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JAN. 2000  No. 28

Announcements!

• With the regular meetings starting soon members are reminded to bring their mugs for the social hour to save using Styrofoam cups. Also Harriet Folkins has some mugs and cutlery that has been left after meetings which may be claimed.
  
  
• Donations of suitable items for the 50/50 second prize would be welcome.
  
  
• To assist in speeding up the progress of our meetings we would like anyone who wishes to have a specific item on the agenda to notify either Jim Brown, (433-4666), Betty Mitham, (832-7785), or Marny Robinson, (433-5320), in advance of meetings
  
  
• The Kennebecasis Naturalist Society usually meets on the 4th Monday of the month at St. Paul's United Church at 7:30 pm.
  
  
• Jan. 24, 2000: Member's Night. Gather for a potluck at 6:30 p.m. (please bring plates, cups and cutlery for the meal), then share displays, stories, poems, crafts, slides, movies, live birds and animals at 7:30 p.m. The first meeting of the year 2000!
  
  
• Quest for 200 in 2000 by Don Gibson
  

       As a Y2K project, the Fredericton Nature Club is defining a circle, 50 kilometres in radius around the city, with the intention of tallying as many bird species as possible within the circle in the year 2000. With a bit of effort and good luck, we hope to exceed 200 species.

       In 1960, the newly formed Fredericton Field Naturalists Club undertook just such a task, as they recorded all observations within a 30 mile (48.3 km) radius. A total of 185 species were reported during the year, with the most unusual undoubtedly being the province's first Varied Thrush, discovered at Stanley.

       Red-necked Grebe, Horned Grebe, Leach's Storm-Petrel, Black-Crowned Night Heron and Laughing Gull are species that are normally found near the coast; however they all made the 1960 list and it will take a certain amount of good fortune to tally them again in 2000. Other unlikely species, such as, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Western Kingbird, House Wren, Gray-cheeked Thrush, Loggerhead Shrike, Vesper Sparrow and Field Sparrow were also found.

       On the other hand, approximately 20 species that did not make the 1960 list should be relatively easy to find in 2000. For example, Northern Cardinal and House Finch were very rare in New Brunswick forty years ago, but now it is likely that they will be found on the first day of the year. Whereas Trail's Flycatcher elicited only one checkmark back then, the recently separated Alder and Willow Flycatcher will now surely garner two.

       Considering the 185 species tallied on the 1960 list as a benchmark; and by subtracting those unlikely to be found again and adding the extra ones that probably will be encountered, we net out to a total of 190. Thus it appears that we have a challenge to find ten species which would be considered rare in the area.

       Therefore, if you are inside the circle and you see a bird that you think we may need for our list, let us know. Please submit: species name, location, date and name of observers.
  
  Don Gibson
  50 Golf Club Road
  Fredericton, NB
  E3B 5M4
  (506) 454-3261
  gibsondg@nbnet.nb.ca

• The Bird Information Line is proposing to operate in 2000.
  

       On January 14, 1991, the Bird Line was born and less than 10 days later news of NB's first Fieldfare was quickly being spread amongst the province's birders. In those days, the line played a major role in our communication network, however time and technology have changed that.

       Jim Edsall, the voice of the Bird Line, feels it still important to operate a provincial "rare bird" information line. The phone number is widely published, and thus for many people from outside the province, with an interest in birds, this is their first contact. Jim also points out that most provinces have such a service and should we let ours lapse, we would be one of few without a "bird line".

       We now operate at minimum cost, with our only expense being the phone bill (approx. $350 per year).

       Over the past nine years Jim has spent many hours putting out information on the province's "rare birds". Jim feels that it is important that the line continue to operate, and he has offered to do all the work, however financial assistance is required. If you wish to support the bird line, please make cheques payable to BIRD INFO NB.

       If you have any questions or comments do not hesitate to contact me.
  
  Don Gibson
  50 Golf Club Road
  Fredericton, NB
  E3B 5M4
  (506) 454-3261
  gibsondg@nbnet.nb.ca