NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADORPublication Mail Registration # 8302 ISSN 0710-4847

March 2007Volume 38, No.1

THE

OSPREY__________________________________NATURE JOURNAL OFNEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR

THE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADORP.O. Box 1013, St. John’s, NL A1C 5M3

Editorial Policy:

All members are encouraged to contribute articles and materials in accordance with the society’s mandate for publication in “The Osprey”

Articles should be submitted via 3.5” High-density IBM-formatted fl oppy disks or Compact Disk. Computer users should prepare articles in Word Perfect or MS Word or text fi le. Font, margins, and spacing can be adjusted by the editor. The editor reserves the right to re-format any materials received. Please note that all material will be reviewed by the editorial staff and only those deemed appropriate will be published.

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Cover Artwork: Razorbill (Alca torda Razorbill (Alca torda Razorbill ( ) – fl ighted surviving cousin of the Great Auk (photo: Bill Montevecchi)

Natural History Society Executive (Mar. 2005 - 2006). Website: www.nhs.nf.ca e-mail: nhs@nhs.nf.canhs@nhs.nf.ca

HOME WORK WORK WORK FAXPast/Act.President - Rita Anderson rita@play.psych.mun.carita@play.psych.mun.ca 895-2564 737-8771 737-2430Vice President - John Jacobs jjacobs@mun.cajjacobs@mun.ca 738-3147 737-8194 737-3119Secretary- Don Steele dsteele@mun.cadsteele@mun.ca 754-0455 737-7520 737-3018Treasurer - Jackie Feltham jfeltham@roadrunner.nf.netjfeltham@roadrunner.nf.net 895-0477 895-7776Osprey Editor - Elizabeth Zedel ezedel@nf.sympatico.ca ezedel@nf.sympatico.ca 754-3321Humber Rep. - Lois Bateman lbateman@swgc.mun.calbateman@swgc.mun.caMembers at large (Special interest)Allan Stein - (OHV) arstein@mun.caarstein@mun.ca 895-2056 Marjorie Evans - (NLEN) marjjevans@nl.rogers.commarjjevans@nl.rogers.com 722-1925Andrea Proctor - (Avolon N Ex.) aproctor@qlf.orgaproctor@qlf.org 738-0594 753-7848 726-2764R. J. Gibson - (Fish-Indoor Prog.) rjgibson@nf.sympatico.carjgibson@nf.sympatico.ca 726-2498Carolyn Walsh - (Membership) cwalsh@play.psych.mun.cacwalsh@play.psych.mun.ca 745-5534 737-4738 737-2430Kim Bell - (Webmaster) kbell@mun.cakbell@mun.ca 726-3951Len Zedel zedel@physics.mun.cazedel@physics.mun.ca 754-3321 737-3106 737-8739Rick Ballard Rick Ballard Rick Ballard Rballard@nl.rogers.com 437-7517 724-8648

THE

OSPREYNATURE JOURNAL OFNEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR

March 2007 Volume 38, No. 1

CONTENTS

Editorial Note ivThe winter season (2007-2007) in Saint-Pierre and Miquelon islands 1

by Roger Etcheberry 2006 Leslie M. Tuck Avian Ecology Scholarship Award Essay1 5

by Jennifer L. LaversDiscussion of the Cumulative Mushroom Species Curve 8

by Andrus VoitkHabitat for Red Crossbill Criteria and Factors 11

by Lester ReesThe Wonderful Grand River Adventure 18

by Diana DabinettFall Hike in Butter Pot Provincial Park 20

Ed Hayden, Luise Hermanutz, and John JacobsBooks 23

by John JacobsTime & Tide 24Codroy Valley Birdathon 24

Editorial Note

Dear Society Members,

The winter of 2006-07 was something of a mixed blessing for Newfoundland and Labrador. Averaged over Canada, this winter tied with that of 1986-87 as the second warmest on record, just behind last winter, which was the warmest. Most of Labrador followed this pattern of warmth. However southern Labrador, the Gulf, and Newfoundland were about average in relation to the long-term records. That is, in this warming world, and following a warm fall, we stayed relatively cool*. Snow cover, though late in coming, brought unusually good conditions for getting out on snowshoes and skis to explore the winter landscape. It also brought a renewed call from a vocal minority to open the Avalon Wilderness Reserve to snowmobiles. Opposing voices and letters of protest from many quarters brought assurances from our Minister of Environment and Conservation that the exclusion of motorized vehicles would continue to be enforced.

…With all that warmth in the North, sea ice forecasts were for near- normal to light conditions in our waters. However, as we moved into March, persistent NE’ly winds brought rain, drizzle and fog to much of the Island, slowing what might have been an early start to the spring bird migration. The same winds drove the pack ice inshore and held it, along with several hundred small vessels just then setting out for the annual seal hunt. What had been a light ice season, with talk of an early start for the ferry run across the Strait of Bell Isle, became one of the most severe in recent years, at least locally. Nature always manages a few surprises.

This cover art for this Osprey – the Razorbill - is the subject of an award-wining essay by Jennifer Lavers that calls attention to the uncertain status of the largest Canadian population of this interesting seabird. Lester Rees offers interesting information and beautiful photos of Red Crossbills – best seen in the electronic version of The Osprey. Andrus Voitk continues his Mushroom Foray series with cumulative results showing the contribution of this pursuit of the sometimes edible and always interesting to our knowledge of the mushrooms of this province. Our contribution from Labrador this month is by Diana Dabinett, who many will know from her wonderful landscape paintings and installations. Her report of a canoe trip on the lower ‘Grand’ (or Churchill) River is likely to become a description of a vanished landscape, as plans move ahead for further hydroelectric development. We hope this article will stimulate others to comment on the natural history of the Grand River in future articles.

A report on a fall outing to Butter Pot Park is followed by a new (or perhaps renewed) feature of The Osprey, a section on recent (or old-favourite) books relevant to the natural history of our region. We invite all readers to contribute short reviews of this kind. Of course we continue to invite articles for upcoming issues, submitted according to the information on the inside cover.

John D. Jacobs, Vice President

*Environment Canada - www.msc-smc.ec.gc.ca/ccrm/bulletin/autumn06/national_e.cfm

1The winter season (2007-2007) in Saint-Pierre and Miquelon islands

by Roger Etcheberry March 24, 2007

December was quite acceptable, the fi rst fortnight of January as well. Real winter started around mid-January. Very few days were acceptable for outdoors activity to the end of the period. The CBC took place in Miquelon on December 17 and in St. Pierre on December 28. Data wont appear here as it is available on the Audubon website. We have participated for the fi rst time to the winter bird observation and tallied 96 species.

Red-throated Loon : One only, seen by BL off the east coast of Miquelon on January 6.Common Loon : No concentration noted, a few here and there off St-Pierre and off Miquelon throughout the season. There were 6 birds on the salt pond near the village of Miquelon from mid January to the end of the period (RE).Horned Grebe : Three observations, involving probably two birds. One off the east coast of Langlade on December 30 and January 5 (BL). One near the south coast of St. Pierre on January 8 (LJ).Red-necked Grebe : Where do these birds go when they are not around here ? Very few this year, maximum was 17 off St. Pierre on February 1 (BL) and about 10 on February 28 (RE/DL). Off Cape Miquelon where there were concentrations a few years ago, I had only 2 birds on January 6 and also 2 birds on February 14. Northern Fulmar :Northern Fulmar :Northern Fulmar Two were off the Isthmus on January 9 (LJ).Sooty ShearwaterSooty Shearwater : One bird seen off the east coast of Miquelon during the CBC (FD) was the fi rst winter report for this species.Manx Shearwater : One between Miquelon and St. Pierre on January 9 was a fi rst winter record (LJ).Northern Gannet : Two, south of St. Pierre on December 5 was the last sighting of the season (LJ).Double-crested Cormorant : Not much data, but a few birds were present throughout the season.Great Cormorant : About as usual, 35 birds were on an usual rock on the coast of Cape Miquelon on January 6 (RE). On report for St. Pierre : 2 drying their wings on a wharf in St. Pierre harbour on February 4 (PA).Great blue Heron : One was last seen in St. Pierre on December 6 (SA).Canada Goose : 22 were on Grand Barachois on December 15 and 17 (RE/PB/DL).Eurasian WigeonEurasian Wigeon : On male was with several other species including domestic fowl on a pond of St. Pierre throughout the season (m. ob.).American WigeonAmerican Wigeon : One male was present with the above throughout December. Last seen Jan. 1 (PB).American Black duck : We had a record high of 863 ducks at Grand Barachois on December 15 and 17 (RE/PB). 805 were counted by LJ on January 10. Grand Barachois was frozen more than 80% around the end of January. Then about 150 birds moved to the salt pond near the village of Miquelon, to fi nd it frozen about 90%. About 450 birds were counted at Grand Barachois on February 11 (BL). During these extreme conditions a few birds died or were captured by Bald eagles. Mallard : Two males were at Grand Barachois on December 17 (RE/PB/DL). One male was with the blacks near the village of Miquelon up to February 14 (RE). It was reported dead on February 19 (Michel Gaspard). One female was in St. Pierre throughout the season with the other species, see above, (m. ob.).Blue-winged TealBlue-winged Teal : One male was present in St. Pierre throughout the season (m. ob.).Northern Shoveler : One female was reported in St. Pierre on December 6 and 10 (PB/PA).Northern Pintail : One female was reported in St. Pierre throughout the season (m. ob.).

