r Volume 22 NUMBER 3 PAGES 97-144 JULY - SEPTEMBER 1988 N.Y. BOTANICAL GARD^ LIBRARY RONX, NEW YORK 10458- TRAIL, LANDSCAPE A Publication Concerned With Natural History and Conservation 26 The Ottawa Field-Naturalists’ Club TRAIL & LANDSCAPE Editor & Production Coordiiuitor Production Staff Joyce Reddoch Telephone Coordinator Hailing Team Associate Editor Dorothy Greene Lisa Meyboom Peter Flail Coordinator Business Manager Proofreaders Jennifer Chaundy Don Davidson Don Davidson & Proofreading Coordinator Yvonne Hunt Gwen Jenkins Jim Montgomery Elisabeth Thomson Graphics Marc Guertin Editorial Assistant: Allan Reddoch Views expressed in Trail &. Landscape are not necessarily those of The Ottawa Field-Naturalists’ Club The Ottawa Field-Naturalists^ Club — Founded 1879 — President W.K. (Bill) Gummer Objectives of the Club: To promote the appreciation, preservation and conservation of Canada’s natural heritage; to encourage investigation and publish the results of research in all fields of natural history and to diffuse information on these fields as widely as possible; to support and co-operate with organizations engaged in preserving, maintaining or restoring environments of high quality for living things. Club Publications: THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST, a quarterly devoted to reporting research in all fields of natural history relevant to Canada, and TRAIL &. LANDSCAPE, a quarterly providing articles on the natural history of the Ottawa Valley and on Club activities . Field Trips, Lectures and other natural history activities are arranged for local members; see “Coming Events” in this issue. Membership Fees: Individual (yearly) $ 20 Sustaining (yearly) $50 Family (yearly) $22 Life (one payment) $5 00 Subscriptions to Trail &. Landscape (libraries and institutions) $20 per year (Volume) Single copies of recent issues: $5.00 each postpaid. Index to Volumes 1 - 20: $8.00 + $2.00 postage and handling. Membership application, correspondence: Information: THE OTTAWA HELD- NATURALISTS’ CLUB (613) 722-3050 Box 3264, Postal Station C ioojk. Ottawa, Ontario KlY 4J5 Second Class Mail — Registration #2777 TRAIL & LANDSCAPE Published by The Ottawa Field-Naturalists’ Club Box 3264, Postal Station C Ottawa KlY 4J5 Editorial Address: Joyce M. Reddoch, Editor 548 Rivershore Crescent Gloucester, Ontario KIJ 7Y7 VOLU^^E 22, NUMBER 3 Welcome, New Members ------- OFNC Committee Members ------- The 1988 Soiree Ann and Steve Blight 1987 Honorary Membership and OFNC Awards Daniel F. Brunton Ky Back Yard Meadow John Sankey Revised Status of Some Local Butterflies - Peter W. Hall and Ross A. Layberry Two Colour Forms of Black Swallowtail Pupae Giles R. Morrell Tagging Monarchs -------- J.W. (Jack) Holliday Activities of the Bird Records Subcommittee in 1987 Gordon Pringle The OFNC Bird Status Line 596-4888 - - - Larry E. Neily Winter Bird Sightings ------- Gordon Pringle Jack Pines / David Fraser ------ Peregrine Falcon Release Project in Ottawa, Summer 1987 --------- Jan McDonnell and Helene Levesque An Early Fall Record of Boreal Owl - - - - Ghristopher Traynor and Bruce M. Di Labio A Summer Record of Snowy Owl - - - - - Bruce M. Di Labio Goming Events 98 98 100 102 107 1 13 1 17 118 12 1 123 125 130 13 1 137 138 140 97 Welcome, New Members Ottawa Area Shelley L.Ball Ingeborg Ballerscheff Eric J. Boswell Annmarie T. Brown Gerald W. Brown & family Dr. Adrian Camfield John F. Clark Charles E. Clifford Ralph & Patricia Falcioni Lisa J. Fooks & family Mary Ellen Forbes Leona G. Furlong Simon Gawn Janet M. Gehr Esther J. Grossman Lisa J. Guy Dorothy A. Hansen Jan Kristof Roger Lalonde Other Jane E. Atkinson Dorval, Quebec April 1987 Andre Lawrence & family Nancy C. Leigh-Smith Stephen A. & Virginia L. Liston Derek R. MacLeod Marion A. MacPherson Odilia Maessen Carol J. Martin Michael Measures Susan J. Phillips Mike Polak Cathy Ryan & Gareth Thomson James S. & Shirley A. Scott Phyllis J. Steele Keith, June & Graeme Stephens David Thomson Chris Traynor Russell Walton & Alison Raaby Doreen E. Watler Dominique Zybola David Colville Annapolis Co, N.S. Eileen Evans, Chairman, Membership Committee. OFNC Committee Members The strength of The Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club lies in the support and enthusiasm of its volunteers. The following list, prepared by President Bill Gummer, shows the members of each of the Club's committees, as of April 1st. An asterisk (*) denotes a Committee Chairman, two asterisks (**) an Acting Chairman, and (VP) a Vice-President as Council representative. COMPUTER COMMITTEE: Suzanne Blain* Daniel Filopovic Nicole Defretiere Ken Strang 98 AWARDS Dan Brunton* (829-7307) Enid Frankton Bill Gummer Peter Hall Diana Laubitz Mary Stuart BIRDS Gordon Pringle* (224-0543) Tony Beck Marg Benson Alan Cameron Michelle Elder Val B. Ladouceur Larry Neily Daniel Perrier Joyce Reddoch John Sankey Wright Smith Ken Strang (VP) Art Thompson Daniel Toussaint BIRD RECORDS SUBC(»1MITTEE Mike Runtz* (623-6975) R. Ross Anderson Bob Bracken Simon Gawn Stephen Gawn Bob Gorman Val B. Ladouceur Gordon Pringle (non-voting sec'y) Ken Strang (VP) MEMBERSHIP Eileen Evans* (74 1-0789) Eleanor Bottomley Barbara Campbell Fran Goodspeed Barbara Hurt Aileen Mason Bette Stern Ken Strang (VP) CONSERVATION Peter Hall* (733-0698) Suzanne Blain Eleanor Bottomley Peter Croal Don Cuddy Barbara Desrochers Shane Jordan Geoffrey Katz Heidi Klein Fern Levine Lynda Maltby Barbara Martin Joyce Reddoch Richard Scott Ken Strang (VP) Roger Taylor Ewen Todd Jane Topping Debbie Walsh Mike Walsh EDUCATION & PUBLICITY Barbara Desrochers** (224-8396) Jeff Harrison (VP) Bill Royds Ken Taylor Susan Wood D. Zarski Martha Aksim Deirdre Furlong Doreen Duchesne MACOUN Barry Bendell* (594-9136) Martha Camfield Robin Collins Maria Darraugh Stephen Derbyshire Ellaine Dickson Paul Hamilton Heidi Klein Rob Lee Mike Walsh Ken Strang (VP) NOMINATIONS Barbara Campbell** (839-3418) n EXCURSIONS & LECTURES Ellaine Dickson** (729-1554) Robina Bennett Marg Benson Eileen Evans Jeff Harrison (VP) Colin Gaskell Christine Henri Edith Ikeda Rick Leavens Philip Martin Catherine O'Keefe EXECUTIVE Bill Gummer* (596-1 148) Jeff Harrison Ken Strang Roy John Frank Valentine Barbara Campbell FINANCE Frank Pope* (829-1281) Don Davidson Sheelah Demetre Jeff Harrison (VP) Doug Sample Paul Ward Ken Young ex officio: Ron Bedford Bill Cody Frank Valentine PUBLICATIONS Ron Bedford* (733-8821) Dan Brunton Paul Catling Bill Cody Francis Cook Bill Gummer Jeff Harrison (VP) Jim Montgomery Liz Morton Joyce Reddoch 99 The 1988 Soiree Ann and Steve Blight On Friday, April 29th, the seventh Annual Soiree of The Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club was held at the Unitarian Church Hall. The 150 or so people who attended enjoyed themselves thoroughly, and the evening has to be considered a rousing success. Many thanks to the Excursions and Lectures Committee for its excellent work in organizing the event, a wine and cheese party followed by presentations. On arrival, we were greeted by the mellow tones of Bill Cummer on piano and John Furlong on clarinet. Shortly after we arrived, the "Song Sparrows" (Heather Bale, Deirdre Furlong, Audrey Furlong, Doreen Powers and Leona Furlong) treated us to a whimsical version of the Twelve Days of Christmas (or the Twelve Hours of Birding?) with lyrics based on the recent Club trip to Presqu'ile. (See opposite and Figure 1.) Great work! After sampling from the fine selection of wines, cheeses and fruit, the members had the opportunity to view the Macoun Club displays. There were two displays entered in the contest this year, with first prize going to the excellent Blue Jay display prepared by Melanie Lussier. The second prize was awarded to Ann Barkley and Tammy Marsden, who put together an interesting display depicting a variety of birds and seals. Special thanks to the Nature Canada Bookstore for donating the prizes for the Macoun Club displays. The members were treated to an outstanding display of photographs, paintings and drawings done by members of the Club. We also had the difficult job of selecting our favourite photo- graph from the collection of fine entries in the photo contest. The winner was Cliff Rounding for his stunning picture of a group of Showy Lady's-slippers. Tony Beck's great raccoon pic- ture was chosen as second, and Barry Flahey won third prize for his breathtaking photograph, "Canoe at Sunset". The prize for first place was a print of a Yellow-bellied Marmot, provided by Barry Flahey. Thanks to everyone who entered a photograph in this year's contest. The rest of the evening was devoted to the award presenta- tions made by Club President Bill Cummer (details on the follow- ing pages) and reviews