Editor & Production Coordinator Joyce Reddoeh Associate Editors Bill Gurotr.er Peter Hall Business Manager & Typing Coord ina Jim Montgomery Graphics Marc Guertin Production Staff Telephone Coordinator lorotbv Greene' loom nator iferiChaundy rrootroader Eleanor BoctomLey Martha Camfield ' Barbara Campbell • • Judy Hall ap Lansky lan Eeddc Vieys expressednn 1 rail & Landscape are not necessarily those of The Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club he Ottawa Field - Naturalists’ Club - Founded >279 - President E. Franklin Pope Objectives of the Club; Topromote the appreciation, preservation ahd.conserva- tton cl Canadas natural heritage;' to. encourage investigation and publish the rcsu.ts of (©search in all fields of natural history and to -diffuse informahon on these fields as wigely a s possible, to support and eo-opgrate with organizations engaged in preserving maintaining or restoring environments of h;gh quality for living things. Club Publications: THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST, a quarterly devoted to reporting research in all fielos of natural history relevant to Canada; TRAIL & LANDSCAPE, providing articles on the natural history of the Ottawa Valley and on - iceal Club activities five times a year; and THE SHRIKE, a bimonthly newsletter on birdwatching in the Otiawa-Hull area, available by separate subscription. Field Trips, Lectures and ether natural history activities are arranged for local members; see ‘.‘Coming Events" in this issue. V . **. . tJjjjPr . - : ' -7.' Membership Fees: Individual pearly) S!7 Sustaining (yearly) $40 . ramtiy (yearly) $19 Life (one payment) P400 Subscriptions to Trail & Landscape (lioraries and institutions) $17 per year (Volume) Single copies of recent issues S3.50 each. Membership application, correspondence: THE OTTAWA FIELD-NATURALISTS’ CLUB Box 3264, Postal Station C K1Y4J5 Information: (613) 722-3050 Ottawa., Ontario Sec'cnc Vol 19 No I TIC Mis?*' The Ottawa Field -Naturalists’ Club Box 3264, Postal Station C Ottawa K1Y4J5 Joyce M. Reddoch, Editor 548 Rivershore Crescent Gloucester, Ontario K1J 7Y7 President's Message ______ 2 Trail & Landscape Deadlines - - - - - 4 Council Report / Bill Gummer _____ 5 Federation of Ontario Naturalists Report - 6 Roger Taylor Jo Carson - in memor ium ______ 7 Recent Bird Sightings _______ 8 V. Bernard Ladouceur Bill Coburn - in memor ium ______ 10 Everything We Wanted to Know... About the Teasel 11 Ross Anderson An Additional Record for Stinkpot Turtle in the Ottawa District 14 Daniel F. Brunton and Karen L. McIntosh The Overwintering of a Common Snipe in the Ottawa Area --------- 16 Bruce M. Di Labio Water Babies - Larval Fishes of Ottawa and Vicinity Part IV. ------- ]8 Daniel J. Faber The Importance of Wildlife to Canadians - 25 Bill Gummer Recent Significant Plant Records from the Ottawa District -------- 27 Daniel F. Brunton Book Review - 48 Snowy Owl / Linda Jeays 49 Chaffey's Locks Revisited / Mary Stuart - 50 Fall Birding from Morrisburg to Cornwall - - 52 Bruce M. Di Labio Coming Events - -- -- -- -- 54 The President has had little to report in 1984. The Coun- cil is competent and effective; the affairs of the Club are well managed. Personally, I have made an effort to attend as many as possible of the events sponsored by the Excursions and Lectures Committee and I recommend that others do likewise. It is like a vacation at home. There are two items, however, that should be brought to your attention. At the 105th Annual Business Meeting last January there was a discussion on a motion by Roger Taylor, seconded by Joyce Reddoch, that the name of the Club be changed from "The Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club" to "Ottawa Field Naturalists". The motion was not voted upon at that meeting because official notice of the motion, as published in Volume 97, Number 2 of The Can- adian Field-Naturalist, had not been distributed in time. During the discussion the following points were made. (1) Everyday references to The Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club seldom articulate or spell the Club name correctly. This is a particu- lar nuisance to editors. (2) The sponsors of the motion in- tended only to stimulate debate and had no strong preferences. Their order of priority was to delete first the hyphen, then the apostrophe, the "The", and finally "Club". (3) Actually, the official name of the Club as recorded in the act of incorpora- tion in 1884 does not have a hyphen; therefore, the name dis- played by the Constitution is not legally correct. (4) It would cost about $250 to change legally the name of the Club. (5) It is possible, however, to adopt an alternative name for use in everyday reference while the official name remains for legal documents. For a fee of $10 the alternative name could be registered and thereby protected for our use. This issue will be discussed further and voted upon at the Annual Business Meeting on January 8th. The second item is the Carp Hills, a significant local natural area. It was one of a number of natural areas identi- fied, described and recommended for protection by the Club during the formulation of the Official Plan of the Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Car leton over a decade ago*. Later, when Amendment 12 to the Official Plan was before the Ontario Munici- pal Board, the Club prepared briefs and appeared in defence of the Official Plan. The outcome was a reduction in the protection given natural areas and in the land area designated for this * See Conservation Activities (Trail & Landscape 14(3): 81-85 (1980)) for a thorough review article on the 23 Natural En- vironment Areas identified in the Plan. Eds. 2 protection, but it seemed that a fair method of solving con- flicts between land use for development and protection of natur- al areas had been established. The effectiveness of the Offi- cial Plan as an instrument to protect these natural areas was tested for the first time by the recent application to build 99 houses in the middle of the Carp Hills. Once again the Club came to the defence of the Carp Hills, this time as part of the Carp Hills Action Committee. A brief describing the natural features of the Carp Hills and why they should be preserved was presented to Regional Council. Council members were contacted personally on a number of occasions. In addition to our efforts, the Planning Department of the Regional Municipality recommended purchase of the land, and press coverage generally supported retention of the land as a natural area. To our dismay, on September 12th, Regional Council voted to approve the subdivision proposal. This action appeared to violate the Official Plan and the integrity of a significant local natural area. Furthermore, a precedent that left little hope for the preservation of the other natural areas designated in the Offi- cial Plan had been established. A glimmer of hope came from the fact that the vote had been close, and following usual procedure, Regional Council postponed a final decision on the matter until the next meeting. Discussions with our lawyer and a number of municipal officials revealed that a request for referral of the matter to the Ontar- io Municipal Board, if made before a final decision by Regional Council by a responsible organization and for good reason, should be accepted. We felt confident that the Board, given the same evidence, would support the planning legislation by a decision to purchase the land. Such hearings are expensive though, and we had to consider the impact upon Club finances, membership dues and our commitment to Alfred Bog. Yet, quick action was imperative, and it appeared that without an initia- tive by the Club the issue would die. Did we have the courage of our convictions? On September 21 the President delivered an official request for referral to the Regional Clerk. Once again we were to be disappointed. On September 26, against the advice of the Regional Solicitor, Regional Council made a final decis- ion to approve the subdivision application. The question then became whether or not the action by Regional Council had been in accordance with the Ontario Planning Act. Many of our advisors thought not and that reference of the matter to the Ontario Supreme Court would result in a judgement overturning the decision by Regional Council and referring the matter to the Ontario Municipal Board. The Club had by now established itself as a leader in the opposition to the subdi- vision proposal, but funding was critical. Learning that there was a possibility of funding from the City of Ottawa, we made a presentation to the Ottawa Planning Committee. This action resulted in a decison by the Ottawa City Council on October 17 3 to allocate $20,000 for legal fees incurred by the Club in representations before the Ontario Supreme Court and the Ontario Municipal Board. That brings us to the time of writing. Your executive and Council have not taken this matter lightly. We regret the delay in arriving at a final decision and the extra effort and expense this has caused the subdivider. We appreciate the effort by members of Regional Council to understand the issues and select the best among many good alter- natives for spending taxpayers' money. Members of Regional Council sacrifice much for their fellow citizens and receive too little thanks. Yet we are convinced that the majority have misjudged this issue and the value of these lands to future generations. Few people today would consider the Greenbelt a mistake although many questioned the expense at the time. On behalf of The Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club, I thank Roger Taylor, Marey Gregory and the rest of the steering group that powered the Carp Hills Action Committee. n 7 kut/ Trail & Landscape Deadlines Date of Issue Deadline March-Apr il December 29 May-Augus t March 2 September-Oc tober June 29 November -Deceipber^ August 3 1 January-February , 1986 October 26 Marcb-April, 1986 January 4 Material intended for these issues must be in the Editor's hands before the deadlines for consideration. Long articles and articles that will be refereed must be submitted at least two months before the deadlines indicated. 