New issue: vol 126 issue 4 - with video accompaniment!

Our latest issue has an albino snake cover, but a cougar theme with three articles on cougar behaviour, distribution, and parasites.  Coyotes, red fox, fishers, and hares are also featured animals, along with purple loosestrife representing plants, and a sleuthing study of historic reddish egret collections in Nova Scotia.

This issue marks our first issue with a video supplement!  Mark Elbroch and Howard Quigley published an article with the word "kittens" in the title, but the video is not cute and cuddly.  The article and video show how cougar kittens may look big and strong, but their inexperience at killing prey seems to inhibit their hunting ability.  The video is embedded on our journal's website, associated with the article.  We look forward to publishing more articles with video supplements in the future.

Articles
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A Direct Comparison of Enclosed Track Plates and Remote Cameras in Detecting Fishers, Martes pennanti, in North Dakota (281-287)
Steven C. Loughry, Maggie D. Triska, Dorothy M. Fecske, Thomas L. Serfass


Population Structure of Harvested Red Foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and Coyotes (Canis latrans) on Prince Edward Island, Canada (288-294)
Wendela Wapenaar, Fiep de Bie, David Johnston, Ryan M. O'Handley, Herman W. Barkema


Stand-level Attributes of Snowshoe Hare (Lepus americanus) Habitat in a Post-Fire Trembling Aspen (Populus tremuloides) Chronosequence in Central Yukon (295-305)
Wayne L. Strong, Thomas S. Jung

Predicting the Spread of Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) in the Prairies (306-319)
Cory J. Lindgren, David Walker

Notes
--------
Cougars, Puma concolor, in Ontario: Additional Evidence (320-323)
Frank F. Mallory, Rebecca A.Carter, Jenny L. Fortier, I. Stuart Kenn, Linsay Weis, B. N. White

First Record of Parasites from Cougars (Puma concolor) in Manitoba, Canada (324-327)
O. K. Dare, W. G. Watkins


Evidence for the Collection of a Reddish Egret (Egretta rufescens) in Nova Scotia During the 19th Century and its Association with the McCulloch Collection of Birds (328-332)
Eric L. Mills

Observations of Wild Cougar (Puma concolor) Kittens with Live Prey: Implications for Learning and Survival (333-335)
L. Mark Elbroch, Howard Quigley

A Partial Albino Hatchling Northern Ring-necked Snake, Diadophispunctatus edwardsii, from Big Tancook Island, Mahone Bay, Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia, Canada (336-339)
John Gilhen, Graham Caswell, Carrie Drake, Mary MacDonald, Heather McKinnon-Ramshaw


Book Reviews
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"Scientific and Standard English Names of Amphibians and Reptiles of North America North of Mexico, with Comments Regarding Confidence in Our Understanding – Seventh Edition." chaired by Brian I. Crother. 2012. [book review] (340-341)
Francis R. Cook


"Amphibian Biology Volume 10. Conservation and Decline of Amphibians: Ecological Aspects. Effect of Humans, and Management" edited by Harold Heatwole and John W. Wilkinson. 2012. [book review] (341-342)
Francis R. Cook

"The Amphibians and Reptiles of Michigan: A Quaternary and Recent Faunal Adventure" by J. Alan Holman. 2012. [book review] (342-344)
Francis R. Cook

"Contributions to the History of Herpetology. Volume 3" edited by Kraig Adler. 2012. [book review] (344-345)
Francis R. Cook


"A Pocket Guide to Lizards and Turtles of Pennsylvania" by Walter E. Meshaka, Jr., and Joseph T. Collins. 2012. [book review] (345-346)
Francis R. Cook

"Owls of the World: A Photographic Guide" by Heimo Mikkola. 2012. [book review] (346)
C. Stuart Houston

"Rhizobia in China" by Chen Wenxin and Wang Entao. 2012. [book review] (347-348)
Li Dezhi, Qin Aili

"Biodiversity in Agriculture: Domestication, Evolution and Sustainability" edited by Paul Gepts et al. 2012. [book review] (348-349)
Tyler Smith

"The 2010 Norwegian Red List for Species" edited by John Atle Kålås et al. 2010. [book review] (349-350)
Falk Huettmann