of the Macoun Club's 1987 activities given by Craig Cameron, Emily Pringle and Heather Hunt. It sounds like they had a very active year! Finally, thanks to Ross Anderson, who did a terrific job as master of ceremonies, and to all the members who turned out and helped make the Soiree a big success! See you next year! 100 INTRO THE PRESQU*ILE BIRD CODWT Forty birders went to Presqu'lle And saw throughout the day Eleven thousand birds In spring array. On the first hour of our bus trip All eyes squln-t-ed to see» A brown creeper In a big-toothed tree. On the second hour of our bus trip Our active eyes did see. Two red-tailed hawks, And a brown creeper in a big-toothed tree. On the third hour of our bus trip All eyes turned to see, Three blue jays squawking. Two red-tailed hawks, And a brown creeper in a big-toothed tree. On the fourth hour of our bus trip Our 'scopes did reveal. Four black ducks ducking. Three blue jays squawking. Two red-tailed hawks. And a brown creeper in a big-toothed tree. On the fifth hour of our bus trip Our 'scopes turned to see, * Five pied-billed grebes. Four black ducks Three blue jays Two red-tailed hawks, And a brown creeper in a big-toothed tree. On the sixth hour of our bus trip Our 'scopes again did see. Six golden eyes, * Five pled-bllled grebes. Four black ducks. Three blue jays. Two red-tailed hawks, And a brown creeper In a big-toothed tree. On the seventh hour of our bus trip Our leader said, "Come see". Seven mallards breeding. Six golden eyes, * Five pied-billed grebes, Four black ducks. Three blue jays. Two red-tailed hawks, And a brown creeper in a big-toothed tree. On the eighth hour of our bus trip Out upon the sea, Eight mergansers merging. Seven mallards breeding. Six golden eyes, * Five-pled billed grebes. Four black ducks, Three blue jays. Two red-tailed hawks, And a brown creeper in a big-toothed tree. On the ninth hour of our bus trip Again we did see. Nine geese a'flylng. Eight mergansers merging, Seven mallard breeding. Six golden eyes, * Five pied-billed grebes. Four black ducks. Three blue jays. Two red-tailed hawks. And a brown creeper in a big-toothed tree On the tenth hour of our bus trip We all squint-ed to see, Ten swallow sweeping, Nine geese a'flylng Eight mergansers merging. Seven mallards breeding, Six golden eyes, * Five pled-bllled grebes. Four black ducks , Three blue jays. Two red-tailed hawks. And a brown creeper in a big-toothed tree On the eleventh hour of our bus trip Our weary eyes did see, Eleven black-capped chickadees. Ten swallows sweeping. Nine geese a'flylng. Eight mergansers merging. Seven mallards breeding. Six golden eyes, * Five pled-bllled grebes. Four black ducks. Three blue lays. Two red-tailed hawks. And a brown creeper in a big-toothed tree On the twelfth hour of our bus trip Our blood-shot eyes did see. Twelve sparrows sparking, Eleven black-capped chickadees. Ten swallow sweeping. Nine geese a flying, Eight merganser merging. Seven mallards breeding. Six golden eyes, * Five pled-bllled grebes. Four black ducks. Three blue jays, Two red-tailed hawks, And a brown creeper in a big-toothed tree FINALE: LOUD AND SLOW On the way home from Presqu lie Louise st-a-r-ted this song Sooo blame her If the count is w_^_oji_^. 10] Figure 1. "The Song Sparrows" in song. Photograph by Tony Beck. n 1987 Honorary Membership and OFNC Awards Daniel F. Brunton Chairman, Awards Committee Early in 1988, the Council selected a number of individuals to receive Club awards on the recommendation of the Awards Committee. The committee made these recommendations on the basis of nominations from a number of sources: B. Campbell, R. John, M. Gawn, W.J. Cody, C. Gaskell, F. Pope, F. Cook, S. Thomson, R. Taylor and members of the Awards Committee. Our thanks to all involved. The following provides a brief description of the achieve- ments of the award winners. A more complete citation for each award will appear in a forthcoming issue of The Canadian Field- Naturalist. 102 HONORARY MEMBER: Ibra L. Conners Ibra Conners is one of the longest serving members of The Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club (since 1933). He was already known as a meticulous student of mycology when he joined the Central Experimental Farm staff in 1929 as mycology curator and compiler of the annual Plant Disease Survey reports. Conners was instrumental in the establishment of a separate mycological section within the Division of Botany and played a major role in the improvement of its herbarium. From the strength of that collection he prepared his widely acknowledged Annotated Index of Plant Diseases in Canada published in 1967. He joined the Council in 1942, the year he became Treasur- er. He remained in that capacity until 1946, producing the Club's first annual budget in the process and presiding over a slowly increasing base of financial security. In 1947, Conners took on primary responsibility for arrang- ing local sponsorship of the Audubon Screen Tour series. This involved prominent naturalists providing a narration for a film or slide show on a particular natural history theme. They were immensely popular and not only provide excellent programs for thousands of people but generated thousands of dollars for the Club. Due largely to Conners' hard work and organizational skills, more than $7,000 was accumulated within five years, providing the basis for the sound Members' Equity that the Club now enjoys. Ibra Conners remained active in the Club for many years until he retired and moved away. At 93, however, he still cor- responds with Club members in Ottawa and maintains an interest in Club affairs. His lengthy record of service to the Club and to Canadian natural sciences make Ibra Conners a welcome and worthy addition to our list of distinguished Honorary Members. MEMBER OF THE YEAR - Colin Gaskell Colin Gaskell is a highly respected member of the Excur- sions and Lectures Committee. He is strong in committee work, active in the field, and a mainstay at Club meetings. Day trips and longer excursions are always thoroughly planned and are carried out with the expertise of this excellent leader. The highly successful trip to Presqu'Ile Park in April is a typical 1987 example of his leadership and organizational talents. Colin is a knowledgeable birder and is generous in sharing this knowledge. He has provided valuable assistance to the Macoun Field Club this year in carrying out various field trips for these young people. It is a pleasure to recognize Colin's valuable contributions to The Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club by naming him Member of the Year. 103 SERVICE AWARD: Gordon Pringle Photographs by Tony Beck. 104 MNE HANES NATURAL HISTORY PRESIDENT'S PRIZE AWARD: Jack Holliday Dianna Thompson SERVICE AWARD - Gordon Pringle The Birds Committee has looked to Gordon Pringle as some- thing of a pillar over the past five years or so. He has served in many capacities, including Secretary of the Bird Records Subcommittee and Chairman of the Bird Feeder Subcommittee. He played an important role in the team that produced the latest revision to both the annotated checklist and the field list of Ottawa District birds. Gordon has also provided an enthusiastic and energetic second team on the Annual Seedathon fund-raising effort for several years now. The assistance and support that he has provided to the Birds Committee chairmen has been largely unseen but greatly valued. He now serves in that position himself. Gordon Pringle has distinguished himself in developing a co-operative spirit amongst others. His quiet, dependable, behind-the-scenes efforts have more than qualified him for the 1987 Service Award. 