2Green-winged TealGreen-winged Teal : Three were near the east coast of Miquelon on December 17 (PHA/LJ). One to two birds were in St. Pierre to the end of the period (m. ob.).Greater ScaupGreater Scaup : About 80 birds were present around Miquelon up to mid February and about 100 to the end of the period (RE/BL/LJ).Lesser ScaupLesser Scaup : One male was in St. Pierre throughout the season (PB/PA).King EiderKing Eider : A rare sight these days ! 2 birds were seen of the west coast of St. Pierre on January 29 (BL).Common Eider : Common as usual and well reported (m. ob.). There was a maximum of 3500 birds, south of St. Pierre on December 5 and between 4 and 5 thousands on December 18 (BL) and a maximum of about 4400 birds around St. Pierre on February 14 (LJ). There were about 1400 off Miquelon harbour on February 11 (BL).Harlequin DuckHarlequin Duck : Seen only in St. Pierre throughout the season (m. ob.) There was a maximum of at least 44 birds there on December 19 (PB) and a record high of 53, same area, on February 28 (LJ). Surf Scoter : Three or four birds were with the white-wings off Mirande Lake on December 15 (RE). About 50 were also with the white-wings on December 17 off the east coast of the Isthmus (RE/DL). A lone bird was in St. Pierre on January 20 and 21 (PB).White-winged ScoterWhite-winged Scoter : There was a maximum of about 750 birds of the east coast of the Isthmus in mid December (RE/PB/DL). One bird was in St. Pierre on December 3 (FPA). Black Scoter : About 30 birds were with the two other species on December 17 (RE/DL).Long-tailed DuckLong-tailed Duck : Seems on the low side for a few years now ! There were a maximum of about 300 off Long-tailed Duck : Seems on the low side for a few years now ! There were a maximum of about 300 off Long-tailed Duckthe south-west coast of St. Pierre on January 14 and about 200 on January 23 (BL). There were about 75 off the west coast of Miquelon and Langlade on February 28 (BL).Buffl ehead : One male at Grand Barachois was seen on December 8 and 23 and on January 9 and 14 (LJ). One female was on the salt pond near the village of Miquelon on February 4, 10 and 14 (LJ/BL/RE).Common GoldeneyeCommon Goldeneye : Common as usual throughout the season mostly at Grand Barachois (RE/PB/LJ). There was a maximum of possibly more than 150 on February 11 (RE).BARROW’S GOLDENEYE : Although it may appear unbelievable this is a new species for us ! … Goldeneyes are rather wary around here and rarely allow close observation. LJ was lucky enough to observe one male at Grand Barachois on December 8, January 9 and 14. Red-breasted MerganserRed-breasted Merganser : Common, about as usual, around the coasts, at Grand Barachois and near the village of Miquelon (m. ob.).Bald EagleBald Eagle : Several birds present, about as usual. There were 4 immature and 3 adults on the Isthmus on February 1 (LJ). 3 adults and one immature was near the south-west coast of Langlade on February 28 (BL).Sharp-shinned HawkSharp-shinned Hawk : One bird was in Miquelon in December, seen on December 11, 15 and 17 (RE/PB/Sharp-shinned Hawk : One bird was in Miquelon in December, seen on December 11, 15 and 17 (RE/PB/Sharp-shinned HawkPA). and one in St-Pierre seen sporadically between December 21 and February 11 (PB/DG/PHA/SA).Northern Goshawk : One at Langlade on January 7 (BL) and 13 (LJ).Northern Goshawk : One at Langlade on January 7 (BL) and 13 (LJ).Northern GoshawkAmerican Kestrel : A possible one in St. Pierre on Jan. 20.PB was not entirely satisfi ed with his observation.Merlin : One seen a few times in St. Pierre throughout the season (PHA/FPA/JB).Peregrine FalconPeregrine Falcon : One seen in St. Pierre sporadically between December 20 and February 23 (LJ/BL/PB). One was seen in Miquelon on January 12 (LJ).American Coot : There were a maximum of 5 birds in St. Pierre on December 15 (PA) and three up to the end of the year (PB). Two were still there at the end of the period (m. ob.).Black-bellied Plover : One at Grand Barachois on Dec. 26 (RE) was unfortunately not seen during the CBC.Ruddy TurnstoneRuddy Turnstone : One was on the north-west coast of Langlade on December 17 (PB/Denis Moulin).

3Red Knot : 30 birds were at Grand Barachois on December 8 (LJ). 21 to 23 birds were seen there a few times between December 17 and February 4 (RE/LJ/DL) while 25 were on the north-eastern corner of the isthmus on January 12 (LJ). Were there two groups ?. Ten were near the village of Miquelon between Feb. 7 and 11 (RE).SanderlingSanderling : Three were on the east coast of Miquelon on December 17 (LJ/PHA) while 7 and 8 were at Grand Barachois on January 12 (LJ) and February 11 (RE) respectively.Purple SandpiperPurple Sandpiper : Fairly common and well reported throughout the season. We had a record high of 118 during the Miquelon CBC and 71 in St. Pierre on December 28. Present on the shores of the salt pond near the village of Miquelon between February 7 and 28 for a maximum of 80 birds on February 10 (RE/LJ).Dunlin : None were reported earlier. 3 birds were with the Sanderlings at Grand Barachois on Feb. 11 (RE).Black-headed Gull : Seems on the low side, none reported for Miquelon. There were 11 in St. Pierre during the CBC, and only a few throughout the season.Bonaparte’s GullBonaparte’s Gull : One in St. Pierre around mid January (SA) was photographed by PA on February 9.Ring-billed GullRing-billed Gull : None reported from Miquelon. A few were present throughout the winter in St. Pierre for a maximum of 4 birds, adults and immature, on January 22 and 31 (PB).Iceland Gull : Common in St. Pierre harbour as usual in winter. Less common but bout as usual along the coasts of Miquelon throughout the season.Lesser black-backed Gull : A fi rst winter immature was in St. Pierre as reported by PA on January 31 and February 8.Glaucous Gull : Four were in Miquelon on December 17. There was a maximum of two birds in St. Pierre on January 3 (PB).Dovekie : The species was virtually absent throughout the season. None during the CBC in Miquelon and 4 only in St. Pierre and only 5 other reports of very few birds at a time.Common Murre : One only was seen during the CBC in Miquelon. One was photographed in Miquelon harbour on January 14 (RE).Thick-billed Murre : One in St. Pierre harbour on January 31 and February 8 (PA). This paucity of records indicates that observers do not go at sea enough during the winter !Black Guillemot : About as usual, 29 in Miquelon on December 17 on a rather windy day ! and 66 in St. Pierre on December 28.Mourning DoveMourning Dove : Five birds were on the Isthmus on December 15 (RE/PB) and 3 only two days later ! There were a maximum of 9 birds at SA’s feeder in St. Pierre and a maximum of 7 in Miquelon (FD).Snowy OwlSnowy Owl : Four observations only, all in St. Pierre, one bird at a time, on December 15 (BL), around January 15 and on February 16 and 24 (SA).Boreal Owl : One was reported by Claude Arrossamena to LJ on January 5 in St. Pierre.Northern Flicker : One was in St. Pierre between December 28 and the end of January and two at JB’s feeder throughout February. One was at SA’s feeder (probably the same bird) from February 7 to the end of the period. Northern Shrike : One on the east coast of Miquelon on December 17 (LJ/PHA), and one, same area on January 6 (BL).Blue JayBlue Jay : One at FPA’s feeder throughout the month of December and January was exceptionally absent during the CBC ! … 4 were at JB’s feeder throughout the month of February.Horned Lark : 16 were seen in Miquelon during the CBC ! Several other observations in Miquelon throughout the season, about as usual (LJ/RE). Black-capped ChickadeeBlack-capped Chickadee : One in St. Pierre on February 28 (PHA).Boreal Chickadee : Fairly common and well reported throughout the season (m. ob.).Red-breasted Nuthatch : Two only in Miquelon on December 17 (CBC) and one in St. Pierre on February 14 (PHA).

