THE

OSPREY

Nature Journalof NewfoundlandandLabrador

Winter 2014 Volume 45 Issue 1

Nature
Newfoundland and Labrador
ISSN 0710-4847

ISSUE AT A GLANCE

(Left to Right from Top) The Quarterly Bug: Springtails on Mushrooms (Pg. 19), C-NLOPB Eastern
Newfoundland Strategic Environmental Assessment (Pg. 5), Nature in the Raw! (Pg. 32), Plant Galls of
Newfoundland and Labrador Part 5: Exobasidium Galls ofBlack Huckleberry (Gaylussacia baccata) (Pg.
14), Citizen Science Programs in Newfoundland and Labrador (Pg. 35).

CONTENTS

Winter 2014 The Osprey vol 45 no 1

3

Society Matters

Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador

Offshore Petroleum Board Eastern
Newfoundland Strategic Environmental
Assessment

19

Dave Larson

22

The Night Sky and Star Charts

Nature Newfoundland and Labrador Annual

General Meeting

25

The Fall Migration (2013) in Saint-Pierre et

Miquelon

Plant Galls of Newfoundland and Labrador

Part 5: Exobasidium Galls of Black
Huckleberry (Gaylussacia baccata)

32

Nature in the Raw!

35

Citizen Science Programs in Newfoundland

and Labrador

Allan Stein

13

Henry Mann

16

Fred R. Smith

Roger Etcheberry

Dave Innes

14

The Quarterly Bug: Springtails on

Mushrooms

Allan Stein

Species Placemat - Sharing Newfoundland

Beaches with the Endangered Piping Plover
Intervale Associates

18

Marine Protected Areas: Restoring our

Ocean and Rebuilding our Commercial
Fisheries
Fred Winsor

Front and Back Covers: Icicles on a fir tree (Photos by Sarah Penney-Belbin).
The Osprey is published quarterly (winter, spring, summer and fall), both electronically and in hard copy, by Nature Newfoundland
and Labrador. Subscription is free with membership, which costs $25 annually. Opinions expressed in The Osprey are those of the

authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the editors or the society. Letters, articles, photographs, illustrations and book reviews about any aspect of nature are welcome. Please submit documents in Microsoft Word by email attachment using APA style
and in a format compatible with printing in black and white. Submit images and tables as separate files, not embedded in the text.
Send emails to: osprey@naturenl.ca. The editors reserve the right to make changes to submissions.

Past issues of The Osprey, from 1970 to present, are indexed by Memorial University at the Newfoundland Periodical Article Bibliography (PAB), a free database available at www.library.mun.ca/qeii/cns/pab.php. Photocopies of articles can be requested by
email to cnsqeii@mun.ca.
Nature Newfoundland and Labrador (formerly the Natural History Society of Newfoundland and Labrador), formed in 1910 and incorporated in 1972, is the provincial affiliate of Nature Canada, a nonprofit conservation organization whose mission is to protect and conserve wildlife and habitats in
Canada by engaging people and advocating on behalf of nature.
ISSN 0710-4847; mail registration #8302

Winter 2014 1

Nature NL Activities

Nature Newfoundland and Labrador has an Indoor Program of informed and interesting guest
speakers as well as an Outdoor and Workshop Program. Monthly indoor meetings, with public
presentations on topics of interest, are usually held 7:30 PM on the third Thursday of the
month at an appropriate venue. There are no indoor meetings during the summer months. The
outdoor & workshop program run year round.
We welcome the participation of all residents and visitors to the province of any age, and
encourage all to participate in our programs where they feel comfortable (families, children,
young adults, and senior citizens alike). Not all of our outdoor events are suitable for all
persons, however we try to offer a balanced program.
See "naturenl.ca" for up-to-date information
naturenl@naturenl.ca. All are welcome!

or contact Julie Huntington at

NATURE NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR

BOARD OF DIRECTORS (201 4-201 5)

Executive

Co-Presidents
Past-President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer

Directors

Valued Volunteers

Membership Secretary
Humber Representative
Communications
Webmaster
Fish Science
Programming

Rita Anderson (Nature Canada Representative)

Michael Collins (The Rooms Coordinator)
John Jacobs
VACANT
Dave Innes
Marjorie Evans
Doug Ballam
Chantelle Burke
Margie McMillan
Paul Regular (Digital Media)
Allan Stein

Carolyn Walsh
Lois Bateman
Len Zedel
Aaron Goulding
R. John Gibson
Julie Huntington

The Osprey
Editors
Sarah Penney-Belbin
Justin So

The Osprey welcomes submissions from all members and interested readers.
Please refer to our submission guidelines on page 1 .
2

The Osprey

Society Matters
Deep-sea corals in Newfoundland and Labrador
waters (January 16, 2014)

slideshow compiled from member contributions. A

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

Dr. Evan Edingers major research interests

centre around coral reefs and environmental impacts
of human activities on them, the paleoecology of
fossil coral reefs, and the biogeography and
conservation of deep-sea corals. He spoke about
research he and his students
have been doing on these
remarkable organisms.

A Snowshoeing and Nature Interpretation Outing

(February 22, 2014)
Allan Stein and Michael Collins lead snowshoe
walk in Portugal Cove. The group explored some of
the forest trails towards Winsor Lake with Michael
Collins providing nature interpretationtracks, tree
and shrub buds, birds. A full
account of the outing is
presented on Page 32.

Dr. Evan Edinger, MUN Departments ofGeography

and Biology

Arctic Invasion: The

Snowy Owl Event of 20132014 (February 20, 2014)
Jared Clarke

April Talks at The Rooms:

Newfoundland Mosquitoes
and Australian Thrips
(April 16, 2014)

Jared Clarke is an avid

Dr. Tom Chapman, MUN
birder and naturalist who
Biology Department
lives in St. Johns. Having
Dr. Chapman talked
grown up on the northeast
about the diversity of
coast of the Newfoundland,
mosquitoes at Salmonier
Jared was introduced to the
Nature Park and their role in
outdoors at a very young age
transmitting arboviruses. He
mostly by his
also presented his research
grandfathers. Always a
on the evolution of
nature enthusiast, he became
cooperation
amongst
interested in birds while
Australian thrips and why
working for a local
its the kindest insects that
conservation group and
survive.
never looked back. While
Snowy owl(Photo by Flickr User peggycadigan)
his day job is that of a
April Talks at The Rooms:
health researcher, he
PlantWatch Newfoundland
especially enjoys sharing his passion for birds with and Labrador, Citizen Scientists at Work (April
others and has led nature tours big and small across 17, 2014)
the province and further afield. Jared has also served Madonna Bishop, MUN Botanical Gardens
on environmental advisory committees with both
Ms. Bishop talked about PlantWatch, a part of the
federal and provincial governments. Jared presented national NatureWatch series of volunteer monitoring
on the Snowy Owl Event of 2013-2014 where many programs designed to help identify ecological
snowy owls were sighted in Newfoundland.
changes that may be affecting our environment, such
as climate change. Citizen scientists watch plants
Nature Newfoundland and Labrador Annual
bloom in spring, record their observations, and
General Meeting (March 20, 2014)
submit the data. Ms. Bishop showcased the spring
The Nature NL Board presented on the activities flowering plants in the province and PlantWatching
of Nature NL and the results of strategic planning program.
sessions. The meeting was followed by a nature

Winter2014

Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board

Eastern Newfoundland Strategic Environmental Assessment

By Allan Stein
Director, Nature NewfoundlandandLabrador

The SEA
Recently, on March 5, 2014, the C-NLOPB
released the draft of the Strategic Environmental
Assessment for Eastern Newfoundlandhereafter
called simply the SEA for public comment, with
the deadline ofApril 16, 2014. It can be accessed on
the website address: www.cnlopb.nl.ca and clicking
on Public Consultations.
Len Zedel and Allan Stein
have
represented
Nature
Newfoundland and Labrador,
NNL, on the C-NLOPB SEA
working group since its formation
in April of 2013. A SEA is not to
be confused with a project
environmental impact statement
(EIS). A SEA is a broadly-based,
systematic assessment lacking the
detailed, site specific analysis
required for a development. Its
purpose is to facilitate informed
strategic decisions regarding the
issuance of exploratory licences
for our eastern offshore. It is a
planning tool, both for the
regulatory agency, C-NLOPB,
and the industry. It forewarns
both of potential environmental
issues that may be encountered
and/or that will require
consideration in a detailed project
EIS.

Among the topics of probable interest to naturalists

are:
Physical Environment: Geology, Bathymetry,
Climatology, Historical Ice Conditions...
Biological Environment: Fish and Fish Habitat,
Marine Birds and Mammals, Sensitive and Special
Areas...

A survey of the content

The study area is hugesee
the map, Figure 3.16. The
DRAFT REPORT, produced by
AMEC, too is huge, in excess of
600 pages (including appendices).
It includes a wealth of up-to-date
information about our offshore. Figure 3.16 Existing OilandGas Licences andCurrent Callfor Bids (AMEC 2014).
4

The Osprey

Human Activities: Fisheries, Aquaculture,

Recreation, Transportation...
Clearly, it is not possible to review the massive
document in a few pages in The Osprey but we can
indicate the range of information provided. For
example, consider marine organisms. For each of
twenty benthic species, Table 4.58 lists name, habitat,
distribution, biology and ecology, and use and
importance. Table 4.59 gives spawning times for the
more commercially important ones. For deep water
corals, Table 4.61 tabulates the distribution and
density of the 37 coral species in the SEA region.
Maps show known locations for about ten species;

Figure 4.70 is an example.