105 CONSERVATION AWARD - C. Graham Mac Nay At one time, when Eastern Bluebirds had almost vanished from this area, Graham MacNay began his project to attract them back by providing suitable houses in appropriate locations. It was a slow process at first, but be finally had his Bluebird Trail - about 70 houses - in the Dunrobin area west of Ottawa. Many were occupied and produced young bluebirds. Careful records and observations on nesting pairs, numbers of eggs and broods and the total fledged young, form a valuable source of information on bluebird populations and habits along Graham MacNay's trail. As a spinoff, his success has encouraged others in Ontario and Quebec to establish similar bluebird trails. His labours have not only significantly improved the population figures for the Eastern Bluebird in the Ottawa Dis- trict, but have indirectly enhanced other populations as well. ANNE HANES NATURAL HISTORY AWARD - Jack Holliday As anybody who has read some of his articles in Trail & Landscape will know. Jack Holliday is one of those rare indivi- duals who has an overriding curiosity for even the most minute natural detail. His pen has captured the activities of such diverse creatures as toads, spiders, weasels, grosbeaks and butterflies. The painstaking observations are passed on in a folksy style that inspires others to follow in his footsteps. Jack Holliday's field observations and activities, and his writings, make him an appropriate recipient of this award named after one of the Ottawa area's outstanding all-round field naturalists, Anne Hanes. PRESIDENT'S PRIZE - Dianna Thompson The President's Prize for 1987 is awarded to Dianna Thompson in recognition of her consistently strong efforts as a member of the Education and Publicity Committee. Her work culminated in what the Committee's annual report categorized as "the highlight of the year", the successful participation of the Club in the National Capital Commission's second "Fall Rhapso- dy", held from September 19 to October 13, 1987. The Club contribution was a workshop on bird feeders, as in 1986. Its organization and operation included meeting National Capital Commission requirements, recruiting 16 knowledgeable and willing Club members to man the exhibit, and taking part in a CBC radio interview. For her role. President Bill Gummer was pleased to present Dianna with the third of the modern President's Prizes. n 106 My Back Yard Meadow John Sankey For many years, I lived in the middle of an abandoned farm, surrounded by a hundred hectares of ever-changing meadow flow- ers. When circumstances forced a move to a city constructed of 2,4-D-sanitized grass and asphalt, I felt at first bereft. Then, I decided to fight back. I would create a patch of meadow in my back yard! Now, my yard is not very large, especially since space has to be left for five active children. So, the area set aside is small, not quite 10 square metres. But, the idea works. It's beautiful I The meadow year starts in March, with snow still deep under the hedge - a sprinkling of brilliant yellow crocus. By the end of May, with the first iris, there is yellow all over, from oxalis, buttercups and yellow clovers. Two weeks later, the white of Bladder Campion and anemone predominates. Then, sprays of White Melilot rise to hang over a carpet of Yellow Trefoil, while a magnifying glass reveals the sculptured elegance of Bugleweed and the precise world of grass flowers. To end the year, there are waves of glorious yellow goldenrods, then mounds of white and blue asters. With understanding far beyond that of ourselves, nature abhors simplicity. Although 1987 was only the third year for my meadow, I identified 146 different plants there. Some flowers are only a millimetre across. Some hug the ground, others spread a metre up. Some, with fat yellow anthers, delight in the wind. Some live in partnership with tiny hoverflies, some with ants, others with bumblebees. All accept the adversity of nature as well as its bounty, some with stout perennial roots, others with seed that can live for years before germinating. If you would join me, here are a few guidelines. Plants are living things. They have neighbours, form com- munities. No naturalist will knowingly destroy them, whether by overcollection or by competition from alien imports. So, I collect only plants that are growing wild, close to Ottawa, in abundance, in environments where soil moisture, light level and plant community are similar to my back yard patch. Mostly, I collect ripe seeds (in my shirt pocket), not entire plants. The genetic diversity provided by seeds helps to establish a healthy population. But, an entire plant brings along some of its neighbours. That helps to establish a natural community. If a plant is a perennial, growing in profusion well 107 away from public walkways, surely digging in moderation has its place. In short, I ensure the survival of plants where they are. And, I try to give the plants I move as good a chance to grow as they would have had they not been disturbed. Now, I'm not a purist. I often find a colourful patch of iris or daylily close to an old lilac bush. These mark garbage dumps or abandoned gardens of many years ago. Anything that has survived on its own is natural enough for me. I also accept anything that blows in from neighbouring gardens or my bird feeders, or that turns up in cracks in my driveway. One end of my patch is next to a small pool. Two water lilies, a pot of cattails, some goldfish, and a few jars of water collected from nice-looking cattail-filled ditches, com- bine to make a fascinatingly rich community of water creatures. But, no mosquitoes - the goldfish eat the larvae. The overflow from rainfall exits through small slits in the pool liner, keeping the adjacent patch of ground moist most of the summer. The pond is shallow, and the water freezes to the bottom during the winter. So, the water lilies are wrapped in a gar- bage bag just before freezeup, and kept, dark, wet and frost- free, in the basement. The goldfish get an aquarium and artifi- cial food for a few months. But, everything else looks after itself . The other end of the patch, marked by a honeysuckle bush (from an old dump), contains all the gravel collected from the property. This is the dry end of the meadow. One edge abuts a cedar hedge, whose dark confines protect some marginal plants. (It hid some so effectively that they were discovered only after they had bloomed!) A crabapple tree and a small cherry tree provide a variety of broken shade to the environment. In nature, meadows are preserved by fire, low rainfall or low fertility. I simulate fire with my lawnmower, once each year after the frost has killed the last growth. This spreads the seeds around, and buries them in a mulch to survive the winter . I should note that the odd municipal weed inspector has been known to wave his arm in the general direction of any unmowed area within his jurisdiction and to announce grandly that he has the power to cut it all down at your expense if you don't do it for him. He doesn't! Only a few specific plants are proscribed by the Ontario Weed Control Act. As long as these species are removed once identified, you have a right to your meadow. (In your back yard anyway, where it won't draw the ire of neighbours!) Here is a list of the plants I was able to identify in my meadow, with the times they bloomed for me. 108 ELOHERLin.aJACK.YARDJEADgHiJSBZ 4 Apr 1234 Meek of Blooi Hay June July Aug Sept Oct 1234 1234 1234 1234 1234 1234 1 FLOWERS in a BACK YARD Coiiion naie HEADOU, 19S7 Botanic naie t tt 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 crocus Crocus tt 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 narcissus Narcissus t 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 cherry Prunus 'North Star' * 1 1 1 1 1 4 1 1 1 1 1 crabapple Halus 'Profusion' m\n u i: » ;i 1 : 1 dandelion Taraxacui officinale mil : 1 ! ; creeping Charlie Glechoia hederacea III : 1 1 : forget-ne-not Hyosotis scorpioides mm ; iiimii i jolly juip-up Viola kitaibeliana II III mit mil 1 chickweed Cerastiui fontanui iiiimi ; ! 1 early fleabane Erigeron philadelphicus III! 1 ! i 1 iris Ins III mi ! 1 1 1 ; honeysuckle Lonicera tatarica iiiimiimiimiii i black-seeded clover Hedicago lupulina iiiimiimiimiim yellow oxalis Oxalis stricta mil III II 1 III! bluegrass Poa pratensis II nil mil II Him silvery cinqfoil Potentilla argentea iimiii mil III 1 buttercup Ranunculus acris mi 1 1 1 1 blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchiui angustifoliui mmimmmimm white clover Trifoliui repens imm 1 I I chives Alliui schoenoprasui Him 1 1 1 aneione Aneione canadensis HI III 1 1 ! hawkweed Hieraciui florentinui HI II ! mill I red sorrel Rutex acetosella HimmiHimiiimm 1 bladder caapion Silene vulgaris Him mil 1 1 chickweed baby's breath Stellaria praiinea 1 imm 1 HI 1 red fescue Festuca rubra I mil 1 ! 1 ■arsh bedstraw Baliui palustre 1 mi 1 I 1 indian paintbrush Hieraciun aurantiacui 1 mill 1! 1 1 evening priirose(hor) Oenothera fruticosa 1 mimmiimiimm 1 potentilla Potentilla fruticosa 1 mill 1 1 I yellow sedui Sedui acre 1 mmmimiii i yarrow Achillea iillefoliui 1 mmmii i i i daisy Chrysanthetui leucantheiui 1 mmiimiii i heal-all Prunella vulgaris I mi I 1 1 bristly buttercup Ranunculus pensylvanicus 1 mmiHmiiiimm 1 red clover Trifoliui pratense 1 mi II 1 I cow vetch Vicia cracca 1*1 1 1 1 ♦ 1 1 1 quackgrass Agropyron repens 1 mimiiim i daisy fleabane Erigeron annuus ! mi 1 1 ! yellow geui Geui aleppicui 1 mi I 1 1 orange daylily Heierocallis fulva 1 miimimm i st. johnswort Hypericui perforatui 1 mimmm i siooth ryegrass Loliui perenne 1 mmiiimm i birdfoot trefoil Lotus corniculatus 1 mmiimimm white aililot Helilotus alba 1 miimimiii i yellow lililot H. officinalis 1 mill! 1 1 ! tiiothy Phleui pratense I III iiimiim english plantain Plantago lanceolate I III ! 