4Golden-crowned KingletGolden-crowned Kinglet : A few here and there throughout the season (m. ob.).Ruby-crowned KingletRuby-crowned Kinglet : One only at Langlade on December 7 (LJ).American Robin : Concentration was not expected this winter as the mountain-ash crop was almost non-existent ! Anyway, we had 21 reports throughout the season (m. ob.), very few birds at a time except about 15 in the town of St. Pierre on January 30 (fi de LJ).Northern MockingbirdNorthern Mockingbird : One in St. Pierre on January 26 is the single report (LJ).European StarlingEuropean Starling : A fl ock in St. Pierre photographed by PB on December 30 was counted and revealed about 550 birds ! It seems that it is a record high for our islands. American PipitAmerican Pipit : One only was in St. Pierre on December 28 and January 1 (SA).Cedar WaxwingCedar Waxwing : About ten birds in St. Pierre on December 29 (SA) were a count week species.Yellowrumped WarblerYellowrumped Warbler : One bird was in Miquelon on December 9 (LJ), and one at PHA’s feeder on December 28. Two were on the hills of St. Pierre on January 14 (PHA).Fox SparrowFox Sparrow : One in St. Pierre on December 29 and 31 and up to January 12 at the feeder (FPA). One several times at the feeder in January (JB). One at DG’s feeder between January 23 and February 10.Song SparrowSong Sparrow : A few here and there in St. Pierre throughout the season ! (m. ob.) White-throated SparrowWhite-throated Sparrow : Two at SA’s feeder throughout January and February. GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW : This is of course a new species for us. The bird arrived at SA’s feeder on December 3 and stayed there to the end of the season. It was photographed by SA and PB. Dark-eyed JuncoDark-eyed Junco : Common and well reported throughout the season, mostly in St. Pierre.Lapland LongspurLapland Longspur : One was on the Isthmus on December 17 (RE). LJ had a few birds in Miquelon on February 1 as follows : one near the east coast of Miquelon, one on the north-eastern corner of Langlade and 3 on north-western Langlade. 3 or 4 were near the village of Miquelon on February 21. Snow BuntingSnow Bunting : Common, about as usual, reported mostly in Miquelon and the Isthmus (m. ob.).Rose-breasted Grosbeak : One at JB’s feeder on December 28 was a fi rst for the CBC.Dickcissel : One at PB’s feeder in St. Pierre from December 2 to January 22 was not seen on CBC count day ! Common Grackle : Three at PB’s feeder in St. Pierre from December 28 to January 30. One at the same feeder from February 20 to 24. Pine Grosbeak : 4 reports only for a maximum of 4 birds at a time on December 30 and January 3 at Langlade (BL).Purple FinchPurple Finch : Reported at feeders and only in St. Pierre, mostly 1 to 3 birds at a time between December 28 and February 28 (m. ob.).Pine Siskin : One only in St. Pierre on December 28.American Goldfi nch : A few here and there as usual ! They were incredibly rare in St. Pierre during the CBC ! There was a maximum of 48 at PB’s feeder on December 19.Contributors : Frédéric & Patricia Allen-Mahé (FPA); Sylvie Allen-Mahé (SA); Pascal Asselin (PA); Joseph Beaupertuis (JB); Patrick Boez (PB); Frédéric Disnard (FD); Dominique Gouverne : (DG); Patrick Hacala (PHA); Jacky and Christine Hébert (JCH); Laurent Jackman (LJ); Danielle Lebollocq (DL); Bruno Letournel (BL) Thierry Vogenstahl (TV).

52006 Leslie M. Tuck Avian Ecology Scholarship Award Essay1

History repeating itself: Are human activities threatening the survival of Razorbills in Atlantic Canada?

by Jennifer L. Lavers

“The Gare-fowls showed not the slightest disposition to repel the invaders, but immediately ran along under the high cliff, their heads erect, their little wings somewhat extended. They uttered no cry of alarm, and moved with short steps about as quickly as a man could walk... The birds were strangled and cast into the boat…” Account of the killing of the last two Great Auks (Pinguinus impennisthe last two Great Auks (Pinguinus impennisthe last two Great Auks ( ) at Eldey, June 5, 1844; by Alfred Newton.

Seabirds worldwide have been hunted for commercial and subsistence purposes for hundreds of years (Tuck 1961, Nettleship 1977, Blanchard 1984, Tasker and Becker 1992, Lyver 2000). The importance of seabird meat and eggs to local communities is well documented in Iceland (Nettleship and Evans 1985), on the Faeroe Islands (Salomensen 1970), Greenland (Christensen 2001), Newfoundland and Labrador (Nettleship and Evans 1985, Elliot 1991), and along the Quebec north shore (Blanchard 1983). The harvest of seabirds holds both traditional and recreational value. For example, in the Faeroe Islands, hunting is a summer event for many local communities, and in Newfoundland, murre (Uria spp.) hunting is done out of both necessity and sport (Piatt and Reddin 1984). In some cases, overexploitation has caused severe depletion, extirpation, and even extinction of seabird populations (Brooke 2004). For example, intense hunting of the Great Auk Pinguinus impennis led to its extinction in 1844 (Montevecchi and Kirk 1996). Many seabirds are now protected from direct exploitation through the Migratory Birds Convention Act in Canada (Chardine et al. 1999) and the Migratory Birds Act in the United States (Boersma et al. 2002). However, traditional and recreational hunting of seabirds (in addition to poaching) continues throughout the world (e.g. muttonbirding in the Southern Ocean; Lyver and Moller 1999, Lyver 2000) and recent societal changes such as the rapid growth of the human population and availability of modern tools such as guns and powerboats may increase the risk of overexploitation (Falk and Durinck 1992). With proper management, a few seabird populations have been harvested sustainably for generations and populations do not seem to be at risk (Skira 1985, Skira 1986). However, for some seabirds, monitoring of the hunt or populations is minimal or non-existent and it is not clear whether the hunt is sustainable.

Most demographic studies involve monitoring only a single local population for a few years, often less than the life span of the focal species. For many species, the only available data are from local, short-term studies, and the results (i.e. annual survival estimates) are often assumed to be similar for other nearby populations. In contrast, long-term, multi-site studies are rare, but are particularly important as they enable the scale and pattern of natural variability to be understood and unusual or atypical responses to be identifi ed. The data presented in my study were collected over 12 years (1995-2006) on the Gannet Islands, Labrador (53°56’N, 56°30’W) and Machias Seal Island, New Brunswick (44°3’N, 67°06’W) in addition to a number of smaller colonies that encompass almost the entire North American breeding range of the focal species, the Razorbill Alca torda.

The Razorbill was chosen as the study species for this project because of its small population size (less than 38,000 breeding pairs in North America; Chapdelaine et al. 2001), restricted geographical range (Razorbills breed on only a few, remote islands), and sensitivity to human activities. In addition, the data sets available for Razorbill were large and spanned many years, making them appropriate for a demographic study. Furthermore, the literature on Razorbills suffers from a lack of recent studies, especially on the threats to populations. For example, in the 1980s, a number of studies concluded that combined annual

6mortality from oiling, hunting, and fi sheries bycatch likely exceeded 15% and was not sustainable (Piatt and Nettleship 1987). Mortality may now be lower due to a reduction in fi sheries bycatch following the moratorium in 1992; however no studies have addressed this or other issues (i.e. hunting mortality) in the last 20 years. My project was developed to address these data gaps, utilizing recent data on hunting bycatch to develop a comprehensive population model for Razorbills. In natural environments, mortality factors do not occur independently of one another, therefore it was necessary to develop a model which could incorporate multiple factors that can vary naturally over time in response to current conditions.

Each year from September to April, residents of Newfoundland and Labrador legally hunt 350,000 or more Common Uria aalge and Thick-billed Murres U. lomvia (Elliot 1991). Razorbills are classifi ed as a non-game species, so there is no open hunting season (Labrador Inuit are permitted to legally hunt Razorbills under the Migratory Birds Convention Act; Chardine et al. 1999, Chapdelaine et al. 2001), but due to their close physical resemblance to the murres, many hundreds to thousands of Razorbills are accidentally or deliberately shot each year (Elliot 1991, Chapdelaine 1997). The North American Razorbill population has declined historically in many parts of its range as a result of hunting, egging, and disturbance to breeding colonies (Blanchard 1984, Nettleship and Evans 1985). During the 1980s and 1990s, Razorbill populations in North America appeared to be increasing (Robertson and Elliot 2002, Robertson et al. 2002). However, recent census data is lacking and demographic studies conducted at their largest North American colony, the Gannet Islands, suggest that population parameters, including reproductive success and adult survival, have declined over the past 20 years.

For my dissertation, I developed a population model to examine the status of the Gannet Islands Razorbill population in relation to mortality due to hunting bycatch, and compared the results with an unaffected population breeding on Machias Seal Island. Results of the model show that the Gannet Islands baseline population growth rate (λ = 0.9475) predicts a declining population in the absence of immigration. In contrast, the Machias Seal Island population, which does not experience hunting mortality, is increasing rapidly at around 6% per annum (λ = 1.0613). Annual Razorbill pre-breeder survival at the Gannet Islands has been reduced by 6.03% as a result of bycatch in the murre hunt, which is approximately equivalent to 700 female Razorbills being shot each year from the Gannet Islands alone.

Continued monitoring and reassessment of Razorbill population parameters, especially dispersal, survival, and productivity, are required as mitigation plans are developed and implemented. The viability of the Razorbill population at their largest Canadian colony, the Gannet Islands, is in doubt. In view of the situation at the Gannet Islands, the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) needs to revisit the case of the Razorbill and consider listing it as a species of special concern. The Newfoundland murre hunt requires further study and enforcement to reduce the damaging kills of Razorbills that appear to be occurring. And fi nally, I hope that my dissertation has demonstrated that cooperative research among researchers and organizations is an effi cient and productive way to expand the spatial coverage of a study and obtain reliable estimates of dispersal, survival, and other demographic parameters.

