Steven 
     
     Clements and Andrew Murchinson for their project on finding fossils on P.E.I. 
     
    

    
     Talking with them made me want to go and look for some fossilized horsetails myself, 
     
     and now I know where to go (west or south coast P.E.I. are starting points). Second 
     
     place winner Jacob Harding from Vernon River Elementary is doing what old-time 
     
     naturalists did as they explored the continent. Like Audubon and others, Jacob is 
     
     collecting specimens and taking satisfaction in being the first to find particular 
     
     species. In this case, the particular species are all dragonflies, and a dozen or so 
     
     have only been found on P.E.I. by Jacob who gets $20 for his efforts. Third prize 
     
     ($10) went to Russell Campbell of Queen Elizabeth Elementary School in Kensington. 
     
     Russell has made a good study of paper wasps, following the progress of nests, 
     
     workers and queens. He’s found some mud daubers too. 
     
    
   
   
    
     ANIMAL AND PLANT SIGHTINGS compiled by Dan McAskill 
     
    
   
   
    
     The winter past has seen little snow across the Island. Very mild conditions left 
     
     fields bare in March on much of the Island. A brief cold snap on Mar. 28 with wind 
     
     chills of -30° concentrated waterfowl in some areas. 
     
    
   
   
    
     AMPHIBIANS: First wood frog spring report at Cherry Hill on April 19 (B&RH). Started 
     
     in Donagh on Apr. 20 (JDM). Spring peepers calling at New Haven for the first time 
     
     this spring on Apr. 21 (JW) and in Donagh on the same night (JDM). 
     
    

    
     SNAKES: 2 Garter Snakes and 1 Red-bellied Snake at Cherry Hill on May 3 (8&RH). 
     
     “ANNALS: first Eastern Chipmunk of season at Argyle Shore on Mar. 23 (B&AC) 
     
    
   
   
    
     BIRDS: Great Cormorant - 1 at PEI National Park on Apr. 18 (RG); Double-crested 
     
     Cormorant - 1 at Fullerton’s Marsh on May 2 (JDM); Great Blue Heron - none at 
     
     Covehead on Apr. 18 (RG), 6 on Mar. 9 at Seaview/Cousin's Shore (N558), l on Mar. 20 
     
     at Ellen's Creek (ASm); Canada Geese - first seen at Argyle Share this spring on 
     
     Mar. 17 (B&AC), present in Kensington area on Mar. 18 (KM), 5 flying over Donagh on 
     
     Mar. 19 and 16 on Mar. 20 (JDM), 6 at Ellen’s Creek on Mar. 20 (JDM), 2 pair at Mt. 
     
     Albion # 3 compared to 74 in area on this date (Mar. 22) last year (HJ), 40 at Mt. 
     
     Albion on Mar. 25 (HJ), 30 at Ellen’s Creek and 26 at Locke shore Road on Mar. 28 
     
     (JDM), approx. 3,000 in fields at Seaview on Apr. 14 (NSSB), 1000 in field at Mermaid 
     
     on Apr. 21 (RCa); Brant — back at Tryon River week of Apr. 16 (3H0); American Black 
     
     Duck — most pairs seen in many years at Mt. Albion Ponds on Apr. 26 (NJ); American 
     
     Widgeon - 3 to 4 at Mt. Albion on Apr. 26 (NJ); Ring-necked Duck - 4 at Long Pond on 
     
     Apr. 16 (RG); Greater Scaup - 6 & 9 at Long Pond on Apr. 16 (RG); Red-breasted 
     
     Nerganser - 40 at National park on Apr. 20 (RG); Northern Goshawk - 1 took red 
     
     squirrel at Argyle shore feeder on Mar. 4 (BC); Bald Eagle - 1 at Cousin's Pond and 
     
     also at Seaview on Feb. 22 (N&SB), 2 adult & l immature at Covehead on Apr. 18 (RG); 
     
     Osprey - 2 at Johnson’s River on Apr. 22 (JDM); Kestrel - l at North Wiltshire on 
     
     May 1 (JWa); Merlin - l at Emyvale on May 3 (JDM); Ruffed Grouse - l at Emyvale on 
     
     Apr. 15 (JWa), 9 at Donagh on May 1 (JDM); Gray Partridge - 2 at Johnson's River on 
     
     Apr. 22 (JDM); Ring-necked Pheasant - 6 at Bloomfield Road first week Mar. (WCl); 
     
     Piping Plover - none at Cousin’s shore on Apr. 7 or 14 but 3 present on 20th (NESB), 
     
     6 back at Covehead with one pair formed and 5 scrapes on Apr. 20 (RG); xilldeer - l 
     
     regularly Apr. 3 to 8 at Seaview/Cousin’s Shore (N&SB), 1 at Argyle shore on Apr. 22 
     
     (3&AC); Black-bellied Plover - 2 at Covehead Harbour on Apr. 20 (RG); Common Snipe 
     
     - winnowing at Mt. Albion on Apr. 22 (NJ); Gulls app. - concentrations hunting and 
     
     standing on the edges of the salt marsh near the small ponds at North River causeway 
     
    
   
   
    
     _ 9 _