1 I plantain P. lajor 1 mmi ! 1 rough-fruited cinqfoil Potentilla recta 109 EL0llERLlQ.aJACLYARD.nEADgii.i987 Apr 1234 Hay 1234 Ueek June 1234 of Blooi • July Aug 1234 1234 Sept Oct 1234 1234 1 CoMon naie Botanic naie } ttitl II imimii II ! Ill III I I llllllll I llllllllll II mil I III iiii iiii I I IIII II white lustard bugloss strigose fleabane woriseed lustard wild barley bugleweed siartweed .£li|DiD9.Qig!!iihade. Berteroa incana Echiui vulgare Erigeron strigosus Erysiiui hieraciifoliut Hordeui jubatui Lycopus aiericanus Polygonui pensylvanicui Solanui dulcatara lllllllll lllllllll lllllllll mil I lllllllll lllllllll lllllllll mini I IIII I II I I IIII II IIII II IIII IIII II III siooth broaegrass willow herb butter & eggs awned ryegrass lythrui stall forget-ae-not evening priarose narrow-leaved goldenrod stokesia aullein Broaus inerais Epilobiua adenocaulon Linaria vulgaris Loliua aultiflorua Lythrua salicaria Hyosotis laxa Oenothera biennis Solidago graainifolia Stokesia laevis V§[Dascua_thaB5us II! I I ll!ll I mil I III I llllllll llllllll mil I IIII I mil I III I 1 1 IIII IIII II I III wild pink helleborine wild aint wild parsnip hairy green lantern brown-eyed susan soapwort early goldenrod tansy -D9i£b!D.!!9E.El9YtL.. Dianthus araeria Epipactis helleborine Hentha arvensis Pastinaca sativa Physalis heterophylla Rudbeckia hirta Saponaria officinalis Solidago juncea Tanacetua vulgare .lLil9liyi_9§!99it[i... I I nil I III I lllllll III I lllllll lllllll lllllll III I lllllll lllllll lllllll lllllll III III II I III III nil nil III nil I I nil I nil II nil I aargaret’s everlasting silvery arteaesia Canada fleabane cosaos crab grass hen grass hairy galinsoga pepper grass witch grass yellow foxtail green foxtail wild austard hop clover alsike clover Anaphalis aargaritacea Arteaesia vulgaris Conyza canadensis Cosaos bipinnatus Digitaria sanguinalis Echinocloa crusgalli Galinsoga ciliata Lepidiua densiflorua Panicua capillare Setaria glauca S. viridis Sinapis arvensis Trifoliua aureua T. .hybridut llllll I nil I IIII I III I Him Him nil 1 II white uabel aster prickly lettuce hairy lobelia sundrop sweet williaa tall goldenrod blue vervain Aster uabellatus Lactuca scariola Lobelia inflata Oenothera perennis Silene araeria Solidago altissiaa Verbena hastata EL0HERSJn.aJACKJARLnEADgHi.1987 Apr Hay Heek June of Blooi July Aug Sept Oct 4 1234 1234 1234 1234 1234 1234 1234 1 Coiion na>e Botanic naae tt ! ! nettle aint Galeopsis tetrahit tt 1 ! sunflower Helianthus annuus mu 1 wild lettuce Lactuca canadensis miti 1 spearaint Hentha spicata mimt! pepper saartweed PolygonuB hydropiper mu ! giant goldenrod Solidago gigantea mumu wood Qoldenrod S. neaoralis mm 1 hairy-bracted aster Aster ciliolatus mmtut laabs quarters ChenopodiuB albua »imi! buckwheat Fagopyrua esculentua {tumu knotroot qrass Huhlenbergia aexicana mmim aayweed Antheais cotula lumim panicled aster Aster siaplex KU ! beggartick Bidens frondosa tu 1 slender gerardia Gerardia tenuifolia kumui sweet everlasting Gnaphaliua obtusifoliua lU 1 Botherwort Leonurus cardiaca tiim: field ailkwort Polyqala sanquinea umi green aaaranth Aaaranthus retroflexus urn!} side-raceaed aster Aster lateriflorus umim new-england aster A. novae-angliae im ! stingless nettle Pilea puaila itmu erect knotweed PolygonuB achoreua mmm prostrate knotweed P. aviculare umu hedge austard SisyabriuB officinale Plants not seen to flower Proscribed plants identified (and reaoved) thiableweed Aneaone virginiana ragweed Aabrosia arteaisiifolia bleeding heart Dicentra spectabilis great ragweed A. trifida field horsetail LEquisetua arvense ailkweed Asclepias syriaca scouring rush *E. hyeaale winter cress Barbarea vulgaris leaon dayiily Heaerocallis flava Canada thistle CirsiuB arvense purslane Portulaca oleracea bull thistle C. vulgare silverweed Potentilla anserina bindweed Convolvulus arvensis slender speedwell Veronica filiforais queen anne's lace Daucus carota coaaon speedwell V. officinalis russian thistle Salsola pestifer hairy sow thistle Sonchus arvensis spiny sow thistle S. asper i sporanges not seen goatsbeard Tragopogon dubius — twisted goatsbeard T. pratensis Useful References Alex, J.F. and C.M. Switzer. 1976. Ontario weeds. Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food, Toronto. 208 pp. (avail- able from Access Ontario, Rideau Centre, Ottawa KIN 9J1. $5.00. ) N.L. Britton and A. Brown. 1913. An illustrated flora of the northern United States and Canada. Dover reprint 1970. 3 vol . , 2052 pp. Gillett, J.M. and D.J. White. 1978. Checklist of vascular plants of the Ottawa-Hull Region, Canada. National Museum of Natural Sciences, Ottawa. 156 pp. Newcomb, L. 1977. Newcomb's wildflower guide. Little, Brown and Company, Toronto. 490 pp. n EDITOR'S NOTE: This article is presented to encourage readers to think about replacing all that grass with more natural habi- tats. Further, readers who are interested in helping the Club develop its Wildlife '87 garden can join in the fun by calling the Club number (722-3050) and leaving their names and telephone numbers for Shane Jordan to contact them. By the way, some of the common names used in the table are John's own; the botanical names are quite correct though. Read About Pakenham Township’s Geological History Club member Verna Ross McGiffin has documented the geologi- cal history of Pakenham Township, Lanark County, making the results of her study available to the public in capsule form in a 15-page booklet entitled Pakenham Township's Textbook Area Extraordinary . The booklet takes the form of a self-guided tour of the township, with nine sites illustrating the changes the land has undergone from Precambrian to modern times. The final sites illustrate the human history of the township. The booklet is available free of charge from the Council of the Township of Pakenham and from several local outlets. Sheila C. Thomson Revised Status of Some Local Butterflies Peter W. Hall and Ross A. Layberry In 1982, Trail & Landscape carried the Butterflies of the Ottawa District, a detailed account of the status of all the butterflies known to have occurred in the District. A distribu- tion map accompanied each species. Since then, annual updates have been written outlining new information. As a result of these updates, it has become ob- vious that the status of some species has changed during the last five years. Certain species appear to be more common or more widespread than the records indicated in 1982. On the other hand, some species appear to have diminished in numbers or perhaps have even disappeared from the District. The following accounts, with updated distribution maps where applicable, document these status changes with explana- tions where known. DION SKIPPER Euphyes dion (Edwards) In 1982, this was considered an extremely rare species known only from one location in the southeast of the Ottawa District. Localized to roadside sedge patches, this large skip- per should now be considered uncommon and more widespread on the Ontario side of the Ottawa River. These new records are largely the result of more careful searches of sedge patches throughout the District. ROADSIDE SKIPPER Amblyscirtes vial is (Edwards) Considered rare and local five years ago, this tiny, dark skipper appears to have been generally overlooked. In its preferred rocky or sandy habitats, known colonies number 18. This species should now be considered locally uncommon. OLYMPIA Euchloe olympia (Edwards) In 1982, this species was known from seven localities following its first arrival in the District in the 1970s. It was felt at the time that the species was likely to continue its expansion into Eastern Ontario. In the last five years, six new colonies have been discovered, including two at locations where it certainly had not existed previously. It seems likely that Olympia numbers will continue to increase. ! 