4 r0^c^Wotl Bill Gummer As members know, The Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club has been very concerned about the proposal for residential develop- ment of a significant part of the Carp Hills, an area of Precam- brian rocks and rather distinctive fauna and flora. The area is unique among terrains in Ottawa-Car leton. We have followed closely the municipal actions and reactions, and subsequent to Regional Council's September approval of the development, have decided to challenge the decision not to refer the issue to the Ontario Municipal Board. This subject is covered in detail in the President's Message on the preceding pages. Earlier this year some difficulties were foreseen in main- taining the desirable level of activity in the Macoun Field Club. The situation now presents a somewhat more positive picture due first to the efforts of Diana Laubitz, and now to the input of Robin Collins, himself an alumnus of the Macoun Field Club. A forward program is shaping up, and Robin plans to involve members, particularly of the senior group, in studies on subjects including aspects of evolution, and social problems such as acid rain. Actual involvement of members has proved valuable in the past. Year-round monthly field trips are plan- ned. However, Robin cannot carry the whole load alone. Addi- tional help is urgently required if the Macoun Field Club is to continue to operate at a useful level. Interested persons should contact Robin Collins at 233-7484 after 4 p.m., or Diana Laubitz at 521-7458. If one considers the various activities of the Club and its working committees, it is obvious that a tremendous amount of paper is in use, and that typing, sorting, mailing and computer facilities are more and more in demand. At present, the various activities are carried out in many different places, private homes and museum areas in particular. Records are widely separ- ated and not always readily available to interested persons. The ultimate value of having an office, or luxuriously an office plus a meeting room, is periodically discussed, and has now been considered once again. The Club is not in a position to lease conventional office space, for which rentals are high. A review is to be made of the potential operations that might be brought together for efficiency, and identification of possible sites where suitable space may be readily available will be attempted. n 5 Federation of Ontario Naturalists Report Roger Taylor After the usual summer hiatus, the FON Board of Directors met in Toronto in late September. Without doubt the most excit- ing news was the report that 20 years of lobbying and hard advocacy on the part of the FON and associated organizations had resulted in a plan that will provide effective protection for the Niagara Escarpment. Concerns about the escarpment surfaced in the early 1960s just as the Bruce Trail Association, originally an FON commit- tee, was beginning operations. Persistent lobbying by the FON led to the establishment of the Niagara Escarpment Commission (NEC) in 1972 and also to the passage of the Niagara Escarpment Planning and Development Act. The NEC was given the task of preparing a detailed plan for land use within the Niagara Es- carpment, a task that took much longer than intended because of political infighting by development-oriented municipalities. The draft plan, released in the late 1970s, was savagely attacked by vested interests. The entire effort might have gone for nought. However, FON activists and volunteers, most notably Lyn MacMillan, coordinated a massive outpouring of letters and telephone calls, a march at Queen's Park, and extensive media coverage. Other conservation-oriented groups were brought into the action by the formation of the Committee on the Niagara Escarpment (CONE) with Lyn MacMillan as chairman. Lobbying of the Ontario government continued unceasingly right up to the time of the recent announcement by Provincial Secretary for Resource Development, Norman Sterling, to the effect that the basic plan proposed by the NEC was adopted. There are some loopholes, pertaining principally to quarries, but, on the whole, environmentalists are pretty well satisfied. This whole exercise demonstrates how important it is to have in place a strong provincial environmental organization such as the FON. Our congratulations go to all those activists, particularly CONE and its chairman, Lyn MacMillan, who put so much time and effort into saving the Niagara Escarpment. Still on an environmental note, despite a heavy involvement in provincial conservation issues, the FON only recently put into place a formal conservation committee to cooperate with the staff environmentalist. I have been asked to chair this commit- tee and have been assembling a team of activists from across the province to maintain contact with federated Clubs, to report on issues of possible provincial significance, to coordinate ac- 6 tion, and to establish priorities on issues that require FON involvement. After reading about the Niagara Escarpment, I am wondering what I have let myself in for. Looking forward in 1985, the FON Conference will be held at McMaster University, Hamilton, on May 24-26. The chairman of the organizing committee, Peter Thoem, promised the Board of Directors an exciting and stimulating three days with a strong emphasis on the Royal Botanical Gardens. On Friday, May 24, there will be two or three field trips in the afternoon, followed by the business meeting in the evening. On the Saturday there will be four blocks of three concurrent lectures featuring top- notch speakers including Kay McKeever of the Owl Rehabilitation Research Foundation. There will be also a boat trip around Hamilton harbour, as well as the Photo Salon in the afternoon, followed by the banquet in the evening. Approximately 12 field trips will take place on the Sunday, including a b ir d-watch ing excursion leaving at 4:30 a.m.! It sounds great. Perhaps you could start planning for it now. Details will accompany the Winter issue of Seasons. n Jo Carson — in memorium Jo Carson, an active member of The Ottawa Field-Natural- ists' Club, passed away last October. All those who partici- pated with Jo as she pursued her many natural history interests will miss her constant cheerfulness and enthusiasm. She was particularly active in the field of nature photography but found time to write three articles for Trail & Landscape. Jo spent her professional life as a journalist working for many Ontario papers, ending up at The Globe and Mail. She re- tired in 1977 to her country home near North Gower, where she became even more active in her photography pursuits. Jo was a member of many national photographic associations and was a regular recipient of many prestigious photography awards. Jo Carson will long be remembered for her work but even more for her ceaseless good humour and willingness to share her time and talents with others, n 7 'decent 3ird Sightings V. Bernard Ladouceur Water levels along the Ottawa River and at most area sewage lagoons continued to be high during the months of September and October. There were very few real highlights, and birders had to work hard to see some of the normally common species. The Labour Day weekend turned out to be schizophrenic. On the Fall Bird Count on September 2nd, Ottawa birders slugged their way to 174 species while producing little of real inter- est. The next day, however, was perhaps the best day of the year. A front from the northwest was the difference, and as usual Shirleys Bay was the hot spot. A Whimbrel and a Red- necked Phalarope flushed near the base of the dyke were the first indicators of a good day. The real rarities flew by the tip of Shirleys Bay dyke with a Black-legged Kittiwake and a Parasitic Jaeger being seen approximately an hour apart. These may be the earliest autumn records for both these species. The Kittiwake was later seen at Ottawa Beach and Britannia. The same day, a second Whimbrel was observed (and heard) flying low over Kirkwood Avenue near the Queensway. I wonder what flew by unobserved ! On September 9th, I participated in the Fourth Annual OFNC Seedathon. I found 106 species and raised over $400 for bird seed to fill the Club feeders. It wasn't the easiest way to 106 species as I had three different drivers and was stranded 2h hours at Shirleys Bay (although there isn't a better place to be stranded - I saw all three Accipiters and a Northern Raven soaring together while I waited!). My thanks to my drivers, Mike Thibert (motorcycle - owling), Isabelle Nicol and Art Thomp- son . Summarizing the rest of the period, we will begin with... Birds on the Water: The normally common loon, the Common Loon, was anything but common until late October. The relatively rare Red-throated Loon was observed several times throughout October; however, these sightings may have been of just two individual birds lingering on Lac Deschenes. The Double-crested Cormorant, once relatively scarce, con- tinued to be noticed in good numbers. (Do they breed here?) The Fall Count produced 36, and later in September there were as many as 34 at Shirleys Bay. Other areas of concentration in- 8 elude Champlain Bridge and Thurso. An early Snow Goose was observed September 21st at Shirleys Bay. Ducks included as many as 10 Ruddy Ducks, a few flocks of Redheads, and, on October 28th, a King Eider (probably an imma- ture male) all seen at Shirleys Bay. Gadwall and Shoveler numbers appeared to be down somewhat, and Canvasbacks were not noted until November. Birds of Prey: There were a few Peregrine Falcons and Merlins reported, and Short-eared Owls were seen for the first time in ove r a year. Birds of the Shore: What shore? Shorebirds were scarce indeed. Aside from the Whimbrels, late records of Red Knot, Wilson's Phalarope (both September 16th), and Red-necked Phalarope (Sep- tember 26th) were of interest. A Hudsonian Godwit (October 20th) at Winchester Sewage Lagoon was the best shorebird find of the period. Birds of the Dump (and just about everywhere): The Black-legged Kittiwake was the best find among gulls. Other finds included at least four different Lesser Black-backed Gulls (all adult or third-year birds) and a Glaucous/Herring Gull hybrid on October lOth-llth. The first Thayer's Gull of the autumn was observed on October 1st. White-winged gulls were early with Glaucous and Iceland Gulls being recorded on October 7th and 10th, respec- t ively . Birds of the Bush: It has been a quiet fall in this department too. I don't think we can blame it on high water levels. There were some nights with major migrational movements, and warm weather in mid to late October had some species staying a little later than usual. Four Red-headed Woodpeckers were found behind Shirleys Bay, and there were a few scattered reports of Black-backed Woodpeck- ers. No (Northern) Three-toed Woodpeckers have been reported in 18 or 19 months, but we hope to see some this winter. There were no rare flycatchers, but a small movement of Yellow-bellied Flycatchers was evident in the first two weeks of September . A few Common Ravens were noted in and around the city at Shirleys Bay, Greens Creek and even at the Children's Hospital. As said earlier, there were several good migration nights in September. The Swainson's Thrush is one of the most abundant and evident of night-time migrants. Most recordings of Swain- son's Thrush give examples of the short "heep" note which is often heard as the birds fly overhead. On the night of Septem- ber 1 1 1 h— 1 2th , three observers (listeners) estimated 8000 of 9 this species. Imagine that we could turn on the lights and see hundreds of thousands of birds over us! To get a small taste of what was happening, two