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Sand Dune Fungi
If you are at all familiar with PEI’s famous sand dunes, you likely understand the importance of Marram Grass (Ammophila breviligulata)...
katemacquarrie22
Mar 20, 20243 min read


Mink Tracks
This year’s Winter Wildlife Tracks and Sign series has covered a lot of ground so far, but one entire group of PEI wildlife has been...
katemacquarrie22
Mar 17, 20242 min read


Snow Mould
March snowmelt marks the welcomed advance of spring on PEI, but for about one in five people it also means the return of far-less-popular...
katemacquarrie22
Mar 13, 20242 min read


Nests of Birds and. . . not-birds
🎵 One of these things is not like the others 🎶. If you walk or hike anywhere on PEI in spring and summer, you pass many bird nests...
katemacquarrie22
Mar 10, 20243 min read


Riparian Zones
Some of PEI’s natural habitats punch well above their weight – their importance far exceeds the area they occupy in the landscape....
katemacquarrie22
Mar 6, 20243 min read


Ruffed Grouse Tracks
Most of PEI’s winter wildlife tracks come from mammals, but there are lots to be found from birds, too! Ruffed Grouse is a great species...
katemacquarrie22
Mar 3, 20243 min read


Offshore Islands
Sites where human and natural histories meet are always interesting, and PEI’s offshore islands are great examples of this. They tell...
katemacquarrie22
Feb 28, 20243 min read


Raccoon Tracks
Once you have the basics of PEI wildlife track identification, it can be useful to think about gait. How an animal moves tells you a lot...
katemacquarrie22
Feb 25, 20243 min read


Beaver Extirpation and Reintroduction
Over the past few centuries, PEI has lost some native animals and seen introductions of new, non-native ones. One of the most interesting...
katemacquarrie22
Feb 21, 20243 min read


Red Squirrel Tracks
I get lots of questions about track identification, but one animal leads the pack when it comes to fooling people: Red Squirrel! Many...
katemacquarrie22
Feb 18, 20242 min read


Game Bird Introductions
Releasing new species into the wild is generally frowned upon today, but this wasn’t always the case, and the 1940s were the heyday of...
katemacquarrie22
Feb 14, 20243 min read


Beaver Tracks
Some PEI wildlife travel our fields and forests all winter, leaving conspicuous tracks in their wake. Others prepare a cozy, well-stocked...
katemacquarrie22
Feb 11, 20243 min read


Rockhounding on PEI
You may not think of PEI as a rockhounder’s paradise, but there are interesting geological finds here. Sure, you’re not likely to come...
katemacquarrie22
Feb 7, 20242 min read


Snowshoe Hare Tracks
The most abundant wildlife tracks I’m seeing these days are from Snowshoe Hare, and I’ve been getting quite a few questions about them....
katemacquarrie22
Feb 4, 20242 min read


Marcescence
Welcome back to Ask a Naturalist: your own personal “Google” for information on all things natural on PEI! In October, I posted about...
katemacquarrie22
Jan 31, 20243 min read


Skunk Tracks
Reading wildlife tracks on PEI has very practical uses. For example, this mild winter has allowed our Striped Skunks to stay active, and...
katemacquarrie22
Jan 28, 20243 min read


Springs
Bubbling Spring. The Healing Spring. Spirit Spring. Fountainhead. PEI’s springs are so culturally important that many have names. We may...
katemacquarrie22
Jan 24, 20243 min read


Coyote Myths & Facts
It’s not unusual to see Eastern Coyotes on PEI at any time of the year, but reported sightings tend to go up in late fall and winter as...
katemacquarrie22
Jan 21, 20243 min read


Black Banks
I describe natural history as the story our land tells about itself. PEI’s bogs tell many interesting stories, and at Black Banks the...
katemacquarrie22
Jan 17, 20243 min read


Feline Tracks
Canine track identification tops the list of questions I get this time of year, but “is this a cat track?” is a close second. Whether...
katemacquarrie22
Jan 14, 20242 min read
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