1 14 I henry's elfin Incisal ia henrici (Grote & Robinson) From a relatively few colonies in 1982, this butterfly has since been found at numerous sites throughout the District, particularly in the southern part. It can often be sighted in wooded areas in early May, being one of the first butterflies on the wing in the spring. It may have been largely overlooked because of this early flight season. It has recently been found to feed on a previously unrecorded foodplant. Black Buckthorn (Rhamnus frangula). This shrub may be the most widely used food plant in the District as it often seems to grow commonly where colonies of Henry's Elfin exist. APPALACHIAN EYED BROWN Satgrodes appalachia leeuwi (Gatrelle & Arbogast ) Considered rare in 1982, this extremely local butterfly should now be considered locally uncommon. Known from four colonies five years ago, it has now been found at 18 sites. Some of the new records were the result of checking cedar swamps, the preferred habitat, at the right time of the year; others were in mixed deciduous woods in the company of the more numerous Pearly Eye (Snodia anthedon). It seems that the habi- tat separation thought to exist between three closely-related species of Satyrids {Saty nodes euydice in open sedge marshes, S. appalachia in sedgey wood margins, and E. anthedon in drier woods) is not as rigid as believed. In the past, any medium- sized, dull brown Satyrid seen in dry woods would have been assumed to be the Pearly Eye. During the past five years, the species described above were all found to be more numerous than previously thought. However, during this same period, the following species appear to have diminished in numbers. TWO SPOTTED SKIPPER Euphyes bimacula (Grote & Robinson) This rare species, localized to sedge patches, no longer appears to be resident in its previously-known colonies. Most of these sites were visited during the flight season, in some cases in successive years, but no specimens have been seen in five years. The reason for this decline is unclear as the habitats do not appear to have been altered. I 15 EARLY HAIRSTREAK Erora laeta (Edwards) This elusive rare butterfly has a reputation for fluctuat- ing dramatically in numbers at the few known sites throughout its range. This seems to be the case at the few locations in the Ottawa District where it appeared in the late 1970s and early 1980s after a long absence. Only two single specimens have been recorded in the last three years. The weather may have been a major factor as the flight season in late May has coincided with cool, damp conditions. However, even on warm, sunny days. Early Hairstreaks were not seen. In general, perhaps the most noteworthy butterfly trend in the past few years has been the decline in numbers of all hair- streak species. All observers had very few records of the five local members of the Satyrium genus of hairstreaks. This was true even of those locations where, in early July, hundreds of individuals were often seen around Common Milkweed and White Sweet Clover blossoms. It is hoped, however, that this is only a periodic dieback, perhaps caused by disease, and that we can expect to see the populations bounce back. Henry's Elfin Photograph by Peter Hall. n Two Colour Forms of Black Swallowtail Pupae The follow ing letter was received by Trail & Landscape a year ago and passed along to the experts for comment. Here is the whole account. "Your readers may be interested in the following observations on the Eastern Black Swallowtail {Papilio polyxenes). 'On July llth, 1986, I watched a female of this species laying eggs on Queen Anne's Lace in a sheltered corner along the Ottawa River near the crossing of the Ottawa - Wakefield railway. I collected four eggs, all of which hatched on July 18th. 'The caterpillars grew rapidly on a diet of Wild Carrot and the first pupated on August lOth. All had pupated by August 12th. At this time I noticed that the chrysalis of the first to pupate was light green while those of the last two were light brown. 'The first butterfly, a female, emerged on August 28th from the light green chrysalis and, in a fit of sentimentality, was released to enjoy a few days of the waning summer. Two of the remaining chrysalids were devoured by the cat and the remaining specimen failed to emerge during the following weeks. 'Almost convinced by the brown colour and dry appearance that the chrysalis was dead, I nevertheless kept it through the winter to be delighted by the eventual emergence of a male on April 16th of this year (1987). 'I find intriguing that caterpillars grown under identical con- ditions should have chrysalids of different colours and emerge after such disparate periods. I suspect colouration offers superior camouflage to the overwintering chrysalis whereas light green is more advantageous for individuals emerging later the same summer. This dimorphism at the chrysalis stage may derive from differences in feeding behaviour of the caterpillars. 'Perhaps others have noticed this phenomenon and can offer a more detailed explanation. (signed) Giles R. Morrell" EDITORS' NOTE: Dr. J.D. Lafontaine, of the Biosystemat ics Re- search Centre of Agriculture Canada, when asked about the two colour forms of the swallowtail pupae, said the answer is still only conjecture. The most likely reason is that the two forms would help ensure that some of the pupae will survive predation by birds. If all pupae were only brown, foraging birds would better learn to recognize them. There appears to be no connec- tion between colour and length of time the butterfly remains as a pupa, n The Xerces Society is an international organization dedi- cated to the conservation of rare and endangered invertebrates and their habitats. For example, the Society is concerned about the remaining few groves of trees in which the western Monarch butterfly overwinters. Apparently the population of the Monarch west of the Rocky Mountains winters in suitable groves of trees in California. Some of these groves have been cut down by developers unaware of their special value, or uncaring. The Society is attempting to have California officially recognize the special significance of the roosts. To support their case, they are accumulating information on the migratory behaviour and ecology of the Monarchs. A number of volunteers began tagging Monarchs several years ago, and, in the last two years, a total of 51,000 have been tagged in the West, 36,000 of those in 1986/87. A few people started to tag Monarchs in the East in 1986/87, and 300 were tagged. Only one was recovered, a few kilometres from where it was released in New Jersey. Entomolo- gists from the University of Florida and the National University of Mexico spent several weeks at the wintering colonies of Monarchs in the high mountains of Central Mexico. Despite vigilant searching, no tagged Monarchs were seen. Chris Nagano, currently with the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, asked if I was interested in tagging, and when I said I was, sent me a number of tags and information on how to do it. 1986 was a poor year for Monarchs locally, and I managed to tag only 17, none of which were recovered. (In the West, rough- ly 1 in every 1,500 butterflies tagged was recovered at dis- tances of 150 kilometres or more from its release point). Monarchs J.W. (Jack) Holliday The 1987 season was much more productive, and I tagged and released an even 100. The first was tagged on July 15, and the last on September 28. The following is a summary of my own Monarch Project for the Ottawa - Kanata area in the summer and fall of 1987. Arrival of the Monarchs: The first Monarchs 1 saw in 1987 were near Bells Corners on June 17. I saw others near Connaught Rifle Range on June 20. Ac- cording to Ross Layberry's records, this is about the usual date of their arrival here. First Generation: On June 15 while conducting a Xerces Butterfly Count near the Rifle Range, I observed eight Monarchs. I tagged two males and two females. Two tagged Monarchs on Buddleia flowers. Photograph by the author. I observed one male, flying at tree-top height, catch up to, capture, and come to the ground with a female. By the time I netted them, only 15 seconds later, they were already in- copula. There was no attempt to court, just grab and couple. I tagged both, still coupled, and released them on nearby plants, still mated. Both were fresh specimens. Perhaps this genera- tion has no time for niceties and must get on with procreation if the second and/or third generations are to be adult in time to migrate before the cold weather. Second Generation: On August 7, in the same area, I saw 12 Monarchs, tagging four. I saw females ovipositing on Common Milkweed and searched thousands of plants but did not find any larvae. None of these butterflies appeared to be migrating. On August 20, I tagged a female which came to Buddleia plants in my home garden. When released, it flew away to the south. Migrating? Second Generation Migrators: Between August 11 and 15, I found five larvae locally. The first of these emerged from the pupa on August 25. After being tagged and released, these butterflies drifted off to the south, apparently beginning migrational flight. (The generations overlap considerably. Seemingly, the early second generation breed and lay eggs for a possible third generation. Late second generation individuals begin the migration.) Third Generation: On August 26 I saw two adult Monarchs but was unable to net either . I searched for 2k hours in a field of second growth