THEOSPREYNature Journal of Newfoundland andLabrador

Winter 2014 Volume 45 Issue 1

NatureNewfoundland and LabradorISSN 0710-4847

ISSUE AT A GLANCE

(Left to Right from Top) The Quarterly Bug: Springtails on Mushrooms (Pg. 19), C-NLOPB Eastern

Newfoundland Strategic Environmental Assessment (Pg. 5), Nature in the Raw! (Pg. 32), Plant Galls of

Newfoundland and Labrador Part 5: Exobasidium Galls ofBlack Huckleberry (Gaylussacia baccata) (Pg.

14), Citizen Science Programs in Newfoundland and Labrador (Pg. 35).

3 Society Matters

5 Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador

Offshore Petroleum Board Eastern

Newfoundland Strategic Environmental

Assessment

Allan Stein

1 3 Nature Newfoundland and Labrador Annual

General Meeting

Dave Innes

14 Plant Galls ofNewfoundland and Labrador

Part 5: Exobasidium Galls ofBlack

Huckleberry (Gaylussacia baccata)

Henry Mann

16 Species Placemat - Sharing Newfoundland

Beaches with the Endangered Piping Plover

Intervale Associates

18 Marine Protected Areas: Restoring our

Ocean and Rebuilding our Commercial

Fisheries

FredWinsor

19 The Quarterly Bug: Springtails on

Mushrooms

Dave Larson

22 The Night Sky and Star Charts

Fred R. Smith

25 The Fall Migration (2013) in Saint-Pierre et

Miquelon

Roger Etcheberry

32 Nature in the Raw!

Allan Stein

35 Citizen Science Programs in Newfoundland

and Labrador

The Osprey is published quarterly (winter, spring, summer and fall), both electronically and in hard copy, by Nature Newfoundland

and Labrador. Subscription is free with membership, which costs $25 annually. Opinions expressed in The Osprey are those of the

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liography (PAB), a free database available at www.library.mun.ca/qeii/cns/pab.php. Photocopies of articles can be requested by

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Nature Newfoundland and Labrador (formerly the Natural History Society of Newfoundland and Lab-

rador), formed in 1910 and incorporated in 1972, is the provincial affiliate of Nature Canada, a non-

profit conservation organization whose mission is to protect and conserve wildlife and habitats in

Canada by engaging people and advocating on behalf of nature.

ISSN 0710-4847; mail registration #8302

CONTENTSWinter 2014 • The Osprey • vol 45 no 1

Front and Back Covers: Icicles on a fir tree (Photos by Sarah Penney-Belbin).

Winter 2014 1

2 The Osprey

Nature NL ActivitiesNature Newfoundland and Labrador has an Indoor Program of informed and interesting guestspeakers as well as an Outdoor and Workshop Program. Monthly indoor meetings, with publicpresentations on topics of interest, are usually held 7:30 PM on the third Thursday of themonth at an appropriate venue. There are no indoor meetings during the summer months. Theoutdoor & workshop program run year round.

We welcome the participation of all residents and visitors to the province of any age, andencourage all to participate in our programs where they feel comfortable (families, children,young adults, and senior citizens alike). Not all of our outdoor events are suitable for allpersons, however we try to offer a balanced program.

See "naturenl.ca" for up-to-date information or contact Julie Huntington atnaturenl@naturenl.ca. All are welcome!

NATURE NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADORBOARD OF DIRECTORS (201 4-201 5)

Executive

Co-Presidents Rita Anderson (Nature Canada Representative)

Michael Coll ins (The Rooms Coordinator)

Past-President John Jacobs

Vice President VACANT

Secretary Dave Innes

Treasurer Marjorie Evans

Directors

Doug Ballam

Chantel le Burke

Margie McMil lan

Paul Regular (Digital Media)

Allan Stein

Valued Volunteers The Osprey

Membership Secretary Carolyn Walsh Editors Sarah Penney-Belbin

Humber Representative Lois Bateman Justin So

Communications Len Zedel

Webmaster Aaron Goulding

Fish Science R. John Gibson

Programming Jul ie Huntington

The Osprey welcomes submissions from all members and interested readers.

Please refer to our submission guidel ines on page 1 .

Deep-sea corals in Newfoundland and Labrador

waters (January 16, 2014)

Dr. Evan Edinger, MUNDepartments ofGeography

and Biology

Dr. Evan Edinger’s major research interests

centre around coral reefs and environmental impacts

of human activities on them, the paleoecology of

fossil coral reefs, and the biogeography and

conservation of deep-sea corals. He spoke about

research he and his students

have been doing on these

remarkable organisms.

Arctic Invasion: The

Snowy Owl Event of 2013-

2014 (February 20, 2014)

Jared Clarke

Jared Clarke is an avid

birder and naturalist who

lives in St. John’s. Having

grown up on the northeast

coast of the Newfoundland,

Jared was introduced to the

outdoors at a very young age

– mostly by his

grandfathers. Always a

nature enthusiast, he became

interested in birds while

working for a local

conservation group and

never looked back. While

his “day job” is that of a

health researcher, he

especially enjoys sharing his passion for birds with

others and has led nature tours big and small across

the province and further afield. Jared has also served

on environmental advisory committees with both

federal and provincial governments. Jared presented

on the Snowy Owl Event of 2013-2014 where many

snowy owls were sighted in Newfoundland.

Nature Newfoundland and Labrador Annual

General Meeting (March 20, 2014)

The Nature NL Board presented on the activities

of Nature NL and the results of strategic planning

sessions. The meeting was followed by a nature

slideshow compiled from member contributions. A

full account of the meeting can be found on Page 13.

A Snowshoeing and Nature Interpretation Outing

(February 22, 2014)

Allan Stein and Michael Collins lead snowshoe

walk in Portugal Cove. The group explored some of

the forest trails towards Winsor Lake with Michael

Collins providing nature interpretation—tracks, tree

and shrub buds, birds. A full

account of the outing is

presented on Page 32.

April Talks at The Rooms:

Newfoundland Mosquitoes

and Australian Thrips

(April 16, 2014)

Dr. Tom Chapman, MUN

Biology Department

Dr. Chapman talked

about the diversity of

mosquitoes at Salmonier

Nature Park and their role in

transmitting arboviruses. He

also presented his research

on the evolution of

cooperation amongst

Australian thrips and why

it’s the kindest insects that

survive.

April Talks at The Rooms:

PlantWatch Newfoundland

and Labrador, Citizen Scientists at Work (April

17, 2014)

Madonna Bishop, MUNBotanical Gardens

Ms. Bishop talked about PlantWatch, a part of the

national NatureWatch series of volunteer monitoring

programs designed to help identify ecological

changes that may be affecting our environment, such

as climate change. ‘Citizen scientists’ watch plants

bloom in spring, record their observations, and

submit the data. Ms. Bishop showcased the spring

flowering plants in the province and PlantWatching

program.

Winter 2014 3

Society Matters

Snowy owl (Photo by FlickrUser peggycadigan)

Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board

Eastern Newfoundland Strategic Environmental Assessment

By Allan SteinDirector, Nature Newfoundland andLabrador

The SEA

Recently, on March 5, 2014, the C-NLOPB

released the draft of the Strategic Environmental

Assessment for Eastern Newfoundland—hereafter

called simply the SEA— for public comment, with

the deadline ofApril 1 6, 2014. It can be accessed on

the website address: www.cnlopb.nl.ca and clicking

on “Public Consultations”.

Len Zedel and Allan Stein

have represented Nature

Newfoundland and Labrador,

NNL, on the C-NLOPB SEA

working group since its formation

in April of 2013. A SEA is not to

be confused with a project

environmental impact statement

(EIS). A SEA is a broadly-based,

systematic assessment lacking the

detailed, site specific analysis

required for a development. Its

purpose is to facilitate informed

strategic decisions regarding the

issuance of exploratory licences

for our eastern offshore. It is a

planning tool, both for the

regulatory agency, C-NLOPB,

and the industry. It forewarns

both of potential environmental

issues that may be encountered

and/or that will require

consideration in a detailed project

EIS.

A survey of the content

The study area is huge—see

the map, Figure 3.1 6. The

DRAFT REPORT, produced by

AMEC, too is huge, in excess of

600 pages (including appendices).

It includes a wealth of up-to-date

information about our offshore.

Among the topics of probable interest to naturalists

are:

Physical Environment: Geology, Bathymetry,

Climatology, Historical Ice Conditions. . .

Biological Environment: Fish and Fish Habitat,

Marine Birds and Mammals, Sensitive and Special

Areas. . .

Figure 3.16 Existing Oil andGas Licences andCurrent Call for Bids (AMEC2014).

4 The Osprey

Human Activities: Fisheries, Aquaculture,

Recreation, Transportation.. .

Clearly, it is not possible to review the massive

document in a few pages in The Osprey but we can

indicate the range of information provided. For

example, consider marine organisms. For each of

twenty benthic species, Table 4.58 lists name, habitat,

distribution, biology and ecology, and use and

importance. Table 4.59 gives spawning times for the

more commercially important ones. For deep water

corals, Table 4.61 tabulates the distribution and

density of the 37 coral species in the SEA region.

Maps show known locations for about ten species;

Figure 4.70 is an example.

Similar details are provided for commercial

species of shellfish and of nearly fifty species of

finfish. Harvest maps for redfish, Figure 4.74, and

Greenland halibut, Figure 4.80, and maps showing

taxonomic richness, Figure 4.93, illustrate that the

ocean’s productivity tends to be highest at the break

of the shelf, around sea-mounds and, for selected

species (e.g., shrimp and crab) in the colder, more

arctic northern waters off the Northern Peninsula and

Labrador.