of the observers focussed their tele- scopes on the full moon and watched the birds stream by. There were smaller numbers of other thrushes noted, includ- ing five Gray-cheeked Thrushes heard migrating before dawn on the Fall Bird Count on September 2nd. A few Yellow-throated Vireos were reported in September. A male Hooded Warbler was reported from Champlain Lookout. House Finches continue to make their presence felt with up to 20 observed at one feeder. Two Pine Grosbeaks observed in the northern part of our area on the Fall Bird Count were early. Excellent White Pine and White Spruce cone crops indicate that we are in for an excellent finch winter. Numbers of Purple Finch, American Goldfinch (abundant), White-winged Crossbill, Pine Siskin (fairly common), and Red Crossbill (few) have been recorded. By the time you are reading this article we hope you will be experiencing Ottawa's first finch winter in years. n Bill Coburn — in memorium The Ottawa birding community lost one of its best-loved members in October with the sudden death of Bill Coburn. An enthusiastic birder and ever-obliging volunteer for Club birding activities. Bill's interests ranged from field study to bird drawing and photography. He had only recently expressed a desire to combine his talents for art and birding to forge a new career. Full of warmth and good humour. Bill always had a ready laugh and a generous nature - as many a birder in need of transportation can testify! Bill was an OFNC member since 1982, yet in this short time he managed to leave an indelible impression on the Club. For two years he participated actively in the Birds Committee (missing not one meeting), co-coordinated the 1983 Ottawa-Hull Spring roundup and Christmas Bird Count. He contributed bird observations regularly to The Shrike, led bird walks, was active in the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas project and found time to write a Recent Bird Sightings article for Trail & Landscape . A dedicated family man, Bill's love of birding was exceeded only by his devotion to his wife, Valerie, and their young sons, Jason and Benji. Bill's contributions will be missed, and he will be remembered with affection. n 10 Everything We Wanted to Know . . . In a previous article, Etymology of the Teasel (Trail & Landscape 18(2): 74-75 (1984)), readers were asked if they had found teasel around Ottawa and, if so, whether or not it had been used in the manufacture of cloth. The Editor's mail box was not swamped with replies. The number of answers suggests that no one had, in fact, observed the teasel in this area and could not, therefore, say if it had a relationship to mills or to anything else! Mary Stuart suggested, with good reason, that anyone who picked teasel should dispose of the seeds in sanitary fashion before they got spread around*. Our Editor kindly informed us about the use of Fuller's Teasel ( Dipsacus fullonum) in the Asselstine Factory at Upper Canada Village. Now I can confirm that the Common or Card Teasel {D. silvaticus) was growing last summer on newly-filled land along the Ottawa River just above the Chaudiere Bridge in Hull, Gatineau County, where I observed it in bloom from August to October. Discussion with the millers at Upper Canada Village dis- closes that Fuller's Teasel is now procured from England, and that it used to be obtainable from Skaneateles in New York State. The fulling drum at Upper Canada Village, which they operate regularly to demonstrate the manufacture of blankets in the period around 1867 (The St. Lawrence Parks Commission, undated), is faced with no fewer than 2000 teasel heads. To understand how this works, imagine that a blanket when first woven has a hard surface which feels like heavy canvas. The woven blanket must be wetted with hot water, to set and shrink the material, and then brushed or fulled to bring up the nap, making it soft and warm. The reason for using Fuller's Teasel for that part of the manufacturing process is found in the natural resiliance, strength and shape of the 'tines'. The tines of Fuller's Teasel are stiff and uniformly hooked. The tines of Common Teasel are straight and considerably slimmer. About Ross Anderson * Mary recalls being assigned the job of pulling teasels from the fence-corners on the family farm in Prince Edward County. Try it! \ i V \ ^ xtC <:ra ^pt '^*+ I^ipsacus sylv/e'st-r i*b, '<- •? ^cC Ck&ePiy- Icrnyx^i^y^ ■, 7- +di-< ~iu n a pAMyrr'^* Pas . P&xPp Pds JPPy^g -ddAxpy ^ndrU ^PP rH CO 3 •H . O CJ CL 4-1 » CL 3 l-l •H O *H o cl cO 0) 3 s L. 55 H 3 •H 4-1 pq g 3 V/ O CO U CO o 4-1 mh ea •H 4-1 o 3 3 3 O 3 • •H CD 4h O 3 ss a o * vO O 3 3 H CO O 4-1 rH JS oc Ah Ah SC o H Jan/Feb 1985 maple forests on acid sand (Brunton 1984b). Specimens: Pinhey Forest (OAC, DFB); Shirleys Bay, Kanata (OAC, DFB); Blackburn Hamlet (DAO); Mer Bleue (OAC, DFB). Status: Rare Quebec, Sparse Ontario. Lycopodium selago (Mountain Clubmoss) Rare, Quebec only - see Brunton 1974a; also found in Proulx Pit, Gatineau Park (by B. Bracken). One small stand is found in an unusual habitat (a dry sandstone ledge) in Ot tawa-Car leton. Specimens: Stony Swamp (CAN, DAO, DFB). Revised Status: Rare. Lycopodium tristachyum (Ground-cedar) Sparse - see Brunton 1974a; prefers very dry, open sandy ground in the District. Specimens: Stony Swamp (CAN, DFB); Mer Bleue (OAC, DFB) . SELAGINELLACEAE SPIKEMOSS FAMILY Selaginella apoda (Meadow Spikemoss) Rare, Fitzroy Harbour and Shirleys Bay - found very abundantly still at Innis Point on limestone pave- ment and at two new sites on Morris Island near Arnprior (M. Runtz, pers. comm.). Specimens: Shirleys Bay, Kanata (CAN, DFB) . Revised Status: Rare along Ottawa River (Ontario only). Selaginella rupestris (Rock Spikemoss) Sparse (in Ontario) - Darbyshire (1982) points out that the (acidic rock) habitat of this species is limited in Ot tawa-Car leton; otherwise known in the Regional Muncipality only from Constance Bay (Brunton 1974b) and Morris Island (Dugal and Reddoch 1980). Specimen: Clarence (CAN) . Revised Status: Rare (in Ontario). ISOETACEAE QUILLWORT FAMILY Isoetes echinospora (Quillwort) Sparse, Quebec only - see Brunton 1974c; requires fresh, clean, running water and may be overlooked; this collection appears to be the first Ottawa record in the District out of the Gatineau Hills. Specimens: Champlain Bridge, Aylmer (CAN, DFB). EQUISETACEAE HORSETAIL FAMILY Equisetum x jesupe A. A. Eaton New to List - found occasionally where parent species (E. variegatum and E. hyemale) intermix (especially along rivers); known from a few older collections as well and may be more common than presently 29 understood to be. Specimens: Farrelton (CAN, DFB) ; Shirleys Bay, Nepean and Kanata (CAN, DFB). Status: Sparse. Equisetum x litorale (Shore Horsetail) Rare - scattered along river shores where E. arvense and E. fluvi- atile coincide; this collection is the first west of the Rideau River; see Lafontaine 1973. Specimens: Shirleys Bay, Nepean (CAN, DFB). Revised Status: Sparse. POL Y POD I ACE AE FERN FAMILY Adiantum pedatum (Maidenhair Fern) Sparse (in Ontario) - locally abundant in rich, mesic maple forests across Ottawa- Carleton. Specimens: Pakenham (CAN, DFB); Shirleys Bay, Kanata (CAN, OAC, DFB); Blackburn Hamlet (CAN, OAC, DFB). Revised Status: Uncommon (in Ontario). Asplen ium platyneuron (Ebony Spleenwort) Rare - known from 12 sites in Stony Swamp (Brunton 1982) and advanc- ing its range northward rapidly (Wagner and Johnson 1981); Wilson's Corners site in Quebec (Cody 1978) could not be redis- covered in 1979. Specimens: Stony Swamp (CAN, OAC, DFB). Revised Status: Rare Quebec, Sparse Ontario. Dryopteris x boottii (Boott's Woodfern) Sparse - sterile hybrid between D. cristata and D. intermedia which is found where parents intermix, usually in young, wet, deciduous woodland; also found recently near Kars (B. Bracken pers. comm.) and Greens Creek (Brunton 1983). Specimens: Albion Road (CAN, OAC, DFB); Pinhey Forest (DFB); Stony Swamp (CAN, OAC). Revised Status: Uncommon. Dryopteris clintoniana x cristata (hybrid Woodfern) New to List - sterile hybrid between two closely related species, to be expected where the parents intermix (in wet sandy sites); easily overlooked but perhaps not too unusual (in Ontario). Specimens: Moodie Dr. (DFB); Shirleys Bay, Nepean (CAN, DFB); Mer Bleue (DFB); Blair Rd. (DFB); Blackburn Hamlet (DFB). Status: Sparse (Ontario only). Dryopteris x dowellii Wherry (Dowell's Woodfern) New to List - a provincially rare hybrid between D. clintoniana and D. intermedia, it is found in sandy swamp forest in the District (also near Kars) and is rare throughout eastern North America (Wherry 1972). Specimens: Greens Creek (MICH, DFB). Status: Rare (Ontario only). Dryopteris goldiana (Goldie's Fern) Sparse 30 - an indicator of rich, mesic, southern maple forests that was recently removed from the list of Ontario Rare Plants (Argus and White 1983); the Pakenham station (below) involves hundreds of plants. Specimens: Pakenham (CAN, DFB). Dryopteris x triploidea Wherry (Triploid Woodfern) New to List - actually a common (although sterile) hybrid between D. inter- media and D. carthusiana (D. spinulosa), found wherever the two parents intermix (although relatively few specimens have been taken to date). Specimens: Kars (DFB); Moodie Dr. (DFB); Pinhey Forest (CAN). Status: Common. Dryopteris x uliginosa Druce (Braun's Woodfern) New to List - a rare hybrid of D. carthusiana (D. spinulosa) and D. cristata throughout its range (Wherry 1972, Britton 1965), this taxon is known from only a few Ontario stations; found in low wet hard- woods here. Specimen: Blackburn (DFB). Status: Rare (Ontario only). Pellaea atropurpurea (Purple Cliffbrake) Sparse, Quebec only - prefers marble cliffs with southern exposures in the District (Lafontaine and Brunton 1972) and is rare in Quebec (Bouchard et al. 1983); this collection made near Low from a 10-year-old rock face. Specimens: Low (CAN, OAC, DFB). Polypodium virginianum forma acuminatum Fernald (Diploid Poly- pody ) New to List - an Appalachian taxon (possibly distinct species) that is rare and local this far west (Brunton and Lafontaine 1974); has a different chromosome level (and physical features) from typical P. virginianum (Kott and Britton 1982, Brunton and Lafontaine 1974). Specimens: Farrelton (CAN, DFB); Mountain Rd, Gatineau Park (DAO, OAC, DFB). Status: Rare (Quebec only). Thelypter is noveboracens is (New York Fern) Sparse - scattered across the District in sandy, acidic soils under hardwoods (see Cody 1978); common around Mer Bleue (Brunton 1984b). Specimens: Manotick (OAC, DFB); Shirleys Bay, Kanata (CAN, DFB); Blackburn (CAN, OAC, DFB); Blackburn Hamlet (CAN, DFB); Mer Bleue (CAN). Revised Status: Uncommon. Woods ia oregana (Oregon Woodsia) - the only eastern Ontario station ened with destruction from housing poration in Kanata (Brunton 1981); well since its discovery 15 years Specimen: Kanata (DFB). Rare of this rare fern is threat- development by Campeau Cor- the stand has been expanding ago by C. and E. Frankton. 