Cross Country Skiing

There appears to be an active winter in store for cross-country ski enthusiasts. For the first time the Brookvale Ski Resort is equipped for cross country skiing and tobogganing. The wooded area has 10 miles of marked trails with means for longer tours when re— quired. The three main trails are 1.5 kilometers, 2.5 kilometers and 6.5 kilometers in length. The Rental Shop is well supplied with

equipment which can be obtained on a daily basis at very reasonable rates.

The P.E.I. Outdoor Recreation Association will be sponsoring ski clinics and other outings again this year. If you would like more information on this or want to receive their newsletter, contact Andre Lavoie at 892—3561.

For those who have never tried cross country skiing, there are excellent opportunities available to learn more about this extremely enjoyable activity.

— Diane Griffin

Christmas Bird Count Anecdote --"A Kingfisher Tale"

About 10 a.m. December 21, the day of the Hillsborough count, we stopped in Mt. Herbert where the road crosses Fullerton's Creek (at junction with Route 215). Looking downstream we saw a Belted Kingfisher just lighting on a dead tree. About two hours later we had to pass the same way again. We stopped and had a look. The Kingfisher was still there, rattling quietly to himself.

On Sunday, December 29, in Mt. Herbert again, we stopped to look. No, there was no Kingfisher in that tree. I got out of the car and then I could hear his subdued rattle upstream on the other side of the road.

A tough way to;make a living in cold weather--perched in a tree, waiting for a little fish to swim by and then diving headfirst into the frigid water.

— Margaret Mallett Charlottetown

Bird Check-List

Copies of the P-E.I. Bird Check—List are available free-of—charge from the Department of the Environment and Tourism, P.O. Box 2000, Charlottetown.