Literature Cited

Blanchard, K. A. 1983. Of tinkers, turres, and treaties. Nature Canada 12: 44-46.Blanchard, K. A. 1984. Seabird harvest and the importance of education in seabird management on the North Shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Cornell University Ph.D. Thesis. 242 Pp.Boersma, P. D., Clark, J. A., and Hillgarth, N. 2002. Seabird Conservation. In Biology of Marine Birds (E. A. Schreiber and J. Burger, eds.). CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida. Pp. 559-580.

7Brooke, M. de L. 2004. Albatrosses and petrels across the world. Oxford University Press, Oxford, United Kingdom. 518 pp.Chapdelaine, G. 1997. Pattern of recoveries of banded Razorbills (Alca tordaChapdelaine, G. 1997. Pattern of recoveries of banded Razorbills (Alca tordaChapdelaine, G. 1997. Pattern of recoveries of banded Razorbills ( ) in the western Atlantic and survival rates of adults and immatures. Colonial Waterbirds 20: 47- 54.Chapdelaine, G., Diamond, A. W., Elliot, R. D., and Robertson, G. J. 2001. Status and population trends of the Razorbill in eastern North America. Canadian Wildlife Service Occasional Paper No. 105, Ottawa.Chardine, J. W., Collins, B. T., Elliot, R. D., Levesque, H., and Ryan, P. C. 1999. Trends in the annual harvest of murres in Newfoundland and Labrador. Bird Trends 7: 11-14.Christensen, T. 2001. Seabird harvest in Greenland. Pages 22-37 in Seabird harvest regimes in the Circumpolar Nations (L. Denlinger and K. Wohl, eds.). CAFF International Secretariat, Circumpolar Seabird Working Group (CSWG), Akureyri, Iceland.Elliot R. D. 1991. The management of the Newfoundland turr hunt. Pages 29–35 in Studies of H i g h Latitude Seabirds, vol. 2. Conservation Biology of the Thick-billed Murre in the Northwest Atlantic (A. J. Gaston and R. D. Elliot, Eds.). Canadian Wildlife Service, Ottawa, Ontario.Falk, K. and Durinck, J. 1992. Thick-billed Murre hunting in west Greenland, 1988-89. Arctic 45: 167-178.Lyver, P. O’B and Moller, H. 1999. Modern technology and customary use of wildlife: the harvest of Sooty Shearwaters by Rakiura Maori as a case study. Environmental Conservation 26: 280-288.Lyver, P. O’B. 2000. Sooty shearwater (Puffi nus griseusLyver, P. O’B. 2000. Sooty shearwater (Puffi nus griseusLyver, P. O’B. 2000. Sooty shearwater ( ) harvest intensity and selectivity on Poutama Island, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Ecology 24: 169-180.Montevecchi, W. A., and Kirk, D. A. 1996. Great Auk (Pinguinus impennisMontevecchi, W. A., and Kirk, D. A. 1996. Great Auk (Pinguinus impennisMontevecchi, W. A., and Kirk, D. A. 1996. Great Auk ( ). In The Birds of N o r t h America, No. 260 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, and The American Ornithologists’ Union, Washington, D.C.Nettleship, D. N. 1977. Seabird resources in eastern Canada: status, problems, and prospects. Pp. 96-108 in Canada’s threatened species and habitats. Canadian Field Naturalist Special Publication No. 6.Nettleship, D. N. and Evans, P. G. H. 1985. Distribution and status of the Atlantic Alcidae. Pp. 54–154 in The Atlantic Alcidae: evolution, distribution and biology of the auks inhabiting the Atlantic Ocean and adjacent water areas (D. N. Nettleship and T. R. Birkhead, eds.). Academic Press, London, U.K.Piatt, J. F. and Reddin, D. G. 1984. Recent trends in the West Greenland salmon fi shery, and implications for thick-billed murres. In Marine birds: their feeding ecology and commercial fi shery relationships (D. N. Nettleship, N., G.A. Sanger and P.F.Springer, eds). Canadian Wildlife Service Special Publication, Ottawa.Piatt, J. F. and Nettleship, D. N. 1987. Incidental catch of marine birds and mammals in fi shing nets off Newfoundland, Canada. Marine Pollution Bulletin 18: 344-349.Robertson, G. J. and Elliot, R. D. 2002. Populations size and trends in seabirds breeding in the Gannet Islands, Labrador. Canadian Wildlife Service Technical Report Series No. 393.Robertson, G. J., Elliot, R. D., and Chaulk, K. G. 2002. Breeding seabird populations in Groswater Bay, Labrador, 1978 and 2002. Canadian Wildlife Service Technical Report Series Number 394, Ottawa, Ontario.Skira, I.J. 1985. Socio-economic aspects of muttonbirding in Tasmanian, Australia. In The value of birds (Diamond, A.W. and Filion, F.L., eds). Pp. 63-75. International Council for Bird Preservation, Cambridge, United Kingdom. Skira, I.J. 1986. Food of the Short-Tailed Shearwater, Puffinus tenuirostris, in Tasmania. A u s t r a l i a n Wildlife Research 13: 481-488.Tasker, M. L. and Becker, P. H. 1992. Influences of human activities on seabird populations in t h e North Sea. Aquatic Ecology 26: 59-73.Tuck, L. M. 1961. The murres: Their distribution, populations, and biology. Canadian Wildlife Service, Ottawa.

1 This scholarship is named in honour of the late Dr. Leslie Mills Tuck. It is awarded annually to a full-time Memorial University graduate student, based on a 1000-word essay written for the general public that describes the student’s graduate research and its relevance to avian conservation and habitat protection in Newfoundland and Labrador.

8Discussion of the Cumulative Mushroom Species Curve

of Foray Newfoundland & Labradorby Andrus Voitk

FORAY NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR has collected about 200 species of mushrooms in each of its four forays with a cumulative species list of 570. Each year almost half of the species found were not found the year before and about one-third was entirely new. The bars of Figure 1 show the species of each foray and the line shows the total of new species to date—a straight line, suggesting that the total species of mushrooms in Newfoundland & Labrador must be much greater, because so far there is no evidence of leveling off.

There is quite a variation of the estimated number of mushroom species there might be in Newfoundland and Labrador. Moser reported 3,457 species in Europe in his 1983 compendium of European mushrooms (1). Extrapolating from this, Redhead believes the total for Canada to be some 4-5,000 species. Because there are fewer species of trees and types of climate in Newfoundland, he believes 2,000 - 2,500 to be a reasonable estimate for our province (2). On the other end of the spectrum, Leacock uses the oft-quoted fi gure of 10,000 macrofungi For North America (3), which would suggest up to 7-8,000 in Newfoundland and Labrador. This antipodal opinion is based on a solid foundation of ignorance: we do not know how many mushroom species there are—not here, not anywhere. In their book, Biodiversity of Fungi, Mueller and coauthors state, “No region of the world as yet has a complete mycota equivalent to a vascular-plant fl ora, a condition likely to persist for some time.” (4). Replacing “for some time” with “forever” is probably more accurate.

From the above it follows that the straight-line cumulative species curve is not unique to FORAY NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR. Indeed, the cumulative species curve of the North American Mycological Association (NAMA), the world’s largest amateur mushroom club, continues to rise in a straight line since the inception of its forays in 1962 (3). NAMA’s forays are conducted all over North America, encompassing many regions and habitats, so the theoretical target is all mushroom species growing in North America. NAMA’s cumulative species is now just shy of 3,000, with no hint that the curve is going to level off. Clearly, the number of mushroom species in North America is signifi cantly more than 3,000. How much, we don’t know, hence the varying opinions.

The rise of the cumulative curve in a straight line has been reported by other workers in both similar and more limited situations. Kendrick presents fi ndings from16 years of forays of the Cascade Mycological Society, conducted in a consistent general area (5). Similarly, fi ve years of forays in six sites on Vancouver Island produce a straight line (6). The same is true for surveys of single sites, 21 years in Switzerland (7) and 10 years in Scotland (8) – no sign that the number of species is beginning to come to an end. Extrapolating our preliminary curve onto these other experiences suggests it may require a very long time of forays in Newfoundland and Labrador before a change in the slope of the curve can be detected. In all likelihood, an estimate of 100 years should not be excessive.

