BAILLIE FUND GRANTS AVAILABLE:

The James L. Baillie Memorial Fund supports projects that involve volunteers in education, research, or data collection concerning Canadian birds. In 1995, the Fund distributed $47,800 from the annual Baillie Birdathon to support bird research and conservation projects. Grants are in the range of $200 to $3,000 and average about $1,000.

The 1996 deadline for applications is January 27th. The Baillie Fund offers grants for projects that:

o involve research or education;

0 contribute to the preservation of Canadian birds; and

o initiate and support migration monitoring stations

(bird observatories) that monitor Canadian birds during migrations.

For further information, contact David J.T. Hussell, Secretary, James L. Baillie Memorial Fund, Canadian Centre for the Study and Preservation of Birds, P.O. Box 160, Port Rowan, Ontario NOE 1M0 Telephone 519-586-3531.

FIRST ANNUAL AUTUMN CLASSIC BIRDATHON by J. Dan McAskill

Saturday, October 14th was one of those incredibly warm, sunny, autumn days with the hills clad in the spectacular yellows, reds, browns,

and greens of the northern mixed woods. However, the Birdathon was planned for the 15th, not for Saturday the 14th, and the weather forecast, rain and high winds, was ominous. These were not very good

forecast conditions for the Island’s First Autumn Classic Birdathon. Phone calls amidst the team indicated that we would go despite the apprehension over the weather.

With sunrise still four hours away, the Island Nature Trust’s birding team of Ray Cooke, Roberta Palmer, Linda Thomas, and Dan McAskill assembled at Beach Grove. Contrary to the forecast, it was a warm night with a light breeze. Perfect conditions for owl calling and the listening required to hear their often muted replies.

I “0‘ So, feeling much better, we were off f__‘_Jmflm”mm1“LlaL_‘—_"-— to the birder’s friendly coffee house to

fortify ourselves for the trip to ‘the primary owling site. The first bird sightings were that of cormorants' tails silhouetted against their droppings on the bridge piers. For sure, this was not sufficient detail to register a definite species despite our knowledge of the site’s autumn composition. The first stop on route 5 caused a chorus of dogs to register our arrival and we decided to forego the calls and move onward. The next stop was in Mount Albion and here the day started in style with the faint but definite response of a saw-whet repeated so all could hear it. Then the

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