3 I PINACEAE PINE FAMILY Picea rubens (Red Spruce) Rare, Gatineau Park - a common upland conifer of the maritime provinces that is approaching the western limit of its range here; found on moist slopes north of the collection site. Specimens: Farrelton (CAN, DFB) . Revised Status: Rare (Quebec only). CUPRESSACEAE CYPRESS FAMILY Juniperus virginiana (Red Juniper) Locally common in Gatineau Park, rare in Ontario - a southern tree at the northern limit of its range here, it is found infrequently in the District in sheltered sites where it is a relict of a warmer climatic period that dominated this area several thousand years ago (Brunton and Lafontaine 1974). It is found in a number of such sites in the Gatineau Hills, and elsewhere in Ottawa-Carleton is found in widely scattered sta- tions on limestone flats (e.g. Morris Island, The Burnt Lands, and Lemieux Island (Dore 1983)). The new station (below) with almost 50 trees is the largest in the District. Specimens: Harwood Plains (DAO, DFB). Revised Status: Sparse (Introduced and native). SPARGANIACEAE BUR-REED FAMILY Sparganium americanum (American Bur-reed) Sparse - widespread boreal species that is known elsewhere in the District only from an extirpated station at Rockcliffe and from Stony Swamp; fairly commonly found along the margins of Mer Bleue (Brunton 1984b). Specimens: Mer Bleue (CAN, DFB). Revised Status: Rare (Ontario only). Sparganium chlorocarpum (Green Bur-reed) Sparse - fairly frequently found along mucky shores on the Quebec side of the District but only in four other sites on the Ontario side; found with S. americanum (above). Specimen: Mer Bleue (CAN) . Revised Status: Uncommon Quebec, Sparse Ontario. Sparganium minimum (Small Bur-reed) Sparse - a boreal/subarctic species of calcareous to neutral mucky shores, known elsewhere in the District only from Stony Swamp (Brunton 1982) and a recently-revised collection from Gatineau Park. Specimens: Stony Swamp (DAO, DFB); Mer Bleue (CAN). Revised Status: Rare. 32 POTAMOGETONACEAE PONDWEED FAMILY Potamogeton foliosus (Leafy Pondweed) Sparse - found across the District (Dobson and Catling 1983); seems to have a high salt tolerance and grows in pools in the median of the Queensway in very dense patches. Specimens: Greens Creek (CAN, DFB ) ; Mer Bleue (CAN, DAO, DFB). Revised Status: Uncommon. Potamogeton pectinatus (Sago) Sparse - found in quiet calcareous water throughout the District (Dob- son and Catling 1983). Specimens: Manotick (CAN, DAO, DFB). Revised Status: Uncommon Quebec, Common Ontario. Potamogeton pusillus (Small Pondweed) Sparse - found regularly in fresh, shallow water across the District (Dobson and Catling 1983). Specimens: Stony Swamp (CAN, DFB). Revised Status: Common Quebec, Uncommon Ontario. Potamogeton robbinsii (Robbin's Pondweed) Sparse - a widespread species in Canada, found usually in deep, fresh, calcareous or c ircumneut ral water. It is found across the Gatineau Hills but in Ottawa-Car leton is found only in the Mississippi River below Carleton Place and (formerly?) the Otta- wa River below Britannia. The Morris Island population had mature fruit, a very rare condition with this species (Dobson and Catling 1983). Specimens: Morris Island (DAO, DFB). Revised Status: Uncommon Quebec, Rare Ontario. Potamogeton vaseyi (Vasey's Pondweed) Rare - this inconspicuous, fragile little aquatic is rare in Ontario and Quebec (Argus and White 1977, Bouchard et al. 1983). In the District it is found in several Gatineau Park localities in cool fresh water. Elsewhere it was known only from two sites along the Ottawa River east of Ottawa (Dobson and Catling 1983). It is abundant at the Morris Island site. Specimens: Morris Island (CAN, DAO, DFB). Revised Status: Sparse Quebec, Rare Ontario. Potamogeton zost er i form i s (Flat-stemmed Pondweed) Sparse - found in quiet, fresh, calcareous to neutral water throughout the District (Dobson and Catling 1983). Specimens: Manotick (CAN, DFB). Revised Status: Common. SCHEUCHZERIACEAE NUTGRASS FAMILY Scheuchzer ia palustris (Nutgrass) Rare - long known as a Mer Bleue specialty, it remains common there in areas of most-saturated, graminoid bog mat; known elsewhere in the Richmond Fens (Reddoch 1979) and Gatineau Park. Speci- mens: Mer Bleue (CAN, DFB). 33 JUNCAGINACEAE ARROW GRASS FAMILY Triglochin maritima (Arrow grass) Rare, Ontario only - known elsewhere from an extirpated station at "the gas Springs", Mer Bleue ( 1890s) and from the Richmond Fen and Manion Corners Long Swamp Fen (Reddoch 1979). The Carp collection is highly unusual because it is from an artificial habitat (a ditch). The Cumberland station is only a few kilometres from the long-gone Mer Bleue station. Specimens: Carp (CAN, DFB); NE of Carlsbad Springs (CAN, DAO, DFB). ALISMATACEAE WATER PLANTAIN FAMILY Sagittar ia rigida (Sessile-fruited Arrowhead) Sparse - becoming common, even locally abundant, in polluted waters along the Ottawa River, this seems to be one of the few benefic- iaries of the degrading water quality of the Ottawa River(l); forms huge virtually-pure stands in Shirleys Bay. Specimens: Britannia (CAN, DFB), Shirleys Bay, Nepean (CAN, DFB); Champlain Bridge, Aylmer (CAN). Revised Status: Sparse Quebec, Uncommon (locally abundant) Ont ar io . GRAMINEAE GRASS FAMILY Andropogon gerardii (Big Bluestem) Sparse, along Ottawa River - a species of relict shrub prairies that may be declining due to habitat destruction; long known at Innis Point where it continues to thrive. Specimens: Shirleys Bay, Kanata (CAN, DFB) . Andropogon scoparius (Little Bluestem) Sparse, along rivers - like A. gerardii (above) this is a species of shrub prairies along river shores, but also is weedy along railways (e.g. at Wakefield) and is far more common than the previous species. The Shirleys Bay site is the type locality for var. septentr ion- alis (the most common form), and it is dominant there. Speci- mens: Shirleys Bay, Kanata (CAN, DFB). Beckmannia syzigachne (Steudl.) Fern. (Slough Grass) New to List - a native of prairie sloughs and the James Bay coast of Ontario (Dore and McNeill 1980), it is introduced into southern Ontario; first found as a weed at the Experimental Farm about 1890 (spec- imen at TRT) and recently rediscovered at Borthwick Springs, Gloucester, by P. Catling in 1981. Specimens: Mer Bleue (CAN, DAO, DFB). Status: Rare, Ontario only. Brachyelytrum erectum (Bearded Shorthusk) Sparse (in Ontario) - known elsewhere on the Ontario side from young hardwoods in 34 Stony Swamp (Brunton 1982), Greens Creek (Brunton 1983) and near Ottawa (Dore 1959). Specimens: Mer Bleue (CAN, DFB). Bromus tectorum (Downy Chess) Sparse - a recently arrived weed from the prairies (since 1946), a troublesome weed in parts of Ontario and is spreading ra along railways; known from a few scattered sites along rai in the District (Dore 1959). Specimens: Mer Bleue (CAN, it is pidly lroads DFB). Cinna arundinacea (Stout Woodreed) Sparse - a species of rich hardwood forests that is rare in Canada (Argus and White 1977) and which appears to be declining in the District (with all but one previous collection being over 50 years old (Dore 1959)). It is also considered rare in Quebec by Bouchard et al. (1983); however, it may be removed from the list of Ontario Rare Plants in subsequent editions (A. A. Reznicek, pers. comm.). Specimens: Blackburn (CAN, DFB). Revised Status: Rare. Cinna latifolia (Drooping Woodreed) Sparse (in Ontario) - restricted to acidic, sandy soils in the vicinity of Ottawa and at Greens Creek (Brunton 1983). Specimens: Blackburn Ham- let (CAN, DFB). Echinochloa walteri (Walter's Barnyard Grass) Rare, Bourget - a handsome southern grass of wet meadows and shores, this species is rare in Canada (Argus and White 1977, Bouchard et al. 1983). It is found elsewhere in Ontario along the Lake Erie shore (Dore and McNeill 1980). It was discovered in the Dis- trict by W.G. Dore and W.J. Cody, who found several plants at Cobbs Lake, Bourget (Dore 1952). Despite serious site disturb- ance since that time, the species is still at that location and now is fairly common. It was growing in a sulphur spring with known halophytes and appears to be quite tolerant of salt (Faust and Roberts 1983). Specimens: Bourget (DAO, TRT, DFB). Elymus hystrix (Bottle-brush) Sparse - a fairly common woodland grass of rich southern forests, it is locally abundant across the District; Darbyshire (1982) states that it becomes weedy in places; usually indicates other unusual southern species are present. Specimens: Stony Swamp (CAN, DFB); Greens Creek (CAN); Manotick (CAN); Harwood Plains (DAO, DFB) . Revised Status: Uncommon. Eragrost is minor Host (= E. poaeoides) Love Grass Sparse, Ontario only - a weedy species with a high tolerance for salt, this species is spreading rapidly along the highways of the District (Dore 1959, Brunton 1984b). Specimens: Westboro (CAN, DFB); Britan- nia (CAN, DFB); Woodroffe Ave., Ottawa (CAN, DAO, DFB); Maitland Ave. (CAN, US); Greens Creek (CAN, US, DFB); Mountain Rd. Gatin- 35 eau Park (CAN); Mer Bleue (DAO, US, DFB); Stillwater Park, Nepean (CAN, US); Whitehaven (DAO). Revised Status: Rare Quebec, Uncommon Ontario. Eragrost is pect inacea (Love Grass) Sparse - as with minor (above) but not as successful a colonizer forming smaller stands. Specimens: Shirleys Bay, Kanata (CAN, DFB); Stony Swamp (CAN, DFB); Deschenes (CAN, US, DFB); Val Tetreau (CAN, DFB); Rockcliffe Air Base (US, DFB). Revised Status: Sparse Quebec, Uncommon Ontario. Eragrostis pilosa L. (Love Grass) New to List - a weedy species of southern and eastern Quebec, these repre- sent the first records for Ontario (see Dore and McNeill 1980 as E. mult icaulis); has spread locally in the last two years. Specimens: Britannia (CAN, DAO, US, DFB). Status: Rare (Ontario only). Festuca arundinacea (Fall Fescue) Sparse - Darbyshire ( 1982) describes this as becoming "... much more common ..." in the District and particularly in the Greenbelt. Specimens: Val Tetreau (CAN, DFB); Alta Vista (CAN, DFB). Revised Status: Uncommon. Festuca pratensis (Meadow Fescue) Sparse - a wide-spread introduction that is becoming increasingly com- mon in the District because of its use in road embankment seed- ing mixtures (Darbyshire 1982). Specimens: W of Carp (DAO, DFB); Bourget (DAO); Bayshore, Nepean (DAO). Revised Status: Uncommon. Festuca rubra (Red Fescue) Sparse - as with F. pratensis (above); also found commonly in lawn mixtures. Specimens: Britannia (CAN, DFB). Revised Status: Uncommon. Festuca tenuifolia Sibth. (= F. capillata) (Hair Fescue) Rare, Carleton County - an uncommon weed across southern Ontario (Dore and McNeill 1980) that has been known from this one Ottawa station for 40 years (Dore 1959); it is still abundant at the site but does not seem to be spreading. Specimens: Bells Corners (CAN, DFB). Festuca trachyphylla (Hackel) Krajina (= F. ovina) (Sheep Fes- cue) Sparse, Ontario