Similar details are provided for commercial
species of shellfish and of nearly fifty species of
finfish. Harvest maps for redfish, Figure 4.74, and
Greenland halibut, Figure 4.80, and maps showing
taxonomic richness, Figure 4.93, illustrate that the
oceans productivity tends to be highest at the break
of the shelf, around sea-mounds and, for selected
species (e.g., shrimp and crab) in the colder, more
arctic northern waters off the Northern Peninsula and
Labrador.
Of course the shelf break region is also where the
oil activity has been concentrated to date. Conflicts

Table 4.58 Overview of Some Key Shellfish Species in the SEA Study Area (AMEC 2014). Fulltable available in the Eastern
Offshore SEA.

Winter 2014 5

The Osprey

with the fishery and risks to corals, fish, benthic

species, marine mammals, and seabirds are greatly
increased due to sharing this common region. Risks
are increased further by the seasonality of the
activities. Late fall and winter storms and spring ice
mean petroleum related activities (seismic studies,
exploratory drilling, production field and equipment
maintenance activities) tend to be concentrated in
June-October. This is also the fishing season,
spawning season for many fish species, and a
feeding period for whale and seabird, all
concentrated in the same time and region because
that is the most productive season and biologically
rich region.
Some gaps in the SEA report and in our
knowledge:
Marine Birds and Mammals

There are huge gaps in knowledge of seabirds

outside their nesting colonies. Seasonal distribution
maps are included for several species; that for stormpetrels, Figure 4.107, has the densest data which
emphasises the general lack of data. Whale sighting
reports are more extensive because protocols for
seismic operations requires that a deck watch
confirm no whales are visible in the area before
operations can begin. The observers log sightings in
the area too. Figure 4.110a shows reported locations
for baleen whales; there are also figures for large

toothed whales, dolphins and porpoises.

Bird observers and observations are not
required. From the figures in the SEA, it seems most
of the reported bird sightings were from the deck of
a vessel, probably DFO Fisheries vessel on a cruise
with a different purpose likely fisheries related.
Imagine though the data that could have been
obtained for the area if experienced bird observers
were required on seismic surveyssee Figure 3.17
which shows the released seismic lines for the SEA
area. And consider the incremental cost of placing
an observer on board a ship already operating in the
area relative to the cost of a dedicated marine bird
survey cruise. The incremental cost to place an
observer aboard an operating survey ship would be
in the order of $100 per day, basically a bunk and
food. A DFO ship for a dedicated marine bird cruise
would cost tens of thousands of dollars per day.
Thus, at very little cost to the offshore industry, a
wealth of scientific information could be gained. Of
course, since the seismic studies are seasonal, that
data would be concentrated in summer months, and
in areas of most interest to the oil industry. Over the
years as the oil activity shifts, other areas would be
covered. The seasonality will be more difficult to
overcome but good data for a third of the year is
better than almost no data!
The industry should be required to accommodate
observers on seismic and service vessels for both

Table 4.58 Spawning Periods andLocations of Some Key Invertebrate Taxa (AMEC 2014).

Winter 2014 7

marine mammals and birds. Should the company be other Federal and Provincial agencies.
unable to do so, they should be required to provide
monetary support for such research by DFO and

Table 4.61 CoralOccurrence Within the SEA Study Area (AMEC 2014).

The Osprey

Left to right: Figure 4.70 Distribution of Corals (NAFO Zones 3MNLO) Derivedfrom DFO RVSurveys. Figure 4.74
Distribution andAbundance of Redfish in the SEA Study Area (2005-2009 Surveys). (AMEC 2014).
Impact ofMarine Noise
ecosystem, the sharing/sale of seismic data among
Relatively little known about the impact of the operators should be strongly encouraged. It could
noise pollution from offshore activity upon marine markedly reduce the overall impacts. And costs!
species, including finfish and crustaceans, and some
of the existing studies are ambiguous. For example, Dumping Produced Water
several studies show increased catches of fish with
Any petroleum entering the ocean has a
gillnets, others reduced catches with longlines, for cumulative effect upon the hydrocarbon load.
several days after seismic operations. (A possible Sources are varied, including fuel spills and leaks
explanation is that the fish were spooked by the noise from recreational boaters, parking lot drainage,
and more likely to blunder into the nets but less incomplete combustion of boat engines,
likely to feed.)
lawnmowers, motorcycles, suvs.... As long as we
The effect of noise upon spawning aggregations use hydrocarbons, some will escape, adding to the
is also little studied but some finfish appear to use burden in the environment. Spills from the offshore
sonic communication, using similar frequencies. oil industry are inevitable; hopefully they will be few
What impact does that have? Of course seismic and relatively small.
There is however one
studies are not the only source of increased marine significant intentional spill, the dumping of
noise. Shipping, drilling and other oil related produced water.
activities contribute considerable background noise.
Produced formation water is a co-product of oil
Much work remains to be done.
production, the amount of that produced water
normally increasing as the oil field is depleted.
Sharing/Selling Data
Currently, produced water is dumped into the ocean.
Duplication of seismic studies is obvious from It is permitted to contain 30 ppm of hydrocarbon
Figure 3.17. Given the uncertainty of impacts of the which sounds like very little, but over the life of the
sonic booms and additional ship noise on the marine fields the volume is huge, much higher than the
Winter 2014 9

Left to right: Figure 4.80 Distribution andAbundance of GreenlandHalibut in the SEA Study Area (2005-2009 Surveys).
Figure 4.93 Areas of Relatively High Taxonomic Richness as Determinedby Canadian RVSurveys, 2005-2009 (Finfish and
Invertebrates) (AMEC 2014).
volume of oil produced, hundreds of billions of litres. ocean floor and the species present. It will simplify
The impact on the marine environment is increased performing environmental assessments for specific
by the fact that it is the smaller aromatic projects since much of the background work has
hydrocarbons which are most water soluble and been done. Proponents and government bodies will
therefore selectively retained in the produced water. have a better idea of the possible environmental
These compounds, benzene, toluene and other alkyl constraints in particular areas, allowing informed
benzenes and phenolic and amino analogs, are also decisions about locations of licences and operations
among the most toxic components. Produced water before major expenditure. Hopefully, future project
also contains a range of heavy metals, including environmental impact assessments will be less
some radioactive species which are leached from repetitive and briefer while remaining as, or perhaps
deep strata.
becoming more thorough. Much general information
To maintain the field pressure and to increase about the industry, the processes and the general area
recovery of crude oil from the fields, water flooding is already compiled so a project EIS need only
is employed. Sea water is injected into the emphasise and examine in detail the site specific
formation. Some jurisdictions prohibit the dumping factors and required mitigation.
of produced water, e.g. Norway and Australia,
And you may find delving into it rewarding. Or,
requiring that it be re-injected with the necessary considering the gaps in our knowledge, disturbing.
make-up sea water. That should be a requirement Should it whet your interest in the environmental
here but the SEA is silent on that issue.
aspects of the oil industry, consider becoming
involved in NatureNLs reviews of environmental
assessments. We review a number annually and
Conclusion
The SEA document contains an extensive would welcome your participation.
summary of current knowledge of our waters and
1 0 The Osprey

Figure 4.107 SeasonalDistribution of Storm-PetrelObservations (AMEC 2014).

Winter 2014 11

Left to Right: Figure 4.110a Marine MammalSightings off Eastern Newfoundland-Baleen whales. Figure 3.17 ReleasedSeismic
Data Completedin the SEA Study Area (AMEC 2014).
Hooper, R.G. (1986). A spring breeding migration of the snow
References

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

Newfoundland. Crustaceana. 50: 257-264.
Allen, J.A. (1963). Observations on the biology of Pandalus
montagui (Crustacea: Decapoda). Journal of the Marine Hudon, C., Parsons, D.G., and Crawford, R. (1992). Diel
pelagic foraging by a pandalid shrimp (Pandalus montagui)
Biological Association of the United Kingdom. 43: 665off Resolution Island (Eastern Hudson Strait). Canadian
682.
journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. 49(3): 565-576.
AMEC (2014) Eastern Newfoundland Strategic Environmentl
Assessment. Report prepared for the Canada- Kenchington, E.L.R., Prena, J., Gilkinson, K.D., Gordon Jr.,
D.C., MacIsaac, K., Bourbonnais, C., Schwinghamer, P.J.,
Newfoundland Offshore Petroleum Board. Draft.
Rowell, T.W., McKeown, D.L., and Vass, W.P. (2001).
Bluhm, B.A., Piepenburg, D., and von Juterzenka, K. (1998).
Effects of experimental otter trawling on the macrofauna of
Distribution, standing stock, growth, mortality and
a sandy bottom ecosystem on the Grand Banks of
production of Strongylocentrotus pallidus (Echinodermata:
Newfoundland. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic
Echinodea) in the northern Barents Sea. Polar Biology. 20:
Sciences. 58: 1043-1057.
325-334.
LGL Limited (2012). Orphan Basin Exploration Drilling
Christian, J.R., Grant, C.G.J., Meade, J.D., and Noble, L.D.
Program Environmental Assessment: Update 2012. LGL
(2010). Habitat Requirements and Life History
Rep. SA1160. Rep. by LGL Limited, St. Johns, NL, for
Characteristics of Selected Marine Invertebrate Species
Chevron Canada Limited, Calgary, AB. 53 p. + appendix.
Occurring in the Newfoundland and Labrador Region
(Report no. 2925). Canadian Manuscript Report of Mercier, A., Sun, Z., and Hamel, J.-F. (2011). Reproductive
periodcity, spawning and development of the deep-sea
Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences.
scleractinian coral Flabellum angulare. Marine Biology.
Gilkinson, K.D., Gagnon, J.M., and Schneider, D.C. (1998).
158: 371-380.
The sea urchin Strongylocentrotus pallidus (G.O.Sars) on
the Grand Bank of Newfoundland. In Echinoderm Biology, Murillo, F.J., Munoz, P.D., Cristobo, J., Rios, P., Gonzalez, C.,
Kenchington, E., and Serrano, A. (2012). Deep-sea sponge
Balkema, Rotterdam. pp. 467-473.