milkweed, found and collected 50 larvae. Within two days, some larvae entered into the pupal stage. The last of them became a pupa on September 2. About 12 died of an unknown disease. Most of these pupae emerged as adults in mid-September, and between the 14th and 17th I tagged and released 50. The last adults were tagged and released on September 28. In total, I tagged 100: 67 ex-pupa and 33 netted. If anyone has seen a Monarch with a numbered white tag on the right forewing, I'd like to know. If you noted the tag number, so much the better. As "launch-master", I would be encouraged if some of the tagged Monarchs were observed to have made some progress and to know where they were seen. I can be reached at 198 Keyworth Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario KlY 0E9, telephone 728-8339. n 120 Activities of the Bird Records Subcommittee in 1987 Gordon Pringle Late in 1987, the Bird Records Subcommittee began to review its collection of photo duplicates. Through the Birds Commit- tee, it has asked Tony Beck to prepare an inventory of the existing material and to assure that it is properly stored with a view toward long-term preservation. When the inventory is complete, we should be able to identify gaps in the coverage and we will be soliciting contributions. The subcommittee considered 20 reports during the year, and the following were accepted as significant additions to our record base. Yellow-billed Loon May 19, 1980 Ian Jones, R.A. Bracken This report was reviewed again in the light of more recently published in- formation on the species. Common Black-headed Gull December 21, 1986 Ian Jones Found on the Christmas Bird Count and present until at least January 3, 1987. Northern Waterthrush November 30, 1986 Colin Gaskell Late record. Greater White- fronted Goose April 17, 1987 Mark Gawn Willet May 16, 1987 Roy John Purple Sandpiper October 27, 1985 Tony Beck (photograph) Northern Saw-whet Owl October 5, 1986 Tony Beck (photograph) Northern Hawk-Owl March 8, 1987 Tony Beck (photograph) Merl in January 18, 1986 Tony Beck (photograph) American Wigeon December 24, 1986 Tony Beck (photograph) Snowy Owl June 3, 1987 Ray Holland Report and photograph for an unusual summer record. 121 Eurasian Wigeon September 26, 1987 Ray Holland Report and photograph. Lark Sparrow July 16, 1987 Ray Holland Report and photograph. Second record for the Ottawa District less than 1 km from the original location at Jim Wickware's on June 13, 1984. Harlequin Duck November 28 , 1987 Mark Gawn. The following sightings were documentation has been received by reported in 1987, but no the subcommittee. Gyrfalcon * January 1 1 Britannia Gyrfalcon * January 29 Britannia Gyrfalcon * Jan. - Feb. Cedarview Rd. and Woodroffe Ave . Greater White- fronted Goose * April 2 Ricevil le Little Gull x5 April 27 Ottawa River Cerulean Warbler May 1 5 Britannia Wood Worm-eating Warbler May 1 5 Britannia Wood Cerulean Warbler May 17, 22 Low - Poltimore Franklin's Gull May 29 Britannia Point Little Blue Heron May 2 1 Airport Great Egret May 22 Marlborough Forest Baird's Sandpiper x2 May 3 1 Constance Bay This would be a first spring record. Sharp-tailed Sparrow June 1 1 Richmond Fen, recorded. Little Gull June 14 Deschenes Rapids Parasitic Jaeger June 18 Britannia Point Reeve July 24 Ottawa Beach * requested by the Ontario Records Commi t tee . 122 Connecticut Warbler Sept. 6 Parasitic Jaeger Oct. 20 Britannia Wood Ottawa River. The Bird Records Subcommittee solicits reports, photographs or recordings documenting any species not on A Birder's Check- list of Ottawa, has fewer than five records, or that has not been sighted for 10 years. Out-of-season observations are also of interest. Report forms are available from Gordon Pringle (224-0543). If you want help in preparing a report, or if you are unsure that a report is needed, contact any member of the subcommittee, n The OFNC Bird Status Line 596-4888 Larry E. Neily The Bird Status Line is designed to provide bird watching enthusiasts with up-to-date news regarding the birding potential in the vicinity of the national capital. Because a large per- centage of its membership is interested in bird life. The Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club created this service for its members. Because of its nature, the Bird Status Line is available, of course, to anyone having a telephone, member or not. This allows anyone in the Ottawa area to use it (including visiting birders), or anyone in the world via long distance service. The status line is listed by the American Birding Association on its Rare Bird Alert list in its magazine Birding , which has world- wide distribution. Each tape message ends with a reference to the Club telephone number, thus allowing interested non-members a way of becoming involved in the Club. Each Bird Status Line message (either one or three minutes) begins with the date it was recorded. The message then provides 123 current information on birds in the Ottawa District* and fre- quently on exceptional sightings farther afield which may be of interest to local birders. Information is given on rare and unusual birds in the area and on specialties that are of inter- est to visitors or new residents. The status line also covers the general status of birds and binding locations in the area, and Club announcements (such as Christmas Bird Count informa- t ion ) . The Bird Status Line often sets out specific directions to rare and unusual sightings, as well as dates, numbers observed, and sometimes behavioural descriptions (if this is felt to be useful in finding the bird in question). No observer names are used on the tape; however, they are available through the re- porting line should someone want them. Messages are updated regularly with information provided by a number of local birders, without whom the service would cease to function. There are no set days for updates, since rare birds can occur anytime and the Bird Status Line attempts to get out the good word as soon as possible. Generally, the message is changed at least twice weekly. Certain species judged as being sensitive to disruption are not reported on the status line. For example, unusual nesting sightings and some birds of prey, especially in the city itself, where additional pressures may prove fatal to the bird, are not reported . A log is kept of all tape messages. This provides a refer- ence for writers of the bird sightings articles in Trail & Landscape, the Bird Records Subcommittee, and other interested parties. Copies of this log are deposited in the Club's file in the Public Archives of Canada. Birders are encouraged to help make this service even better by reporting any sightings they feel may be of interest to their fellow birders and by providing updates of more recent sightings of birds already on the tape. Reports may be tele- phoned into the Bird Status Line at 820-0013. Currently, the status line receives an estimated 250 calls a week. The Bird Status Line number is 596-4888. * The Ottawa District is the area within 50 km of the Peace Tower. n 124 Winter Bird Sightings Gordon Pringle December - February Period The past winter season was steady ' ' without sustained extremes of weather. We experienced sun for 325 hours compared with an average of 297 hours and had a less than average snow- fall. This is not to say that the season had no teeth, for it was a large snowstorm with strong easterlies that produced the female Harlequin Duck in late November, and the Ottawa-Hull Christmas Bird Count was held in miserable conditions of snow, sleet and rain. The beginning of February featured a warm front and the beginning of March was a freeze. The last day of winter was an all time low for the date. Some characteristic features were the gulls that lingered very late, the numbers of raptors, especially Rough-legged Hawk, that wintered, and the long list of less hardy species that attempted to tough it out. Individual highlights were Tufted Titmouse, Townsend's Solitaire, Yellow-rumped (Audubon's) Warb- ler, Harlequin Duck, Boreal Owl and Hawk Owl. Many in the following group of species have no business staying here into the hard winter, and it is easy to imagine that they are induced to linger by the unexpectedly moderate conditions. The real situation is more likely that the usual crop of injured or disinclined individuals survive longer and in greater numbers to be observed and reported, often after settl- ing in at some feeder. Remember also that summer species which are present in the breeding season in large numbers are statis- tically more likely to be represented by off-season stragglers. Wood Duck Egyptian Goose American Coot Common Snipe - several wintered successfully on the Rideau, - for