"92nd CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNTS ‘ ~ ‘by Dan McAskill

‘For the past 20 years-the members of the Natural History Society of‘ Prince Edward_Island and their friends have participated in the P.E.I.. ‘ National Park and the Hillsborough Christmas Bird Counts which are registered with American Birds. In 1983, a third unregistered count'area was established around Montague and Murray Barbour. These counts cover a circle 24 kilometers in diameter and thus encompass a large area of land and water. The National Park count stretches from Wheatley River to Blooming Point and from‘ _ ' . Hillsborough River to the Gulf of St.-Lawrence while the Hillsborough count ranges firom Cumberland to Point Prim and from Bethel to Charlottetown Harbour “ entrance. The Montague count runs from, Poole's Corner to Murray.River'and from Valleyfield and Caledonia to the waters off Graham's Point. To tell if you're in the census circles consult the maps diSplayed at the Society's . meeting or contact Dan McAskill at 569-4351 or Gary Schneider at 838-2678.

Birders are arranged in groups to cover Specific areas outlined on maps- ' Normally, there is an attempt made to combine novice birders with experienced birders so that the novices haVe an opportunity to meet a fellow birder and learn from him or her. Those participating in the count keep track of the number of birds of each species seen, the number of kilometers driven and walked, and the amount of time spent driving, walking, or listening.v With the exception of feeder watchers, those participating in a registered count must pay a registration fee of $5 to assist in covering the costs of publishing the results of the over 1,500 registered counts in Bdrth America.

The National Audubon Society and American Birds have set the dates for. this year's the Christmas Bird Counts. They must be held between December 14, ' 1991 and January 2, 1992. To meet this objectiVe, the P.E.I. Christmas Bird “Counts have been scheduled as follows: . v ' , ‘ ' P.E.I. National Park Count Sunday, December 15' Montague Count " v Sunday, December 22 _ Hillsborough Count ' 'Saturday, December 28.-

rIf you wish to participate in either or both the P.E.I. National Park and the Hillsborough counts, contact Dan McAskill at 569-4351. 'If you are "interested in the Montague Count contact Gary Schneider at 838-2678. For those participating in the counts, a pot luck supper will follow the December 28th count at 6:30 p.m. at Dan McAskill‘s in Donagh; Count fees will be collected the evening of the pot-luck 1 '

BIRD BIOLOGY HOME COURSE . “ - v The Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, a world’renowned center for bird study offers a home-study course in bird biology. They will send you a free _information package on the course if you contact them at Heme Study Course, -Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, Dept. DFW, 159 SapSucker Woods Road, IthaCa, New York 14850 or telephone 607-254-2444.

NEW BOOK IN PRESS.

Island photographer Wayne Barrett has combined his superb photographic

' skills with the prose and knowledge of Stuart Tingley to produce his latest book, Wings over Water, Coastal Birds and Waterfowl of the Atlantic. It will go on sale about the time you receive this newsletter. The book features Istunning photographs of 120 species from our region.

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