Of course the shelf break region is also where the

oil activity has been concentrated to date. Conflicts

Table 4.58 Overview of Some Key Shellfish Species in the SEA Study Area (AMEC2014). Full table available in the Eastern

Offshore SEA.

Winter 2014 5

6 The Osprey

with the fishery and risks to corals, fish, benthic

species, marine mammals, and seabirds are greatly

increased due to sharing this common region. Risks

are increased further by the seasonality of the

activities. Late fall and winter storms and spring ice

mean petroleum related activities (seismic studies,

exploratory drilling, production field and equipment

maintenance activities) tend to be concentrated in

June-October. This is also the fishing season,

spawning season for many fish species, and a

feeding period for whale and seabird, all

concentrated in the same time and region because

that is the most productive season and biologically

rich region.

Some gaps in the SEA report and in our

knowledge:

Marine Birds andMammals

There are huge gaps in knowledge of seabirds

outside their nesting colonies. Seasonal distribution

maps are included for several species; that for storm-

petrels, Figure 4.1 07, has the densest data which

emphasises the general lack of data. Whale sighting

reports are more extensive because protocols for

seismic operations requires that a deck watch

confirm no whales are visible in the area before

operations can begin. The observers log sightings in

the area too. Figure 4.110a shows reported locations

for baleen whales; there are also figures for large

toothed whales, dolphins and porpoises.

Bird observers and observations are not

required. From the figures in the SEA, it seems most

of the reported bird sightings were from the deck of

a vessel, probably DFO Fisheries vessel on a cruise

with a different purpose likely fisheries related.

Imagine though the data that could have been

obtained for the area if experienced bird observers

were required on seismic surveys—see Figure 3.1 7

which shows the released seismic lines for the SEA

area. And consider the incremental cost of placing

an observer on board a ship already operating in the

area relative to the cost of a dedicated marine bird

survey cruise. The incremental cost to place an

observer aboard an operating survey ship would be

in the order of $100 per day, basically a bunk and

food. A DFO ship for a dedicated marine bird cruise

would cost tens of thousands of dollars per day.

Thus, at very little cost to the offshore industry, a

wealth of scientific information could be gained. Of

course, since the seismic studies are seasonal, that

data would be concentrated in summer months, and

in areas ofmost interest to the oil industry. Over the

years as the oil activity shifts, other areas would be

covered. The seasonality will be more difficult to

overcome but good data for a third of the year is

better than almost no data!

The industry should be required to accommodate

observers on seismic and service vessels for both

Table 4.58 Spawning Periods andLocations of Some Key Invertebrate Taxa (AMEC2014).

Winter 2014 7

Table 4.61 CoralOccurrence Within the SEA Study Area (AMEC2014).

marine mammals and birds. Should the company be

unable to do so, they should be required to provide

monetary support for such research by DFO and

other Federal and Provincial agencies.

8 The Osprey

Impact ofMarine Noise

Relatively little known about the impact of the

noise pollution from offshore activity upon marine

species, including finfish and crustaceans, and some

of the existing studies are ambiguous. For example,

several studies show increased catches of fish with

gillnets, others reduced catches with longlines, for

several days after seismic operations. (A possible

explanation is that the fish were spooked by the noise

and more likely to blunder into the nets but less

likely to feed.)

The effect of noise upon spawning aggregations

is also little studied but some finfish appear to use

sonic communication, using similar frequencies.

What impact does that have? Of course seismic

studies are not the only source of increased marine

noise. Shipping, drilling and other oil related

activities contribute considerable background noise.

Much work remains to be done.

Sharing/Selling Data

Duplication of seismic studies is obvious from

Figure 3.1 7. Given the uncertainty of impacts of the

sonic booms and additional ship noise on the marine

ecosystem, the sharing/sale of seismic data among

operators should be strongly encouraged. It could

markedly reduce the overall impacts. And costs!

Dumping ProducedWater

Any petroleum entering the ocean has a

cumulative effect upon the hydrocarbon load.

Sources are varied, including fuel spills and leaks

from recreational boaters, parking lot drainage,

incomplete combustion of boat engines,

lawnmowers, motorcycles, suv’s. . . . As long as we

use hydrocarbons, some will escape, adding to the

burden in the environment. Spills from the offshore

oil industry are inevitable; hopefully they will be few

and relatively small. There is however one

significant “intentional spill”, the dumping of

produced water.

Produced formation water is a co-product of oil

production, the amount of that produced water

normally increasing as the oil field is depleted.

Currently, produced water is dumped into the ocean.

It is permitted to contain 30 ppm of hydrocarbon

which sounds like very little, but over the life of the

fields the volume is huge, much higher than the

Left to right: Figure 4.70 Distribution of Corals (NAFO Zones 3MNLO) Derived from DFO RVSurveys. Figure 4.74

Distribution andAbundance of Redfish in the SEA Study Area (2005-2009 Surveys). (AMEC2014).

Winter 2014 9

volume of oil produced, hundreds of billions of litres.

The impact on the marine environment is increased

by the fact that it is the smaller aromatic

hydrocarbons which are most water soluble and

therefore selectively retained in the produced water.

These compounds, benzene, toluene and other alkyl

benzenes and phenolic and amino analogs, are also

among the most toxic components. Produced water

also contains a range of heavy metals, including

some radioactive species which are leached from

deep strata.

To maintain the field pressure and to increase

recovery of crude oil from the fields, water flooding

is employed. Sea water is injected into the

formation. Some jurisdictions prohibit the dumping

of produced water, e.g. Norway and Australia,

requiring that it be re-injected with the necessary

make-up sea water. That should be a requirement

here but the SEA is silent on that issue.

Conclusion

The SEA document contains an extensive

summary of current knowledge of our waters and

ocean floor and the species present. It will simplify

performing environmental assessments for specific

projects since much of the background work has

been done. Proponents and government bodies will

have a better idea of the possible environmental

constraints in particular areas, allowing informed

decisions about locations of licences and operations

before major expenditure. Hopefully, future project

environmental impact assessments will be less

repetitive and briefer while remaining as, or perhaps

becoming more thorough. Much general information

about the industry, the processes and the general area

is already compiled so a project EIS need only

emphasise and examine in detail the site specific

factors and required mitigation.

And you may find delving into it rewarding. Or,

considering the gaps in our knowledge, disturbing.

Should it whet your interest in the environmental

aspects of the oil industry, consider becoming

involved in NatureNL’s reviews of environmental

assessments. We review a number annually and

would welcome your participation.

Left to right: Figure 4.80 Distribution andAbundance of GreenlandHalibut in the SEA Study Area (2005-2009 Surveys).

Figure 4.93 Areas of Relatively High Taxonomic Richness as Determined by Canadian RVSurveys, 2005-2009 (Finfish and

Invertebrates) (AMEC2014).

1 0 The Osprey

Figure 4.107 SeasonalDistribution of Storm-PetrelObservations (AMEC2014).

Winter 2014 11

Left to Right: Figure 4.110a Marine MammalSightings off Eastern Newfoundland-Baleen whales. Figure 3.17 Released Seismic

Data Completed in the SEA Study Area (AMEC2014).

References

Allen, J.A. (1 963). Observations on the biology of Pandalus

montagui (Crustacea: Decapoda). Journal of the Marine

Biological Association of the United Kingdom. 43: 665-

682.

AMEC (2014) Eastern Newfoundland Strategic Environmentl

Assessment. Report prepared for the Canada-

Newfoundland Offshore Petroleum Board. Draft.

Bluhm, B.A., Piepenburg, D., and von Juterzenka, K. (1 998).

Distribution, standing stock, growth, mortality and

production of Strongylocentrotus pallidus (Echinodermata:

Echinodea) in the northern Barents Sea. Polar Biology. 20:

325-334.

Christian, J.R., Grant, C.G.J. , Meade, J.D., and Noble, L.D.

(2010). Habitat Requirements and Life History

Characteristics of Selected Marine Invertebrate Species

Occurring in the Newfoundland and Labrador Region

(Report no. 2925). Canadian Manuscript Report of

Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences.

Gilkinson, K.D., Gagnon, J.M., and Schneider, D.C. (1 998).

The sea urchin Strongylocentrotus pallidus (G.O.Sars) on

the Grand Bank of Newfoundland. In Echinoderm Biology,

Balkema, Rotterdam. pp. 467-473.

Hooper, R.G. (1 986). A spring breeding migration of the snow

crab, Chionoecetes oilio (O. Fabr.) into shallow water in

Newfoundland. Crustaceana. 50: 257-264.

Hudon, C., Parsons, D.G., and Crawford, R. (1 992). Diel

pelagic foraging by a pandalid shrimp (Pandalus montagui)

off Resolution Island (Eastern Hudson Strait). Canadian

journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. 49(3): 565-576.

Kenchington, E.L.R., Prena, J. , Gilkinson, K.D., Gordon Jr.,

D.C., MacIsaac, K., Bourbonnais, C., Schwinghamer, P.J. ,

Rowell, T.W., McKeown, D.L., and Vass, W.P. (2001 ).

Effects of experimental otter trawling on the macrofauna of

a sandy bottom ecosystem on the Grand Banks of

Newfoundland. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic

Sciences. 58: 1 043-1057.