12

The Osprey

grounds of the Flemish Cap, Flemish Pass and the Grand

Banks of Newfoundland (Northwest Atlantic Ocean):
Distribution and species composition. Marine Biology
Research. 8: 842-854.
Ollerhead L.M.N., Morgan, M.J., Scruton, D.A., and Marrie, B.
(2004). Mapping spawning times and locations for 10
commercially important fish species found on the Grand
Banks of Newfoundland. Canadian Technical Reports in
Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 2522: iv + 45 p.

Spetland, F., Rapp, H.T., Hoffmann, F., and Tendal, O.S. (2007).
Sexual reproduction of Geodia barretti Bowerbank, 1858
(Porifera, Astrophorida) in two Scandinavian fjords.
Porifera research: biodiversity, innovation and
sustainability. Museu Nacional, Rio de Janeiro 28: 613-620.
Sun, Z., Hamel, J.F., Edinger, E., and Mercier, A. (2010).
Reproductive biology of the deep-sea octocoral Drifa
glomerata in the Northwest Atlantic. Marine Biology. 157:
863-873.

Nature Newfoundland and Labrador

Annual General Meeting, March 20, 2014

By Dave Innes

ature Newfoundland & Labrador (NatureNL)

held its AGM on March 20, 2014. Reports were
presented following acceptance of the minutes from
the 2013 AGM. Past-President, John Jacobs,
reported that current membership consists of
approximately 65 members and institutional
subscriptions, about the same as the previous year.
Over the past year, activities included a regular
program with monthly public meetings, collaboration
with The Rooms to present public presentations and
Nature Nook activities as well as outdoor activities to
view local nature. Public consultations included
reviewing and commenting on environmental
assessments on petroleum projects and forestry issues
including Forest District 1 planning. NatureNL
continues to collaborate with Important Bird Areas
(IBA), the Sandy Pond Alliance and Nature Canada.
Other collaborations include the Salmonid
Association of Eastern Newfoundland and the
Northeast Avalon Atlantic Coastal Action Program
(NAACAP) on re-vegetation and restoration of urban
rivers. NatureNL also awards the annual WildThings
Scholarship to recognize efforts of a student whose
volunteer activities help conserve and enhance nature
in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Treasurer, Marjorie Evans, presented the
financial statement for Jan. 1, 2013 Dec. 31, 2013.
Osprey Editor, Sarah Penney-Belbin, presented
highlights for the issues published over the past year
including the Don Steele tribute issue (14[4]).
A NatureNL Strategic Planning (organized by

Rita Anderson, Carolyn Walsh, Michael Collins, and

Margie McMillan) meeting was held on Jan. 25,
2014 and included most of the board members. A
report was prepared and one suggestion was the
establishment of Working Committees consisting of
1. Membership; 2. Fundraising; 3. Programming
(Indoor, Outdoor); 4. Watch Dog/Oversight; 5.
Publicity/Communications; and 6. Osprey Editors.
Any NatureNL member is encourage to volunteer on
any of the working committees. Results for the
elections of the NatureNL Board and Volunteers
(2014 2015):
President - VACANT
Past-pres. - John Jacobs
Vice-pres. - VACANT
Treasurer - Marjorie Evans
Secretary - Dave Innes
Members at Large:
Doug Ballam
Margie McMillan
Allan Stein
Rita Anderson
Paul Regular
Chantelle Burke
Michael Collins

Volunteers:
Julie Huntington
Len Zedel
Carolyn Walsh
John Gibson
Osprey editors:
Justin So
Sarah Penney-Belbin

A delightful slideshow of nature images followed

the business meeting.

Winter 2014 1 3

Plant Galls of Newfoundland and Labrador Part 5:

Exobasidium Galls of Black Huckleberry (Gaylussacia baccata)
By Henry Mann

14

Figure 2. Black huckleberry in bloom.

ost individuals who frequent our peatlands

will already have a familiarity with the fungal
genus Exobasidium even if they have never seen or
heard the name before. Throughout Newfoundland,
small reddish to pink shrubby shoots can regularly be
noticed in bogs (Figure 1). A close inspection will
sometimes reveal that what appears to be a separate
plant is actually a branch of a common peatland
shrub, bog rosemary (Andromeda polifolia). The
normal leaves of bog rosemary are characteristically
narrow, blue-green, firm-leathery, and veiny above,
but the reddish leaves are broad, soft and fleshy.
These reddish shoots are infected by the parasitic
fungus Exobasidium karstenii and are considered a
type of leaf gall where the fungal species causes
structural growth changes in its host.
time I have noticed it on huckleberries.
Exobasidium is a parasitic fungus belonging to
the same group as the mushrooms, the
Basidiomycetes. However, this genus does not
produce a mushroom-like fruiting body; instead, it
forms white powdery surfaces which produce the
spores on host plants. These whitish surfaces can be
seen on the galled huckleberry shoot of Figure 6 and
also on the abnormal flower/fruit of Figure 5. In
Newfoundland, Exobasidium especially parasitizes
our heaths, members of the Family Ericaceae, which
include the blueberries and their relatives. The heath
leatherleaf (Chamaedaphne calyculata), can also
occasionally be seen with red leaf gall (Figure 7). In
Figure 1. Red galling ofbog rosemary; normal green some heaths, leaf and fruit galls are not produced,
leaves can be seen at the left.
only spots or surface areas of infection.
On July 10, 2013 I had the opportunity to wander
Some older literature suggests that a single
over a large expanse of slope bog east of the Trans- species (Exobasidium vaccinii) in its several variants
Canada Highway (TCH) near the Robinsons exit in is responsible for the galls of many different
western Newfoundland. Both of our huckleberries, ericaceous shrubs and that the type of gall that is
black huckleberry (G. baccata) and dwarf produced is determined by the plant host, not the
huckleberry (G. bigeloviana), were present and in parasitizing fungus. More recently, European
bloom (Figures 2 and 3). Reddish abnormal shoots literature considers the fungus to be very host
(Figure 4) as well as unusually enlarged flower/fruit specific and each ericaceous species is infected by a
structures (Figure 5) were noted on scattered G. separate species of Exobasidium . So E. karstenii
baccata, but not on G. bigeloviana. Although red leaf infects bog rosemary, E. oxycocci infects marshberry,
galling is common on bog rosemary, this is the first E. cassandrae infects leatherleaf, E. vaccinii infects

The Osprey

Figure 3. Dwarf huckleberry in Figure 4. Typical galled shoot of Figure 5. Abnormal flower/fruit
bloom.
black huckleberry.
galled structure; normal immature
developing fruits to left.
partridgeberry, E. expansum infects alpine bilberry, opined by a specialist, but generally the coloured

and so forth. However, even some current authors

indicate that E. vaccinii is a species complex
which means a group of closely related fungi of
uncertain designation as to whether it is a single
species with several varieties, or a series of separate
species. For the non-specialist and the naturalist all
this naming uncertainty can be confusing, but it is
only the same
conundrum as old as
taxonomy
itself:
whether to split or to
lump. Fortunately,
naturalists need not be
concerned with such
detail and can leave it
up to the experts to
eventually make up
their minds.
The species of the
Exobasidium complex
responsible for the
galls on our black Figure 6. Galled black
huckleberry will have huckleberry shoot with white
to be determined or spore producing surface.

abnormal shoots on heaths can readily be noticed and

attributed to this fungal genus. Exobasidium -induced
galls in addition to those mentioned in this article
may potentially also be found on other members of
our Heath Family. Look for them and let The Osprey
know of your finds at osprey@naturenl.ca.
Not many plant galls of fungal origin are known
for Newfoundland,
but
another
common group of
juniper galls with
alternate hosts on
members of the
Rose
Family
(chuckleypears,
dogberries, apples,
etc.) are produced
by the fungus
Gymnosporangium
Figure 7. Exobasidium galls of . Illustrated articles
leatherleaf.
on these can be

viewed on the Foray Newfoundland and

Labrador (FNL) website, in Omphalina Vol. 3 (10),
2012. http://www.nlmushrooms.ca.

