Morphological and genetic techniques for distinguishing captive vs. wild stock are often insufficient. We found differences in carbon isotope values from Canis latrans (Coyote) and Canis lupus (Wolf) eating wild vs. domestic diets. Wild canids in the Northeast have lower δ¹³C values because they eat prey that mainly feed on C₃ plants. However, canids eating typical domestic diets have more positive δ¹³C values (≈ 6‰) because of the Zea mays (Corn; a C₄ plant) fed to domestic stock and used in dog foods. We applied this technique to hair and bone samples from eight Wolves in the northeastern USA, where no natural Wolf populations are known. Three Wolves had strongly negative δ¹³C values, typical of a wild-food diet, while the other five Wolves had more positive values typical of captive animals. As expected, we found no significant difference in ι;¹⁵N isotope values between captive and wild animals. This new evidence suggests that, while some Wolves are escaping from captivity, at least three animals have apparently dispersed into the area. This finding adds new urgency to the preparation of conservation plans for the potential natural recovery of this endangered species in the region.

Genetic findings suggest that 2 types of wolves, Canis lupus (Gray Wolf) and C. lycaon (Eastern Wolf), and/or their hybrids occupy Minnesota (MN), and this study examines adult wolf ear lengths as a possible distinguisher between these two. Photographic evidence suggested that the Eastern Wolf possesses proportionately longer ears than Gray Wolves. Ear lengths from 22 northwestern MN wolves from the early 1970s and 22 Alaskan wolves were used to represent Gray Wolves, and the greatest length of the sample (12.8 cm) was used as the least length to demarcate Eastern Wolf from Gray Wolf influence in the samples. Twenty-three percent of 112 adult wolves from Algonquin Park in eastern Ontario and 30% of 106 recent adult wolves in northeastern MN possessed ears >12.8 cm. The northeastern MN sample differed significantly from that of current and past northwestern MN wolves. Ear-lengths of wolves in the eastern half of the northeastern MN wolf population were significantly longer than those in the western half of that study area, even though the mean distance between the 2 areas was only 40 km, and the mean length of my 2004–2009 sample was significantly longer than that of 1999–2003. These findings support the hypothesis that Eastern Wolves tend to possess longer ears than do Gray Wolves and suggest a dynamic hybridization process is still underway in MN.

Scirpus ancistrochaetus (Northeastern Bulrush) is a federally endangered sedge that grows in temporary wetlands. We performed surveys of 90 wetlands in Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia, measuring areal extent, stem density, and number of flowering stems of Northeastern Bulrush. We also measured percentage of tree canopy closure, presence of threats, and size of wetland. Percentage of tree canopy closure was negatively correlated with wetland area, percentage of wetland area occupied by North-eastern Bulrush, total number of stems, stem density, and percentage of flowering stems. Wetland area was positively related to percentage of flowering stems and had a tendency to be positively related to stem density, likely in part due to larger wetlands having lower tree canopy closure. Invasive Phalaris arundinacea (Reed Canarygrass) and Microstegium vimineum (Japanese Stiltgrass) were present at 7% and 21% of the wetlands, respectively. Odocoileus virginianus (White-tailed Deer) and Ursus americanus (Black Bear) damage were present in 38% and 17% of wetlands, respectively. Modification of habitat was noted at 27% of wetlands. For wetlands with previous data on population size, 14% had increased, 34% were stable, 25% had decreased, and 27% were absent or had severely decreased. Our recommendations for management include reducing tree canopy closure with control of invasive species and White-tailed Deer where needed.

Developing models in support of ecosystem-based management requires knowledge of trophic dynamics of ecologically important species. A paucity of data on these dynamics for Long Island finfish is hindering development of ecosystem models required by recent legislation. In this study, we analyzed stomach contents of common fishes collected from Port Jefferson Harbor, Great South Bay, and Shinnecock Bay between May and October of 2007 and 2008. General diet composition was described by percent by number (%N), percent by weight (%W), percent frequency of occurrence (%0), and percent index of relative importance (%IRI) for seven species: Paralichthys dentatus (Summer Flounder), young-of-the-year (YOY) Pomatomus saltatrix (Bluefish), Prionotus evolans (Striped Searobin), Stenotomus chrysops (Scup), Scophthalmus aquosus (Windowpane Flounder), Raja eglanteria (Clearnose Skate), and Morone saxatilis (Striped Bass). Temporal diet composition was estimated for the consistently abundant YOY Bluefish, Summer Flounder, and Scup, where most n_season > 25. Subsampling of large catches of YOY Bluefish and Scup led to investigation of diet composition by cluster sampling. Important prey included Crangon sp. (sand shrimp), Cancer irroratus (Rock Crab), and forage fishes. Pseudopleuronectes americanus (Winter Flounder), once a common prey item in stomachs of piscivorous Long Island fishes, contributed ≤ 6.7 %O and ≤ 1.6 %W to the diets of Summer Flounder, Striped Searobin, Striped Bass, and YOY Bluefish. These changes may be due to shifts in the abundance of prey items or changes in spatial overlap of predator and prey.