"A Primer of Ecological Statistics, Second Edition" by Nicholas J. Gotelli and Aaron M. Ellison. 2013. [book review] (350-351)
Tremayne Stanton-Kennedy

New titles (352)


News and Comment
--------
Yorke Edwards, 1924–2011; The Canadian Herpetologist 2(2), Fall 2012 (353)


Club Reports
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The Ottawa Field-Naturalists’ Club Awards for 2011, Presented April 2012 (354-356)
Ken Allison, Irwin Brodo, Julia Cipriani, Christine Hanrahan, Eleanor Zurbrigg

Instructions for Authors (370-372)

Index to Volume 126 (357-369)

Canadian Field-Naturalist purchased by Elsevier, renamed "Canadian Journal of Natural Historyomics" (April Fools post)

It is my pleasure to announce that, after 133 years being a lowly non-profit journal dedicated to spreading knowledge of Canadian nature, we have decided to get with the times.  We have sold our journal to Elsevier.  Elsevier's second order of business, after raising subscription fees 500%, was to re-name the journal The Canadian Journal of Natural Historyomics.

Elsevier spokesperson Cyril Sneer said "What is natural history?  I don't know, and maybe you don't either.  But what is natural historyomics?  Everybody knows - it's something important because it says -omics."  He continued, "this isn't just a re-naming, this is a complete re-branding of a journal from something that screams 'old' to something that screams 'trendy - OMG!'"

Some have criticized our move, saying that adding "-omics" to the end of a word does nothing more than lengthen it.  Dr. Jonathan Eisen, a Professor in the Department of Evolution and Ecology at the University of California at Davis, disagrees.  "It is well known that adding -omics to the end of a word improves the quality of the underlying research."  In related news, Dr. Eisen has announced he will change his name to Dr. Eisenomics.

Editor-in-Chief of The Canadian Journal of Natural Historyomics, Dr. Carolyn Callaghan, praised the bold move.  "Our journal has changed names in the past.  It went by the name Transactions of the Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club from 1880-1887, then The Ottawa Naturalist for 1888-1918.  So The Canadian Journal of Natural Historyomics is the logical next step."

We have also entered into an agreement with the journal De Novo to collaborate on future projects such as their publication of Sasquatch genetics.

We welcome our new Elsevier overlords partners, and look forward to our future together.



*Yes, this whole post is an April Fool's joke.  Please don't take it seriously, take offence, or sue us.

E-mail address change

Our Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Carolyn Callaghan, is moving from her old e-mail address (editor at canadianfieldnaturalist dot ca) to a new one (thecanadianfieldnaturalist at gmail dot com).  We have experienced some problems with the @canadianfieldnaturalist.ca e-mail lately.  We are working with our server to fix the problem, but feel a gmail address will be most reliable.  Thank you for your understanding.

If you sent an e-mail to an @canadianfieldnaturalist.ca e-mail address recently and have not received a response, please re-send your e-mail to the @gmail.com address.  We apologize for this problem, and hope the e-mail change will fix it.  We may or may not revert back to the @canadianfieldnaturalist.ca e-mail address once we have fixed its problem with our server host - we will see.  Always in motion the future is.

UPDATE: We have switched domain hosting from ExpertHost to NamesPro, and our e-mails and website are more reliable now.  Everything is working fine.

New issue published: vol 126 issue 3

We have published a new issue!  Actually we published it a couple of weeks ago, but I was busy finishing my PhD thesis revisions (my PhD is finally over), so this blog post had to wait on a back burner temporarily.  I apologize for the delay.

Volume 126 issue 3 covers a variety of taxa, regions, and topics, as you've come to expect from CFN.  Predictors of snake roadkill? Check.  Caribou crossing sea ice? Check.  Plus some of the most bad-ass animals are featured in all their bad-ass glory: badgers, fishers, wolves, and lamprey.  And orchids and willows, which I will also call bad-ass just so my botanist friends do not flog me with poison ivy.  Enjoy the issue!