Selected Sources
Burt, E.A. 1915. The Thelephoraceae of North America IV: Exobasidium . Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 2:
627-656.
Brannen, P., H. Scherm, B. Cline, and D. Ingram. 2011. Exobasidium fruit and leaf spot: An emerging concern on
blueberries in the southeast. Small Fruit News 11(4): 1-4.
Ing, B. 2001. Exobasidium . Available at http://fungus.org.uk/nwfg/ingmay01.htm.
Nannfeldt, J.A. 1997. Class Ustilaginomycetes. In: Hansen, L. and H. Knudsen. 1997. Nordic Macromycetes, Vol. 3.
Nordsvamp, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Winter 2014 1 5

This month's species

placemat features the
Piping plover. This
species is one of 14 bird
species at risk in our
province. You can help
this species by taking care
not to disturb nests while
visiting beaches.
Placemat is reprinted
with permission from
Intervale Associates.

16

The Osprey

Winter 2014 1 7

Marine Protected Areas:

Restoring our Ocean and Rebuilding our Commercial Fisheries
By FredWinsor (PhD. Northwest Atlantic fisheries history)
St. John's, NL

he modern day concept of Marine Protected

Areas (MPAs) has its origins in New Zealand in
the mid 1960's, when the operators of a local marine
biological research station were able to convince the
New Zealand government to establish an MPA
nearby that prohibited all fishing activity.
There was opposition from local fishermen who
viewed it as an average fishing area. Remarkably, the
New Zealand government sided with the marine
biologists, permitting the establishment of a no-take
or no fishing zone.
Unfettered by fishing activity, the ocean habitat
in the closed areas recovered at an astounding rate
that, within a few years, exceeded all expectations.
However, despite the overwhelming evidence of
ocean habitat and ocean food web recovery,
including major commercial species, it took the New
Zealand proponents of MPAs 15 years before they
could get another area closed. Today, New Zealand
has over 100 locations, covering over one million
square kilometres of ocean, set aside to permit ocean
habitat recovery.
Similarly the United States, after trying with
mixed success to establish Marine Reserves in the
mid-1960s, moved ahead in the early 1990s to
establish no fishing zones in areas off New England
as far north as Georges Bank. Within a few years the
Americans experienced measurable ocean habitat
recovery and commercial fisheries recovery. They
followed up on this experience and since then have
closed many areas in the Pacific off the continental
United States, off Alaska, and off Hawaii, to the
point where they have set aside approximately four
million square kilometres of ocean for habitat
recovery and protection. Commercial fish stocks
have recovered well under this management regime.
In the late 1990s the Norwegians began
experiencing large catches of small cod fish
unsuitable for their international markets. Almost
immediately the Norwegian government, through its
Fisheries Department, stepped in and closed the
18

The Osprey

March 2014

fishery in that area. Over the next ten years the

Norwegian government identified and closed a
number of areas off their coast and in the Barents
Sea. By 2010, they had closed 1.1 million square
kilometres of ocean. During that ten-year period, cod
stocks off Norway and Russia recovered under this
protection. In 2010, the cod quota for that part of the
Northeast Atlantic was set at 750,000 metric tonnes
the highest in decades.
Unfortunately, Canada has maintained a dismal
performance in managing its jurisdiction in the
Northwest Atlantic. Such failures include: not
adhering to international marine conservation
agreements, not taking steps to protect sensitive
ocean habitats inside and outside the Canadian
economic zone, and failing to develop sustainable
commercial fishery rebuilding and recovery
strategies through the establishment of no-take zone
MPAs.
While the countries mentioned above, and others,
strive to attain the internationally agreed goal of
having 10% of the ocean under their jurisdiction
closed to some form of protection, Canada has yet to
reach the one per cent mark.
When the initial agreement was signed as part of
the Kyoto Accord some 20+ years ago, Canada
ranked 66th among countries establishing MPAs.
Today, Canada's rank has fallen to 100th in that
group. Similarly, in 2009 the World Economic Forum
ranked Canada 125 th out of 127 countries in fisheries
management practices.
In 1991, a report titled The effects of trawling,
dredging, and ocean dumping on the eastern
Canadian continental shelf seabed, Continental
Shelf Research Journal, pp.1237-1263, Aug.-Oct.
1991, estimated that bottom contact gear, such as
bottom trawling and scallop dredging, criss-crossed
Canada's continental shelf from Georges Bank in the
southwest to Saglek off northeastern Labrador,
covering a distance of approximately
4,300,000 kilometers in one year - the equivalent of
five round trips to the moon. At this time (1991),

industrial bottom contact fishing had been ongoing

since the late 1940s/early 1950s. The evidence
presented in the 1991 study most likely pales in
comparison to the massive foreign fishing activity in
the 1960s and 1970s leading up to the declaration of
the 200 mile limit in 1977.
Despite six decades of conspicuous overfishing,
Canada has done very little to protect and rebuild the
marine environment by establishing MPAs. To date,
the sites that have been identified and set aside fall
within recent independent scientific findings, and do
not really protect those areas of abundance and
biodiversity. Such areas, if closed to fishing activity,
could foster ocean and commercial fisheries
recovery. Unfortunately, it appears that we do not
have the necessary legislation, administrative

structure, and transparency to create those

circumstances. Instead we are left with political
lobbying, short-term unsustainable national
solutions, and lobbyist-organized back room
meetings with Federal fisheries ministers.
None of these have ever served Canada's oceans
and coastal communities in a positive way.
Sincerely
Fred Winsor PhD.
(Northwest Atlantic fisheries history)
Conservation Chair
Sierra Club Canada
Atlantic Canada Chapter
St. John's, Newfoundland

The Quarterly Bug

Springtails on Mushrooms
By Dave Larson
dmlarson@sasktel.net

Springtails on mushrooms

he photographs of bugs on mushrooms introduce

us to the realm of the microarthropods. Those in
the photographs are springtails (Arthropoda, class
Collembola), curious little six-legged arthropods that
look like small insects, but probably shouldn't be
classified as insects as they differ in a number of
important features. Specifically, all springtails are
small, they are primitively flightless, the mouthparts
are withdrawn into the head (entognathous as
opposed to ectognathous in insects), and the

abdomen has a reduced number of segments (six as

opposed to 11 in true insects) as well as several
peculiar features including: a ventral tube
(collophore) on segment 1, a springing or leaping
organ on segments 3 and 4 (hence the name
springtail), and has only a simple genital pore
lacking the sexual structures of true insects. The
spring of springtails consists of a forked structure on
the underside of abdominal segment 4 that can be
tucked up under the abdomen and latched in place by

Winter 2014 1 9

burrowers living in soil and litter, whereas the

Symphypleona occur more on open surfaces such as
on top of the ground, on plants, logs or mushrooms.
Springtails range in adult length from 0.25 to 6.0
mm, although most Newfoundland species are in the
range of 0.5 to 3.0 mm. Their small size and a
general lack of good water-proofing means these
animals have to live in moist environments such as
the soil and surface litter zones, amongst moss and
lichens, or on moist surfaces such as bark,
mushrooms, etc. The larger and more colorful
species occur more in the open, such as on plants or
on the surface of fallen logs and leaves.
The mouthparts are termed entognathous because
they sit within a cavity on the front or underside of
Springtails on mushrooms - close-up view (top and the head. The mandibles can't swing out to produce
bottom)
a bite; rather, they work up and down like little picks
and are used to lance the walls of fungal mycelia or
algae, or to pick away at organic films on the surface
of decaying material, logs or even rocks.
Individually, the feeding of a single springtail can't
accomplish a lot, but their populations can be
immense - in the millions per hectare - so that the
cumulative effect of all their picking and prying is
the gradual reduction of large particles to dust and
feces. We are familiar with the role of earthworms in
the breakdown of organic material in the soil and
their importance in releasing nutrients for recycling
through the ecosystem. Springtails do for cool and
wet soils, such as are found in the boreal and arctic
regions, what earthworms do in temperate soils.
Thus, that lovely black boreal forest soil is actually
a couple of hooks on segment 3. The latches can be springtail feces and feeding residues. I think of
released and the spring slams down on the surface on springtails as God's millers, for this quote describes
which the springtail is sitting, catapulting the animal their role very nicely:
into the air. This is an escape reaction that may not
have much directional control, but it certainly gets
Though the mills ofGod grind slowly, yet
the animal out of harm's way in a hurry.
they grind exceedingly small;
The photographs show specimens with the two
Though with patience He stands waiting, with
main body forms of springtails. Most (subclass
exactness grinds He all.
Arthropleona) are elongate with the three evident
~Longfellow translation ofV Logau
on
body regions of typical insects: head, thorax which
bears the legs, and a distinctly segmented abdomen.
A question deriving from the photographs is how
Members of the other group (subclass close is the association between springtails and
Symphypleona) have a globular body with the thorax mushrooms? Knowledge of the feeding habits of
and abdomen more or less one mass and the springtails is meager but it seems likely that there is
abdomen lacks clear segmentation, except for the little specificity in food selection, at least as far as
apical two segments which form small bumps. The the fruiting bodies of fungi are concerned.
Arthropleona, with the longer body, are generally Springtails have limited powers of dispersal and are
20