The implication of the foregoing is clear: compilation of a complete list of all macromycotal taxa in a region such as Newfoundland and Labrador can never be accomplished with present technology. Never. While it may take 100 years to record all the taxa present now, at the end of 100 years the taxa here will differ. Some species may die out. Others will evolve. Others will undergo adaptation, enabling them to settle here. The impact of global warming, pollution and habitat encroachment over 100 years will all change the mycofl ora. Many mushrooms have specifi c substrate and plant partner needs; any change to

9these requirements will result in a change to the mycofl ora. Our present method of species documentation is akin to shooting at a moving target from a fi rearm fi xed in position. These concepts are very important to understand for individuals, agencies and organizations engaged in the study, determination or protection of biodiversity, because surveying mushroom biodiversity is quite unlike that for most other areas of natural history:

1. a foray or one-time survey of the mycofl ora of a region is unlikely to recover more than 5, at most 10%, of the total taxa of the region and

2. the time required for a complete survey is so long that the mycofl ora of the region will be different at the end of the survey period from what it was at the beginning;

3. thus, a complete species tally with present methods is an impossibility for any region.Indeed, to me one of the appeals of mushrooming is that I have never gone out without fi nding at least one species I have not seen before, even after years of mushrooming. For those of us participating in mushroom forays, learning this is not a disappointment, but a thrill. We do not go on forays to fi nd every species in existence. We go to learn about mushrooms. From our data, we just have. Surely it is kind of nice to think that this was all brought to light right here in Western Newfoundland, refl ecting on our own experience and looking at our own data. Although mushrooms have been collected and studied for centuries and people may well have been aware of some of the concepts before, a relationship between the species collected in one outing to the total number of species in the area has not been articulated in print before. The reader interested in pursuing this subject further is referred to a somewhat overly verbose description of the May Model (a model relating the species recovered at any foray to those of the region) in McIlvainea (9). Analysis of our data to test the model is underway and will be submitted for consideration to the same journal.

References

1. Moser M: Röhrlinge und Blätterpilze. 5. Aufl . Kleine Kryptogamenfl ora Mitteleuropas. Gustav Fischer, Stuttgart; 1983.2. Redhead S: Personal communication; 2005.3. Leacock P: Voucher report for the 2005 Foray. McIlvainea 16; 2006.4. Mueller GM, Bills GF, Foster MS: Biodiversity of Fungi – Inventory and Monitoring Methods. Elsevier Academic Press, San Diego; 2004. 5. Kendrick B: Fungi – common, rare and in between. Botanical Electronic News, No. 347; 2005. 6. Roberts C, Ceska O, Kroeger P, Kendrick B: Macrofungi of Six Habitats over Five Years in Clayoquot Sound, Vancouver Island. Can. J. Bot. 82; 2004. 7. Straatsma G, Ayer F, Egli S: Species richness, abundance, and phenology of fungal fruit bodies over 21 years in a Swiss forest plot. Mycol Res 105; 2001. 8. Tofts R.J, Orton PD: The species accumulation curve for Agarics and Boleti from a Caledonian pinewood. Mycologist 12; 1998. 9. Voitk AJ: The May model – a proposed model of the mushroom foray. McIlvainea 16; 2006.

Acknowledgements

Production of data for such interpretation is the result of many people’s contributions. Participants of FORAY NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR collected the specimens and dutifully fi lled out collection slips. Expert identifi ers, with the help of chemicals, microscopes and books, pried a scientifi c name out of

10hidden recesses for each specimen. The database team, under the direction of Michael Burzynski, Biologist at Gros Morne National Park, carefully entered, collated, reconciled and corrected the data, making it ready for analysis. None of these activities would have taken place without the support of sponsors of the forays over the years: The Department of Environment & Conservation, Western Newfoundland Model Forest, Gros Morne Cooperating Association, Sir Wilfred Grenfell College of Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador, Seaview Restaurant & Cabins, Altius Minerals Corporation, Quidi Vidi Brewery and Gros Morne National Park. The present communication is possible only thanks to the contribution of all of the above.

FIG 1 Cumulative Species Curve - The cylinders represent the number of species collected in each of our forays to date, Gros Morne National Park in 2003 (G3), 2004 (G4) and 2005 (G5), Labrador Straits in 2005 (L5) and the Avalon Peninsula in 2006 (A6). The line depicts the cumulative species list, now up to 570. It rises essentially as a straight line, suggesting that this number is nowhere near the limit of all taxa for the areas surveyed.

11Habitat for Red Crossbill Criteria and Factors

by Lester Rees

Red Crossbill and many other boreal species have a lot of common factors that are needed to exist. It is quite often taken for granted by many people that all that is required for these birds to exist are wooded areas. Using this misconception has led to the decline in adequate areas for these birds to forage and propagate as they should in appropriate habitat. The old saying “You can’t see the trees for the forest” certainly can be applied in this case, as what defi nes habitat for Red Crossbills requires much more than acres of forest and a patch of woods here and there.

The word forest has many different meanings depending on who you talk to and where it is located. In this case forest refers to “Boreal Forest” which has a more defi ned defi nition, yet this has to be defi ned more. To defi ne suitable habitat for Red Crossbills it is necessary to take into account the needs and other factors that occur in a plausible environment. This requires a closer inspection of the life cycle of this species and it’s needs to propagate. Just thinking that these birds nest every year and will survive on what remains of the Avalon Boreal Ecoregion is a misconception. This is pushing this species closer to extinction than all the other factors involved.

“Old Growth” boreal forest further defi nes the natural habitat of this species. Boreal forest in itself can be of varying ages due to logging, cabin and road development, fi re and other natural and human infl uenced destruction. Given time some of the natural processes can rejuvenate to the point where Red Crossbill and other species may once again populate these areas. Time required for natural rejuvenation is normally in the 40 plus year range, at which time cone production can provide a suffi cient food supply for seed eating species that can only exist within Old Growth Boreal Forest.

Red Crossbills are also unique in that they will not mate unless there is an abundant food supply within range of a nesting area. When an abundant food supply has been found Red Crossbills will mate during most months of the year regardless of the temperature. Most all other species mate and nest during spring and summer which is the norm. Red Crossbill nests are normally located from 5 ft. and up on the outer branches of balsam fi r or spruce. The nests are usually partially hidden by other overhanging branches or foliage. Nest sites are normally located within a 100 meter radius of a common drinking place. Water is necessary to liquefy the seeds they have eaten to be fed to the young and the adult that is sitting on the nest.

This helps to defi ne necessary areas that need to be protected. There also has to be a suffi cient cone supply within in the area that foraging adults can extract enough seeds from to provide for the nesting adult and fl edglings. If the criteria for mating are not met there will be no nesting and therefore no young to make up for the loss of mature and young birds to predators and illness.

Red Crossbills forage in the upper part of the trees and rely on the cover provided by them for protection from hawks and other aerial predators. Red Crossbills and other seed eating species cannot evade such predators in areas that are fragmented. Flying through areas that are open establishes a pattern that is then a part of a daily routine. Once predators recognize they can be usually guaranteed a meal by either the birds’ necessary fl ight for food, a daily loss is incurred in the numbers of this species. Hawks are not the only aerial observers of fl ight pattern and meal association, blue jays, crows and ravens can learn that the foraging adults are returning to a nest. If the nesting adult moves from the nest, which it does to defecate,

12the eggs or hatchlings are easy prey. In the case of ravens and crows they can force the adult Red Crossbill from the nest. Red squirrels have been proven to be nest predators in areas elsewhere that are populated by both the Red Crossbill and squirrels. This should also be the case here in Newfoundland.

Compounding the predators with the further reduction in habitat is akin to putting the proverbial “fox in the hen house”. With the present areas that have been clear cut in the past 25 years and from my travels through much of this area there is little doubt that this species will not be able to utilize these areas for foraging and/or nesting. In most cases the area 100 meters from water supply (nesting requirement) does not even exist. Some one has to seriously get out and have a long look (please take a measuring tape) at how close to the waters edge that it has been cut. Spouting that there is this much forest from surveys does not mean there is any suitable habitat for this species. What was cut 25 years ago is most likely now classed as being forested, but it will not be suitable habitat for approximately another 15 years. So there is a situation that what has already been cut out of the Avalon Boreal Ecosystem will take from 15 (for the earlier cuttings) to 40 years for Red Crossbills to be able to utilize this area.

They say that Red Crossbills are “nomadic” and as such have no real defi ned boundaries that they stay within. This may well be the case in other areas (outside of Newfoundland). Nomadic has been applied to this species as it forages and moves in its search for food. In years that trees yield a poor cone crop, this species will move until either a good cone crop is found or in the worst case starve to death. This would never occur in past forestry practices of selective harvesting on a smaller scale than today’s skidders and mechanical harvesters. Until the forest access roads were created most all of this area was inaccessible to today’s equipment. This was an area that didn’t have any human threat, now the human nuisance factor of people unskilled and uncaring of both forest and waterways has been introduced. ATVs now have access to all of this area and this creates further concerns.

Looking at this species normal “nomadic” style of foraging from the aspect of the routes they will take is another huge factor attributing to their decline. Areas that were ideal for their propagation have now become a no man’s land for them. A fi ne ribbon around waterways leaves them wide open to every predator that they have. Adding to that the factor that the squirrels now are consuming the few cones that may be produced, this area now is a “fl y through zone”. With such areas now providing no food or cover, predator losses are now much greater. With each loss the numbers are dropping and nesting pairs are decreasing resulting in a much smaller gene pool, another factor.

The Red Crossbills also have been known to exist within an area not frequented by humans and remained there unnoticed for years and maybe centuries. I have seen what the interior of the Avalon Boreal Ecoregion used to look like prior to clear cutting, I have canoed, fi shed and hunted in a good portion of it. The Red Crossbills would have had no problems of not being seen as they feed in the top part of the forest canopy. Normal foraging of these birds would be inconspicuous as they are not very vocal at this time with only an alarm or fl ight call heard if some predator was near.