LGL Limited (2012). Orphan Basin Exploration Drilling

Program Environmental Assessment: Update 2012. LGL

Rep. SA1160. Rep. by LGL Limited, St. John’s, NL, for

Chevron Canada Limited, Calgary, AB. 53 p. + appendix.

Mercier, A., Sun, Z., and Hamel, J.-F. (2011 ). Reproductive

periodcity, spawning and development of the deep-sea

scleractinian coral Flabellum angulare. Marine Biology.

1 58: 371 -380.

Murillo, F.J. , Munoz, P.D., Cristobo, J. , Rios, P., Gonzalez, C.,

Kenchington, E., and Serrano, A. (2012). Deep-sea sponge

1 2 The Osprey

grounds of the Flemish Cap, Flemish Pass and the Grand

Banks of Newfoundland (Northwest Atlantic Ocean):

Distribution and species composition. Marine Biology

Research. 8: 842-854.

Ollerhead L.M.N., Morgan, M.J., Scruton, D.A., and Marrie, B.

(2004). Mapping spawning times and locations for 10

commercially important fish species found on the Grand

Banks of Newfoundland. Canadian Technical Reports in

Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 2522: iv + 45 p.

Spetland, F., Rapp, H.T., Hoffmann, F., and Tendal, O.S. (2007).

Sexual reproduction of Geodia barretti Bowerbank, 1 858

(Porifera, Astrophorida) in two Scandinavian fjords.

Porifera research: biodiversity, innovation and

sustainability. Museu Nacional, Rio de Janeiro 28: 61 3-620.

Sun, Z., Hamel, J.F., Edinger, E., and Mercier, A. (2010).

Reproductive biology of the deep-sea octocoral Drifa

glomerata in the Northwest Atlantic. Marine Biology. 1 57:

863-873.

Nature Newfoundland and Labrador

Annual General Meeting, March 20, 2014

By Dave Innes

Nature Newfoundland & Labrador (NatureNL)

held its AGM on March 20, 2014. Reports were

presented following acceptance of the minutes from

the 2013 AGM. Past-President, John Jacobs,

reported that current membership consists of

approximately 65 members and institutional

subscriptions, about the same as the previous year.

Over the past year, activities included a regular

program with monthly public meetings, collaboration

with The Rooms to present public presentations and

Nature Nook activities as well as outdoor activities to

view local nature. Public consultations included

reviewing and commenting on environmental

assessments on petroleum projects and forestry issues

including Forest District 1 planning. NatureNL

continues to collaborate with Important Bird Areas

(IBA), the Sandy Pond Alliance and Nature Canada.

Other collaborations include the Salmonid

Association of Eastern Newfoundland and the

Northeast Avalon Atlantic Coastal Action Program

(NAACAP) on re-vegetation and restoration of urban

rivers. NatureNL also awards the annual WildThings

Scholarship to recognize efforts of a student whose

volunteer activities help conserve and enhance nature

in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Treasurer, Marjorie Evans, presented the

financial statement for Jan. 1 , 2013 – Dec. 31 , 2013.

Osprey Editor, Sarah Penney-Belbin, presented

highlights for the issues published over the past year

including the Don Steele tribute issue (14[4]).

A NatureNL Strategic Planning (organized by

Rita Anderson, Carolyn Walsh, Michael Collins, and

Margie McMillan) meeting was held on Jan. 25,

2014 and included most of the board members. A

report was prepared and one suggestion was the

establishment of Working Committees consisting of

1 . Membership; 2. Fundraising; 3 . Programming

(Indoor, Outdoor); 4. Watch Dog/Oversight; 5.

Publicity/Communications; and 6. Osprey Editors.

Any NatureNL member is encourage to volunteer on

any of the working committees. Results for the

elections of the NatureNL Board and Volunteers

(2014 – 2015):

President - VACANT

Past-pres. - John Jacobs

Vice-pres. - VACANT

Treasurer - Marjorie Evans

Secretary - Dave Innes

Members at Large: Volunteers:

Doug Ballam Julie Huntington

Margie McMillan Len Zedel

Allan Stein Carolyn Walsh

Rita Anderson John Gibson

Paul Regular

Chantelle Burke Osprey editors:

Michael Collins Justin So

Sarah Penney-Belbin

A delightful slideshow of nature images followed

the business meeting.

Winter 2014 1 3

1 4 The Osprey

Plant Galls of Newfoundland and Labrador Part 5:

ExobasidiumGalls of Black Huckleberry (Gaylussacia baccata)

By Henry Mann

Most individuals who frequent our peatlands

will already have a familiarity with the fungal

genus Exobasidium even if they have never seen or

heard the name before. Throughout Newfoundland,

small reddish to pink shrubby shoots can regularly be

noticed in bogs (Figure 1 ). A close inspection will

sometimes reveal that what appears to be a separate

plant is actually a branch of a common peatland

shrub, bog rosemary (Andromeda polifolia). The

normal leaves of bog rosemary are characteristically

narrow, blue-green, firm-leathery, and veiny above,

but the reddish leaves are broad, soft and fleshy.

These reddish shoots are infected by the parasitic

fungus Exobasidium karstenii and are considered a

type of leaf gall where the fungal species causes

structural growth changes in its host.

On July 10, 2013 I had the opportunity to wander

over a large expanse of slope bog east of the Trans-

Canada Highway (TCH) near the Robinson’s exit in

western Newfoundland. Both of our huckleberries,

black huckleberry (G. baccata) and dwarf

huckleberry (G. bigeloviana), were present and in

bloom (Figures 2 and 3). Reddish abnormal shoots

(Figure 4) as well as unusually enlarged flower/fruit

structures (Figure 5) were noted on scattered G.

baccata, but not on G. bigeloviana. Although red leaf

galling is common on bog rosemary, this is the first

time I have noticed it on huckleberries.

Exobasidium is a parasitic fungus belonging to

the same group as the mushrooms, the

Basidiomycetes. However, this genus does not

produce a mushroom-like fruiting body; instead, it

forms white powdery surfaces which produce the

spores on host plants. These whitish surfaces can be

seen on the galled huckleberry shoot of Figure 6 and

also on the abnormal flower/fruit of Figure 5. In

Newfoundland, Exobasidium especially parasitizes

our heaths, members of the Family Ericaceae, which

include the blueberries and their relatives. The heath

leatherleaf (Chamaedaphne calyculata), can also

occasionally be seen with red leaf gall (Figure 7). In

some heaths, leaf and fruit galls are not produced,

only spots or surface areas of infection.

Some older literature suggests that a single

species (Exobasidium vaccinii) in its several variants

is responsible for the galls of many different

ericaceous shrubs and that the type of gall that is

produced is determined by the plant host, not the

parasitizing fungus. More recently, European

literature considers the fungus to be very host

specific and each ericaceous species is infected by a

separate species of Exobasidium. So E. karstenii

infects bog rosemary, E. oxycocci infects marshberry,

E. cassandrae infects leatherleaf, E. vaccinii infects

Figure 1. Red galling ofbog rosemary; normal green

leaves can be seen at the left.

Figure2.Blackhuckleberryinbloom.

Selected Sources

Burt, E.A. 1915. The Thelephoraceae of North America IV: Exobasidium. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 2:

627-656.

Brannen, P., H. Scherm, B. Cline, and D. Ingram. 2011 . Exobasidium fruit and leaf spot: An emerging concern on

blueberries in the southeast. Small Fruit News 11 (4): 1 -4.

Ing, B. 2001 . Exobasidium. Available at http://fungus.org.uk/nwfg/ingmay01 .htm.

Nannfeldt, J.A. 1 997. Class Ustilaginomycetes. In: Hansen, L. and H. Knudsen. 1 997. Nordic Macromycetes, Vol. 3 .

Nordsvamp, Copenhagen, Denmark.

partridgeberry, E. expansum infects alpine bilberry,

and so forth. However, even some current authors

indicate that E. vaccinii is a “species complex”

which means a group of closely related fungi of

uncertain designation as to whether it is a single

species with several varieties, or a series of separate

species. For the non-specialist and the naturalist all

this naming uncertainty can be confusing, but it is

only the same

conundrum as old as

taxonomy itself:

whether to split or to

lump. Fortunately,

naturalists need not be

concerned with such

detail and can leave it

up to the experts to

eventually make up

their minds.

The species of the

Exobasidium complex

responsible for the

galls on our black

huckleberry will have

to be determined or

opined by a specialist, but generally the coloured

abnormal shoots on heaths can readily be noticed and

attributed to this fungal genus. Exobasidium-induced

galls in addition to those mentioned in this article

may potentially also be found on other members of

our Heath Family. Look for them and let The Osprey

know of your finds at osprey@naturenl.ca.

Not many plant galls of fungal origin are known

for Newfoundland,

but another

common group of

juniper galls with

alternate hosts on

members of the

Rose Family

(chuckleypears,

dogberries, apples,

etc.) are produced

by the fungus

Gymnosporangium

. Illustrated articles

on these can be

viewed on the Foray Newfoundland and

Labrador (FNL) website, in Omphalina Vol. 3 (10),

2012. http://www.nlmushrooms.ca.

Figure 3. Dwarf huckleberry in

bloom.

Figure 4. Typical galled shoot of

black huckleberry.

Figure 5. Abnormal flower/fruit

galled structure; normal immature

developing fruits to left.

Figure 6. Galled black

huckleberry shoot with white

spore producing surface.

Figure 7. Exobasidium galls of

leatherleaf.