The Osprey

seems to be related to physical/chemical

characteristics of the habitat such as moisture, soil
particle type, depth in soil, etc., rather than related to
the distribution of a particular host. However, with
more careful study, especially into the relationships
between springtails and the soil microflora (in the
broad sense, including fungi, bacteria, algae, etc.),
there will certainly be some surprising relationships
discovered. A comprehensive review of what is
known of Collembolan biology is given by Hopkin
(1997), but Evans (1968) is an excellent place to
start to get an appreciation of what springtails do.
Evans (1968) wrote during the days of the space race
to show how wonderful our Earth is and why our
efforts and resources would be well rewarded if spent
exploring the wonders of the worlds hidden at our
feet.
References

Springtail "Purple people eater"

unable to follow a food resource that is ephemeral

and erratic in occurrence. There are many species of
springtails (Christiansen and Bellinger 1998); 412
have been recorded from Canada and Alaska
(Skidmore 1995), and 72 species just within old
growth balsam fir forests of Newfoundland
(Puvanendran et al. 1997). However, this diversity

Christiansen, K. and P. Bellinger. 1998. The

Collembola of North America north of the Rio
Grande. A taxonomic analysis. Parts 1 - 4.
Grinbell College, Grinnell, Iowa. 1520 pp.
Evans, H.E. 1968. Life on a little known planet.
Dutton. N.Y.
Hopkin, S.P. 1997. The biology of springtails,
Insecta: Collembola. Oxford Univerity Press,
New York.
Puvanendran, D.C., D.J. Larson and I. Thomson.
1997. Collembola (Arthropoda) of balsam fir
forests of western Newfoundland. Canadian
Entomologist 129: 505 - 517.
Skidmore,. R.E. 1995. Checklist of Collembola
(Insecta: Apterygota) of Canada and Alaska.
Proceedings of the Entomological Society of
Ontario 126: 45 - 76.

The difference between the right word and the almost right
word is the difference between lightning and a lightning
bug.
~Mark Twain
Winter 2014 21

By FredR. Smith

22

The Osprey

Winter 2014 23

Tuck-Walters Award
The Tuck-Walters Award recognizes individuals who have made outstanding and enduring
contributions to the advancement of natural history appreciation and protection in Newfoundland and
Labrador, outside the parameters of their employment responsibilities. The award is discretionary it
does not have to be given out every year. On the other hand, it may be given to more than one recipient
if the Nominating Committee feels this is appropriate.
For more information or to make a nomination for the Tuck/Walters Award, contact:
William Montevecchi, Chair
Tuck/Walters Awards Committee
e-mail: mont@mun.ca
This award is named in memory ofDr. Leslie M. Tuck and Captain Harry Walters. Dr. Les Tuck was
Newfoundlands first Dominion Wildlife Officer, and Harry Walters was the Director of the
Newfoundland Rangers Force. Following Confederation with Canada, Dr. Tuck headed the Canadian
Wildlife Service in the province a position he held for more than twenty-five years. In the latter part of
his long and distinguished career, Dr. Tuck held the L. J. Paton Research Professorship in the
Psychology Department ofMemorial University. He was instrumental in the reactivation ofthe Natural
History Society in the 1950s. Captain Harry Walters served for many years as the Head of the
Newfoundland Wildlife Division, which he was instrumental in establishing.
Both Walters, working provincially, and Tuck, working federally, were instrumental in establishing
our provinces first seabird reserves (Funk Island, Cape St. Marys, Witless Bay, and Hare Bay) and the
former Avalon Wilderness Area. Their combined efforts put natural history awareness, protection and
appreciation on a solid footing in Newfoundland and Labrador. Although they were employed in
resource conservation and management careers, their enthusiasm and dedication transcended their
duties, and it is for these qualities that Nature Newfoundland and Labrador has chosen to honor their
memory with this award.

Nature NL Call for Volunteers

Do you enjoy the outdoors? Are you excited about the natural world? Would you
like to share that passion for the environment with others?
Nature Newfoundland and Labrador is looking for volunteers to help with their
ongoing programs andpartnerships.
In the past, this has included:
Being a Nature NL Docent;
Leading outdoor activities;
Giving nature talks;
Writing articles for The Osprey;
Executive activities;
Environmentaladvocacy;
andmore... See www.naturenl.ca for more details.
24

The Osprey

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

By Roger Etcheberry

August and September were OK, October and November quite windy. The season was considered by most
observers as uneventful, nevertheless we had one new species and a new breeding record. There was an
obvious lack ofobservations as far as Sandpipers and Plovers are concerned. There were very few Finches.

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

coast of the isthmus on September 23 (RE).
Common Loon: Two were off the west coast of
Langlade on August 1 and one was heard off the west
coast of Miquelon on August 7 (RE). None until
August 23 where two were off the Isthmus (RE).
Very few reports then to the end of the period.
Pied-billed Grebe: One bird was in St. Pierre
between November 3 and November 5 (JD/PB).
Northern Fulmar: More than 20 birds were south of
St. Pierre on October 1 and 7 (JD). 2 to 3 birds were
between Miquelon and Fortune on November 8 (RE).
Hundreds were present about 20 miles south of SaintPierre on November 10 (JD/RE).
Greater Shearwater: Reported as quite common in
August at sea around the islands (JD). Few reported
in September and October. One or two only were
south of St. Pierre on November 10 (RE/JD).
Sooty Shearwater: Same comments as above. A
few were between Miquelon and Fortune on October
18 (RE). Last seen a maximum of 3, about 20 miles
south of St. Pierre on November 10 (JD/RE).
Manx Shearwater: More than 50 birds were at sea
near Colombier islands on August 1 (RE) and
reported as common around the islands throughout
the month ofAugust by JD. Several dozens were
present a few miles west of Brunette island on
August 14 (RE). Is the bird nesting there ? About 15
were still around Colombier islands on September 19
and 22 (JD). One was south of St. Pierre on October
1 and 11 (JD).
Leachs Storm-Petrel: Quite common south of St.
Pierre in August and September while two only were
seen on October 1 (JD).
Northern Gannet: Reported as quite common
around the islands throughout the month ofAugust

(JD). 15 were off Colombier island on September 19

and 5, same area, on September 22 (JD). Between 5
and 10 were reported a few times south of St. Pierre
between September 25 and November 10 (JD).
Double-crested Cormorant: About 40 birds were
seen around the village of Miquelon in August and
September (RE). About a dozen were at Grand
Barachois on September 19 and a few on October 13
(RE).
Great Cormorant: About 40 birds were on the
cliffs of Cape Miquelon on August 1 (RE). About 20
were in the S. part of St. Pierre on August 3 (PB) and
more than 50 on Little Colombier island on August
12 (JD).
Great Blue Heron: One bird was in St. Pierre on
August 30 (LJ).
Green Heron: One bird was in St. Pierre between
September 6 and 8 (PB/PHA).
Canada Goose: 83 birds were on the sand banks of
Grand Barachois on August 1 (NM) and 84 on
August 31 (RE). 4 birds only were there on
September 25 (LJ). Our present population reaches
its northern limit here and migrate south in the fall.
Eurasian Wigeon: One bird was in St. Pierre from
November 15 to the end of the period (PB).
American Wigeon: 5 birds were in St. Pierre on
October 7, then six to November 9 (PB). 3 were near
the village of Miquelon on November 26. 2 Wigeon
sp. were also there on November 12 (RE).
American Black Duck: 91 birds were already on
Grand Barachois on August 1 (RE),while a brood of
9, aged about 2 weeks was seen in St. Pierre the
same day (LJ). Highest numbers in the lagoon as
follows: August: 290, September: 682, October:
1081, November: 993 (RE).
Mallard: One male was at Grand Barachois on

Winter 2014 25

October 30 (RE).
Blue-winged Teal: At least one was in St. Pierre on
October 20 (PB).
Northern Pintail: Two were in St. Pierre on August
4 and October 7 (PB). There was a maximum of 7 or
8 birds with the blacks at Grand Barachois on
October 13 (RE). Two males and 2 females were in
St. Pierre between November 1 and 27 (PB).
Green-winged Teal: Fairly common and well
reported throughout the season (m. ob.).
Ring-necked Duck: One male was in St. Pierre from
October 8 to Oct. 10 (LJ) and one also in St. Pierre
on October 19 (PB).
Greater Scaup: The first ones (11) appeared on
Mirande lake on October 7 and built up slowly to
about 50 on October 27 (RE/LJ). 3 were in St. Pierre
on November 18 (PB) and another was reported in a
different spot between November 17 and 21 (PB).
About 80 birds were at Grand Barachois on
November 24 (LJ).
Common Eider: The first report was for about 250
birds off St. Pierre on October 8 (LJ) and about 400
on October 12 (LJ). Few other reports !
Harlequin Duck: The first birds (9) were off St.
Pierre on October 12 (LJ). 2 males were off the west
coast of Miquelon on October 22 (LJ). 5 were
between St. Pierre and Langlade on October 30
(PHA). There was a maximum of 81 in St. Pierre on
November 15 (LJ).
Surf Scoter: Two birds were off St. Pierre on
October 12 (LJ) and one female or immature off the
west coast of Miquelon on October 30 (RE).
White-winged Scoter: Seen as usual east of Mirande
lake, where a maximum of only 30 was there on
October 11 (RE) while LJ had about 20 off the N.E.
coast of Langlade the same day. 6 were off St. Pierre
on October 12 (LJ) and one on November 6 (PB).
Black Scoter: Unusually reported only for St.
Pierre: 43 off the west coast on October 12 (LJ) and
2 off the south-west coast on October 29 (PB).
Long-tailed Duck: The first migrants (2) were off
Miquelon harbour on October 22 (LJ). One was in St.
Pierre harbour on November 6 and 2 on November
17 (PB). No other report !
26