During mating they are more vocal and there are many different vocalizations and songs. Once mating is over, again all that would be heard are the alarm and fl ight calls. Once the young have left the nest the male will look after and feed the young until they are capable of fending for themselves. It is most likely after the young have become self suffi cient that the fl ock will again start their “nomadic” foraging. The food supply within the nesting area may become depleted to where it will not provide enough to meet the demands of the young, thus the need to once again becoming nomadic.

13 Why then have Red Crossbills decided to nest here in Whitbourne during the summers of 2005 and 2006 and some are still here at present? It has been show that Red Crossbills will return to some areas where they have successfully nested and raised young before. What has happened here is that the birds have found feeders that are within a nesting area and have found that the feed supply does not run out. For the Red Crossbills this has provided them with the right combination of food, water and cover they require. Why Whitbourne again? It is on part of what is left of a normal foraging route, that runs from within the Colinet River watershed to Whitbourne and then north toward New Harbour. From New Harbour towards Portugal Cove, to the south of St. John’s, towards Ferryland, and again back across to the Colinet watershed area. The 2005 Christmas Bird Count showed 40+ Red Crossbills in the Ferryland area, the same number of birds that nested and moved from here that September. Again in 2006 the same number of birds appeared here in the spring of 2006, along with the two birds banded here in 2005 by Dave Fifi eld.Now there has been a further 3 km. extension of a “forest” access road down the west side of Fox Ponds to approximately Neils Pond. This will further cut into the route and habitat that these birds need. This extension is the step needed to access to the area to the west of Ripple Pond, after which very, very little will remain of what was prime habitat for this species. The roads cut through the center of the smaller ridges destroying the better nesting areas. The roads are in most cases done this way to ensure that there is a stable road bed and not too close to the water, which would result in heavy silting.

Pine will start producing cones in the 10 to 15year range. If some pine had been planted in the fi rst 10 to 15 years of cutting, there would now be enough to at least sustain some Red Crossbills. We have transplanted pine in our gardens and the Red Crossbills have more interest in the pine cones than the black oil sunfl ower seed. Pictures of the Red Crossbills at the feeders have amazed many of the worlds leading experts on Crossbills with whom I have shared and learned more about this species. Information has been gathered and shared with many scientists here, in the United States, United Kingdom and the Netherlands. There has also been information made available from these individuals in the form of research papers, personal observations and aid with audio vocalization identifi cation.

Finally the decision to stabilized and/or increase the numbers of Red Crossbills lies with the protection of what is left of the routes and nesting areas. More fi eld study is necessary to fully comprehend the exact locations of any other nesting areas. Development and cutting within this area has to cease or the Red Crossbill’s next designation will surely be Extinct.

This area should have been designated as a wilderness reserve before the creation of the roads and destruction of a unique boreal ecoregion which does not exist anywhere else in Newfoundland and Labrador or the rest of the world. What little is left may be enough to aid in the protection of the Red Crossbill, other fi nch type birds, woodpeckers and Canadian Lynx (Endangered elsewhere).

I have included some of the many photos that I have to share with you. My role in all of this has at times cost me 50 pounds of black oil sunfl ower seed about every 10 days, other species have also been feeding on the seeds. This has been at my expense and from the fi nal results of the numbers of juveniles it has been well spent. I believe that in areas that the Red Crossbills have been coming to feeders that there should be an active part taken by CWS and/or provincial departments to place feeders in more locations and actively maintain and monitor them. This should help in the short term to increase the number of young birds that would not be bred without the easily available seed. I have also attached a photo of the different seeds for size comparison.

It is only with the proper nesting habitat that these birds will survive. Further waterfront and cabin development within this area has to be halted as it is consuming the areas that these birds have used this

14past two years. No other area in Newfoundland has been known to have such a successful impact on the breeding and increase of this species.

This was the fi rst Red Crossbill that was netted, measured and banded by Dave Fifi eld in Whitbourne in 2005. It is a male that is about 9 to 12 months old.

This is the same male that returned in 2006, now in full adult plumage. This bird has spent the winter of 2006/2007 in the area with occasional visits to the feeders, sometimes part of a small fl ock of 10 Red Crossbills.

15

This is a female Red Crossbill that was also banded here in 2005, about the same age of the male.

The female also returned in 2006, now a full adult. The two banded birds were not together as a mating pair, but accompanied with mates. The birds are monogamous and both work together with the feeding of the young and each other during nesting. Both the male and female may spend time on the nest and/or foraging.

16A young Red Crossbill that was starting to feed on it’s own but was also being fed by the adult male. The young accompany the males in their search for food and water. They will wait until the adult has started feeding before leaving nearby branches.

A juvenile being fed by the adult male.

An adult male and his juveniles that came for a drink of water, a learning experience.

17

Further enhancements of planting of pine in this area on a larger scale would be very benefi cial to Red Crossbills and other species.

This is a juvenile from an earlier brood that has started the fi rst molt from juvenile plumage to adult. The juvenile’s sex can not be told from it’s plumage at this stage.

Six juvenile Red Crossbills, the result of a good food source and suitable nesting habitat. Pine siskins are quick to eat the bits of seed that are dropped by the juveniles.

18The Wonderful Grand River Adventure

by Diana Dabinett

The outcome of a casual conversation about the threatened recreational loss of the Churchill River, by fl ooding from thePhase 2 Hydro-electric project, led to one of the most exhilerating experiences I have ever had – to canoe downriver from Churchill Falls to Muskrat Falls in a group of eleven people in six canoes. A visit to the canoe workshop of Joe Goudie in Happy Valley on the way up introduced us to his traditional process of shaping cedar strips over moulds and later covering it with canvas. What a wonderful canoe this makes as we later found as we struggled to keep up with him on the river!

On the long drive up to Churchill Falls, with our canoes on a transporter behind, we did see a couple of wolves which was a treat as all we saw of them after that were tracks through the campsite over night. We set out at 4 pm for the fi rst stretch to Round Island where we pitched our tents on a long sandy spit on the downriver side of the treed island. There are a few wonderful aspects of our whole trip – these idyllic campsites, no portages, a communal pit toilet dug by Duncan Finlayson each night, great food each evening around the campfi re and all set off by musical rhapsody from Alison Black’s violin and Phil Graham’s various instruments.

Dawn broke on the second day with a painted view down river, watching the light catch the misty hills to the calling of the loons. We experienced our fi rst rapids, with a bit of excitement for us novices but then the rain and wind built up 18 inch waves ….. At lunch we stopped to see an old tilt from the trapping days, not far from a modern cabin with “Welcome Mats” in place in front of the doors and windows to prevent bear predation whilst people were away. These are sheets of plywood with long nails protuding all over to make an unwelcome deterrent! We skudded past Wolf Island and stopped to see the ruins of the Winokapau Trading Post at the junction of the Churchill and Elizabeth rivers, where the Innu hunters and family groups would exchange furs for supplies years ago. The shoreline rocks were wonderful in their variety of colours and textures, some looked like bark and others striped or stippled conglomerate with fl ecks of mica. Amongst them there were a variety of plants – a rattlesnake orchid, yarrow, river beauty, marram grass and sweet gale. We camped on Fox Island and consumed caribou stew and sang to the music of the violin, guitar and the rhythm of the river.

The following day we were delayed by wind as we faced a long stretch down the length of Lake Winokapau but were lucky as we managed it in 8 1⁄2 hours of steady paddling – with a short lunch break, a swim and a visit from a Frittilaria butterfl y. After lunch we crossed the mile wide lake with ospreys overhead, waves around us but the confi dence that our libation of Rum and Fruitcake to the River God would grant us safe passage.

A short day brought us to the top of the Moonies – a series of rapids, very active boiling water with eddies and whirlpools – and the dreaded Devil’s Hole -- a sharp bend in the river with a strong current followed by a strong whirpool that was one of our biggest challenges. We had to make it safely across the current, swing around the edge of the whirlpool and aim for the large and safe eddy on the right bank. We had no great mishaps although Renee and Duncan ended up on the other side and going backwards!

On down the Moonies, a reknowned fi shing area, through rapids and rain but undaunted to our next stop in Nirvana and a meal of salmon and trout caught by Marlene Coffey along the way. Over the next few days we paddled past the Cache River, as the current meandered around sand and rock spits between high sand cliffs with swallow nests in them, to a camp in the trees on Fantasy Island, then onwards past Partridge Point to the fi nal camp on Diver Brook Island which is named after shell ducks. The fi nal night Joe taught

19us to make “Flummies” a traditional bannock or bread made by the trappers, supper followed by “smores” and Alison and Phil played up a beautiful display of the Northern Lights.

The fi nal day we “lined” our canoes down the Minipi Rapids where enormous, rounded boulders both lined the river and caused obstacles in it where the Minipi River joined from the south east. The fi nal stretch through Horseshoe Rapids, past rock bars in a strong current brought us wet, with slightly swamped canoes to a warm welcome at the take out at Gull Island Rapids from Debbie and Joe’s 83 year old brother, Horace.