We constructed an artificial nesting mound for Glyptemys insculpta (Wood Turtle) in the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, NL The original nesting site was impacted by development and invasive plants. The new nesting mound was constructed from similar soil and was 100 m distant from the original site. The new mound was 50 m from stream habitat and in an old field where it received full sun for the entire day. The mound was 18 m long, 8 m wide, and had a maximum height of 1.5 m, with gently sloping sides. We encountered nest-searching female Wood Turtles on the impacted site during late May to early June for four years, 2007–2010. We carefully hand-carried females to the new nesting area and allowed them to choose whether or not to nest on the mound. We protected all nests from predators. Seventeen of 18 nests that were deposited and left on the nesting mound produced live hatchlings. Six clutches had 100% hatching success, with only one failing completely. At least nine different female Wood Turtles nested on the mound. One female returned on her own in three subsequent years, another returned on her own in one subsequent year, several were re-shown the mound in subsequent years, and one turtle found the mound and nested on it on her own. The nesting mound has produced 142 hatchling Wood Turtles over the four years. We suggest that it is possible to entice female turtles to nest in a new area and that when nesting resources are limited, construction and protection of nesting areas can be a useful conservation action.

Through an examination of historical records maintained by a local bird club, consisting of naturalist diaries, daily check-lists, and informal bird surveys, we found that 44 springtime migrant bird species show evidence of an increasingly early first arrival date (FAD) during a 123-year record (1885 to 2008) in Dutchess County, NY. Ninety-one percent of the species showed a significant advance in FAD over this period, with the mean advance being 11.6 days/century. Using truncations of the full data-set corresponding to available data for changes in observer effort and population trends, we found that adding these ancillary independent variables to a multiple linear regression contributed little to explain the change in FAD in recent years. The advance in FAD is potentially an index of global climate change in this region.

The purpose of this paper is to document the spread of Dyssodia papposa (Asteraceae; Fetid Dogweed) along roadsides in eastern Canada. Fetid Dogweed is reported new to the provinces of Manitoba and Québec, Canada, and has greatly expanded its range along southern Ontario highways in the past 15 years. It is expected to continue to expand in northeastern North America. The distinctive appearance of this plant combined with earlier botanical fieldwork along Ontario highways makes it highly unlikely that this species was previously overlooked.

Identifying and conserving functioning headwater ecosystems is essential for ensuring the structure and function of natural ecosystem processes. The Passage Creek watershed (PCW) in Virginia is an upland tributary system of the North Fork Shenandoah River, which is found within the Potomac River basin. The PCW appears to maintain an array of terrestrial and fluvial habitats now uncommon in many adjacent watersheds because of human disturbance. We assessed the biotic condition of the PCW by sampling the fish, mollusk, and salamander assemblages throughout the watershed. We observed 29 fish, 9 salamander, and 4 aquatic mollusk species representing a variety of life histories and functional groups. Furthermore, we found that due to spatial differences in abundance and species richness, each assemblage offered unique insight into the condition of the PCW. The fish assemblage was indicative of those found in least disturbed areas within the Potomac basin, while salamander abundance and richness indicated areas of habitat degradation. Though we observed only one mussel species, the presence of native mussels suggested the PCW has maintained sufficient ecological condition to support long-lived animals potentially sensitive to low-level, additive, and compounding long-term disturbances, while neighboring watershed assemblages have collapsed. Given the relatively high species richness found within PCW, this watershed may be pivotal to the overall persistence of aquatic species in the Potomac basin and should receive high priority for future conservation efforts.

We summarize recently reported sightings of Megaptera novaeangliae (Humpback Whales) and Balaenoptera acuturostrata (Minke Whales) in the Hudson Bay region, in the eastern Canadian Arctic. Balaena mysticetus (Bowhead Whale) is the only baleen whale historically known from Hudson Bay, and during the commercial whaling era (1860–1915), no other large whale was reported to occur there. We note recent (ca. last 10 years) Humpback observations reported by local Inuit hunters in Hudson Bay and northern Foxe Basin. One Humpback was also observed by cetacean biologists in Ungava Bay during an aerial survey for Delphinapterus leucas (Beluga Whales). Minke Whales have previously been reported in southern Hudson Bay and James Bay, and recent discussions with Inuit hunters have indicated possible sightings in Foxe Basin and western Hudson Bay. They are commonly observed by Inuit in eastern Hudson Strait, where there have also been recent detections by biologists. Observations of these species in Hudson Bay and Foxe Basin may be related to reduced ice cover and increased open water, changes in prey species distributions, population recovery and growth following commercial whaling, or some combination of factors. More efficient reporting of observations is needed, and improved community-level monitoring would assist with documentation of temperate-region species in high-latitude areas.

We document use of surge tunnels at an abandoned quarry as hibernacula for bats and suggest that other such tunnels may be easily modified to create new hibernacula. Surge tunnels in Alpena County, MI, made possible a 230-km range extension for Perimyotis subflavus (Eastern Pipistrelle).

In June 2001, we located an active Ixobrychus exilis (Least Bittern) nest in Bass Harbor marsh on Mount Desert Island, Hancock County, ME. Only 2 other descriptions of Least Bittern nests exist for Maine, although based on other breeding evidence, the species is known to breed elsewhere in the state. We found the nest in a 0.7-ha Typha sp. (cattail)-dominated area within a larger (3.5 ha) freshwater wetland located ≈120 m from an 88-ha estuary. During the breeding season, most Least Bitterns in Maine and elsewhere are found in wetlands of greater size, usually >10 ha.

Recently, Patterson and Patterson (2010) documented a single Glaucomys sabrinus (Northern Flying Squirrel) having two litters in a single year in southern Ontario, Canada. We confirm this record and provide evidence for two new observations; 1) Northern Flying Squirrels will attempt a second litter after raising a successful first litter; and 2) Northern Flying Squirrels can be lactating and pregnant at the same time. We also present data on the frequency of polyestry in a single year. In 2008, 3 of 10 radio-collared flying squirrels in southern New Brunswick, Canada attempted two litters. The first litter was born in early June, and the second litter in mid-August. Our data suggest that polyestry in Northern Flying Squirrels may be relatively common in some years.