only -a hardy introduction of dry, sterile, sandy fields and openings in and near the city of Ottawa (Dore 1959); also, perhaps, becoming more common (as with F. rubra and F. pratensis , above). Specimens: Whitehaven, Ottawa (CAN, DFB); Britannia Woods (DAO, DFB) . Revised Status: Uncommon, Ontario only. 36 Glyceria x laxa (Scribn.) Scribn. (Lax Manna-grass) New to List - this hybrid grass has been long known from the Mer Bleue and is the basis for the description of Glyceria x ottawensis by Bowden (1960), a taxon which is considered synonymous with G. x laxa. It is known from only two other sites in Ontario and its parentage (involving G. canadensis and possibly G. striata) is still in doubt. It is also known in the District from Gatineau Park (Dore 1959) and appears to have become more common over the years at Mer Bleue (Brunton 1984b). Specimens: Mer Bleue (DAO, DFB) . Status: Rare, Gatineau Park and Mer Bleue. Glyceria melicaria (Long Manna Grass) Sparse - considered rare in Ontario by Argus and White (1977), it is known elsewhere in eastern Ontario only near Casselman (from an old specimen). It is an Appalachian species and is known from a few scattered sites in the Gatineau (Dore 1959). Specimens: Mer Bleue (CAN, DFB). Revised Status: Sparse Quebec, Rare Ontario. Hierochloe odorata (Sweet Grass) Sparse - known from scattered rivershore and roadside sites where it is both native (shores) and introduced (roadsides) (Dore 1959). It is one of a number of native plants of generally more western range that is benefiting from saline habitats resulting from road salting, especially in limestone areas (Catling and McKay 1980), and is becoming more common in the Ottawa District. Specimens: Antrim (CAN, DFB). Hordeum vulgare (Barley) Scarcely persistent - persists poorly after cultivation and spreads slowly if at all in most cases; known from agricultural lands in the District. Specimens: Greens Creek (CAN, DFB). Lol ium perenne (Rye Grass) Rare - a weed of lawns and roadsides across Ontario (Dore and McNeill 1980); Darbyshire ( 1982) notes that it is found in grass mix- tures used for roadside seeding. It appears to be becoming fairly common in the Regional Municipality of Ot tawa-Car leton but in Quebec is known only from one record. Specimens: Bri- tannia (CAN, DFB); Manotick (CAN, DFB); Shirleys Bay, Nepean (CAN); Greens Creek (CAN, DAO); Eardley, Gatineau Park (DAO). Revised Status: Rare Quebec, Uncommon Ontario. Muhlenbergia uniflora (One-flowered Dropseed) Rare, Gatineau Park - a common grass of wet, acidic, disturbed sandy shores and meadows in Atlantic Canada, it becomes local and very uncommon as far west as the Ottawa District and has been known here (since 1943) from only one station near our recent collection site in the Gatineau Hills (Dore 1959). Specimens: Ramsay Lake, Gatineau Park (DAO, DFB). 37 Oryzops is racemosa (Mountain-rice) Sparse (in Ontario) - although fairly common in the Gatineau, it is found less frequently in sandy hardwood forests in the Ottawa District. Specimens: Shirleys Bay, Kanata (CAN, DFB) ; Stony Swamp (CAN, DFB); Harwood Plains (DAO). Revised Status: Uncommon. Panicum lanuginosum var. 1 indheimer i (Nash) Fern. (Smooth Panic Grass ) New to List - P. lanuginosum is a common species in the District when con- sidered in a broad sense, but usually is considered as a complex of subspecific (or specific) taxa. Variety lindheimeri (or P. 1 indheimer i) is common on the limey shores of Georgian Bay and on calcareous sands in the upper Ottawa Valley (Dore and McNeill 1980) but was not prevously found in the Ottawa District (Dore 1959). Not surprisingly, it occurs here on limestone (alvar) shoreline that is flooded each spring. Specimens: Morris Is- land (DAO, TRTE , DFB). Status: Rare (Ontario only). Panicum milaceum (Millet) Rare escape - a common constituent of seed mixtures for bird feeders (al- though ignored by most birds!) that arises from spillage below the feeders and as a rare advent ive elsewhere. Specimens: Britannia (DFB); Hazeldean (DAO). Revised Status: Sparse escape (Ontario only). Panicum ph ilade lph icum (Philadelphia Witch Grass) Sparse - a southern species of open limestone pavements and alvars (Catling et al. 1975), this species is rare in Canada (Bouchard et al. 1977) and is known from scattered sites across the Re- gional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton (Brunton 1982a). Speci- mens: Stony Swamp (CAN, DFB); Eagleson Corners (DAO). Revised Status: Rare Quebec, Sparse Ontario. Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steudel (= P. communis) (Reed Grass) Sparse - a common grass of marshes and calcareous shores across south- ern Ontario and locally common along rivers in the District (Brunton 1984b); apparently becoming more common as a roadside weed in salty, wet areas along highways in the District. Speci- mens: Stony Swamp (CAN, DFB); Navan (CAN, DFB); Bourget (DAO, DFB) . Poa nemoralis (Wood Meadow Grass) Sparse - a localized introduction that results from largely unsuccess- ful lawn plantings in the Ottawa and Hull areas (Dore 1959). It has become common at some sites in Gatineau Park and near Vin- cent Massey Park (Darbyshire 1982). Specimens: Britannia (DAO, DFB) . Revised Status: Uncommon Quebec, Sparse Ontario. 38 Puccinellia distans (Lax Puccinellia) Rare - a salC-tolerant species that is rapidly colonizing saline sites along roadsides across southern Ontario (Catling and McKay 1980) and which is now common along the Queensway and at snow dumps (Darbyshire 1982). Specimens: Queensway - Nepean, Ottawa and Gloucester (CAN, DFB); Victoria Island (CAN); Wakefield (DAO); Jockvale (DAO, DFB); Bourget (DAO, DFB); Carlsbad Springs (CAN) . Revised Status: Sparse Quebec, Common along highways, Ontario. Puccinellia nuttalliana (Schultes) Hitchc. (Nuttall's Puccinel- lia) New to List - a common species of prairie slough edges, this species becomes very rare in (extreme northwestern) Ontario and is found as a rare introduction in a few places further east (Dore and McNeill 1980). It grows in salt springs in the District. Specimens: Borthwick Springs (DAO, DFB); Bourget (DAO, DFB). Status: Rare (Ontario only). Sporobolus vaginiflorus (Ensheathed Dropseed) Sparse - an abundant grass of loose, gravelly calcareous/neutral road- sides throughout the District (and southern Ontario). The typi- cal variety is considered rare in Ontario by Argus and White (1977), but it seems to be found in many weedy sites with the common var. inaequalis and may not be a distinct taxon in any case. It is the dominant roadside vegetation in much of the District in late summer and fall. Specimens: Barrhaven (CAN, DFB); Carlington (CAN, DFB); Shirleys Bay, Kanata (CAN, DFB); Shirleys Bay, Nepean (DFB); Alta Vista (CAN, DFB); Manotick (DFB); The Burnt Lands (DFB); Queensway, Gloucester (CAN); Mer Bleue (CAN); Champlain Bridge, Aylmer (CAN); Bourget (DAO). Revised Status: Uncommon Quebec, Common Ontario. Torreyochloa Fernaldii (Hitchc.) E. Voss (= T. pallida var. fernaldii) (Fernald's Manna Grass) Sparse - a boreal species of c ircumneutral wet, mucky ground, it is found scattered across the Quebec side of the District but is rarely on the Ontario side (at Mer Bleue and from old specimens elsewhere). It is fairly common along the margins of Mer Bleue (Brunton 1984b). Specimen: Mer Bleue (DFB). Revised Status: Sparse Quebec, Rare Ontario. CYPERACEAE SEDGE FAMILY Carex aenea (Copper Sedge) Sparse - a northern plant of open, sandy sites that is known in the District only from old (extirpated?) records in Quebec and from the Mer Bleue in Ontario (Brunton 1984b). Specimens: Mer Bleue (CAN, DFB). Revised Status: Rare. 39 Carex brunnescens (Brownish Sedge) Sparse - a common sedge of acidic sandy and boggy sites across northern Ontario but with little suitable habitat in the District; common in the Mer Bleue. Specimens: Mer Bleue (CAN, DFB). Carex chordorrhiza L.f. (Chord Sedge) New to List - a characteristic species of northern Ontario fens that is rare and local in southern Ontario. It was discovered in the Dis- trict in 1983 at the margins of bomb craters (where the bog mat is thinest) in the Mer Bleue (Brunton 1984b). Specimen: Mer Bleue (DFB). Status: Rare (Ontario only). Carex crawei (Crawe's Sedge) Rare, near Almonte - a northern species that is rare and local on alvars in south- ern Ontario (Catling et al. 1975), it is known elsewhere in the District only at The Burnt Lands near Almonte. Specimens: Shirleys Bay, Kanata (CAN, DFB); Morris Island (DAO, DFB). Revised Status: Rare (Ontario only). Carex debilis (Weak Sedge) Sparse - an uncommon boreal species of somewhat acidic, organic/sandy shores that has little suitable habitat in the District. Speci- mens: Ramsay Lake, Gatineau Park (CAN, DFB). Carex echinata (Prickly Sedge) Sparse - as with C^ brunnescens (above) but more common on the Quebec side (Brunton 1984b). Specimens: Mer Bleue (CAN, DFB). Revised Status: Uncommon Quebec, Sparse Ontario. Carex exilis (Starved Sedge) Rare, Mer Bleue - a species of Atlantic coastal peatlands that becomes increas- ingly uncommon inland (Reznicek and Ball 1980); it has long been known from Mer Bleue and is abundant there still on the open bog mat (Brunton 1984b). Specimens: Mer Bleue (CAN, DFB). Carex festucacea (Sedge) Rare, Ontario only - a poorly understood, rare sedge of low, marshy, calcareous ground nearing the northern limit of its range here (Brunton 1984b). It is known elsewhere in the District only from an old collection at Mer Bleue. Specimens: Greens Creek (CAN, DFB); Shirleys Bay, Kanata (CAN, DFB). Carex flacca (Heath Sedge) Rare, Carleton County - a rare introduction in eastern Canada that is known in the District only in Stony Swamp (Brunton 1982); found in 1984 at a second station ca. % km from the original stand where it was abundant some years ago when found by C. and E. Frankton but which may have declined greatly since. Specimens: Stony Swamp (DAO, MICH, DFB). 