Articles
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The Influence of Willow Salix sp. Rose Insect Galls on Moose Alces alces Winter Browsing (189-193)
Roy V. Rea

Proximity to Hibernacula and Road Type Influence Potential Road Mortality of Snakes in Southwestern Saskatchewan (194-203)
Ashley N. Fortney, Ray G. Poulin, Jessica A. Martino, Dennilyn L.Parker, Christopher M. Somers

Early Spawning by the American Brook Lamprey (Lethenteron appendix) in Southeastern Minnesota (204-209)
Philip A. Cochran, Mark A. Ross, Thomas S. Walker, Trevor Biederman

First Specimens of the Marine Eels Venefica ocella and V. tentaculata (Nettastomatidae) from British Columbia (210-216)
Gavin F. Hanke, Steven M. Roias


Notes
--------
Sea Ice Crossing by Migrating Caribou, Rangifer tarandus, in Northwestern Alaska (217-220)
Kyle Joly

Use of a Dorsal Radio-Transmitter Implant in American Badgers, Taxidea taxus (221-225)
Gilbert Proulx, Neil MacKenzie

Observations of Nocturnal Hunting Behaviour of American Badgers, Taxidea taxus, in Southwestern Saskatchewan (226-230)
Gilbert Proulx, Neil MacKenzie

A Significant Range Extension for the Eastern Ribbonsnake, Thamnophis sauritus, in Nova Scotia, Canada (231-233)
John Gilhen, Alice Jones, Jeffie McNeil, Arthur W. Tanner

In situ Caching of a Large Mammal Carcass by a Fisher, Martes pennanti (234-237)
Ethan A. Hüner, Justin F. B. Peter

Severe Maxillary Osteomyelitis in a Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) (238-241)
Shannon Barber-Meyer

The Impact of Deer Herbivory and Drought on Population Growth of Goodyera pubescens (Orchidaceae) in Southwestern Quebec (242-244)
Joyce M. Reddoch, Allan H. Reddoch


Tributes and Obituaries
--------
A Tribute to Stewart Dixon MacDonald, 1927–2010 (245-251)
David R. Gray, Sally E. Gray

A Tribute to Donald M. Britton (1923–2012), Canada’s Premier Pteridologist (252-259)
Daniel F. Brunton


Book Reviews
--------
"Birds of Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan" by Raffael Ayé et al. 2012. [book review] (260-261)
Roy John

"Birds of the Masai Mara" by Adam Kennedy and "Animals of theMasai Mara" by Adam and Vicki Kennedy. 2012. [book review] (261-262)
Roy John

"Squirrels of the World" by R. W. Thorington et al. 2012. [book review] (262)
Randy Lauff

"Okanagan Geology South: Geologic Highlights of the South Okanagan Valley, British Columbia" edited by Murray A. Roed and Robert J. Fulton. 2011. [book review] (263-264)
Alwynne B. Beaudoin

New titles (264)
Roy John


News and Comment
--------
Northeast Natural History Conference 2013; American Society of Mammalogists Annual Meeting 2013 (265)
Carolyn Callaghan


Errata
--------
Erratum: Caractéristiques d’une population introduite du Grand brochet, Esox lucius, dans le lac Ramsay, Parc de la Gatineau, Québec, et impact sur l’ichtyofaune. (2005) 119(3): 359-366. (265)
Josiane Vachon, Brigitte F. Lavallée, François Chapleau


Club Reports
--------
Minutes of the 133rd Annual Business Meeting of The Ottawa Field-Naturalists’ Club January 10, 2012 (266-277)
Ann MacKenzie

Instructions for Authors (278-280)
Carolyn Callaghan

Happy New Year!

Welcome to 2013! Our gift to you: an updated list of 2013 conferences relevant to Canadian (and northern US) natural history and ecology!  Just click on the "Bio Conference Listing" tab.  And bookmark it.  And tell all your friends!

May your 2013 be natural and historic!

New issue published: vol 126 issue 2

We have now published the Spring 2012 issue of CFN.  We are well on our way to being fully caught up in our publication schedule!  The table of contents is below with links to the articles.  You'll find great articles on rodents, bats, birds, and the Yew tree among other things. Enjoy!