Winter 2014 1 5

This month's species

placemat features the

Piping plover. This

species is one of 14 bird

species at risk in our

province. You can help

this species by taking care

not to disturb nests while

visiting beaches.

Placemat is reprinted

with permission from

Intervale Associates.

1 6 The Osprey

Winter 2014 1 7

1 8 The Osprey

Marine Protected Areas:Restoring our Ocean and Rebuilding our Commercial Fisheries

By FredWinsor (PhD. NorthwestAtlantic fisheries history)

St. John's, NL March 2014

The modern day concept of Marine Protected

Areas (MPAs) has its origins in New Zealand in

the mid 1960's, when the operators of a local marine

biological research station were able to convince the

New Zealand government to establish an MPA

nearby that prohibited all fishing activity.

There was opposition from local fishermen who

viewed it as an average fishing area. Remarkably, the

New Zealand government sided with the marine

biologists, permitting the establishment of a no-take

or no fishing zone.

Unfettered by fishing activity, the ocean habitat

in the closed areas recovered at an astounding rate

that, within a few years, exceeded all expectations.

However, despite the overwhelming evidence of

ocean habitat and ocean food web recovery,

including major commercial species, it took the New

Zealand proponents of MPAs 15 years before they

could get another area closed. Today, New Zealand

has over 100 locations, covering over one million

square kilometres of ocean, set aside to permit ocean

habitat recovery.

Similarly the United States, after trying with

mixed success to establish Marine Reserves in the

mid-1960s, moved ahead in the early 1990s to

establish no fishing zones in areas off New England

as far north as Georges Bank. Within a few years the

Americans experienced measurable ocean habitat

recovery and commercial fisheries recovery. They

followed up on this experience and since then have

closed many areas in the Pacific off the continental

United States, off Alaska, and off Hawaii, to the

point where they have set aside approximately four

million square kilometres of ocean for habitat

recovery and protection. Commercial fish stocks

have recovered well under this management regime.

In the late 1990s the Norwegians began

experiencing large catches of small cod – fish

unsuitable for their international markets. Almost

immediately the Norwegian government, through its

Fisheries Department, stepped in and closed the

fishery in that area. Over the next ten years the

Norwegian government identified and closed a

number of areas off their coast and in the Barents

Sea. By 2010, they had closed 1 .1 million square

kilometres of ocean. During that ten-year period, cod

stocks off Norway and Russia recovered under this

protection. In 2010, the cod quota for that part of the

Northeast Atlantic was set at 750,000 metric tonnes –

the highest in decades.

Unfortunately, Canada has maintained a dismal

performance in managing its jurisdiction in the

Northwest Atlantic. Such failures include: not

adhering to international marine conservation

agreements, not taking steps to protect sensitive

ocean habitats inside and outside the Canadian

economic zone, and failing to develop sustainable

commercial fishery rebuilding and recovery

strategies through the establishment of no-take zone

MPAs.

While the countries mentioned above, and others,

strive to attain the internationally agreed goal of

having 10% of the ocean under their jurisdiction

closed to some form of protection, Canada has yet to

reach the one per cent mark.

When the initial agreement was signed as part of

the Kyoto Accord some 20+ years ago, Canada

ranked 66th among countries establishing MPAs.

Today, Canada's rank has fallen to 100th in that

group. Similarly, in 2009 the World Economic Forum

ranked Canada 125th out of 127 countries in fisheries

management practices.

In 1991 , a report titled “The effects of trawling,

dredging, and ocean dumping on the eastern

Canadian continental shelf seabed,” Continental

Shelf Research Journal, pp.1 237-1263, Aug.-Oct.

1 991 , estimated that bottom contact gear, such as

bottom trawling and scallop dredging, criss-crossed

Canada's continental shelf from Georges Bank in the

southwest to Saglek off northeastern Labrador,

covering a distance of approximately

4,300,000 kilometers in one year - the equivalent of

five round trips to the moon. At this time (1991 ),

Winter 2014 1 9

industrial bottom contact fishing had been ongoing

since the late 1940s/early 1950s. The evidence

presented in the 1991 study most likely pales in

comparison to the massive foreign fishing activity in

the 1960s and 1970s leading up to the declaration of

the 200 mile limit in 1977.

Despite six decades of conspicuous overfishing,

Canada has done very little to protect and rebuild the

marine environment by establishing MPAs. To date,

the sites that have been identified and set aside fall

within recent independent scientific findings, and do

not really protect those areas of abundance and

biodiversity. Such areas, if closed to fishing activity,

could foster ocean and commercial fisheries

recovery. Unfortunately, it appears that we do not

have the necessary legislation, administrative

structure, and transparency to create those

circumstances. Instead we are left with political

lobbying, short-term unsustainable national

solutions, and lobbyist-organized back room

meetings with Federal fisheries ministers.

None of these have ever served Canada's oceans

and coastal communities in a positive way.

Sincerely

Fred Winsor PhD.

(Northwest Atlantic fisheries history)

Conservation Chair

Sierra Club Canada

Atlantic Canada Chapter

St. John's, Newfoundland

The Quarterly Bug

Springtails on Mushrooms

By Dave Larsondmlarson@sasktel.net

Springtails on mushrooms

The photographs of bugs on mushrooms introduce

us to the realm of the microarthropods. Those in

the photographs are springtails (Arthropoda, class

Collembola), curious little six-legged arthropods that

look like small insects, but probably shouldn't be

classified as insects as they differ in a number of

important features. Specifically, all springtails are

small, they are primitively flightless, the mouthparts

are withdrawn into the head (entognathous as

opposed to ectognathous in insects), and the

abdomen has a reduced number of segments (six as

opposed to 11 in true insects) as well as several

peculiar features including: a ventral tube

(collophore) on segment 1 , a springing or leaping

organ on segments 3 and 4 (hence the name

springtail), and has only a simple genital pore

lacking the sexual structures of true insects. The

spring of springtails consists of a forked structure on

the underside of abdominal segment 4 that can be

tucked up under the abdomen and latched in place by

20 The Osprey

a couple of hooks on segment 3. The latches can be

released and the spring slams down on the surface on

which the springtail is sitting, catapulting the animal

into the air. This is an escape reaction that may not

have much directional control, but it certainly gets

the animal out of harm's way in a hurry.

The photographs show specimens with the two

main body forms of springtails. Most (subclass

Arthropleona) are elongate with the three evident

body regions of typical insects: head, thorax which

bears the legs, and a distinctly segmented abdomen.

Members of the other group (subclass

Symphypleona) have a globular body with the thorax

and abdomen more or less one mass and the

abdomen lacks clear segmentation, except for the

apical two segments which form small bumps. The

Arthropleona, with the longer body, are generally

burrowers living in soil and litter, whereas the

Symphypleona occur more on open surfaces such as

on top of the ground, on plants, logs or mushrooms.

Springtails range in adult length from 0.25 to 6.0

mm, although most Newfoundland species are in the

range of 0.5 to 3.0 mm. Their small size and a

general lack of good water-proofing means these

animals have to live in moist environments such as

the soil and surface litter zones, amongst moss and

lichens, or on moist surfaces such as bark,

mushrooms, etc. The larger and more colorful

species occur more in the open, such as on plants or

on the surface of fallen logs and leaves.

The mouthparts are termed entognathous because

they sit within a cavity on the front or underside of

the head. The mandibles can't swing out to produce

a bite; rather, they work up and down like little picks

and are used to lance the walls of fungal mycelia or

algae, or to pick away at organic films on the surface

of decaying material, logs or even rocks.

Individually, the feeding of a single springtail can't

accomplish a lot, but their populations can be

immense - in the millions per hectare - so that the

cumulative effect of all their picking and prying is

the gradual reduction of large particles to dust and

feces. We are familiar with the role of earthworms in

the breakdown of organic material in the soil and

their importance in releasing nutrients for recycling

through the ecosystem. Springtails do for cool and

wet soils, such as are found in the boreal and arctic

regions, what earthworms do in temperate soils.

Thus, that lovely black boreal forest soil is actually

springtail feces and feeding residues. I think of

springtails as God's millers, for this quote describes

their role very nicely:

“Though the mills ofGod grind slowly, yet

they grind exceedingly small;

Though with patience He stands waiting, with

exactness grinds He all.”

~Longfellow translation ofVon Logau

A question deriving from the photographs is how

close is the association between springtails and

mushrooms? Knowledge of the feeding habits of

springtails is meager but it seems likely that there is

little specificity in food selection, at least as far as

the fruiting bodies of fungi are concerned.

Springtails have limited powers of dispersal and are

Springtails on mushrooms - close-up view (top and

bottom)

unable to follow a food resource that is ephemeral

and erratic in occurrence. There are many species of

springtails (Christiansen and Bellinger 1998); 412

have been recorded from Canada and Alaska

(Skidmore 1995), and 72 species just within old

growth balsam fir forests of Newfoundland

(Puvanendran et al. 1 997). However, this diversity

seems to be related to physical/chemical

characteristics of the habitat such as moisture, soil

particle type, depth in soil, etc. , rather than related to

the distribution of a particular host. However, with

more careful study, especially into the relationships

between springtails and the soil microflora (in the

broad sense, including fungi, bacteria, algae, etc.),

there will certainly be some surprising relationships

discovered. A comprehensive review of what is

known of Collembolan biology is given by Hopkin

(1997), but Evans (1968) is an excellent place to

start to get an appreciation of what springtails do.

Evans (1968) wrote during the days of the space race

to show how wonderful our Earth is and why our

efforts and resources would be well rewarded if spent

exploring the wonders of the worlds hidden at our

feet.

