Shorebirds and Waterfowl Field Trip
When: Sunday, September 9th, 2018 at 7:00 am
Where: Meet at Covehead Wharf , continue to Tracadie Harbour and finish at Allisary Creek, Mount Stewart.
Your Leader: Brendan Kelly, offering photography tips, gear advice and the importance of using ebird
A shorebird identification event is planned by Nature PEI:
Learn the tricks of identifying shorebirds. All are welcome, please share this event and consider inviting a friend.
Confederation Centre: Art Gallery
Island at the Centre of the World—John Calder
Sunday, July 15, 2018, 02:00pm
Acorn Press has released Island at the Centre of the World by John Calder, a look at the geological history of Prince Edward Island.
PEI has a history. But its story begins far, far beyond the birth of the nation, the arrival of European settlers, the Mi’kmaq, or even the first humans. Its story is older than the Island, which was born of climate change and rising seas 7,000 years ago.
The red cliffs of the Island have their origins in a world some 290 million years ago. The rocks of the island province were deposited as rivers coursed their way through the tropical heart of Pangea, a giant landmass formed by moving continents. The part of the Earth that would one day become PEI lay at the centre of this world, and felt the its intense monsoon rains and withering dry seasons. This was the beginning of the Age of Reptiles that preceded the dinosaurs, and the landscapes, dryland forests, and animal life of that time are all recorded here across PEI. The L’Nuk, or Mi’kmaq, witnessed the birth of this Island thousands of years ago.
Dr. John Calder is an internationally recognized scientist/geoscientist/geologist, author, educator, commentator and photographer. His passion is sharing the story of the Earth, for which he was awarded the H.R. Ward Neale Medal of the Geological Association of Canada for excellence in communicating geoscience to Canadians. He was the lead scientist in the designation of the Joggins Fossil Cliffs of Nova Scotia as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. John is author of The Joggins Fossil Cliffs: Coal Age Galápagos and more than 200 scientific publications on the region’s geology.
Dr. John Calder will launch Island at the Centre of the World at the Confederation Centre Art Gallery, Charlottetown, July 15 at 2 pm. All are welcome to attend.
Confederation Centre: Art Gallery
145 Richmond Street
Charlottetown
(902) 628-6111
http://www.confederationcentre.com/en/home/artgallery
info@confederationcentre.com
Eagle Banding – Sunday June 17, 2018 With Gerald MacDougall
Sunday morning 10:00 am. Meet at Orwell.
![person-in-eagles-nest-on-p-e-i[1]](https://naturepei.files.wordpress.com/2018/06/person-in-eagles-nest-on-p-e-i1.jpg?w=640)
Eagles build their nests high in P.E.I.’s tallest trees, usually white spruce. (Submitted by Gerald MacDougall )
Driving Directions to Orwell
Orwell Corner Historic Village is located just off the Trans Canada Highway, Route #1 midway between Charlottetown (28 kms-20 minutes) and the Northumberland Ferries Terminal at Wood Islands (32 kms – 25 minutes).
From Charlottetown
Take the Hillsborough Bridge and follow the Trans-Canada Hwy East.
Head southeast on the Trans-Canada Hwy toward Bunbury Rd and continue for 25 km.
Turn left onto MacPhail Park Rd and take the first right into the parking lot.
From Montague – 18 kms or 20 minutes
Take Route 210 across to Kinross and down to the Trans Canada. Turn right and then take your first right and follow the signs.
From Cavendish National Park – Approximately 70 kms or 45 minutes
GPS coordinates are latitude 46.256626, longitude 62.834892GPS N46 9.48 W-062 50.106
For more information contact Gerald MacDougall at eagle.dynasty@gmail.com
Join with us and UPEI researcher, Paula Tummon Flynn at Nature PEI’s monthly meeting to learn more about the highly invasive green crab and the impact it is having on our Island ecosystems. This little crab packs a big punch, and has been named “one of the ten most unwanted species in the world” by Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Paula will teach you how to identify these crabs, explore their life history, and discuss why they are such successful invaders across the world. Green crabs are known to have dramatic effects on both the coastal flora and fauna in the regions they invade and Paula will delve into some of these impacts and how they are being studied on PEI. Paula notes that “These crabs cause so many problems for both the ecosystem and the shellfish industries that many removal strategies have been proposed.” Paula will review some of the recent proposals to control their population numbers. However, there has been limited success in eradicating a population once it is established![GreenCrab[1]](https://naturepei.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/greencrab1.jpg?w=640)
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Paula Tummon Flynn is a PhD student working in UPEI’s Coastal Ecology Lab on interactions between the invasive green crab and native species on PEI. Her focus is currently on the impact of green crabs in the lagoon of Basin Head Marine Protected Area.
All are welcome to join us in Charlottetown to meet Paula and learn more about this most unwelcome visitor to our shores.
What to Bring: repellent, water, a snack, proper foot Summerwear, sunscreen, binoculars
Goes ahead, Rain or Shine, unless otherwise noted.
Flower Fly Insect Pinning Workshop, Thursday May 17 6:00- 9:00 Learn how to prepare flower fly specimens to museum standards.
Leader: John Klymko, Atlantic Canada Conservation Data Center
Meet: Beaconsfield the Carriage House, Corner of West and Kent, Charlottetown.
Summerside Boardwalk Birder’s Stroll. Saturday, May 19th 8:30 – 9:30 am. Search out the diversity of spring migrants and resident birds.
Leader: Donna Martin (more information 902- 436-4063)
How to get there: Meet in the parking area near the western end of MacKenzie Drive.
Spring Wildflower Ramble, Valleyfield Demonstration Woodlot, Valleyfield, Sunday May 27, 2:00-4:00 pm
Leaders: Rosemary Curley and Connie Gaudet (more information 902- 569-1209)
How to get there: Meet at the corner the Valleyfield Road (Rte 326) and the Dalmaney Road (Rte 354) at 2 pm
Eagle Banding! The date is dependent on eaglet growth and weather, but possibly in the
vicinity of Saturday June 9th
Leader: Gerald MacDougall eagle.dynasty@gmail.com
Advise Gerald of your interest and supply your coordinates to him. How to get there: Gerald will confirm date and time.
Wildflower Walk, Fullerton’s Conservation Park, Stratford, Thurs. August 2, 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm.
Leaders: Rosemary Curley and Doug Murray (more information 902- 569-1209)
How to get there: Turn into Reeve’s Estates off the TCH, then turn right on McIntosh Dr.
Keep straight until you reach a parking lot at the Fullerton’s trail entrance.
Tuesday May 1 – 2018 – Prehistoric PEI. Will Beckett, Island Filmmaker and photographer, with be our guest speaker on prehistoric history of PEI. Will is currently developing a documentary on the prehistory of the Island with the first two episodes now available on You Tube. This Nature PEI meeting starts at 7:30 pm at Beaconsfield, the Carriage House, corner of West and Kent Street, Charlottetown. Suitable for young naturalists so please consider inviting any younger people who might appreciate joining you for this educational evening. When Will presented a similar talk at UPEI the youngsters in the crowd had many questions and enjoyed learning more.
All are welcome to join Nature PEI, Tuesday May 1, 7:30 pm at Beaconsfield, the Carriage House in Charlottetown (West/Kent St.) for Will Beckett’s presentation.
No admission is charged and refreshments are served. This event would be a suitable topic for young naturalists so please consider inviting younger family members or friends who have an interest in science, nature or photography.