The Osprey

Common Goldeneye: About 20 were at Grand

Barachois on October 30 (RE). 6 were in St. Pierre
on November 6 (LJ) and about 110 at Grand
Barachois on November 26 (RE).
Red-breasted Merganser: Common, about as usual.
There was a maximum of about 100 at Grand
Barachois on October 30 and some off the east and
west coast of Miquelon throughout the season. As
usual, very few were seen in St. Pierre.
Osprey: One was near Mirande lake on September
29 (RE), one was in St. Pierre on October 6 (PB) and
one near the village of Miquelon around November
20. This is a record late for the island where the latest
fall observation dates back to October 21, 2006.
Bald Eagle: One nest on a cliff of SW Langlade
seemed in good shape, with one adult present on
August 1. One adult was near the east coast of
Langlade also on August 1 (RE).
Northern Harrier: Well reported, 16 times between
August 20 and November 26, one bird at a time,
mostly in St-Pierre. This is where most of the
observers are!
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 9 reports only, from
September 28 on (m. ob.). One individual at a time,
twice in Langlade, twice in Miquelon and 5 in St.
Pierre.
Northern Goshawk: Two in flight near the W. coast
of Langlade on August 18 (NM) were probably the
ones nesting in that area. One was heard in cape
Miquelon on October 10 (RE). One was seen near
Mirande lake, and another one a few km to the north
on November 5 (RE). One was in St. Pierre on
November 16 (JD).
RED-TAILED HAWK: One bird was seen and
photographed (from above and below) in Cape
Miquelon by FD on November 19 :
http://www.spmaviavis.com/discus/messages/15/575
4.html?1386029744. This is a new species for us !
Rough-legged Hawk: Two were on the S. part of
Miquelon on November 16 (FD). One was in St.
Pierre on November 23 (PHA/JD).
American Kestrel: One report only, on bird in St.
Pierre on September 18 (LJ).
Merlin: 5 reports only, one bird at a time, between
September 8 and October 12, in Miquelon, St. Pierre

and the Isthmus. On the low side, reflecting the

dwindling of many passerine species.
Peregrine Falcon: A fairly early one was in St.
Pierre on August 15 (PB). 7 other reports between
October 6 and the end of the period, one bird at a
time, all in St. Pierre except one at Langlade on
October 26 (LJ).
Sora: Although a suspected breeder on the Isthmus,
the nesting was confirmed this year, and for St.
Pierre: The adults, present since June 6, and two
young, aged a few days, were first seen in St. Pierre
on August 1 (LJ) and subsequently with 3 young, up
to August 22 (PHA). One bird was seen about I km
from this nesting site on September 18 (LJ).
American Coot: Rare this fall, one bird only was
seen in St. Pierre on November 4 (LJ).
Black-bellied Plover: Fairly common, about as usual
and unfortunately not reported for the isthmus where
it was certainly present in numbers. About 100 birds
were near the village of Miquelon on August 13 and
about 150 on August 19. Three or 4 were near the
village on October 13, then none until the last one
seen there on November 5 (RE).
American Golden Plover: Certainly underreported !
12 were in St. Pierre on September 22 and 4 on
September 28 (JD). 4 were also in St. Pierre on
October 9 (LJ). One only was near the village of
Miquelon on October 13 (RE).
Semipalmated Plover: Fairly common, about as
usual, arriving in mid-summer (RE/PHA/PB). Last
seen, one in St. Pierre on November 9 (PB).
Killdeer: One bird was in St. Pierre on September 14
(PB).
Greater Yellowlegs: Fairly common throughout
most of the season, seen in usual sites regularly, no
concentration reported, possibly for lack of
observations. Last seen, one in St. Pierre on
November 3 and Nov. 7. (LJ/PB).
Lesser Yellowlegs: The first ones arrived in early
July. Four were on the NW corner of Grand
Barachois on August one (RE). 7 or 8 birds were in
St. Pierre on August 11 (PB). Few other sightings,
none reported after August 13 where 2 were near the
village of Miquelon (RE).
Solitary Sandpiper: All reports for St. Pierre: One

on August 25 (LJ); one on September 14, 15 and 19

(LJ).
Spotted Sandpiper: One report only, one bird in St.
Pierre on September 12 (LJ).
Whimbrel: About 90 birds were near the village of
Miquelon on August 3 (RE). 26 were in St. Pierre on
August 20 (PB). The last two reports are for St.
Pierre: 2 birds on September 16 and one on October
9 (LJ).
Hudsonian Godwit: This uncommon species is
usually reported for Miquelon and the Isthmus. There
was no reports for St. Pierre until LJ found one in St.
Pierre on September 19. 6 other reports, all for the
Isthmus for a maximum to 8 individuals
photographed by Ph. Lahiton on October 20.
Ruddy Turnstone: The first ones arrived in late July.
A few here and there in August for a maximum of
about 50 birds near the village of Miquelon on
August 7 and only about 20 the next day (RE). 30
birds were in St. Pierre on August 16 and only 10 on
Aug. 21 (PHA). None reported later than August,
probably for lack of observation.
Red Knot: 12 were on the W. shore of Grand
Barachois on November 22 (LJ) and 20 on
November 26 (RE).
Sanderling: The first one was reported for St. Pierre
on August 14 (PB). 3 or 4 were on the W. shore of
Grand Barachois on October 5 (RE) and 2, same area
on November 24 (LJ).
Semipalmated Sandpiper: A few here and there
between August 1 and August 31 (PB/PHA/RE).
Least Sandpiper: One was in St. Pierre on August 4
(PB), a few on the shore of the salt pond near the
village of Miquelon on August 7 and 2 on August 13
(RE). 5 were in St. Pierre on August 21 (PHA).
White-rumped Sandpiper: This is the only species
fairly well reported from August 1 to November 28
in fairly good numbers, in Miquelon, St. Pierre and
the Isthmus (PB/RE/JD/LJ).
Pectoral Sandpiper: One bird was on the Isthmus
on September 25 (LJ); 5 in St. Pierre on October 8
(LJ) and 13 (PB) and two only on October 14 (PHA).
Purple Sandpiper: The first birds (6) were seen in
St. Pierre by JD on November 1 while the average

Winter 2014 27

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

St. Pierre, on November 6 (PB) and 6 on November
28 (JD).
Dunlin: 6 were at Grand Barachois on September 6
(LJ) while the average arriving date is Sept. 18. One
was on the S. part of the Isthmus on September 20
(PB). Then seen regularly although certainly
underreported. There was a maximum of 53 birds at
Grand Barachois on October 22 (LJ), one of them
was wearing a band.
Stilt Sandpiper: One bird was in St. Pierre on
August 25 (PHA/PB).
Short-billed Dowitcher: The first ones arrived in
early July this year ! One was in St. Pierre on August
4 and 2 on August 31 (PB). Three were near the
village of Miquelon on August 31 and 29 at Grand
Barachois on September 6 (LJ).
Wilsons Snipe: A few here and there, about as usual
(m. ob.). None reported in November.
Red-necked Phalarope: Reported as quite common
at sea, south of St. Pierre in August; one only was
seen there on September 25 (JD). One was near the
SW coast of St. Pierre on October 7 and 8 (LJ).
About 30 were at sea S. of St. Pierre on October 11
(JD). One bird was near the east coast of Miquelon
on October 27 (LJ).
Red Phalarope: Reported as quite common by JD, at
sea, south of St. Pierre in August. Ten birds were near
Colombier island on September 19 (JD).
Great Skua: One bird was at south of St. Pierre on
October 1 (JD/RE).
Pomarine Jaeger: 3 birds were south of St. Pierre on
October 1 (JD).
Black-headed Gull: Apparently few birds were
present this fall: One was off the N.E. coast of
Langlade on October 11 (JD). One was in St. Pierre
on October 19 and 26 (JD/PB).
Bonapartes Gull: One juvenile was in St. Pierre
from August 30 to September 1 (PB).
Ring-billed Gull: Common, about a usual although
not reported except one juvenile in St. Pierre on
October 28 (PB).
Herring Gull: There was an unusual high number of
7 to 800 birds on the salt pond near the village of
28

The Osprey

Miquelon on October 16 (RE).