40 Carex folliculata (Folliculate Sedge) Rare, Mer Bleue and Gatineau Park - this handsome sedge is an Atlantic Coastal Plain species that is rare in Ontario (Ball and White 1982) and Quebec (Bouchard et al. 1983) and is known elsewhere in the District only from Proulx Pit, Gatineau Park, and Baxter Conservation Area, Kars (Brunton 1984b). Specimens: Mer Bleue (CAN, DFB). Revised Status: Rare. Carex grayii (Gray's Sedge) Sparse, along the Ottawa River - an uncommon southern species of rich, lacustrine soils along rivers in southern Ontario, it is at the northern limit of its range in the District (Reznicek and Ball 1974). Known from a number of rivershore sites in the District and possibly more common than accepted. Specimens: Pakenham (CAN, DFB); Shirleys Bay, Kanata (CAN, DFB); Shirleys Bay, Nepean (CAN, DFB); Britan- nia Woods (CAN, DFB); Leamy Lake (CAN, DFB). Revised Status: Sparse Quebec, Uncommon Ontario. Carex hirtifolia (Hairy Sedge) Sparse - a species of rich, heavy clay/silt soils in mature hardwoods that is approaching the northern limit of its range in the District. Known sparingly on the Quebec side (where it is considered provincially rare (Bouchard et al. 1983)) and more frequently on the Ontario side; possibly only Uncommon. Speci- mens: Greens Creek (CAN, DFB); South March Highlands (DFB). Carex hitchcockiana (Hitchcock's Sedge) Rare - an uncommon species of rich southern hardwood forests that is at the northern limit of its range at this longitude in the Ottawa District; elsewhere only from several old records and from modern collections at the South March Highlands, Fitzroy Harbour and Stony Swamp. Specimens: Manotick (CAN, DAO, DFB); Harwood Plains (DAO, DFB). Revised Status: Sparse (Ontario only). Carex limosa (Mud Sedge) Rare, Mer Bleue and Dow's Swamp -a widespread northern species of wet organic mats in fens and less acid bogs that is local and uncommon in southern Ontario; known in the District only from two Ottawa area fens and one in the Gatineau Hills (Reddoch 1979), in addition to Mer Bleue where it is common (Brunton 1984b). Specimens: Mer Bleue (CAN, DFB) . Revised Status: Rare, Quebec, Sparse Ontario. Carex merritt-fernaldii MacK. (=C. brevior p. pt.) (Fernald's Sedge) Sparse - a common northern sedge of dry, sandy openings that becomes rare and local off the Canadian Shield in Ontario; known from two sites in the Gatineau Hills and elsewhere in Ottawa at Uplands Airport (Brunton 1984b). Specimens: Mer Bleue (CAN, DFB) . 4 I Carex pauciflora (Few-flowered Sedge) Sparse - a typical species of northern Ontario fens and less acid bog mats that becomes local in southern Ontario and is found in the District in only a few Ottawa area fens (Reddoch 1979) and one bog in the Gatineau Hills (Brunton 1984b); has been known from Her Bleue for many years, and it is still quite common there. Specimen: Mer Bleue (CAN). Revised Status: Rare Quebec, Sparse Ontario. Carex praegracilis Boott (Slender Sedge) New to List - a native prairie species that is spreading rapidly across southern Ontario along roadways in salt-rich, wet areas and which was recently found in several sites in the District along Hwys. 17 and 417 (Brunton and Catling 1982); apparently still spreading in the District; also recently discovered along Hwy. 7 in Stony Swamp (C. Frankton pers. comm.). Specimens: Carp (CAN, DAO, DFB) ; Antrim (DAO). Status: Sparse (Ontario only). Carex richardsonii (Richardson's Sedge) Rare, Carleton County - a widespread western prairie calcicole that is rare and local in southern Ontario, especially in alvar situations (Catling et al. 1975); known in the District only from The Burnt Lands Alvar where it is abundant on open limestone pavement. Specimen: The Burnt Lands (DFB). Carex sychnocephala (Compact Sedge) Sparse - a widespread but never common species of wet, disturbed, calcareous shores and meadows at the northern limit of its range at this longitude in the District; known elsewhere in the Dis- trict from old stations near the city (and at Gatineau Point) and from scattered modern sites near Constance Bay and in the Regional Forest. Specimens: Manotick (CAN, DFB). Revised Status: Rare Quebec, Sparse Ontario. Carex trisperma (Three-fruited Sedge) Sparse - as with C. brunnescens (above). Specimen: Mer Bleue (DFB). Revised Status: Uncommon Quebec, Sparse Ontario. Carex typhina (Cattail Sedge) Sparse - this is one of the rarest Ontario sedges, known only from a very few 19th Century collections in the Ottawa area and a 1953 collection near Cumberland, and is rare throughout its Canadian range (Brunton 1983). In 1982 it was found in abundance in mature Silver Maple swamp forests along Greens Creek; it is found more regularly along the Ottawa River on the Quebec side (Gagnon 1980) i.e. at Leamy Creek and Pontiac Bay. Specimens: Greens Creek (CAN, DAO, MICH, DFB); Leamy Creek (CAN, DAO, DFB). Cladium mariscoides (Twig-rush) Sparse - an uncommon species of calcareous shores and fens in Ontario that is primarily Atlantic Coastal in distribution, it is known 42 from a scattering of sites in Ottawa-Car leton fens (Reddoch 1979) and from the Gatineau Hills. It may be only Uncommon here. Specimens: Ramsay Lake, Gatineau Park (CAN, DFB). Dulichium arundinaceum (Three-way Sedge) Sparse - a common shoreline and shallow- water species of acidic Canad- ian Shield areas that becomes rare in the limestone areas south of the Shield; known from a variety of places in the District on the Quebec side, and from Richmond Fen (Reddoch 1979), Morris Island (Dugal and Reddoch 1980), Stony Swamp and along the Ottawa River on the Ontario side (Brunton 1984b); Darbyshire (1982) suggests that it is fairly common. Specimens: Shirleys Bay, Kanata (CAN, DFB); Stony Swamp (DAO); Mer Bleue (CAN); Leamy Creek, Hull (CAN); Carp Hills, Kanata (DAO); Hazeldean (DAO) . Revised Status: Uncommon. Eleocharis intermedia (intermediate Spike-rush) Sparse - an uncommon emergent species of calcareous shorelines across southern Ontario, at the northern limit of its range for this longitude in the District (Brunton 1980). Known elsewhere along the Ottawa and Gatineau Rivers. Specimens: Shirleys Bay, Kan- ata (CAN, DFB). Eriophorum tenellum (Cotton-grass) Rare - a species of open bog mats of Atlantic Canada, becoming in- creasingly more uncommon further westward; known elsewhere only from a few bogs in the Gatineau Hills. Specimen: Mer Bleue (DFB) . Revised Status: Sparse Quebec, Rare Ontario. Eriophorum virginicum (Virginia Cotton-grass) Sparse - a common species of bog mats across Ontario and Quebec that is uncommon in the District because of a paucity of suitable habi- tat; very common in the Mer Bleue and other bogs. Specimen: Mer Bleue (CAN). Sc irpus acutus (Great Bulrush) Sparse - found occasionally on marly shores and in shallow marshes, on fens (cf. Reddoch 1984) and in mineral springs, often with other Scirpus species. Specimens: NE of Carlsbad Springs (DAO, DFB) . Sc irpus hudsonianus (Hudsonian Club-rush) Sparse - a northern (boreal) species of calcareous sands and fens that becomes rare and local in southern Ontario and is known from only a handful of sites on both sides of the District (Brunton 1984b). Specimens: Mer Bleue (CAN, DFB). Scirpus pendulus Muhl. (= S. lineatus) (Pendulous Clubrush) Rare, south limit of area - a usually rare and local species near the northern limit of its range here in the District, it is considered relatively 43 common by Darbyshire ( 1982); now known from a variety of sites across the Ontario side, primarily west of the Rideau River, in wet, disturbed ground (Brunton 1983). Specimens: Stony Swamp (CAN, DFB); Antrim (CAN, DFB); Blair Road, Gloucester (CAN, DFB); NW of Burritts Rapids (DAO, DFB). Revised Status: Uncommon (Ontario only). Literature Cited Argus, G.W. and D.J. White. 197 7. The rare vascular plants of Ontario. Syllogeus 14, National Museum of Natural Sciences, Ottawa . Argus, G.W. and D.J. White, editors. 1982. Atlas of the rare vascular plants of Ontario Part 1. National Museum of Natural Sciences, Ottawa. Argus, G.W. and D.J. White, editors. 1983. Atlas of the rare vascular plants of Ontario Part 2. National Museum of Natural Sciences, Ottawa. Ball, P.W. and D.J. White. 1982. Carex folliculata L. in Argus, G.W. and D.J. White. Atlas of the rare vascular plants of Ontario Part I. National Museum of Natural Sciences, Ottawa. Boivin, B. 1980. Survey of Canadian herbaria. Provancheria 10. Universite Laval, Quebec. Bouchard, A., D. Barabe, M. Dumais and S. Hay. 1983. The rare vascular plants of Quebec. Syllogeus 48, National Museum of Natural Sciences, Syllogeus 48. Ottawa. Bowden, W.M. 1960. Chromosome numbers and taxonomic notes on northern grasses. II. Tribe Festuceae. Canadian Journal of Botany 38 : 117-131. Britton, D.M. 1965. Hybrid Wood Ferns in Ontario. Michigan Botanist 4: 3-9. Brunton, D.F. trict Part 23. 1974a. The fern allies of the Ottawa-Hull Dis- II - the Clubmosses. Trail & Landscape 8(1): 18- Brunton, D.F. 1974b. The fern allies of the Ottawa-Hull Dis- trict Part III - the Spikemosses. Trail & Landscape 8(2): 46-47. Brunton, D.F. 1974c. The fern allies of the Ottawa-Hull Dis- trict Part IV - the Quillworts. Trail & Landscape 8(2): 48- 49. 44 Brunton, D.F. 1980. Shirleys Bay life sciences. Conservation Studies, Greenbelt Division, National Capital Commission, Ottawa. Brunton, D.F. 1981. South March Highlands/when is a Natural Environment Area NOT a Natural Environment Area? Trail & Landscape 15(4): 190-193. Brunton, D.F. 1982. An ecological inventory of the Stony Swamp Conservation Area, National Capital Commission Greenbelt, Nepean, Ontario. Conservation Studies 5, Greenbelt Divison, National Capital Commission, Ottawa. Brunton, D.F. 1983. An ecological inventory of the Greens Creek Sector, National Capital Commission Greenbelt, Glouces- ter, Ontario. Conservation Studies, Greenbelt Division, Na- tional Capital Commission, Ottawa. Brunton, D.F. 1984a. Nature reserve potential and management in the National Capital Region on NCC lands in Ontario/ Quebec. Conservation Studies, Greenbelt Division, National Capital Commission, Ottawa. Brunton, D.F. 1984b. The vegetation and flora of Mer Bleue, National Capital Commission Greenbelt, Ottawa-Carleton , On- tario. Conservation Studies, Greenbelt Division, National Capital Commission, Ottawa. Brunton, D.F. and P.M. Catling. 1982. The Slender Sedge/new to the Ottawa District. Trail & Landscape 16(3): 152-157. Brunton, D.F. and J.D. Lafontaine. 1974. An unusual escarp- ment flora in western Quebec. Canadian Field-Naturalist 88: 337-344. Catling, P.M. , J.E. Cruise, K.L. McIntosh and S.M. McKay. 1975. Alvar vegetation in southern Ontario. Ontario Field Biolo- gist 29: 1-25. Catling, P.M. and S.M. McKay. 1980. Halophytic plants in southern Ontario. Canadian Field-Naturalist 94: 248-258. Cody, W.J. 1978. Ferns of the Ottawa District, revised ed. Publication 974, Research Branch, Agriculture Canada, Ottawa. Darbyshire, S. 1982. Some additions and annotations to the Checklist of vascular plants of the Ottawa- Hull region, Canada. Trail & Landscape 16(4): 214-220. Dobson, I. and P.M. Catling. 1983. Pondweeds (Potamogeton) of the Ottawa District. Trail & Landscape 17(2): 79-99. Dore, W.G. 1953. Echinochloa walteri re-instated in Ottawa 45 District flora. Canadian Field-Naturalist 67: 138. Dore, W.G. 1959. Grasses of the Ottawa area. Publication 1049, Canada Department of Agriculture, Ottawa. Dore, W.G. 1983. The first plant specimen collected at Ot- tawa. Trail & Landscape 17(3): 128-132. Dore, W.G. and J. McNeill. 1980. Grasses of Ontario. Mono- graph 26, Research Branch, Agriculture Canada, Ottawa. Faust, M.E. and N.R. Roberts. 1983. The salt plants of Onon- daga Lake, Onondaga County, New York. Bartonia 49: 20-26. Gagnon, D. 1980. Inventaire des ressources naturelles des boises de la region de Hull. National Capital Commission, Ottawa . Gillett, J.M. and D.J. White. 