References

Christiansen, K. and P. Bellinger. 1 998. The

Collembola of North America north of the Rio

Grande. A taxonomic analysis. Parts 1 - 4.

Grinbell College, Grinnell, Iowa. 1 520 pp.

Evans, H.E. 1 968. Life on a little known planet.

Dutton. N.Y.

Hopkin, S.P. 1 997. The biology of springtails,

Insecta: Collembola. Oxford Univerity Press,

New York.

Puvanendran, D.C., D.J. Larson and I. Thomson.

1 997. Collembola (Arthropoda) of balsam fir

forests of western Newfoundland. Canadian

Entomologist 1 29: 505 - 517.

Skidmore,. R.E. 1 995. Checklist of Collembola

(Insecta: Apterygota) of Canada and Alaska.

Proceedings of the Entomological Society of

Ontario 126: 45 - 76.

Winter 2014 21

Springtail "Purple people eater"

The difference between the right word and the almost rightword is the difference between lightning and a lightningbug.

~Mark Twain

22 The Osprey

By FredR. Smith

Winter 2014 23

24 The Osprey

In the past, this has included:• Being a Nature NL Docent; • Leading outdoor activities;

• Giving nature talks; • Writing articles forThe Osprey;

• Executive activities; • Environmental advocacy;

• andmore. . . See www.naturenl.ca formore details.

Do you enjoy the outdoors? Are you excited about the natural world? Would youlike to share that passion for the environment with others?

Nature Newfoundland and Labrador is looking for volunteers to help with theirongoing programs and partnerships.

Nature NL Call for Volunteers

Tuck-Walters Award

The Tuck-Walters Award recognizes individuals who have made outstanding and enduring

contributions to the advancement of natural history appreciation and protection in Newfoundland and

Labrador, outside the parameters of their employment responsibilities. The award is discretionary – it

does not have to be given out every year. On the other hand, it may be given to more than one recipient

if the Nominating Committee feels this is appropriate.

For more information or to make a nomination for the Tuck/Walters Award, contact:

William Montevecchi, Chair

Tuck/Walters Awards Committee

e-mail: mont@mun.ca

This award is named in memory ofDr. Leslie M. Tuck and Captain Harry Walters. Dr. Les Tuck was

Newfoundland’s first Dominion Wildlife Officer, and Harry Walters was the Director of the

Newfoundland Rangers Force. Following Confederation with Canada, Dr. Tuck headed the Canadian

Wildlife Service in the province – a position he held for more than twenty-five years. In the latter part of

his long and distinguished career, Dr. Tuck held the L. J. Paton Research Professorship in the

Psychology Department ofMemorial University. He was instrumental in the reactivation ofthe Natural

History Society in the 1950′s. Captain Harry Walters served for many years as the Head of the

NewfoundlandWildlife Division, which he was instrumental in establishing.

Both Walters, working provincially, and Tuck, working federally, were instrumental in establishing

our province’s first seabird reserves (Funk Island, Cape St. Mary’s, Witless Bay, and Hare Bay) and the

former Avalon Wilderness Area. Their combined efforts put natural history awareness, protection and

appreciation on a solid footing in Newfoundland and Labrador. Although they were employed in

resource conservation and management careers, their enthusiasm and dedication transcended their

duties, and it is for these qualities that Nature Newfoundland and Labrador has chosen to honor their

memory with this award.

Winter 2014 25

The Fall migration (2013) in Saint-Pierre et Miquelon

By RogerEtcheberry

Red-throated Loon: The last two were off the west

coast of the isthmus on September 23 (RE).

Common Loon: Two were off the west coast of

Langlade on August 1 and one was heard off the west

coast ofMiquelon on August 7 (RE). None until

August 23 where two were off the Isthmus (RE).

Very few reports then to the end of the period.

Pied-billed Grebe: One bird was in St. Pierre

between November 3 and November 5 (JD/PB).

Northern Fulmar: More than 20 birds were south of

St. Pierre on October 1 and 7 (JD). 2 to 3 birds were

between Miquelon and Fortune on November 8 (RE).

Hundreds were present about 20 miles south of Saint-

Pierre on November 10 (JD/RE).

Greater Shearwater: Reported as quite common in

August at sea around the islands (JD). Few reported

in September and October. One or two only were

south of St. Pierre on November 10 (RE/JD).

Sooty Shearwater: Same comments as above. A

few were between Miquelon and Fortune on October

18 (RE). Last seen a maximum of 3, about 20 miles

south of St. Pierre on November 10 (JD/RE).

Manx Shearwater: More than 50 birds were at sea

near Colombier islands on August 1 (RE) and

reported as common around the islands throughout

the month ofAugust by JD. Several dozens were

present a few miles west ofBrunette island on

August 14 (RE). Is the bird nesting there ? About 15

were still around Colombier islands on September 19

and 22 (JD). One was south of St. Pierre on October

1 and 11 (JD).

Leach’s Storm-Petrel: Quite common south of St.

Pierre in August and September while two only were

seen on October 1 (JD).

Northern Gannet: Reported as quite common

around the islands throughout the month ofAugust

(JD). 1 5 were offColombier island on September 19

and 5, same area, on September 22 (JD). Between 5

and 10 were reported a few times south of St. Pierre

between September 25 and November 10 (JD).

Double-crested Cormorant: About 40 birds were

seen around the village ofMiquelon in August and

September (RE). About a dozen were at Grand

Barachois on September 19 and a few on October 1 3

(RE).

Great Cormorant: About 40 birds were on the

cliffs ofCape Miquelon on August 1 (RE). About 20

were in the S. part of St. Pierre on August 3 (PB) and

more than 50 on Little Colombier island on August

12 (JD).

Great Blue Heron: One bird was in St. Pierre on

August 30 (LJ).

Green Heron: One bird was in St. Pierre between

September 6 and 8 (PB/PHA).

Canada Goose: 83 birds were on the sand banks of

Grand Barachois on August 1 (NM) and 84 on

August 31 (RE). 4 birds only were there on

September 25 (LJ). Our present population reaches

its northern limit here and migrate south in the fall.

Eurasian Wigeon: One bird was in St. Pierre from

November 15 to the end of the period (PB).

American Wigeon: 5 birds were in St. Pierre on

October 7, then six to November 9 (PB). 3 were near

the village ofMiquelon on November 26. 2 Wigeon

sp. were also there on November 12 (RE).

American Black Duck: 91 birds were already on

Grand Barachois on August 1 (RE),while a brood of

9, aged about 2 weeks was seen in St. Pierre the

same day (LJ). Highest numbers in the lagoon as

follows: August: 290, September: 682, October:

1 081 , November: 993 (RE).

Mallard: One male was at Grand Barachois on

August and September were OK, October and November quite windy. The season was considered by most

observers as “uneventful”, nevertheless we had one new species and a new breeding record. There was an

obvious lack ofobservations as far as Sandpipers and Plovers are concerned. There were very few Finches.

26 The Osprey

October 30 (RE).

Blue-winged Teal: At least one was in St. Pierre on

October 20 (PB).

Northern Pintail: Two were in St. Pierre on August

4 and October 7 (PB). There was a maximum of 7 or

8 birds with the blacks at Grand Barachois on

October 1 3 (RE). Two males and 2 females were in

St. Pierre between November 1 and 27 (PB).

Green-winged Teal: Fairly common and well

reported throughout the season (m. ob.).

Ring-necked Duck: One male was in St. Pierre from

October 8 to Oct. 1 0 (LJ) and one also in St. Pierre

on October 19 (PB).

Greater Scaup: The first ones (11 ) appeared on

Mirande lake on October 7 and built up slowly to

about 50 on October 27 (RE/LJ). 3 were in St. Pierre

on November 18 (PB) and another was reported in a

different spot between November 17 and 21 (PB).

About 80 birds were at Grand Barachois on

November 24 (LJ).

Common Eider: The first report was for about 250

birds off St. Pierre on October 8 (LJ) and about 400

on October 12 (LJ). Few other reports !

Harlequin Duck: The first birds (9) were off St.

Pierre on October 12 (LJ). 2 males were off the west

coast ofMiquelon on October 22 (LJ). 5 were

between St. Pierre and Langlade on October 30

(PHA). There was a maximum of 81 in St. Pierre on

November 15 (LJ).

Surf Scoter: Two birds were off St. Pierre on

October 12 (LJ) and one female or immature off the

west coast ofMiquelon on October 30 (RE).

White-winged Scoter: Seen as usual east ofMirande

lake, where a maximum of only 30 was there on

October 11 (RE) while LJ had about 20 off the N.E.

coast ofLanglade the same day. 6 were off St. Pierre

on October 12 (LJ) and one on November 6 (PB).

Black Scoter: Unusually reported only for St.

Pierre: 43 off the west coast on October 12 (LJ) and

2 off the south-west coast on October 29 (PB).

Long-tailed Duck: The first migrants (2) were off

Miquelon harbour on October 22 (LJ). One was in St.

Pierre harbour on November 6 and 2 on November

17 (PB). No other report !

Common Goldeneye: About 20 were at Grand

Barachois on October 30 (RE). 6 were in St. Pierre

on November 6 (LJ) and about 110 at Grand

Barachois on November 26 (RE).

Red-breasted Merganser: Common, about as usual.

There was a maximum of about 100 at Grand

Barachois on October 30 and some off the east and

west coast ofMiquelon throughout the season. As

usual, very few were seen in St. Pierre.