interest, this exotic got through to February 21, when it was captured and removed to a warm barn for the duration, - at Shirley's Bay until Christmas week when it probably fell prey to a Snowy Owl , - Dunrobin-Breckenr idge CBC, 125 Belted Kingfisher Northern Flicker American Robin Brown Thrasher Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warbler Ovenb ir d Rufous-sided Towhee Chipping Sparrow Song Sparrow Swamp Sparrow White-throated Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow Red-winged Blackbird Eastern Meadowlark Rusty Blackbird Common Crackle Brown-headed Cowbird Northern Oriole - Dunrobin-Breckenridge CBC, - Carleton Place CBC, - a few stayed throughout as is usual; more perhaps survived than normal, - Carleton Place CBC, - North Gower for three days in Janu- ary, - Ottawa-Hull CBC, Gatineau, - rescued from a cat December 3 and sent to hospital, - Parkwood Hills, wintered, - Carleton Place CBC, - Ottawa-Hull CBC, - Pakenham-Arnprior CBC - Dunrobin-Breckenridge CBC, three birds , - Dunrobin-Breckenridge CBC, last reported January 3 1 , - Pakenham-Arnprior CBC, - Alta Vista, January 25, - Blossom Park, in February, - Ottawa-Hull CBC, - Ottawa-Hull CBC, four birds, - Pakenham-Arnprior CBC, - Wall Road, January 17, - Carleton Place CBC, - Dunrobin-Breckenridge CBC, - Ottawa-Hull CBC, - Greely in February, possibly wintered , - Pakenham-Arnprior CBC, three birds, - Winchester Springs in late December. There is also a group of species that in Ottawa are on the northern limit of their winter range. They tend to be opportun- ists that will stay in some numbers, conditions permitting. The greater expanses of open water induced gulls to remain excep- tionally late. Also, the relatively light snow cover exposed food that held a variety of raptors over and perhaps kept the finches in the open and away from feeders. Western Vagrants: There were no further additions to the batch of western stragglers that were mentioned in the fall Trail & Landscape. The Townsend's Solitaire at Bristol, Quebec remained difficult to locate and was last reported on January 22. The female Varied Thrush in Aylmer was more co-operative and came regularly to its feeder until March. The Audubon's Yellow-rumped Warbler did not reappear after the CBC. 126 Waterfowl: On the CBC a male Harlequin Duck was discovered accompanying the original that turned up in November. These birds constitute the fifth and sixth record for Ottawa and the third occasion of the species attempting to winter. They remained in the rapids at the Quebec end of the Champlain bridge until mid-February. A minimum of three male Barrow's Goldeneye were on the river for the season along with two females and one immature male. This is a continuation of the increase of recent years. Pied-billed Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, Canada Goose, Buffle- head and Red-breasted Merganser were on the various CBC tallies, indicating the late trend. Wood Duck and a Northern Pintail wintered successfully on the Rideau at Manotick, while a Lesser Scaup at Shirley's Bay made it at least into early February. Our Black Duck, Mallard, Common Goldeneye and Common Mer- ganser population appeared normal and issued no complaint about the extra company. Raptors: The arctic (tundrius subspecies) Pere- grine Falcon continued to roost on the Coats Building at Tun- ney's Pasture. It is unlikely that this bird derives from the released population on two counts. Firstly, it is unbanded, and secondly the pale subspecies is not known to be represented in the stock used for the reintroduction program. There were moderate numbers of Rough-legged Hawk and to a lesser degree Red-tailed Hawk in the traditional open areas to the south, particularly behind the airport and near Navan. It would appear that at least one each of Bald Eagle and Golden Eagle remained in the area until early February. The Bald Eagle would benefit from increased open water and the Golden Eagle was along the Gatineau escarpment where presumably it was feeding at the winter deer yards. There were scattered observations of Cooper's Hawk and Northern Goshawk with one of each being found behind the airport along with the collection of other raptors. Sharp-shinned Hawk went unreported except for those on the counts. Are they really a feeder bird, following the trend at everybody's vacant feeders this year? Apparently no Northern Harrier attempted to stay, and there was no mention of American Kestrel after the December count season. Some surely remained. A few Merlin were to be found, particularly in suburban areas. One also joined the crowd at the airport. 127 An adult dark phase Gyrfalcon that was reported from behind the airport was the only mention of this species. Crouse, Partridge and Pheasant: There appeared to be a normal distribution of Gray Partridge at suburban feeders, farm yards, feedlots and in certain fields. There were scattered reports of Ring-necked Pheasant at some feeders and there are a few survivors among the released birds at Britannia. Except for Christmas counts, nobody appeared to put any time into locating Ruffed Grouse. Culls: The story of the gulls is best given by the Ottawa-Hull count and one observer's follow up - CBC Dec. 20 Dec. 24 Jan. 30 Feb. 19 Ring-billed Gull 0 0 0 0 Herring Gull 2596 2450 162 3 Glaucous Gull 44 83 7 1 Great Black-backed Gull 510 522 53 0 Iceland Gull 15 17 1 0 It is exceptional to have any gulls after the first week of January. Ring-billed Gulls are obviously more anxious to leave in the fall, yet in the spring they are not shy about returning with the Herring Gulls. Owls: Northern owls put in a good showing in eastern Ontario this season. The two Boreal Owls reported for the fall period were a fair indication of things to come. At least four of these much sought-after owls wintered on Amherst Island, one was found as a road-kill on the Thomas Dolan Parkway in early January, and one chased a flying squirrel from a feeder at Otter Lake, Quebec, on January 15. Considering the strictly nocturnal and secretive habits of this species, the indications are that more individuals wintered or passed through than has been the case for several years. At least two Northern Hawk-Owl were present. The Baseline and Cedarview bird was last reported on February 21, and a second was on Limebank Road from January 31 into March. There were two more on the Dunrobin-Breckenr idge CBC, and others were reported from Wakefield and Cornwall. Pembroke was graced with 14 Great Gray Owls this season, but none reached the Ottawa District. Snowy Owls were regular in their usual haunts just south of the city, and, as usual in a milder season, some Short-eared Owls settled in for the duration - notably at Navan and Wood- lawn. For the same reason, a few Northern Saw-Whet Owls could 128 be found throughout. The Billings Bridge Eastern Screech-Owl is still hanging in there, despite building pressure on its habitat. It was observ- ed in all three months. Great Horned Owl and Barred Owl though assuredly present, went unreported. Long-eared Owl appeared to be absent but again, did anyone really look? Woodpeckers: There were no Three-toed Woodpeckers and only sporadic reports of Black-backed Woodpecker. We have been accustomed to much better than this. Downy, Hairy and Pileated Woodpeckers were present in unre- markable numbers. Horned Lark: A few Horned Lark stayed over, notably at the Nepean land-fill site. Migrants returned on schedule in mid-February. I refuse to contemplate that winter may end until this happy event occurs. Corvids to Creeper: Blue Jay, American Crow, Common Raven, Red-breasted Nuthatch, White-breasted Nuthatch, Black-capped Chickadee and Brown Creeper are one of the groups that provide the meat and potatoes of winter birding. The gravy, however, was a Tufted Titmouse in Navan for Ottawa's second record. It was present from November and remained through February at a feeder . Other than a Boreal Chickadee on the Dunrobin-Breckenridge CBC, the only mention of our boreal corvids was on January 9 from an observer who reported Gray Jays (and Boreal Chickadees) responding to a tape on the Ramsay Lake road. Numerous further attempts to relocate these birds were unsuccessful. Kinglet to Mockingbird: A scattering of Golden-crowned Kinglets on the various counts was normal. It has been customary to have a Northern Mockingbird about, and sure enough one hung about in Parkwood Hills. Finches: The low snow cover left considerable food exposed for the winter, perhaps resulting in a poor feeder season. The cone crop, on the other hand, was not great, and there was no characteristic finch for the year. Most were present, with Pine Grosbeak, Red Crossbill and White-winged Crossbill appearing