We met a few other canoers along the way, a young couple from Ontario and a group of hardy men from Nova Scotia, but generally enjoyed the idyllic scenery, the informative stories of the “old days and ways” told by Joe and Eldred Davis, and the humour….. In Lavinia’s in Goose Bay we were asked “Who took you?” “Joe Goudie”, we replied to get the answer, “He’s The Man!” ….. and we all agreed!

A water colour by Di Dabinet during her trip down the Ground River

20Fall Hike in Butter Pot Provincial Park

Ed Hayden, Luise Hermanutz, and John Jacobs

The weather was beginning to seem more normal for late fall on November 11, as members of the Society gathered at the Pegwood Trail trailhead for a “weather and twig hike”. Billed as an opportunity to talk about clouds and weather, plants and climate, and do some fall botanizing, this outing combined a number of interests that are well suited to the diverse landscapes and topography of the park. This was all in the course of hiking to the summit of Butter Pot, a distance of about 3.3 km from the trailhead.

With a low centred off the coast of Labrador and a complex of frontal patterns bracketing Newfoundland (Fig. 1), the area was being treated to steady SWly winds that became stronger as we climbed. Except for some low (stratocumulus) clouds to the south, the sky was mostly clear. The air temperature was about 8oC and the relative humidity was 80%, ideal conditions for walking. Except for slight warming, conditions remained about the same throughout the morning and early afternoon, making for a very enjoyable outing and a pleasant day to observe weather and the fall procession of plants.

Bright orange-yellow jelly fungi drew our attention along the path near the pond, as did shrubs and lichens on hummocks. They tend to

grow on the tops of the hummock, above the water table, while the more water-tolerant plants such as sedges grow in the low spots, leading to a very diverse and varied community. Yellow birch here is in distress, as the ground is too wet, and black spruce and larch are abundant, being more tolerant of water-logging. In such low lying areas, tolerance to water drives how the plant community is structured. Wet areas are usually covered with different species of peat moss or sphagnum, which range in colour from bright green to red. Balsam fi r (Abies balsameabright green to red. Balsam fi r (Abies balsameabright green to red. Balsam fi r ( ) grows in gaps in the forest, but black spruce has the upper hand here, as fi r likes richer soil than black spruce. Individual needles on the spruce stay green from two to twenty years, practicing a nutrient-conservation strategy: the worse the nutrients, the longer the needles hang on. Many of the common shrubs found in the wetter areas, such as Labrador tea (Rhododendron hang on. Many of the common shrubs found in the wetter areas, such as Labrador tea (Rhododendron hang on. Many of the common shrubs found in the wetter areas, such as Labrador tea ((Ledum) groenlandica)or leatherleaf (Chamaedaphne calyculata), have evergreen leaves that turn from the normal green colour in the summer when they are actively photosynthesizing to a dark shade of purple or brown during the winter. The inactive darker pigments in the leaves help the shrub to save energy, as they can’t photosynthesize during the winter; but their normal colour will return with the warmer spring weather!

Moose signs are everywhere. Moose eat fi r but not spruce, and snowshoe hare eat spruce, especially white spruce, but not fi r. Moose especially love the Canadian yew, distinguished by its fl atter needles and sharper points than fi r. It is apparent that few shrubs survive here due to moose; moose have had a devastating impact across the island – lowering the plant diversity due to their heavy browsing on their favourite species – hard to fi nd much yew of any size due to moose; but they also forage on most deciduous shrubs

Fig. 1. Portion of the surface weather map for the early morning of 11 November 2006

21and herbs. Looking closely at the chewed tops of the mountain holly, we observed the messy ragged bites, a consequence of the moose having no lower denture, like goats. Snowshoe hare on the other hand, make a very clean bite, on a 45o angle, much like a garden clipper. Moose love bogbean (Menyanthes trifoliata), too, but will only eat alder when they are hard up, so thickets of alder are dominant. If you see evidence of moose eating alder, you know they have eaten all the other more nutritious foods, and are now “scraping the barrel”. Small round moose droppings or pellets, evident in the winter and spring, result from moose browsing on woody material, but in the late spring and summer, with green leaves and grass as a staple in their diet, their poop turns to softer plops, very much like a cow. Current moose management practices support moose at a density of two per square kilometre. When in good shape, moose tend to twin and have low calf mortality, so they can rapidly build up in numbers.

The dominant forest type in Butter Pot Park and the Avalon Peninsula is balsam fi r with a ground cover of feathermoss. There are four feathermoss species that are most common: red stem moss (Pleurozium of feathermoss. There are four feathermoss species that are most common: red stem moss (Pleurozium of feathermoss. There are four feathermoss species that are most common: red stem moss (schreberi), broom moss (Dicranum scoparium), broom moss (Dicranum scoparium), broom moss ( ), stair-step moss (Hylocomium splendens), stair-step moss (Hylocomium splendens), stair-step moss ( ) and Knight’s plum moss (Ptilium crista-castrensisplum moss (Ptilium crista-castrensisplum moss ( ). Due to the cold and nutrient-poor conditions these mosses (and any other organic material) take a very long time to decompose, and so form a thick layer (that can be up to a metre thick), locking up huge carbon stores within the forest. And as the climate warms or the forest is cut, these carbon stores start to break down as they decompose, liberating carbon dioxide, and hence accelerating climate warming. The forest fl oor is dominated by mosses, as they are shade tolerant, while shrub and club lichens, such as the caribou lichens are the opposite – don’t like shade and can tolerate full sun. These include green, grey and northern “reindeer” lichens, as well as the well-known and common red “British soldiers”.

Glacial erratic boulders – some more than 2 metres across – occur along the route from the lowest levels to the summit. Dropped by glaciers that once covered even the summits, these mostly quartz and feldspar boulders, support a more acid-loving fl ora.

Forest cover diminished abruptly as we approached the 303 metre high summit of Butter Pot. Here there is mostly bare rock, coarse mineral soil and gravel showing sorting due to freeze-thaw action. Scattered prostrate evergreen shrubs and tussock grasses are testimony to harsh conditions when winter comes. On a summer’s day we might expect a gentle sea breeze to begin blowing in off the ocean during the day as the land warms. This day, however, the season was defi nitely autumnal, as we were buffeted by winds blowing toward the low in the Labrador Sea.

More can be learned about Butter Pot Provincial Park at the NL provincial parks website:http://www.env.gov.nl.ca/parks/parks/p_bup/index.html.

References:E.C.Pielou 1988. The World of Northern Evergreens. Cornell University Press.Johnston, D. et al. 1995. Plants of the Western Boreal Forest. Lone Pine Press.Ringius and Sims. 1997. Indicator Plant Species in Canadian Forests. Natural Resources Canada.Scott, P.J. 1974. Conifers of Newfoundland. Oxen Pond Botanic Park.

22Butter Pot Scenes - Photos by J. Jacobs

Above: Ed Hayden and Luise Hermanutz discuss the distinction between mosses and liverworts.

Above: View southward from Butterpot. Pegwood Gulley is in the foreground and Pegwood Pond to the left.

Above: Butter Pot, viewed across the bog below Pegwood Pond.

Above: Balsam fi r and feather moss only partially hide erratic boulders left by the last glaciation some 10,000 years ago.Below: Enjoying the bracing breeze on the 303 metre summit of Butter Pot.

23Books

by John Jacobs

At the Cutting Edge: The Crisis in Canada’s Forests (Revised Edition, 2005) by Elizabeth MayKey Porter Books, Toronto - $28.95

In the previous issue of The Osprey, Allan Stein provided a thoughtful report on the development of the forest management plan for District 1 (the Avalon Peninsula) for the next 5-year period1. As he noted, this was the third time that a

forest management plan had been produced for the Avalon through the public-participatory planning team process, and the third time that members of the Natural History Society actively participated as members of the planning team. In the course of these three iterations, conditions of the environment, economy, and public perceptions have evolved. Through the series of plans, a greater degree of “ecological sensitivity” has become apparent, even if the goal (for most of us) of a truly “ecosystem-based plan” has not been fully realized. Accordingly, Stein used the occasion of his report to record certain reservations about the agreed plan. These relate principally to the lack of comprehensive land-use planning for this district and, for that matter, for the Province. Forest management planning still goes ahead without systematic consideration of other, often confl icting, interests and values. The result is a continuous, if somewhat slowed, erosion of the quality of our natural landscapes.

In the fi rst (1998) edition of At The Cutting Edge, Elizabeth May noted that the island portion of our province has been logged for some 400 years and that ours is the fi rst province in Canada to offi cially acknowledge that it is “running out of wood”. Using knowledgeable sources, she described a forest that has dramatically changed over the centuries from a relatively diverse, species-rich landscape to a more impoverished one, with few old-growth stands remaining and those under siege as the paper companies exhaust the more accessible timber. By contrast, Labrador’s forests, located mostly in the Innu heartland, remained largely untouched. In the 2005 edition, May repeats the background and updates the situation at least through 2004. By then, there were some encouraging signs of change. The very favourable (to the companies) 99-year leases of public forest lands to Kruger and Abitibi-Consolidated were soon to run out, and the provincial government had set 2010 as the date when all licences were up for renewal, conditional on full public consultations. (May credits a campaign by Sierra Club of Canada for raising public awareness about this process, but perhaps underestimates the interest the matter of forest tenure holds for many Newfoundlanders and Labradorians). New also, was the fact of a groundbreaking, ecosystem-based fi rst management plan for Innu Nation forest lands in central Labrador.