Osprey: One was near Mirande lake on September

29 (RE), one was in St. Pierre on October 6 (PB) and

one near the village ofMiquelon around November

20. This is a record late for the island where the latest

fall observation dates back to October 21 , 2006.

Bald Eagle: One nest on a cliff of SW Langlade

seemed in good shape, with one adult present on

August 1 . One adult was near the east coast of

Langlade also on August 1 (RE).

Northern Harrier: Well reported, 1 6 times between

August 20 and November 26, one bird at a time,

mostly in St-Pierre. This is where most of the

observers are!

Sharp-shinned Hawk: 9 reports only, from

September 28 on (m. ob.). One individual at a time,

twice in Langlade, twice in Miquelon and 5 in St.

Pierre.

Northern Goshawk: Two in flight near the W. coast

ofLanglade on August 1 8 (NM) were probably the

ones nesting in that area. One was heard in cape

Miquelon on October 10 (RE). One was seen near

Mirande lake, and another one a few km to the north

on November 5 (RE). One was in St. Pierre on

November 16 (JD).

RED-TAILED HAWK: One bird was seen and

photographed (from above and below) in Cape

Miquelon by FD on November 19 :

http://www.spmaviavis.com/discus/messages/1 5/575

4.html?1 386029744. This is a new species for us !

Rough-legged Hawk: Two were on the S. part of

Miquelon on November 16 (FD). One was in St.

Pierre on November 23 (PHA/JD).

American Kestrel: One report only, on bird in St.

Pierre on September 18 (LJ).

Merlin: 5 reports only, one bird at a time, between

September 8 and October 12, in Miquelon, St. Pierre

and the Isthmus. On the low side, reflecting the

dwindling ofmany passerine species.

Peregrine Falcon: A fairly early one was in St.

Pierre on August 1 5 (PB). 7 other reports between

October 6 and the end of the period, one bird at a

time, all in St. Pierre except one at Langlade on

October 26 (LJ).

Sora: Although a suspected breeder on the Isthmus,

the nesting was confirmed this year, and for St.

Pierre: The adults, present since June 6, and two

young, aged a few days, were first seen in St. Pierre

on August 1 (LJ) and subsequently with 3 young, up

to August 22 (PHA). One bird was seen about I km

from this nesting site on September 18 (LJ).

American Coot: Rare this fall, one bird only was

seen in St. Pierre on November 4 (LJ).

Black-bellied Plover: Fairly common, about as usual

and unfortunately not reported for the isthmus where

it was certainly present in numbers. About 100 birds

were near the village ofMiquelon on August 1 3 and

about 1 50 on August 19. Three or 4 were near the

village on October 1 3, then none until the last one

seen there on November 5 (RE).

American Golden Plover: Certainly underreported !

1 2 were in St. Pierre on September 22 and 4 on

September 28 (JD). 4 were also in St. Pierre on

October 9 (LJ). One only was near the village of

Miquelon on October 1 3 (RE).

Semipalmated Plover: Fairly common, about as

usual, arriving in mid-summer (RE/PHA/PB). Last

seen, one in St. Pierre on November 9 (PB).

Killdeer: One bird was in St. Pierre on September 14

(PB).

Greater Yellowlegs: Fairly common throughout

most of the season, seen in usual sites regularly, no

concentration reported, possibly for lack of

observations. Last seen, one in St. Pierre on

November 3 and Nov. 7. (LJ/PB).

Lesser Yellowlegs: The first ones arrived in early

July. Four were on the NW corner ofGrand

Barachois on August one (RE). 7 or 8 birds were in

St. Pierre on August 11 (PB). Few other sightings,

none reported after August 1 3 where 2 were near the

village ofMiquelon (RE).

Solitary Sandpiper: All reports for St. Pierre: One

on August 25 (LJ); one on September 14, 1 5 and 19

(LJ).

Spotted Sandpiper: One report only, one bird in St.

Pierre on September 12 (LJ).

Whimbrel: About 90 birds were near the village of

Miquelon on August 3 (RE). 26 were in St. Pierre on

August 20 (PB). The last two reports are for St.

Pierre: 2 birds on September 16 and one on October

9 (LJ).

Hudsonian Godwit: This uncommon species is

usually reported for Miquelon and the Isthmus. There

was no reports for St. Pierre until LJ found one in St.

Pierre on September 19. 6 other reports, all for the

Isthmus for a maximum to 8 individuals

photographed by Ph. Lahiton on October 20.

Ruddy Turnstone: The first ones arrived in late July.

A few here and there in August for a maximum of

about 50 birds near the village ofMiquelon on

August 7 and only about 20 the next day (RE). 30

birds were in St. Pierre on August 16 and only 10 on

Aug. 21 (PHA). None reported later than August,

probably for lack of observation.

Red Knot: 1 2 were on the W. shore ofGrand

Barachois on November 22 (LJ) and 20 on

November 26 (RE).

Sanderling: The first one was reported for St. Pierre

on August 14 (PB). 3 or 4 were on the W. shore of

Grand Barachois on October 5 (RE) and 2, same area

on November 24 (LJ).

Semipalmated Sandpiper: A few here and there

between August 1 and August 31 (PB/PHA/RE).

Least Sandpiper: One was in St. Pierre on August 4

(PB), a few on the shore of the salt pond near the

village ofMiquelon on August 7 and 2 on August 1 3

(RE). 5 were in St. Pierre on August 21 (PHA).

White-rumped Sandpiper: This is the only species

fairly well reported from August 1 to November 28

in fairly good numbers, in Miquelon, St. Pierre and

the Isthmus (PB/RE/JD/LJ).

Pectoral Sandpiper: One bird was on the Isthmus

on September 25 (LJ); 5 in St. Pierre on October 8

(LJ) and 13 (PB) and two only on October 14 (PHA).

Purple Sandpiper: The first birds (6) were seen in

St. Pierre by JD on November 1 while the average

Winter 2014 27

28 The Osprey

arriving date is November 17. About 20 were, also in

St. Pierre, on November 6 (PB) and 6 on November

28 (JD).

Dunlin: 6 were at Grand Barachois on September 6

(LJ) while the average arriving date is Sept. 1 8. One

was on the S. part of the Isthmus on September 20

(PB). Then seen regularly although certainly

underreported. There was a maximum of 53 birds at

Grand Barachois on October 22 (LJ), one of them

was wearing a band.

Stilt Sandpiper: One bird was in St. Pierre on

August 25 (PHA/PB).

Short-billed Dowitcher: The first ones arrived in

early July this year ! One was in St. Pierre on August

4 and 2 on August 31 (PB). Three were near the

village ofMiquelon on August 31 and 29 at Grand

Barachois on September 6 (LJ).

Wilson’s Snipe: A few here and there, about as usual

(m. ob.). None reported in November.

Red-necked Phalarope: Reported as quite common

at sea, south of St. Pierre in August; one only was

seen there on September 25 (JD). One was near the

SW coast of St. Pierre on October 7 and 8 (LJ).

About 30 were at sea S. of St. Pierre on October 11

(JD). One bird was near the east coast ofMiquelon

on October 27 (LJ).

Red Phalarope: Reported as quite common by JD, at

sea, south of St. Pierre in August. Ten birds were near

Colombier island on September 19 (JD).

Great Skua: One bird was at south of St. Pierre on

October 1 (JD/RE).

Pomarine Jaeger: 3 birds were south of St. Pierre on

October 1 (JD).

Black-headed Gull: Apparently few birds were

present this fall: One was off the N.E. coast of

Langlade on October 11 (JD). One was in St. Pierre

on October 19 and 26 (JD/PB).

Bonaparte’s Gull: One juvenile was in St. Pierre

from August 30 to September 1 (PB).

Ring-billed Gull: Common, about a usual although

not reported except one juvenile in St. Pierre on

October 28 (PB).

Herring Gull: There was an unusual high number of

7 to 800 birds on the salt pond near the village of

Miquelon on October 16 (RE).

Iceland Gull: Two early immature were present near

the village ofMiquelon on October 16 while the next

ones, adults and immature, were on the NW coast of

Cape Miquelon on November 5 (RE). A few adults

and immature were about 20 miles south of St. Pierre

on November 10 (RE).

Caspian Tern: Three birds were in St. Pierre on

August 14, and one only on August 1 8 (PB).

Common Tern: About 1 5 were north ofColombier

island on September 19 (JD).

Arctic Tern: Same as above (JD).

Dovekie: The first migrants were seen the same day

in Miquelon with about a dozen off the east coast of

Miquelon (RE) and in St. Pierre with more than 100

north ofColombier island (JD).

Common Murre: More than 20 were N.E. of St.

Pierre on October 11 (JD) and about a dozen on

November 10, south of St. Pierre (JD).

Thick-billed Murre: About a dozen were south of

St. Pierre on November 10 (JD).

Razorbill: About a dozen were south of St. Pierre on

November 10 (JD).

Black Guillemot: On a cruise around the coast of

Langlade on August 1 I found them quite numerous

with several of them carrying food (RE).

Atlantic Puffin: No data for Colombier island where

it is nesting as usual and is quite common. Some

birds were reported at sea, south of St. Pierre and

between Miquelon and Fortune from September 25

to November 10 where more than 100 where south of

St. Pierre (JD).

Mourning Dove: Seems rather scarce, one was in St.

Pierre on October 20 (JD) while one was near

Miquelon’s N.E. coast on October 26 (RE). 4 were at

FD’s feeder in Miquelon on November 22.