Articles
--------
Ecology of a Recently Discovered Population Segment of Blanding’s Turtles, Emydoidea blandingii, in Barren Meadow and Keddy Brooks, Nova Scotia (89-94)
José Lefebvre, Stephen W. Mockford, Tom B. Herman

An Addition to the Mammalian Fauna of Saskatchewan: The Western Harvest Mouse, Reithrodontomys megalotis (95-102)
Gilbert Proulx, Benjamin P. Proulx

Distribution and Relative Abundance of Richardson’s Ground Squirrels,Urocitellus richardsonii, According to Soil Zones and Vegetation Height in Saskatchewan During a Drought Period (103-110)
Gilbert Proulx, Keith MacKenzie, Neil MacKenzie

Trends and Fluctuations in Bird Populations on the Tundra at Cambridge Bay, Nunavut (111-116)
C. Martin Lok, Jaap A. J. Vink

Foods of Bats (Family Vespertilionidae) at Five Locations in New Hampshire and Massachusetts (117-124)
Howard H. Thomas, Paul R. Moosman, Jacques Pierre Veilleux, Jason Holt

Bat Populations and Cave Microclimate Prior to and at the Outbreak ofWhite-Nose Syndrome in New Brunswick (125-134)
Karen J. Vanderwolf, Donald F. McAlpine, Graham J. Forbes, David Malloch

Site Fidelity and Annual Survival of the Western Yellow-breasted Chat (Icteria virens auricollis) at the Northern Edge of its Range (135-142)
René McKibbin, Christine A. Bishop

Genetic Evidence Supports Boreal Chickadee (Poecile hudsonicus) × Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) Hybridization in Atlantic Canada (143-147)
Linda A. Lait, Randy F. Lauff, Theresa M. Burg

Notes
--------
High Spring Mortality of Adult Richardson’s Ground Squirrels, Urocitellus richardsonii, Associated with a Severe Rainstorm in Southwestern Saskatchewan (148-151)
Gilbert Proulx

Size of Territories and Home Ranges of Male Western Yellow-breasted Chats (Icteria virens auricollis) in British Columbia (152-156)
René McKibbin, Christine A. Bishop

Urban White-tailed Jackrabbits (Lepus townsendii) Eat Spike Plants (Cordyline australis) in Winter (157-159)
Alwynne B. Beaudoin, Yves Beaudoin

Resistance of Canada Yew (Taxus canadensis) Branch Wood to Two Wood Decay Fungi (160-163)
Dana L. Richter, Amy M. Berns, Clare F. Frederick

Tributes and Obituaries
--------
A Tribute to Charles Hogg Douglas, 1923–2004 (164-166)
Edward L. Bousfield, Francis R. Cook

A Tribute to Phillip Merrill Youngman: 1927–2011 (167-171)
Irwin M. Brodo, Francis R. Cook

Book Reviews
--------
"All the Birds of Nova Scotia" by Ian McLaren. 2012. [book review] (172-173)
Roy John

"The ROM Field Guide to Freshwater Fishes of Ontario" by E. Nicholas et al. 2009. [book review] (173-174)
Brian W. Coad

"Population Demography of Northern Spotted Owls" by E. Forsman et al. 2011. [book review] (174-175)
C. Stuart Houston

"Venomous Reptiles of the United States, Canada, and Northern Mexico. Volume 1" by C. Ernst, and E. Ernst. 2011. [book review] (175)
David Seburn

"A Field Guide to the Wildlife of South Georgia" by Robert Burton and John Croxall. 2012. [book review] (176-177)
Roy John

"The Ecology of Plant Secondary Metabolites: From Genes to Global Processes" edited by G. Iason et al. 2012. [book review] (178)
William J. Crins

"In the Memory of the Map: A Cartographic Memoir" by C. Norment. 2012. [book review] (179-180)
Alwynne B. Beaudoin

New titles (181)

News and Comment
--------
Emergency COSEWIC Assessment for Three Species of Bats; The Canadian Herpetologist Spring 2012; Global Wildlife Resources - Wildlife Handling Job Board; Letter to the Editor responding to book review (182-183)

Club Reports
--------
Editor’s Report for Volume 125 (2011) (184-185)
Carolyn C. Callaghan

Instructions for Authors (186-188)

CFN Corporate Executives in Action

Our latest Publications Committee meeting was held at our Editor-in-Chief's farm.  Carolyn took us on a tour and we (actually, not so much me as the wiser naturalists there) compiled a list of species on her property, including some regionally rare ones.  Carolyn's horses were my son's favourite finds of the day!  He is still galloping around at home with what looks like a cross between a mad horse and Gangnam Style.

It's nice to be a part of a team that walks the walk, loving natural history.  I doubt Elsevier's committee meetings are in similar settings.