May’s book is of course not just about the forests of Newfoundland and Labrador, but she gives us good, if concise, coverage within a Canada-wide context. She writes from the perspective of conservationist, lawyer, and seasoned campaigner. It is fascinating, for example, to compare the different histories of forest exploitation, mismanagement, and downright abuse across the various provinces, all tending toward similar outcomes of net forest loss and ecosystem decline. The collapse of the cod fi shery is an analogy that is frequently overused, but May applies it convincingly in this book. Unlike the fi shery, however, we still have time to act - at the district, provincial and national levels - to turn things around with our forests. Using examples of environmentally sound, sustainable forest management practices to guide and inspire, this book invites us to believe that another kind of future is possible for our forests.

1 Stein, A. 2006. Avalon Peninsula Forest Management Plan, District 1. The Osprey 37(4): 95 – 101.

24Time & Tide

(Nature Canada 2007, August 1–5, Wolfville, NS)

The topic is the Bay of Fundy and its watershed. The occasion is the 23rd annual conference and AGM of Nature Canada (the former Canadian Nature Federation). The location is the Acadia University campus, and the dates are August 1 to August 5, this summer (2007).

The Nature Canada conference is held in a different part of the country each summer. Naturalists from all parts of Canada (and some from the US) come together to visit and learn and meet new people with similar interests. In 1994, the Halifax Field Naturalists hosted the conference in Halifax. This year, Nature Nova Scotia (the Federation of Nova Scotia Naturalists) is the host – with a lot of help from the Blomidon Naturalists.

This is a really good opportunity to meet other naturalists and enjoy a wonderful part of your own province, or even to take part as a volunteer. On offer are three mornings of informative and entertaining talks on all sorts of topics related to the Bay of Fundy. And each afternoon we’ll be going on fi eld trips covering all those topics, and more. Following long tradition, early mornings will feature birding and walking trips before breakfast, and evenings will be very social, with abundant local foods, entertainment, and generalpartying and getting to know our fellow naturalists. One of the reasons for choosing early August is the annual shorebird migration in the Minas Basin, which is at its peak at that time of year. It will also be a time of spring tides, so the mudfl ats will be especially impressive, and the tidal bores will be in full fl ood. We (the conference planners) hope you’ll want to come to Wolfville for the fi rst week of August. It’s not expensive, and it will be a lot of fun.

It’s easy to register: Just go to the website <http://nature2007.ca>, read all about it, and either download a registration form or register on line. If you’re not web enabled, call the registrar, Claire Diggins, at 902 825- 6152 – she’ll send you what you need. (You can also seek further information by e-mail:conference_info@fundymud.com>.)

Joan Czapalay, conference chair

Friends and I from the Humber Natural History Society are organizing a Codroy Valley Birdathon, May 12-13, as a fundraiser to help the Nature Conservancy of Canada raise money to purchase a piece of property, The Hermitage, in the Codroy Valley for conservation purposes. Their goal is $120,000.

All money raised will be donated to the NCC and donations of $10 or more will receive a tax receipt. Plus two matching donors will triple the value of any donation you make so please sponsor us!

You can sponsor a fl at rate, i.e. $10 in total or per species, i.e. $1/species (fyi last year as a group we spotted over 70 species). The goal is to identify as many species as possible and raise as much money as possible. All data will be submitted to Bird Studies Canada for their national database.

Please send me an email if you would like to sponsor us for the birdathon. My email address is sianfrench@gov.nl.ca

Codroy Valley BirdathonSian French, Indoor Program Co-chairHumber Natural History Society

The Tuck/Walters Award

This award is named in memory of Dr. Leslie M. Tuck and Captain Harry Walters

Dr. Les Tuck was Newfoundland’s fi rst Dominion Wildlife Offi cer, and Harry Walters was the Director of the Dr. Les Tuck was Newfoundland’s fi rst Dominion Wildlife Offi cer, and Harry Walters was the Director of the Dr. Les TuckNewfoundland Rangers Force. Following Confederation with Canada, Dr. Tuck headed the Canadian Wildlife Service in the province - a position he held for more than twenty-fi ve years. In the latter part of his long and distinguished career, Dr. Tuck held the L. J. Paton Research Professorship in the Psyschology Department of Memorial University. He was instrumental in the reactivation of the Natural History Society in the 1950’s. Captain Harry Walters served for many years as the Head of the Newfoundland Wildlife Division, which he was instrumental in establishing.

Both Walters, working provincially, and Tuck, working federally, were instrumental in establishing our province’s fi rst 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 the society has chosen to honor their memory with this award.

The Tuck/Walters 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. Successful candidates are 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.

Tuck/Walters Award Winners

Dr. Don Barton Gregory Mitchell George Brinson Michael Nolan Bill Davis Dr. Harold Peters Dr. John Gibson Dr. Roger Tory Peterson Dr. Leslie Harris Tony Power Stephen Herder Stephen Herder Stephen Herder Dr. Don Steele Charlie Horwood Clyde Tuck Bernard Jackson Laura Jackson Henry Mann

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

Dr. Bill Montevecchi, Chair Tuck/Walters Awards Committee Cognitive and Behavioral Ecology Program Memorial University of Newfoundland St. John’s, NL A1B 3X9

Telephone: 737-7673 E-mail: mont@morgan.ucs.mun.ca

The Natural History Society of Newfoundland and Labrador Membership Application

Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: _________Address: _________________________City/Town: ________________Province: ______ Postal Code: _________________________ Country/State if not in Canada___________E-mail address: ___________________________________________________________Telephone - home: ______________ offi ce: ______________ fax: ___________Renewing members: __ continue Osprey from last received issue __ continue Osprey with next issue __ continue Osprey with next issue __

Mailing address for Society publication “The Osprey” (if different from above):_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I would like to become more actively involved in the activities of the Society:___ Planning outdoor activities___ Outdoor Education Programs___ Indoor Education Programs___ Environmental Advocacy___ Letter writing___ Planning monthly meetings___ Contributing to the Osprey___ Other_______________________

My interests are: (Please be specifi c, to help us with our program planning.) birds? wildfl owers? animals? marine mammals? indoor events? indoor work- shops? outdoor events? walking? interpretive walks? hiking? cross-country skiing? canoeing? cycling? back-pack camping? winter camping? Other: _______________________________________________________________________________

Annual membership fee enclosed: $ 25.00My donation to the society (a tax receipt will be issued): $______Society Lapel Pins: ___ @ $3.00 each $______Society Jacket Crests: ___ @ $4.00 each $______Bird Checklists ____ $0.50, 3/$1.00 100/$25.00 $______Total to cheque/money order enclosed: $______

Please make your cheque payable to: “The Natural History Society of Newfoundland and Labrador”and send it together with this form to:

The Membership CoordinatorThe Natural History Society of Newfoundland and LabradorP.O. Box 1013St. John’s, NL A1C 5M3orBring this form to the next regular Society meeting at The Memorial University Botanical Garden on the THIRD THURSDAY of each month from September to June.No meetings during July and August.

Rarities - Only from the Natural History Society

• Getting to Know the Weeds - the Collected Writings of Charlie Horwood. Charlie was a faithful and long-serving member of the Society. He was also a thoughtful and insightful naturalist with a gift for capturing his vies of the natural world, in writing. This 160 page book reproduces over fi fty of Charlie’s best short pieces.

Soft cover $14.95

• Society Lapel Pins - Back by popular demand. These four-color enamel pins reproduce the Society’s “Osprey”, originally designed by John Maunder, in blue, brown and white on a gold back: Oval.

Lapel Pins $3.00Lapel Pins $3.00

• Society Jacket Crest - NEW! These crests are based on the original “half moon” design drawn by Newfoundland artist Reginald Shepherd. They feature a stylized osprey snatching a fi sh. They are embroidered in fi ve colours, and are approximately 4” wide by 1 3/4” high.

Embroidered Crest $4.00

• Society Memberships - Any time is a great time to give a membership to the Natural History Society. The cost is $25.00 good for one year. It includes four issues of The Osprey, and notices to all Society functions.

Membership $25.00Membership $25.00

The Wild Things Scholarship

The Natural History Society of Newfoundland and Labrador conducts the competition for the Wild Things Scholarship. This annual $500 scholarship is sponsored by Wild Things, a nature gift shop in St. John’s, NL. It is awarded to a post-secondary student recognize their committment to the environment and natural history of the province as evidenced by their volunteer naturalist activities. Application forms can be found on our website: www.nhs.nf.ca

Past Recipients

Lynn Hartery 1992Elaine Goudie 1993Helen Manning 1994Tammy Legge 1995Michael Sharpe 1996Craig Purchase 1997Susan Pottle 1998

Andrea Carew, Joel Heath 1999Laura Wareham 2000Alana Yorke 2001Diana Cardoso 2002Juliana Coffey 2003Lesley Blake 2004