Iceland Gull: Two early immature were present near
the village of Miquelon on October 16 while the next
ones, adults and immature, were on the NW coast of
Cape Miquelon on November 5 (RE). A few adults
and immature were about 20 miles south of St. Pierre
on November 10 (RE).
Caspian Tern: Three birds were in St. Pierre on
August 14, and one only on August 18 (PB).
Common Tern: About 15 were north of Colombier
island on September 19 (JD).
Arctic Tern: Same as above (JD).
Dovekie: The first migrants were seen the same day
in Miquelon with about a dozen off the east coast of
Miquelon (RE) and in St. Pierre with more than 100
north of Colombier island (JD).
Common Murre: More than 20 were N.E. of St.
Pierre on October 11 (JD) and about a dozen on
November 10, south of St. Pierre (JD).
Thick-billed Murre: About a dozen were south of
St. Pierre on November 10 (JD).
Razorbill: About a dozen were south of St. Pierre on
November 10 (JD).
Black Guillemot: On a cruise around the coast of
Langlade on August 1 I found them quite numerous
with several of them carrying food (RE).
Atlantic Puffin: No data for Colombier island where
it is nesting as usual and is quite common. Some
birds were reported at sea, south of St. Pierre and
between Miquelon and Fortune from September 25
to November 10 where more than 100 where south of
St. Pierre (JD).
Mourning Dove: Seems rather scarce, one was in St.
Pierre on October 20 (JD) while one was near
Miquelons N.E. coast on October 26 (RE). 4 were at
FDs feeder in Miquelon on November 22.
Snowy Owl: The first bird was seen and
photographed near Mirande lake on November 16
(FD). A good year for the species, seen in St. Pierre,
Miquelon and the Isthmus. There were probably
about 10 birds or more pn our island at the end of the
period (m. ob.).
Short-eared Owl: One bird was near the summit of
St. Pierre on August 11 (JD) and one in the same

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

the same general area, on November 23 (JD).
Ruby-throated Hummingbird: One female was
visiting MJBs feeder regularly, several times a day,
between September 9 and 21 at Langlade.
Belted Kingfisher: 7 reports, one to two birds at a
time, were seen in St. Pierre between August 24 and
October 29 (PB/PHA/LJ). I had one bird in
Hermitage harbour (S. NFLD) on August 14 (RE).
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker: One was at Langlade on
September 26 (LJ) and 1 in St. Pierre on October 22
(JD).
Northern Flicker: Two birds then a group of 4 (a
family ?) were seen at Langlade on August 3 (NM).
One to two birds were reported between Aug. 18 and
Nov.23 (m. ob.). 4 were S. Langlade on October 12
(PHA).
Eastern Wood-Pewee: Rather uncommon in fall,
one bird was in St. Pierre on September 16 (LJ).
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher: Two birds were reported
at Langlade on August 16 and 18 (NM).
Eastern Kingbird: One bird was in St. Pierre on
September 6 (PB) and one also in St. Pierre on
September 17 (NM). The species has been seen here
in fall only 13 times in a 40 year period.
Northern Shrike: One bird was in St. Pierre on
November 14 (LJ) and 23 (PHA).
Blue-headed Vireo: One was in St. Pierre on
October 20 (NM).
Philadelphia Vireo: One was at Langlade on
September 8 (LJ) and one in St. Pierre on September
25 (PB).
Red-eyed Vireo: One was in southern Miquelon on
September 7 (LJ). 4 other birds were seen in St.
Pierre between September 7 and October 27 (PB/JD).
Blue Jay: Fairly common and well reported
throughout the season (m. ob.), few birds at a time
except 13 in St. Pierre on September 27 (PB). 4 were
near the N.E. coast of Miquelon on September 28
(RE). Several birds were reported in the village of
Miquelon and vicinity in November (m. ob.). From
my notes I find that the species is fairly common and
regular in our islands since 1998.
Horned Lark: They were fairly numerous during the

fall migration between October 13 and November 26

(RE/PB/JCH).
Bank Swallow: Two birds were near the village of
Miquelon on August (RE) and 2 in N.E. St. Pierre on
September 22 (LJ).
Cliff Swallow: One bird was in St. Pierre on
September 16 (PB); 3 in the village of Miquelon on
September 29 (RE) and 2, near the village on
October 24 (LJ).
Boreal Chickadee: Fairly common, about as usual
(m. ob.).
Brown Creeper: One was in St. Pierre on October 7
(PB).
Winter Wren: 3 birds, one singing, were on N.E.
Langlade on August 7 and one, also singing on W.
Langlade on August 18 (NM). One was seen in St.
Pierre on September 7 and 30 (PB). Somewhat
surprising, one at Ghislain Detcheverrys feeder on
November 14 in the village of Miquelon.
Golden-crowned Kinglet: Fairly common, reported
mostly for St. Pierre and a couple of times in
Langlade between August 2 and October 22 (m. ob.).
Ruby-crowned Kinglet: One bird was singing in the
woods near Mirande lake on September 16 (RE). IT
appeared more common during the fall migration
between September 29 and October 22 (PB/RE/JD).
Northern Wheatear: One bird was seen near the
town of St. Pierre on October 9.
Hermit Thrush: The only thrush reported this fall,
between August 16 and October 13 in the three
islands, usually one bird at a time except 4 at
Langlade on August 18 (NM) and 4 or 5 in St. Pierre
on September 13. Last seen one in St. Pierre on
October 13 (JD).
American Robin: Common, about as usual. They
were fairly numerous in the woods of N.E. Miquelon
on October 11 while PB had between 200 and 250 in
N.E. St. Pierre the same day. Several dozens were on
the east coast of Miquelon on October 27 (LJ). About
30 were on N.E. St. Pierre on November 30 (LJ).
Gray Catbird: One bird was on PHAs property in
St. Pierre throughout the month ofAugust, to midSeptember, seen by (PB) who lives nearby only on
September 11 (PB). One was also in St. Pierre in the

Winter 2014 29

same general area on November 4 (LJ).

American Pipit: Reported nine times between
September 22 and November 8 in St. Pierre and in
Miquelon. About 30 birds were in St. Pierre on
September 22 (JD) and about 15, also in St. Pierre on
October 10 (PB). A few were near the village of
Miquelon on October 20 (RE).
Bohemian Waxwing: 2 birds were on W. Langlade
on October 26 (LJ).
Cedar Waxwing: 13 reports between August 2 and
November 14, mostly in St. Pierre for about 20 on
September 30 and October 6 (JD). 17 were also seen
in St. Pierre by NM on September 17. One bird was
at Langlade E. on August 16 (NM) and 9 on W.
Langlade on October 26 (LJ).
Northern Parula: One was in St. Pierre on
September 10 (PB) and Sept. 16 (LJ).
Yellow Warbler: Fairly common but certainly
underreported, 7 reports only from August 2 to
September 13 (NM/PHA/PB/LJ).
Magnolia Warbler: One was in St. Pierre on
September 7 (PB) and Sept. 18 (JD).
Yellowrumped Warbler: A few juveniles seen in St.
Pierre in early August (PB). suggest some breeding
activity this summer for a species which an
uncommon nester in the islands. Well reported
throughout the season and up to November 16 in
variable numbers (m. ob.), so far from the numbers
we had in the past !
Black-throated Green Warbler: Reported 7 times
between September 7 and October 11 (PB/JD). One
to two birds at a time, all for St. Pierre.
Blackburnian Warbler: One bird was in St. Pierre
on September 8 (PHA/PB).
Palm Warbler: About 20 were in St. Pierre on
September 8 (JD) while I had 2 to 3 birds near
Mirande lake on September 21. 5 other reports to
October 25, few birds at a time (PB/RE).
Bay-breasted Warbler: One male was in St. Pierre
on September 25 (NM) one, also a male, was there
on October 6 (LJ). Another individual was reported
for the same day in a different area (LJ).
Blackpoll Warbler: They were termed numerous
in St. Pierre by PB on September 7. About ten were
30

The Osprey

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

birds at a time to October 25 (m. ob.).
Black and White Warbler: Reported 9 times
between August 2 and October 11(NM/PB/JD), few
birds at a time except at least 7 or 8 in St. Pierre on
September 10 (PB) and on September 18 (JD).
American Redstart: 5 reports only between
September 7 and October 26, one to two birds at a
time, in St. Pierre, Langlade and Miquelon.
Ovenbird: One bird that hit PHAs window on
October 5 in St. Pierre did not survie.
Northern Waterthrush: Reported 12 times between
August 2 and September 16 (m. ob.), few birds at a
time for this early migrant.
Mourning Warbler: 2 females were in E. Langlade
on August 16 and 2 on W. Langlade on August 18
(NM).
Common Yellowthroat: Reported 12 times between
August 26 and November 4, few birds at a time (m.
ob.) in the three islands.
Wilsons Warbler: 5 reports only, in Langlade and
St. Pierre, few birds at a time between August 16 and
October 6 (NM/PB/LJ).
Scarlet Tanager: One bird was in St. Pierre on
October 11 (PB).
American Tree Sparrow: One bird was near the
N.E. coast of Miquelon on November 23 (LJ).
Chipping Sparrow: One bird was on S. Miquelon
on September 7 (LJ) and one in St. Pierre on
September 8 (PHA). One was on N.W. Langlade on
September 29 (PHA).
Clay-colored Sparrow: One bird was in St. Pierre
on September 17.
Field Sparrow: One bird was seen and photographed
in St. Pierre on November 15 and seen again on
November 30 (JD). This is only the fourth record for
our islands, seen in 1984, 1989 and 1995.
Savannah Sparrow: Common, about as usual (m.
ob), often seen in small flocks along the roads. Last
seen one in E. Miquelon on November 23 (LJ)
Fox Sparrow: Common and well reported
throughout the season (m. ob.). A few were still
singing near Mirande lake on October 11. Last seen

Song Sparrow: Reported only for St. Pierre, few

birds at a time, between September 7 and November
17 (NM/PHA/PH/PA).
Swamp Sparrow: Fairly common and very well
reported throughout the season (m. ob.). Last seen 2
in St. Pierre on November 4 (LJ).
White-throated Sparrow: Well reported and up to
November 4 (m. ob.), few birds at a time except
more than 50 in St. Pierre on September 18 (JD).
White-crowned Sparrow: One bird was in St. Pierre
on October 16 and November 4 (LJ).
Dark-eyed Junco: Fairly common, about as usual,
reported only for St. Pierre and mostly around
feeders (m. ob.).
Lapland Longspur: 9 birds were N. of the town of
St. Pierre on October 9 (LJ) and 3 in southern. St.
Pierre on November 25 (JD).
Snow Bunting: 2 birds were in St. Pierre on October
20 (JD) and 3 the next day (PB). They were 3 days
later than average. Seen regularly in fairly good
numbers from October 30 to the end of the period
(JCH/JD/PHA).
Rose-breasted Grosbeak: One young male was in
St. Pierre on September 10 (PB) one day earlier than
the previous fall record dating back to 1983. Sexes
were not mentioned for the 3 others sightings, all in
St. Pierre: one on September 12 (NM); one at JDs
feeder on October 10 and 11.
Indigo Bunting: 2 birds were near PHAs feeder on
October 9.