1978. Checklist of vascular plants of the Ottawa-Hull region, Canada. National Museum of Natural Sciences, Ottawa. Hickey, R.J. 1977. The Lycopodium obscurum complex in North America. Rhodora 67: 45-48. Kott, L.S. and D.M. Britton. 1982. A comparative study of sporophyte morphology of the three cytotypes of Polypodium virginianum in Ontario. Canadian Journal of Botany 60: 1360 1370. Lafontaine, J.D. 1973. The fern allies of the Ottawa-Hull Dis trict part I - the Horsetails. Trail & Landscape 7(4): 90- 95. Lafontaine, J.D. and D.F. Brunton. 1972. The Purple Cliff- brake, Pellaea atropurpurea (L.) Link, in western Quebec. Canadian Field-Naturalist 86: 297-298. Reddoch, J. 1979. Calcareous fens in the Ottawa District. Trail & Landscape 13(1): 16-27. Reddoch, J.M. 1984. White Lake Fen. Trail & Landscape 18(3): 134-14 1 . Reznicek, A. A. and P. W. Ball. 1974. The taxonomy of Carex series Lupul inae in Canada. Canadian Journal of Botany 52: 2387-2399. Reznicek, A. A. and P. W. Ball. 1980. The taxonomy of Carex section Stellulatae in North America north of Mexico. Con- tributions from the University of Michigan Herbarium 14: 153 203. 46 Wagner, W.H. and D.M. Johnson. 1981. Natural history of the Ebony Spleenwort, Asplenium platyneuron ( Aspleniaceae) , in the Great Lakes area. Canadian Field-Naturalist 95: 156-166. Wherry, E.T. 1972. The fern guide. Photocopy by the Morris Arboretum, Philadelphia. n NCC Winter Program TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE COLD SEASON! LEARN ABOUT NATURE IN WINTER Poke your nose out, enjoy a breath of fresh air by partici- pating in the NCC's nature program. These activities take place on Sundays at the Stony Swamp (828-3620) and Mer Bleue (824- 9714) Interpretation Centres. This year both Open Houses and Program Days are offered. During Open Houses, naturalists will be on hand to answer ques- tions. On Program Days, naturalists will lead you on guided walks. So dress warmly! Guided walks take place at 1 1 a.m.; 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. SIGNATURES IN THE SNOW: Follow the trail... learn to identify the signs of animal activity and presence. Jan. 13 and 27 at Mer Bleue; Jan. 20 at Stony Swamp OWLS: Open your eyes wide and you will discover the natural history of owls and the various species that live in the region. Feb. 17 at Stony Swamp; Feb. 24 at Mer Bleue WILD WINTER GARDENS: Wander in the wild gardens of winter's nature. Explore the trees through their bark and buds. Learn to recognize the colourful fruit on shrubs. Feb. 3 at Stony Swamp; Feb. 10 at Mer Bleue OPEN HOUSE: Jan. 13 and 27, Feb. 10 and 24 at Stony Swamp; Jan. 20, Feb. 3 and 17 at Mer Bleue; from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. SN0WSH0E UNDER THE STARS: Dress warmly and ready your snowshoes for a wintery evening walk. The naturalists await you regard- less of snow or weather conditions! Both programs take place at the Mer Bleue Interpretation Centre, from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturdays Jan. 19 and Feb. 9. PRESCHOOL PROGRAM: Special nature outings for youngsters from 3 to 5 years old accompanied by an adult take place at Stony Swamp Interpretation Centre on the first Wednesday of each month from 10 a.m. to 1 1 a.m. and from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. J anuary _2 Feet for winter walking; February 6 Fur, feathers and other warm homes; March 6 Winter houses in trees; April 3 The maple's gift. 4 7 Book Review: The Vascular Plant Flora of Peel County, Ontario by Jocelyn Webber. 1984. Published by and obtainable from: Botany Press, 90 Wolfrey Avenue, Toronto, Ontario M4K 1K8. 94 pp. $ 1 0.00. In spite of its title, this publication is not strictly a flora but an annotated checklist. This list has been in prepara- tion since 1973, and the author has devoted much time and effort to collecting plants, gathering literature and records, and searching numerous herbaria (300,000 sheets in four herbaria) for specimens from Peel County. This is a thoroughly researched list, and a large number of authorities have been consulted to ensure its accuracy. The checklist is preceded by discussion on a variety of topics: the physical environment (geography, geomorphology, soils), climatic regions, floristics, botanically significant areas, recent impact on the flora, vegetation, history of botan- cal studies, methods of preparation of the checklist. The anno- tated list follows. It is a most comprehensive list of referen- ces, and an index to families and genera. The booklet is 8 x 10V (20 x 26.7 cm). The tan cover has a map of southern Ontario to show clearly the location of Peel County. The type is clear, single-spaced with scientific names italicized. A series of symbols indicates status of species as rare, introduced, and so forth. Distribution in the five townships is indicated, and an "abundance code" based on record number is assigned. Why should local Ottawa naturalists be interested in a flora of a county located so many kilometres from Ottawa? Two reasons are immediately apparent: to compare our flora with that of a more southern Ontario locale, and to scan the very thorough bibliography provided with a view to using some references in the study of our flora. [Of course our southern Ontario readers will find this list more directly relevant. JMR] One of the most significant items pointed out in the text is demonstrated by the statistical portion. About 10% of the flora is presumed extinct (no records for about 20 years), 59 taxa are considered rare in Ontario (4.4% of the flora). Other disturbing statistics presented indicate the growing influence of man (the principle extirpator) and the realization that such trends are present in our own local flora but perhaps ameliorated somewhat by the protective presence of Gatineau Park and the Greenbelt, areas lacking in Peel. This checklist will undoubtedly be useful, not only for the reasons given to justify its production by Webber, but also for 48 the food for thought afforded by analytical examination of the species list. In conclusion, I thought it might be useful to prepare a rough comparison of our flora with this one, bearing in mind that the use of family, generic and species names are often not com- parable . Families Genera Species Ottawa District Peel County John M. Gillett National Museum of Natural Sciences Ottawa, Ontario n 123 529 1420 130 539 1334 Snowy Owl Newcomers drive country roads on winter mornings searching for some welcome in ice-beaten fields. Their eyes sting with snowsteam, ache with hope. Suddenly on a fencepost sits a billow of snow, precariously balanced. The newcomers nod and chatter among themselves: in a flurry of cameras and binoculars they turn up collars, pull on mitts. An eager knot of observers gathers at the roadside, thick-lensed eyes focussed on the fencepost. A cry of recognition curls upwards, mists the glasses. Snowy Owl sits snug in speckled feathers. His swivel head makes its predatory search, razor beak tucked away till screeching hour. Reassured, the newcomers tumble back inside the car. These hushed fields are favoured hunting grounds, chosen provision for winter's long nourishment. Memories of lost homelands recede as the car heads back to urban warmth. Linda Jeays 49 Chaffey’s Locks Revisited Mary Stuart This popular outing, and the fact that it was a perfect day for it last June, drew more than 65 members and friends. Again Mr. and Mrs. Barton of the Skycroft Camp Grounds allowed us to use their facilities and their beautiful wooded trails. This location, expected to be a particularly good one for butterflies at this time, was a disappointment to Peter Hall. He was able to show us the uncommon Indian Skipper and a colony of Hobomok Skippers including the uncommon dark female form, but there were few other butterflies flying. Roger Taylor had covered parts of the trail in preparation for us, and he had a good look at the unusual Golden-winged Warbler. By the time we arrived it had moved off, and we heard only snatches of its song in the distance. In addition to the usual birds one expects to see at this time, there were thrill- ing displays by a pair of Northern Cardinals. Indigo Buntings and Cerulean Warblers were also seen. A number of Turkey Vul- tures drifted overhead. Some of the group took the boat trip to see nesting Osprey at Chat fey's Locks. photo from a slide by Peter Hall 50 Bob Bracken was along, and his infectious enthusiasm for his subject had us looking for ferns. In the wet spots there were Cinnamon, Interrupted, Sensitive, Ostrich, Bulblet, Long Beech and Maidenhair Ferns; on rock and higher ground there were Marginal Shield, Christmas and Polypody Ferns, to name only a few . We saw two snakes. Our first find was the dainty Eastern Smooth Green Snake. It is considered to be common in Ontario, but because of its protective colouring and its speed is seldom seen. The Black Rat Snakes were at the Queen's Biology Station where a member of the staff is studying their living habits. The Black Rat Snake is Canada's largest snake. At one time it was quite numerous in Ontario but has been nearly exterminated. It may still be found in Frontenac and Leeds counties and a few points along Lake Erie. After lunch we set off on foot for Mount Marvin, a rocky, well-wooded hill. Bob searched for a stand of Smooth Cliff Brake he had seen on an earlier trip, but like the butterflies it had vanished. Among the rocks, Rusty Woodsia was plentiful. At the top of the rise there were Corydalis everywhere and, of particular interest to me, four stands of Wood Lilies. After our stiff climb and our drive to the Queen's Biology Station, most of us were happy to swim at the beach, take the boat trip to see the nesting Osprey or just sit and chat with friends. The cooks made a beautiful job of the steaks and other goodies. It was a wonderfully full day, and we are looking forward to the 1985 trip. n Ski Orienteering Course at University of Ottawa This course has been designed for experienced cross-country skiers, with the ability to cover 20-30 km of trail in a day, who want to become more familiar with the use of map and compass to find their way in complex trail networks as well as in un- charted terrain. This course is given in cooperation with the Canadian Orienteering Federation. Instructor: Michael MacCon- aill, veteran orienteer and cross-country skier. There will be two sessions, February 12 and 14, 7:30-9:30 p.m., plus two half-day weekend excursions. Fee: $60. For further information and registration, contact the Uni- versity of Ottawa Service for Continuing Education, 5 Osgoode Street, Ottawa, Ontario KIN 6N5, telephone 231-4263. Fall Birding from Morrisburg to Cornwall Bruce M. Di Labio Seven a.m. last September 15th saw a total of 18 people at the National Museum of Natural Sciences preparing for a birding trip to the St. Lawrence River area despite weather which was rainy and cool. A convoy of eight cars left Ottawa on Highway 3 1 to Morrisburg. After a brief stop near Highway 401, the intensive birding began at the Morrisburg Marina