Snowy Owl: The first bird was seen and

photographed near Mirande lake on November 16

(FD). A good year for the species, seen in St. Pierre,

Miquelon and the Isthmus. There were probably

about 10 birds or more pn our island at the end of the

period (m. ob.).

Short-eared Owl: One bird was near the summit of

St. Pierre on August 11 (JD) and one in the same

general area on August 17 (LJ). Two were, again in

the same general area, on November 23 (JD).

Ruby-throated Hummingbird: One female was

visiting MJB’s feeder regularly, several times a day,

between September 9 and 21 at Langlade.

Belted Kingfisher: 7 reports, one to two birds at a

time, were seen in St. Pierre between August 24 and

October 29 (PB/PHA/LJ). I had one bird in

Hermitage harbour (S. NFLD) on August 14 (RE).

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker: One was at Langlade on

September 26 (LJ) and 1 in St. Pierre on October 22

(JD).

Northern Flicker: Two birds then a group of 4 (a

family ?) were seen at Langlade on August 3 (NM).

One to two birds were reported between Aug. 1 8 and

Nov.23 (m. ob.). 4 were S. Langlade on October 12

(PHA).

Eastern Wood-Pewee: Rather uncommon in fall,

one bird was in St. Pierre on September 16 (LJ).

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher: Two birds were reported

at Langlade on August 16 and 18 (NM).

Eastern Kingbird: One bird was in St. Pierre on

September 6 (PB) and one also in St. Pierre on

September 17 (NM). The species has been seen here

in fall only 13 times in a 40 year period.

Northern Shrike: One bird was in St. Pierre on

November 14 (LJ) and 23 (PHA).

Blue-headed Vireo: One was in St. Pierre on

October 20 (NM).

Philadelphia Vireo: One was at Langlade on

September 8 (LJ) and one in St. Pierre on September

25 (PB).

Red-eyed Vireo: One was in southern Miquelon on

September 7 (LJ). 4 other birds were seen in St.

Pierre between September 7 and October 27 (PB/JD).

Blue Jay: Fairly common and well reported

throughout the season (m. ob.), few birds at a time

except 1 3 in St. Pierre on September 27 (PB). 4 were

near the N.E. coast ofMiquelon on September 28

(RE). Several birds were reported in the village of

Miquelon and vicinity in November (m. ob.). From

my notes I find that the species is fairly common and

regular in our islands since 1998.

Horned Lark: They were fairly numerous during the

fall migration between October 1 3 and November 26

(RE/PB/JCH).

Bank Swallow: Two birds were near the village of

Miquelon on August (RE) and 2 in N.E. St. Pierre on

September 22 (LJ).

Cliff Swallow: One bird was in St. Pierre on

September 16 (PB); 3 in the village ofMiquelon on

September 29 (RE) and 2, near the village on

October 24 (LJ).

Boreal Chickadee: Fairly common, about as usual

(m. ob.).

Brown Creeper: One was in St. Pierre on October 7

(PB).

Winter Wren: 3 birds, one singing, were on N.E.

Langlade on August 7 and one, also singing on W.

Langlade on August 1 8 (NM). One was seen in St.

Pierre on September 7 and 30 (PB). Somewhat

surprising, one at Ghislain Detcheverry’s feeder on

November 14 in the village ofMiquelon.

Golden-crowned Kinglet: Fairly common, reported

mostly for St. Pierre and a couple of times in

Langlade between August 2 and October 22 (m. ob.).

Ruby-crowned Kinglet: One bird was singing in the

woods near Mirande lake on September 16 (RE). IT

appeared more common during the fall migration

between September 29 and October 22 (PB/RE/JD).

Northern Wheatear: One bird was seen near the

town of St. Pierre on October 9.

Hermit Thrush: The only thrush reported this fall,

between August 16 and October 1 3 in the three

islands, usually one bird at a time except 4 at

Langlade on August 1 8 (NM) and 4 or 5 in St. Pierre

on September 1 3. Last seen one in St. Pierre on

October 1 3 (JD).

American Robin: Common, about as usual. They

were fairly numerous in the woods ofN.E. Miquelon

on October 11 while PB had between 200 and 250 in

N.E. St. Pierre the same day. Several dozens were on

the east coast ofMiquelon on October 27 (LJ). About

30 were on N.E. St. Pierre on November 30 (LJ).

Gray Catbird: One bird was on PHA’s property in

St. Pierre throughout the month ofAugust, to mid-

September, seen by (PB) who lives nearby only on

September 11 (PB). One was also in St. Pierre in the

Winter 2014 29

same general area on November 4 (LJ).

American Pipit: Reported nine times between

September 22 and November 8 in St. Pierre and in

Miquelon. About 30 birds were in St. Pierre on

September 22 (JD) and about 1 5, also in St. Pierre on

October 10 (PB). A few were near the village of

Miquelon on October 20 (RE).

Bohemian Waxwing: 2 birds were on W. Langlade

on October 26 (LJ).

Cedar Waxwing: 1 3 reports between August 2 and

November 14, mostly in St. Pierre for about 20 on

September 30 and October 6 (JD). 1 7 were also seen

in St. Pierre by NM on September 17. One bird was

at Langlade E. on August 16 (NM) and 9 on W.

Langlade on October 26 (LJ).

Northern Parula: One was in St. Pierre on

September 10 (PB) and Sept. 1 6 (LJ).

Yellow Warbler: Fairly common but certainly

underreported, 7 reports only from August 2 to

September 1 3 (NM/PHA/PB/LJ).

Magnolia Warbler: One was in St. Pierre on

September 7 (PB) and Sept. 1 8 (JD).

Yellowrumped Warbler: A few juveniles seen in St.

Pierre in early August (PB). suggest some breeding

activity this summer for a species which an

uncommon nester in the islands. Well reported

throughout the season and up to November 16 in

variable numbers (m. ob.), so far from the numbers

we had in the past !

Black-throated Green Warbler: Reported 7 times

between September 7 and October 11 (PB/JD). One

to two birds at a time, all for St. Pierre.

Blackburnian Warbler: One bird was in St. Pierre

on September 8 (PHA/PB).

Palm Warbler: About 20 were in St. Pierre on

September 8 (JD) while I had 2 to 3 birds near

Mirande lake on September 21 . 5 other reports to

October 25, few birds at a time (PB/RE).

Bay-breasted Warbler: One male was in St. Pierre

on September 25 (NM) one, also a male, was there

on October 6 (LJ). Another individual was reported

for the same day in a different area (LJ).

Blackpoll Warbler: They were termed “numerous”

in St. Pierre by PB on September 7. About ten were

there on September 18 (JD). Then, few reports, few

birds at a time to October 25 (m. ob.).

Black and White Warbler: Reported 9 times

between August 2 and October 11 (NM/PB/JD), few

birds at a time except at least 7 or 8 in St. Pierre on

September 10 (PB) and on September 18 (JD).

American Redstart: 5 reports only between

September 7 and October 26, one to two birds at a

time, in St. Pierre, Langlade and Miquelon.

Ovenbird: One bird that hit PHA’s window on

October 5 in St. Pierre did not survie.

Northern Waterthrush: Reported 12 times between

August 2 and September 16 (m. ob.), few birds at a

time for this early migrant.

Mourning Warbler: 2 females were in E. Langlade

on August 16 and 2 on W. Langlade on August 1 8

(NM).

Common Yellowthroat: Reported 12 times between

August 26 and November 4, few birds at a time (m.

ob.) in the three islands.

Wilson’s Warbler: 5 reports only, in Langlade and

St. Pierre, few birds at a time between August 16 and

October 6 (NM/PB/LJ).

Scarlet Tanager: One bird was in St. Pierre on

October 11 (PB).

American Tree Sparrow: One bird was near the

N.E. coast ofMiquelon on November 23 (LJ).

Chipping Sparrow: One bird was on S. Miquelon

on September 7 (LJ) and one in St. Pierre on

September 8 (PHA). One was on N.W. Langlade on

September 29 (PHA).

Clay-colored Sparrow: One bird was in St. Pierre

on September 17.

Field Sparrow: One bird was seen and photographed

in St. Pierre on November 15 and seen again on

November 30 (JD). This is only the fourth record for

our islands, seen in 1984, 1 989 and 1995.

Savannah Sparrow: Common, about as usual (m.

ob), often seen in small flocks along the roads. Last

seen one in E. Miquelon on November 23 (LJ)

Fox Sparrow: Common and well reported

throughout the season (m. ob.). A few were still

singing near Mirande lake on October 11 . Last seen

30 The Osprey

Song Sparrow: Reported only for St. Pierre, few

birds at a time, between September 7 and November

17 (NM/PHA/PH/PA).

Swamp Sparrow: Fairly common and very well

reported throughout the season (m. ob.). Last seen 2

in St. Pierre on November 4 (LJ).

White-throated Sparrow: Well reported and up to

November 4 (m. ob.), few birds at a time except

more than 50 in St. Pierre on September 18 (JD).

White-crowned Sparrow: One bird was in St. Pierre

on October 16 and November 4 (LJ).

Dark-eyed Junco: Fairly common, about as usual,

reported only for St. Pierre and mostly around

feeders (m. ob.).

Lapland Longspur: 9 birds were N. of the town of

St. Pierre on October 9 (LJ) and 3 in southern. St.

Pierre on November 25 (JD).

Snow Bunting: 2 birds were in St. Pierre on October

20 (JD) and 3 the next day (PB). They were 3 days

later than average. Seen regularly in fairly good

numbers from October 30 to the end of the period

(JCH/JD/PHA).