only sporadically. The exception appears to be Purple Finch with only one report from Alta Vista. Were 129 they really this scarce? The House Finch expansion continued. The few substantial flocks of Common Redpoll remained very mobile, and Hoary Redpolls were correspondingly difficult to nail down. Exceptions were one in Blossom Park and one at Albion Road and Regional Road #8 that spent most of the winter with a small flock of Common Redpolls on a weed-covered pile of gravel . Flocks of Pine Siskin and Evening Grosbeak were becoming larger and more widespread at the end, augmented by a gradual influx, presumably from the south, and providing another sign of the season's end. Acknowledgements : The information for this account was derived from the Bird Status Line log kept by Larry Neily, the bird columns in The Ottawa Citizen by Elizabeth Le Geyt, the author's notes, and additional data supplied by Bruce Di Labio and Ray Holland. n Planted in tight ranks with rigorous efficiency the Jack Pines stand like bristles on a brush, tall, erect, crowded close together, naked from the shoulder down, and all the same - scarcely a twist or gnarl to tell each one apart from hundreds more. Standing at attention, waiting for the scythe, the regimental dullards of the bush. But find a patch of flat rock scoured by glaciers, where lichens crunch and crumble as you pass. There, in the crevices with scraps of moss and fern, an independent Jack Pine may take hold with no peer pressure knocking him in line. Then what a profusion of asymmetry breaks forth - boughs every which way, grinning at the sun, contorted as an unpruned apple tree, humped roots for chipmunks, perches for a hawk, and palatial possibilities for squirrels. True, it may not be as good for business, but young pines should be given room to grow. David Fraser 130 Peregrine Falcon Release Project in Ottawa, Summer 1987 Jan McDonnell Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Atikokan, Ontario and Helene Levesque Canadian Wildlife Service, Ontario Region Ottawa, Ontario INTRODUCTION The Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus anatum) is on the endangered species list of most jurisdictions over North Ameri- ca. Persistent organochlor ine pesticides such as DDT have been attributed with causing the Peregrine Falcon to decline nearly to the point of extinction. Now that these chemicals are no longer widely used in North America, many jursidict ions are attempting to re-establish wild Peregrine Falcon breeding popu- lations . Hacking is one of the methods for Peregrine Falcon releases (Sherrod et al. 1982). It involves placing downy, four-week-old chicks into a large, barred, plywood hack box which is located at a site where Peregrines could naturally be found nesting. The birds are fed daily and held until they have grown all their flight feathers, about two weeks, and at that time they are released to the wild. After release, they are still fed daily until they are able to hunt and fend on their own. During the summer of 1987, a "mass" release of Peregrine Falcons in Ottawa was coordinated jointly by the Ontario Minis- try of Natural Resources and the Canadian Wildlife Service, Ontario Region. Mass releases are now favoured in Canada, and differ from the old style of releases in that large numbers of birds are released at one site instead of the three or four released formerly (Canadian Wildlife Service 1987). The idea is that releasing large number of birds maximizes the chances of two birds surviving to return and breed in the release area. This was the first year that Peregrines have been released in Ottawa, although for 1 1 years small annual releases have taken place across the river in Hull, Quebec, until 1986 (Di Labio and Dauphine 1987). 131 Table 1. Main events of the releases (J = July; A = August, Time in hours, Age in days) u o 0) e H O cd Xi *-3 Cd h-‘ •I to M M* X l-L )-l N> O' to to to n to to to to to to- 3 t3 1— ■ to to s: U1 CO to 3 3 n> CO X Oq rr B to CO rr M- O I-*- rr to rt rt) rr C to o' to *o O V to M* oq > 3- O' H- CO o 3 c rr rr D- I-* to 3 h- ‘ O to )-*• to rr o rr 1-1 to zr • o M- )-ri C CO rt 3 rr 3 CJq o to- H* to 1-1 l-ti r-1 3 o CL O S zr CO )-l B zr 3 cr to )-L to to zr M- n o H* to to o to to rt O B to CD o 3- 1-1 to CO O o rr )-• 1-1 c rr CO zr )— * M- to CO CO CO CO c • “O < TJ O to to c Q- S 3 03 3 rr <-1 1 to to CO 3' rr to- 1 3- O' rr O O to n a n ri 3 H* H- > to M* oq )-ti CO a o to to O o CO 3 ►o 3 3 C 3- O n • 3 O )-• o to- 3* to Oq )-i O oq oq H- O' O Z 3 )-t> H- c • c to o 3 C 3 r-1 to 3 P cr ' — o CO Z 3' Ml o 1 oq )-n CO to zr to H r-1 to H N to to H- C to 1-^ rt rt to O' to- CO r-1 zr CO I-* to 3 O 3 to < 'O M- rt) CD to (D 1-^ rr !-■ CO to- < to 3- to o CD to r-n H- I—* )-! CO zr H* H- to 3 o 1-1 3 )— • •a O CO to 3 rr “O 3 M O 1-* to rt 3 r^3 1— ■ K- 1— * to 3* 3“ )-1 3 M* o rr 1-* H- to to 1— ■ !?> 3 CD to to to to o B to CO O r-1 O to r-1 v; W B > < oq O to I— • M* to 3 3 B r* H* o o to to Z )-l )-l 3 3 to CO CD 3 to O 3 >-ri c oq to to to- rt to oq O 3- O o 3 c 3 c rr rr 3 rt) M O X Ml rt Z 3 to- rr ri H rr CO O to CO 1-1 O n 3 O' rt 3 co to • rr n • to o- CD o' rr to 3- 1— ■ 3 H* 3 • o' to oq 3 to to to O' rr • 3 to O CO to O rr to oq rt r-1 to to to- *o u H- to 1-1 n H O 3 to to < 3 to rt) to H-* 3 to- ri o 3“ M* B to cr o' O 3- r-> (W to O O 3 to N to rt to o o 3 c • to- i-ri €, CO CD .to to 3 )-r> M- o oq c 3 to rr )-ri to » to rr rr O O rt rt to 3 3" C rr O 1-1 to M* CO 1-1 3 c O' oq rt rt) 3 c O O rr < O h-* O M- < OJ to O to- H* C 3* to 1— ‘ M- 3 r-1 M- <» rt rt o co )-* o* 1-1 to 3 o Ml CO rr rr *o to )-■ O T) M- O 1— ■ 1—* to CO o CO v; o zr c 3- )-• O 3 to c )-r) to 3 to s: to )-t .. r-1 rt “O o' O o' V to •# M* o' T3 o' to 3 )-^ r-1 n O o O rr )-h (-■ to >o O to o zr O to 3 o ri to rr O O I-* c CO B 1-1 to 3 CO C 3 ri to CO zr 1-1 K 1-1 to O -o to CO CD CO S rr rr O 3 to to -CA 3' o to CD 1-1 1-1 (0 to O' • to K v; n N) to r-1 zr to o « S rt) hL to ►n o rr < ?r to s rr o M> rt )-i 3 to- to- o o zr to to CO O' rt to h*- r-ri rt O' %# o z » to to- to to O' O 3 O' to ✓ — V M B 3 Ml o rr 3 to rr 3 rt <3^ 3 O to to c to o o O o 3 to !-• O' z 1— • 1-1 3 rr 3 3 o rr to 3- 3 to o to rr to to- H- to- to- zr 1-1 rr rr rr O • 3- )-*• o rt ' — X 3* O co s: to to • O' zr 3 M- r-1 o' 3 rt) to- »-l 3 rt M- 1-1 M* to to to 3 M- r-1 rt) to CO M* 3* I-* CO )-l H oq !-• to N5 B rr *o 3 to I-* to O to *o rt O to ro CD to to ri l_n to c zr oq CO 3 rtl O 1 to )-L H* to O 3* NJ 3 n to O 3- O o u> 3 1— • to- O O rxj to Ol to to o r-1 rr a O 3 o rr CO • to M z < ^s n zr 3- zr to zr to- CO U1 H* H* to- n to rr to to to to o co to o a o < rt) • zr o M CO O r-1 o )-• r-1 • rt) 3 to n rr f-i Ml to i-n i-ti 3- < *# to- O o 'C B K )-*• -—N to rr H c rt to rr H- rr 3 rt 3 P* 3“ O* rr 3* o' oq 3' l-L 3 M- zr rr O' oq O' 3 to O to to 3* to rr •< CO to O' to CO to ■< LATE NEWS ITEM - ALFRED BOG Sunday ELEVENTH ANNUAL JOINT OUTING WITH THE OTTAWA RIDEAU 23 Oct. TRAIL CLUB: GENERAL INTEREST WALK IN THE MARLBOR- 10:00 a.m. OUGH FOREST Meet: parking lot at the corner of Albert and Booth Streets . Participants will ramble along a relatively flat portion of the Rideau Trail passing through lovely woodlands and open areas. Bring a lunch to enjoy around the open fireplace at a designated shelter along the route. For further information, call Ei- leen Evans (74 1-0789). * * * PEMBROKE FESTIVAL OF SWALLOWS August 6 to 14, 1988 Members of the Pembroke and Area Bird Club invite Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club members to join with them in Pembroke at sunset as upwards of 100,000 swallows stage their spectacular aerobatic display. The best viewing time starts at 7:45 p.m. during the festival period. (For further information and a map, read Trail S Landscape 19(3): 141-142 (1985).) Explore the bluebird trails, with over 900 boxes in the Pembroke area, and on August 12, 13 and 14 visit the Wildlife Art Show and Sale featuring over 50 nationally acclaimed and local artists. For further information, telephone Jacques Bouvier at (613) 735-0366. * * * VOLUNTEERS FOR THE PEREGRINE FALCON RELEASE PROGRAM There may still be room for additional volunteers. See pages 131 - 136 in this issue for further details, or contact Marg Benson immediately at 995-1308 (work) or 744-6045 (home). "k "k "k DEADLINE : Material intended for the October - December issue must be in the Editor's hands before July 1 at the latest. ISSN 0041-0748 TRAIL & LANDSCAPE published by THE OTTAWA FIELD- NATURALISTS’ CLUB Second Class Mail - Registration Number 2777 Postage paid in cash at Ottawa Change of Address Notices and undeliverable Copies Box 3264 Postal Station C, Ottawa, Ont. KlY 4J5 Return postage guaranteed Uo;V /IV5 Printed by LOMOR PRINTERS LTD.