where three adult male White-winged Scoters were seen flying by. At the Morrisburg sewage lagoon feeding over the water were four spec- ies of swallows: Tree, Barn, Bank and Cliff. On mud flats at Riverside Park, 15 Black-bellied Plovers were found along with six Sanderlings as well as a few Great Blue Herons, and at Crysler Park Marina an adult Great Black- backed Gull was observed. Along the Ault Island Road causeway a flock of American Wigeon were feeding together with Gadwalls, Mallards, Wood Ducks and a female Hooded Merganser. At the Upper Canada Migratory Bird Sanctuary on Nairne Island the weather turned from a drizzle into a steady rain. While we were eating lunch under a shelter, an immature Bald Eagle alighted in a large tree nearby giving everyone an excep- tionally good view even in the rain. We were close enough to the water dripping off the bill. Because of the early date of the trip there were only a few small flocks of Canada Geese at the sanctuary. At the next stop, the Moses-Saunders Power Dam at Cornwall, a total of five species of gulls were observed with Ring-billed and Herring being the commonest. Unfortunately a large percent- age of the birds were on the American side making viewing diffi- cult, but we were able to find four Little Gulls (three adults and one immature), eight Great Black-backed Gulls and 70 Bona- parte's Gulls. As well, a small flock of Yel low-rumped Warblers with two Tennessees was observed. The next stop was Hoople Creek where most of the mud flat was dry, and 10 species of shorebirds were feeding around the small creek. Among the the shorebirds were 35 Semipalmated Sandpipers, 12 Least Sandpipers, eight Pectoral Sandpipers, four White-rumped Sandpipers, one Dunlin and two Baird's Sandpipers. The weather began to improve, and by the time we left Hoople Creek around 4 p.m. the sun was showing through the broken cloud cover. On the way back to Ottawa, the last stop was the Win- chester Sewage Lagoon. It proved disappointing, but in a nearby field there was a flock of 108 Golden Plovers. We arrived back in Ottawa with a total count of 76 species. 52 Having the trip early this year definitely contributed to the large number of species seen (partly by avoiding the duck hunt- ing season). This time of year also provided some interesting migratory sightings, particularly the notable numbers of North- ern Flickers and Blue Jays. I would like to thank the participants for their enthusiasm despite the rain. Note: access to the Moses-Saunders Power Dam property is by special permission only. n Natural History Workshop at Carleton University The Department of Biology at Carleton University, in co- operation with the School of Continuing Education, has launched a series of workshops in natural history for interested Ottawa area residents. Based in the new Natural History Centre in the Tory Building, the series consists of modules designed to re- flect the changing seasons. The modules will present the sig- nificance and relationships of the living world around us through discussions and outdoor workshops. Enrolment is limited to 15 participants per workshop. Transportation will be pro- vided for the field trips. Coordinator of this series is I.L. Bayly of Carleton's Department of Biology. There's Snow Out There! (a look at life in the winter months) This three-day workshop will provide insight into the most difficult time of all for boreal plants and animals. There will be daily field trips to examine the qualities of snow itself, and demonstrations in the field of the methods used by plants and animals to cope with winter. Films and slides in the lab will illustrate features of the field trips plus additional facets of winter activity. Course leaders: Isabel Bayly, Don Smith and Gray Merriam. Dates: February 20, 21 and 22; Fee: $70 (or $25 per day). For registration information, call the School of Continuing Education, Carleton University, at 231-6660. 53 arranged by the Excursions and Lectures Committee Philip Martin (729-3218), Chairman Times stated for excursions are departure times. Please arrive earlier; leaders start promptly. If you need a ride, don't hesitate to ask the leader. Restricted trips will be open to non-members only after the indicated deadlines. Tuesday 8 Jan. 8:00 p .m. ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING Meet: Auditorium, National Museum of Natural Sciences, Metcalfe and McLeod Streets What's in a name? The motion to change the name of the Club to "Ottawa Field Naturalists" is still un- der discussion. Come and air your views. The business meeting will be followed by The Rise and Fall of the Great Lakes, an entertaining 16-minute, award-winning National Film Board movie on the geo- logical history of the Great Lakes. The program will be followed by refreshments and an opportunity to meet other members and the various committee members . Sunday 20 Jan. 2:00 p .m. TOUR OF CARLETON UNIVERSITY GREENHOUSES (ELBA) Leader: Bill Illman Meet: at the greenhouses; parking is available in Lot 3 across from the greenhouses in the southeast section of the campus opposite the Administration Building. (Follow the main university entrance road from Bronson Avenue keeping left at the fork.) What better way to spend a winter afternoon? This popular tour under Professor Illman's enthusiastic guidance will feature an interesting variety of plants from different habitats. Sunday WINTER BIRDING IN THE LOW-POLTIMORE AREA 27 Jan. Leader: Bruce Di Labio (729-6267) 7:00 a.m. Meet: National Museum of Natural Sciences, front entrance, Metcalfe and McLeod Streets Ravens frequent this area, as do Boreal Chickadees and winter finches such as crossbills. Bring bin- oculars, a lunch, and a hot drink for this all-day outing. Dress warmly. Transportation will be by private car. 54 Tuesday 12 Feb. 8:00 p .m . OFNC MONTHLY MEETING SPRING WILDFLOWERS Speaker: Erich Haber Meet: Auditorium, National Museum of Natural Sciences, Metcalfe and McLeod Streets This illustrated talk is especially recommended for those who are weary of winter. Erich, who is an Assistant Curator in the Botany Division of the Museum, is a knowledgeable and experienced guide to the Ottawa Valley flora. Thursday 14 Feb. 7:30 p . m . SEMINAR ON CREPUSCULAR AND NOCTURNAL BIRDS Meet: Room 15, National Museum of Natural Sciences, Metcalfe and McLeod Streets Part of the Ontario Bird Breeding Atlas Project designed to help people get out in the last year of the Atlas to look for these elusive species. Everyone is welcome. Saturday 16 Feb . 7:30 a .m. WINTER BIRD BUS TRIP TO THE AMHERST AREA Leader: to be decided Meet: National Museum of Natural Sciences, front entrance, Metcalfe and McLeod Streets Cost : none The outing will probably include a visit to Amherst or Wolfe Island to observe owls. Dress warmly; bring binoculars and a hearty lunch. The bus should return to Ottawa by 6 p.m. Register early by tele- phoning the Club number (722-3050). The National Museum of Natural Sciences will provide the Dinobus free of charge. Sunday 17 Feb. 9:00 a .m. WINTER WEEDS Leaders: Frank Bell, Bill Arthurs and Ellaine Dick- son Meet: National Museum of Natural Sciences, front entrance, Metcalfe and McLeod Streets This outdoor workshop is designed to increase your enjoyment of winter hikes. Weeds in Winter by Lauren Brown will be used as a reference book. See the article Winter Wildf lowers in Ottawa by Ross Anderson in the January-February 1983 issue of Trail & Landscape. Dress warmly and bring a lunch. 55 Saturday MADAWASKA WILDERNESS SKI TRIP FOR INTERMEDIATE- 23 Feb. ABILITY CROSS COUNTRY SKIERS Leaders: Sheila and Harry Thomson (234-0845) Participants need not be marathoners for this all- day outing. The skiers probably will divide into two groups, one to cover five to six km and the other 15 km. To register for an enjoyable day ex- ploring a winter wilderness and to obtain further details, telephone the leaders by February 20th. AN INVITATION FROM THE OTTAWA BANDING GROUP The Ottawa Banding Group extends an open invitation to those interested in learning about their operation or simply wanting to observe some of our native bird species in the hand. Arrangements can be made to visit the banding station (40 min- utes from Parliament Hill on the Ottawa River) on weekends by writing to Ottawa Banding Group, P.0. Box 3633, Postal Station C, Ottawa, Ontario K1Y 4J7. FIELD TRIP TO ALBERTA'S DINOSAUR BADLANDS July 2 to 9 inclusive, 1985; Leader: Janette Dean This trip will be a splendid opportunity to see dinosaur remains both in situ and in the newly opened Tyrell Museum. Other highlights of this trip to a fascinating region of Canada will be interesting geological structures (for example, hoo- doos), birds and plants of the western badlands. Participants are also likely to see Pronghorn Antelope en route to Dinosaur World Park. The total cost per person is $1,170 for double occupancy. A deposit of $854 is required at time of booking with the bal- ance due by May 1st. These prices include 7 breakfasts, 7 box lunches, 7 suppers, service charges, taxes, gratuities and all baggage handling charges, return airfare from Ottawa to Calgary with CP Air, accomodation for one night at the Sheraton Hotel in Calgary and 6 nights in the Drumheller Inn, and tours in an air- conditioned bus. Janette Dean will escort the tour from Ottawa. Please contact Faith at Handa Travel (731-1111) for further details. 56 v *9 . \ % ’M New York Botanical Garden Library DON'T FORGET THE POINT FEJJEE ^U5185 00267 The Club will again be travelling to Point Palee fer'tne world-famous spring bird migration. The date of departure is May 16th, retufping on the 2.0th. Tire- trip is on;only if there is a good early response. If you are interested, telephone the Club number (722^3050). OTTAWA ATLASSERS BI.ITZ ALGONQUIN IN 1D85 m ....or at least we hops they;,will! The; Algonquin area is in need of help in completing the’irr squares in 1985, the last, year of the Atlas project. To thisvend, Ottawa' ha,s--.q/fef ed to take on eight squares and find voLunteers to atl-as them. We are planning several weekend square bashings during . the^b'reed ing season, and while details' are not firm yet, ’the event .'is/ shaping up to be an interesting and enjoyable experience. •' > » • « ' ■. g;':. ■ , *: v>v. . If you are keen' on. this idea, please phone Chr i.St the /’.a.hra- han (230-5290) or Mark Gawh.(8Z0-S 138) for further' information. .late 1985 membership fees are new due. Please renew promptly; e renewals entail extra work, and. add to your, Club *s ^xnedses . Members who have. not renewed their membership jjjjby. February will not' receive any more -issues of ’trail s Landscape.' 7~ ISI will; not receive any more issues of 1}ral£ fi Landscape.' i' ~ Missed copies will be available to'those Who renew late ?r -a cost of $ 1 .00. ■ • , f ■ A . '"T Deadline. Material, intended fbr the He rch-Aprij^ issue rr.usi b- m Lite Editor's; hands before Ce:.e;r,ber 29 at the 1-a te ^ b'e_ l&Pu i m: ■r