Rose-breasted Grosbeak: One young male was in

St. Pierre on September 10 (PB) one day earlier than

the previous fall record dating back to 1983. Sexes

were not mentioned for the 3 others sightings, all in

St. Pierre: one on September 12 (NM); one at JD’s

feeder on October 10 and 11 .

Indigo Bunting: 2 birds were near PHA’s feeder on

October 9.

Dickcissel: One was at PHA’s feeder between August

28 and 31 . One was seen, in the field, in W. St. Pierre

on November 16 (LJ).

Red-winged Blackbird: One immature was in W.

Langlade on October 26 (LJ) and one bird at PHA’s

feeder on November 30.

Common Grackle: About 1 5 birds were present in

St. Pierre between September 1 3 and November 3

(PB/PHA/LJ). There was a maximum of 25 to 30

birds at PB’s feeder on October 22. About 15 birds

were in the village ofMiquelon on October 19.

Baltimore Oriole: One bird was in St. Pierre on

September 9 (JD). One, also in St. Pierre was present

between October 6 and 13 (JD/PHA). One was in

PA’s garden on November 17.

Pine Grosbeak: One female was seen with 2 young

at Langlade on August 12 (NM). 6 other sightings,

few birds at a time, in Langlade but mostly in

Miquelon, few individuals at a time, to the end of the

period (NM/RE/JD).

Purple Finch: One bird only was seen once in St.

Pierre on November 3 (JD).

American Goldfinch: This now resident was

reported in rather low numbers at various feeders

throughout the season (NM/PHA/JD).

Contributors: Pascal Asselin (PA); Patrick Boez

(PB); Michel Borotra (MJB); Joël Detcheverry (JD);

Frédéric Disnard (FD); Patrick Hacala (PHA); Jacky

and Christine Hébert (JCH); Laurent Jackman (LJ);

Nathalie Michel (NM).

Miquelon, December 29, 2013

Winter 2014 31

32 The Osprey

The title above refers only to the weather for the

day, of course.

On Saturday, February 22, 2014, the forecast

called for snow, then ice-pellets, followed by

freezing rain, topped off with rain, and a replay, back

through the repertoire. Despite that forecast, five

intrepid naturalists, attired appropriately—is that

possible for such a day?-- donned

snowshoes and headed toward Winsor

Lake from Old Broad Cove Road.

Actually at 10:00 am when we left our

cars, it was quite a nice morning, about

-6°C, heavily overcast with light winds,

exactly what the forecast had called for.

The weather smorgasbord was forecast

to start about noon but started an hour

early!

As we left the road, we met a couple walking a

pair of Golden Retrievers. They reported the start of

the trail was hard packed by snow mobiles but we

planned to leave the packed trails for un-trodden

paths in the deep snow. There the snow had a

somewhat crusty, icy surface dusted with a layer of

fresh snow; excellent for finding animal tracks. We

hoped to identify animals by their tracks, and plants,

principally shrubs and deciduous trees, by their

swelling buds. A short distance in, we identified

snowmo-bilious garbagious by his scat, 8-10 beer

cans, a dozen beer bottles and assorted snack food

bags, all empty and scattered. While not really wild

animals, they certainly showed little sign of

domestication. We gathered the garbage on our way

in but your author must confess he forgot to pick it

up on the way out. By then the fast falling new snow

had buried the litter; out of sight, out of

mind unfortunately for all of us.

Despite the disgusting start, we

soon encountered numerous rabbit

(snowshoe hare, Lepus americanus) and

red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus)

tracks. The tracks of these introduced,

and therefore exotic animals, look

surprisingly alike, except for their size

of course. For both, the prints of the front feet of the

running animal are behind the prints of the back feet.

Of course, squirrel tracks commonly start or end at a

tree while hares rarely climb trees!

Soon, we started seeing what we concluded were

coyote (Canis latrans) tracks along narrow, heavily

overgrown old trails. These prints were generally in

close proximity to hare tracks. Coyotes, like foxes

and many other predators, “register”, that is, place

their rear paw in the foot print of their front, an

adaptation facilitating quiet stalking of game as they

Nature in the Raw!

By Allan SteinDirector, Nature Newfoundland andLabrador

Coyote and snowshoe hare tracks through the snow.

"The tracks oftheseintroduced, andtherefore exoticanimals, look

surprisingly alike,except for their size

ofcourse. "

Winter 2014 33

can see where they place their front paw

and then place their back paw in the same

quiet spot. Their trail is thus a nearly

linear, single line, unlike a dog’s double

line with the rear prints offset from the

front.

We saw no signs of successful

predation. From its prints, though, one of

the coyotes appeared to have an injured

right rear leg or foot as it left dragging

prints in the snow. Unfortunately, light

conditions were awful for photography.

The heavy overcast and very fine

particulate material in the air meant the

light was very “flat”. My photographs

were grey on off-white to white with no

contrast! Pity too because we also found

some very clear prints of both hare and

squirrel, so distinct that prints in the thin layer of

falling snow, showed every toe and even claws.

Hare scat and trampled snow helped us locate

where those animals had been feeding on deciduous

shrubs. Some de-barked stems were well above the

current snow level so clearly drifts had been perhaps

40 cm higher earlier in the winter. Several dog berry,

i.e. , mountain ash, trees had suffered browsing by

hares but also by moose. An obvious way to

distinguish between hare and moose browsing is the

height above the ground but that can be misleading.

Snowshoe hares can walk on deep snow and drifts so

their browsing may be well above ground level,

perhaps at normal moose level. Moose feed by

wrapping their tongue around a twig or small branch,

tearing it from the tree and leaving a jagged, broken

stub. Hares, being rodents, have sharp, “pruning”

incisors and leave smooth cut ends on twig and

branch. Where they feed, hares leave “buttons”

about the size of milk chocolate coated raisins

whereas “buttons” of moose would be large

chocolate coated almonds! While we saw tracks and

browsing signs of numerous hares, the only sign of

moose was their browsing on dog berry trees and

wild raisin shrubs.

By 10:45, it was snowing quite seriously, tracks

were being obliterated. We did a loop, via Winsor

Lake on narrow trails with undisturbed, deep snow,

and were soon back on the main trail and at our cars.

We had an enjoyable hike, saw loads of hare, coyote

and squirrel tracks, and possibly a shrew track. The

only sign of birds were a few black capped

chickadees chirping in the woods as the snow

increased in intensity. We saw no sign of fox,

ptarmigan, grouse, or other birds, perhaps in part

because they were aware that the weather was going

to deteriorate and took cover early.

Still, all in all, a good mid-winter outing!

Intrepid naturalists, attired appropriately.

NATURE NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADORMEMBERSHIP FORM

Welcome to Nature NL! Our members give nature a voice in the province, and working together,

we can make that voice stronger. Memberships run for a calendar year (Jan-Dec) and include

four issues of The Osprey. You wil l be notified, by e-mail , when each issue (in pdf format) is

available on our website (http: //www.naturenl.ca). For an additional fee, you may receive a hard

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can be brought to our monthly meetings, or mailed to:

Mail to: PO Box 1 01 3, St. John’s, NL, A1C 5M3

For more information visit: http: //www.naturenl.ca

34 The Osprey

Citizen Science Programsin Newfoundland and Labrador

Winter 2014 35

Newfoundland and Labrador Nocturnal Owl Survey

Calling all Owlers! Bird Studies Canada would like to coordinate a

volunteer Nocturnal Owl Survey

(http://www.birdscanada.org/volunteer/natowls/) in Newfoundland and

Labrador this spring (April/May 2014). First we need to know if you

have a favorite route that you already do, and if you would be interested

in adapting your owl survey and sending in your owl observation data

online. We will also recommend routes for new owl enthusiasts. In an

attempt to match survey efforts in other provinces, we can recommend a

survey protocol and would like to involve as many people as possible, to

spread out survey routes across the province. Your help will be greatly

appreciated! Please contact Laura McFarlane Tranquilla (Atlantic

Canada Program Manager) at ltranquilla@birdscanada.org.

Citizen scientists are people that contribute to local observations to help researchers monitor the

environment. Citizen scientists make a difference locally and nationally with their sightings of plants,

wildlife and more. There are many opportunities to be part of environmental projects throughout

Newfoundland and Labrador. A few ongoing projects are listed below:

NL Nature

NLNature (www.nlnature.com) is an online atlas of wildlife in

Newfoundland and Labrador based on observations by residents and

tourists. We welcome any sighting of plants, animals, and other things

(e.g., interesting rocks, landmarks) in Newfoundland and Labrador. The

sightings data is used to monitor local wildlife, inform conservation

policy, protect endangered species, educate students & public about local

natural history as well as to develop innovative approaches to

information modeling, information management and information

systems development. To contribute to the atlas, visit

www.nlnature.com.

PlantWatch

PlantWatch is part of the national NatureWatch series of volunteer

monitoring programs designed to help identify ecological changes that

may be affecting our environment. The goal is to encourage Canadians

of all ages to get involved in helping scientists discover how, and more

importantly why, our natural environment is changing.

The PlantWatch program enables "citizen scientists" to get involved

by recording flowering times for selected plant species and reporting

these dates to researchers through the Internet or by mail. When you

submit your data electronically, it's added instantly to Web maps

showing bloom dates across Canada, so your observations make a

difference right away! Contact Madonna Bishop (MUN Botanical

Gardens) for more information mbishop@mun.ca.