Nest success is the most important demographic variable influencing rates of population change of Eastern Wild Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris [L.] Vieillot) in the Northeast. Most studies of nest success and survival of turkeys have occurred in forested or agricultural areas and may not be representative of turkey populations occupying suburban environments.

Development associated with suburbanization has led to habitat degradation, and it is becoming increasingly important to understand how these land use changes affect the sustainability of Wild Turkey populations. Our objectives were to quantify survival and reproduction of Eastern Wild Turkeys in the suburbanized region of southeastern Connecticut, and to compare these results to studies in forested and agricultural regions of the northeastern United States. Nest success (35%) and mortality during the reproductive period (46%) were at the low and high extremes, respectively, of ranges previously reported in the Northeast. High rates of predation on females and nests resulted in rates of nest success that were lower than rates reported for most neighboring states. Turkey nests in suburban environments may be at increased risk of predation because habitat fragmentation may lead to high densities of nest predators and increased detection of nests.

In some years, inland “wrecks” of Dovekies (Alle alle) have occurred in northeastern North America in November to February, with birds apparently driven inland by storms from wintering areas off eastern Canada and the northeastern United States. In the late 19^th century, small numbers also were recorded inland in September in Maine (1869), Massachusetts (1872), Connecticut (1874), and Pennsylvania (1878). No inland occurrences in September were recorded for another 90 years until individuals were sighted in Québec (1962 and 1963) and on Lake Ontario in upstate New York (1983). September birds arrived inland earlier in the year than when most individuals depart colonies in the High Arctic and move to wintering areas in the northwest Atlantic Ocean. However, the geographic pattern of September inland occurrences was similar to major late-fall and winter inland wrecks, suggesting a common source area. Dovekies reported inland in September likely originated from among the small numbers of subadults that summered off Newfoundland or subadults or failed breeders that moved southward from breeding areas before molting, and were not long-distance vagrants.

A long-tailed shrew (Sorex dispar) taken in the Nerepis Hills in south-central New Brunswick, significantly narrows the distributional gap between the known range of S. dispar in Maine and shrews from southeastern New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. The Nerepis Hills are also only the second New Brunswick locality for this rare shrew and suggests that S. dispar is contiguously distributed in appropriate habitat from New England across southern New Brunswick and into the Cobequid Mountains of Nova Scotia. Hilly or upland areas with steep slopes and varying amounts of rock outcrop and talus are present throughout the Nerepis Hills, indicating that S. dispar may occur throughout this region.

Several studies have demonstrated the relationship between black bear (Ursus americanus) reproductive success and the availability of hard mast. Beech bark disease (BBD) has been shown to reduce mast production in beech trees; however, no studies have investigated the relationship between bear foraging preferences of beech trees and the presence of BBD. To investigate this, we measured the severity of Nectria fungus and beech scale insect on freshly clawed and unclawed trees in pooled beech stands in northern Vermont. Our results suggest that bears do not have a strong preference for climbing healthier beech trees in aftermath forests. Changes in landscape composition and in cultural values appear to have been more important processes affecting black bear populations today than has BBD; however, we still advocate management strategies to minimize the impacts of this disease.

This note presents a documented incident of Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) predation on white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). An adult male lynx killed a yearling male deer in poor condition (71.5% femur marrow fat) on 20 February 2003 in northern Maine. The chase from the point of attack to the deer carcass was 112 m. Snow depth was 47–78 cm and sinking depth of the deer was 12–38 cm, which is near the critical sinking depth and impedes deer mobility. This observation suggests that Canada lynx may opportunistically prey on deer.

Natural hybridization is rare in the family Ictaluridae. Putative hybrids of the madtoms Noturus flavus and N. insignis were collected from Blackwater River, Monongahela River drainage, WV. Noturus flavus is native to the Monongahela River drainage, whereas N. insignis is nonnative. We quantified morphological differences among N. flavus, N. insignis, and putative hybrids by sheared principal components analysis of morphometric characters. Putative hybrids were intermediate in tooth patch dimensions, caudal fin pigmentation, length of the dorsal fin base, distance between the adipose/caudal notch and base of caudal fin, and position of anal fin. Hybridization between N. flavus and N. insignis is supported by morphological intermediacy, and may be linked to higher abundances of N. insignis or degraded habitat in the Blackwater River.

The yellow lampmussel (Lampsilis cariosa) has been unofficially listed as threatened in the United States and Canada and as endangered globally by the IUCN. Although it has been suggested that it may be extirpated in New Brunswick, we show that a large and historically well-established population of L. cariosa persists in the lower Saint John River and tributaries. This is in spite of evidence that the species range in the lower Saint John system has contracted over the past century. Although further work is needed to estimate overall abundance of L. cariosa in New Brunswick, the lower Saint John and tributaries appear to harbor most of the known Canadian population. The apparent size and presumed genetic integrity of the isolated New Brunswick population, as well as the current lack of zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) in the Saint John system, suggests that this population could play an important role in the future conservation of the species.

A map of the vegetation of the Catskill Park, NY, was created using multi-temporal Landsat Thematic Mapper TM data and ancillary spatial data to support ecological studies in Catskill watersheds. The map emphasizes forest types defined by dominant tree species and depicts 24 vegetation classes. Mapping included a series of supervised classifications in a decision tree framework that allowed forest types to be distinguished using spectral characteristics and other environmental relationships (e.g., landscape position, elevation). Traditional contingency table analysis (based on limited ground sampling) suggests overall map accuracy ranging from 28% to 90%, depending on the level of aggregation of the original 24 map classes. Fuzzy accuracy assessment based on the same ground data suggests a 71% level of acceptable classification. The map indicates that maple-dominated forests are predominant in the Catskill region, but that beech and birch-dominated forests become more important at higher elevations. Oak-dominated forests are very important along the eastern side of the Catskills, and conifer-dominated forests are largely restricted to mountaintops and stream bottoms.

Larval midges in the genus Axarus are common macroinvertebrates in areas of the Connecticut River where varved clay substrates are found. Using SCUBA to make collections, we investigated the habitat use, species composition, and life history of the two Axarus species found in the river. Larvae were only found in clay or decaying wood, with a population density of 13,345 (± 4881) larvae/meter² at one site. Two species were found co-existing in clays in northern sites, while only one species was found in southern collections. The species are temporally isolated, with adult emergence for the southern species preceding that of the northern species. Life history data are presented for the southern species, an undescribed taxon designated Axarus species varvestris. This species is univoltine with adult emergence taking place in late June in southern locations. The sex ratio at emergence was 1:1, and protandry was evident.

A survey of larval midge remains from surficial sediments in 37 New England lakes was undertaken in order to relate midge distributions to environmental factors. The lakes are located along a transect from northern New Hampshire to southern Connecticut. The midges proved to be a very diverse group of insects in these freshwater habitats. A total of 65 chironomid taxa were recovered. Canonical correspondence analyses indicated that the environmental variables which best explain the distribution of chironomid taxa were mean July air temperature, percent sediment organic matter, pH, and lake depth. This knowledge about the relationship between midge distribution and mean July air temperature can be applied to midge assemblages preserved in older lacustrine sequences to improve our understanding of past environmental conditions in the region.

Recent data (1998–2003) collected during field surveys for nesting Common Eider (Somateria mollissima L.) along the Labrador coast have confirmed nesting by Black-headed Gulls (Larus ridibundus L.) and Double-crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus Lesson), and suggest possible nesting by Caspian Terns (Sterna caspia Pallas). It appears that both Double-crested Cormorants and Caspian Terns have previously nested in Labrador, whereas nesting by the Black-headed Gull represents a recent range extension.