Dickcissel: One was at PHAs feeder between August

28 and 31. One was seen, in the field, in W. St. Pierre
on November 16 (LJ).
Red-winged Blackbird: One immature was in W.
Langlade on October 26 (LJ) and one bird at PHAs
feeder on November 30.
Common Grackle: About 15 birds were present in
St. Pierre between September 13 and November 3
(PB/PHA/LJ). There was a maximum of 25 to 30
birds at PBs feeder on October 22. About 15 birds
were in the village of Miquelon on October 19.
Baltimore Oriole: One bird was in St. Pierre on
September 9 (JD). One, also in St. Pierre was present
between October 6 and 13 (JD/PHA). One was in
PAs garden on November 17.
Pine Grosbeak: One female was seen with 2 young
at Langlade on August 12 (NM). 6 other sightings,
few birds at a time, in Langlade but mostly in
Miquelon, few individuals at a time, to the end of the
period (NM/RE/JD).
Purple Finch: One bird only was seen once in St.
Pierre on November 3 (JD).
American Goldfinch: This now resident was
reported in rather low numbers at various feeders
throughout the season (NM/PHA/JD).
Contributors: Pascal Asselin (PA); Patrick Boez
(PB); Michel Borotra (MJB); Jol Detcheverry (JD);
Frdric Disnard (FD); Patrick Hacala (PHA); Jacky
and Christine Hbert (JCH); Laurent Jackman (LJ);
Nathalie Michel (NM).
Miquelon, December 29, 2013

Winter 2014 31

Coyote and snowshoe hare tracks through the snow.

Nature in the Raw!

By Allan Stein

Director, Nature NewfoundlandandLabrador

he title above refers only to the weather for the snowmo-bilious garbagious by his scat, 8-10 beer
cans, a dozen beer bottles and assorted snack food
day, of course.
On Saturday, February 22, 2014, the forecast bags, all empty and scattered. While not really wild
called for snow, then ice-pellets, followed by animals, they certainly showed little sign of
freezing rain, topped off with rain, and a replay, back domestication. We gathered the garbage on our way
through the repertoire. Despite that forecast, five in but your author must confess he forgot to pick it
intrepid naturalists, attired appropriatelyis that up on the way out. By then the fast falling new snow
had buried the litter; out of sight, out of
possible for such a day?-- donned
"The tracks ofthese mind unfortunately for all of us.
snowshoes and headed toward Winsor
Despite the disgusting start, we
Lake from Old Broad Cove Road. introduced, and
therefore exotic soon encountered numerous rabbit
Actually at 10:00 am when we left our
animals, look
(snowshoe hare, Lepus americanus) and
cars, it was quite a nice morning, about
-6C, heavily overcast with light winds, surprisingly alike, red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus)
exactly what the forecast had called for. except for their size tracks. The tracks of these introduced,
and therefore exotic animals, look
ofcourse. "
The weather smorgasbord was forecast
surprisingly alike, except for their size
to start about noon but started an hour
of course. For both, the prints of the front feet of the
early!
As we left the road, we met a couple walking a running animal are behind the prints of the back feet.
pair of Golden Retrievers. They reported the start of Of course, squirrel tracks commonly start or end at a
the trail was hard packed by snow mobiles but we tree while hares rarely climb trees!
Soon, we started seeing what we concluded were
planned to leave the packed trails for un-trodden
paths in the deep snow. There the snow had a coyote (Canis latrans) tracks along narrow, heavily
somewhat crusty, icy surface dusted with a layer of overgrown old trails. These prints were generally in
fresh snow; excellent for finding animal tracks. We close proximity to hare tracks. Coyotes, like foxes
hoped to identify animals by their tracks, and plants, and many other predators, register, that is, place
principally shrubs and deciduous trees, by their their rear paw in the foot print of their front, an
swelling buds. A short distance in, we identified adaptation facilitating quiet stalking of game as they
32

The Osprey

can see where they place their front paw

and then place their back paw in the same
quiet spot. Their trail is thus a nearly
linear, single line, unlike a dogs double
line with the rear prints offset from the
front.
We saw no signs of successful
predation. From its prints, though, one of
the coyotes appeared to have an injured
right rear leg or foot as it left dragging
prints in the snow. Unfortunately, light
conditions were awful for photography.
The heavy overcast and very fine
particulate material in the air meant the
light was very flat. My photographs
were grey on off-white to white with no
contrast! Pity too because we also found Intrepid naturalists, attired appropriately.
some very clear prints of both hare and
about the size of milk chocolate coated raisins
squirrel, so distinct that prints in the thin layer of whereas buttons of moose would be large
falling snow, showed every toe and even claws.
chocolate coated almonds! While we saw tracks and
Hare scat and trampled snow helped us locate browsing signs of numerous hares, the only sign of
where those animals had been feeding on deciduous moose was their browsing on dog berry trees and
shrubs. Some de-barked stems were well above the wild raisin shrubs.
current snow level so clearly drifts had been perhaps
By 10:45, it was snowing quite seriously, tracks
40 cm higher earlier in the winter. Several dog berry, were being obliterated. We did a loop, via Winsor
i.e., mountain ash, trees had suffered browsing by Lake on narrow trails with undisturbed, deep snow,
hares but also by moose. An obvious way to and were soon back on the main trail and at our cars.
distinguish between hare and moose browsing is the We had an enjoyable hike, saw loads of hare, coyote
height above the ground but that can be misleading. and squirrel tracks, and possibly a shrew track. The
Snowshoe hares can walk on deep snow and drifts so only sign of birds were a few black capped
their browsing may be well above ground level, chickadees chirping in the woods as the snow
perhaps at normal moose level. Moose feed by increased in intensity. We saw no sign of fox,
wrapping their tongue around a twig or small branch, ptarmigan, grouse, or other birds, perhaps in part
tearing it from the tree and leaving a jagged, broken because they were aware that the weather was going
stub. Hares, being rodents, have sharp, pruning to deteriorate and took cover early.
incisors and leave smooth cut ends on twig and
Still, all in all, a good mid-winter outing!
branch. Where they feed, hares leave buttons

Winter 2014 33

NATURE NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR

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Citizen Science Programs

in Newfoundland and Labrador

Citizen scientists are people that contribute to local observations to help researchers monitor the
environment. Citizen scientists make a difference locally and nationally with their sightings of plants,
wildlife and more. There are many opportunities to be part of environmental projects throughout
Newfoundland and Labrador. A few ongoing projects are listed below:
PlantWatch
PlantWatch is part of the national NatureWatch series of volunteer
monitoring programs designed to help identify ecological changes that
may be affecting our environment. The goal is to encourage Canadians
of all ages to get involved in helping scientists discover how, and more
importantly why, our natural environment is changing.
The PlantWatch program enables "citizen scientists" to get involved
by recording flowering times for selected plant species and reporting
these dates to researchers through the Internet or by mail. When you
submit your data electronically, it's added instantly to Web maps
showing bloom dates across Canada, so your observations make a
difference right away! Contact Madonna Bishop (MUN Botanical
Gardens) for more information mbishop@mun.ca.
Newfoundland and Labrador Nocturnal Owl Survey
Calling all Owlers! Bird Studies Canada would like to coordinate a
volunteer
Nocturnal
Owl
Survey
(http://www.birdscanada.org/volunteer/natowls/) in Newfoundland and
Labrador this spring (April/May 2014). First we need to know if you
have a favorite route that you already do, and if you would be interested
in adapting your owl survey and sending in your owl observation data
online. We will also recommend routes for new owl enthusiasts. In an
attempt to match survey efforts in other provinces, we can recommend a
survey protocol and would like to involve as many people as possible, to
spread out survey routes across the province. Your help will be greatly
appreciated! Please contact Laura McFarlane Tranquilla (Atlantic
Canada Program Manager) at ltranquilla@birdscanada.org.
NL Nature
NLNature (www.nlnature.com) is an online atlas of wildlife in
Newfoundland and Labrador based on observations by residents and
tourists. We welcome any sighting of plants, animals, and other things
(e.g., interesting rocks, landmarks) in Newfoundland and Labrador. The
sightings data is used to monitor local wildlife, inform conservation
policy, protect endangered species, educate students & public about local
natural history as well as to develop innovative approaches to
information modeling, information management and information
systems development. To contribute to the atlas, visit
www.nlnature.com.

Winter 2014 35