as the Semipalmated Sandpiper when roosting resemble the pebbles on a beach. They erupt in spectacular flashing bands of wing bars when disturbed by avian predators. In early August, one group of shorebirds at Dorchester Cape was estimated at over 300,000 birds.(source Bruce Johnson, CWS Sackville)

The announcement by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that 2 California Condors, hatched this past spring in captivity at the San Diego Wild Animal Park and the Los Angeles Zoo, will be released in September was welcome news to birders. The capture of the last wild condors which were threatened with lead poisoning from the eating of animal carcasses containing lead shot was a controversial decision. The success of the captive breeding program this year (13 chicks hatched from 22 eggs) led to the decision. (adapted from "Birder's World", October 1991)

FEEDER HATCH NEWS adapted frOm Er -a -. Earn 1"‘

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The number of active participants in Canada stayed about the same as in the previous winter (refer to map). As we consider 25 records from a province to be the bare minimum, we are considering new ways of increasing participation. Therefore, until October 1, 1991, anyone in the territories or in a province with less than 25 active participants is invited to sign up for next winter for only $5.00. Here's a great Christmas idea

Figure 1. Number ofoclive F eederWalch panicrpau: in each

for your bird-feeding friends and pmwmnMMmmuuanL relatives.

The following table provides the information recorded by Feederwatch participants in eastern Canada. How did yoor feeder compare?

NOVA SCOTIA NEW BRUNSWICK ' (Include: Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland) Specie: Percenlage Ave. it Specter Perceniage Ave. I of/eederr per feeder offeederr per feeder viriled per week visited per week American Goldfinch 96 + 15.5 H» Black-capped Chickadee 95 - 4.0 - Blue Jay 96 + 5.4 + Blue Jay 93 - 4.2 - Black-capped Chickadee 96 - 5.1 «r Evening Grosbeak 85 + 9.5 H Evening Grosbeak 93 + 15.0 H Dark-eyed Junco 80 - 3.5 - European Starling 82 + 4.1 - American Goldfinch 75 - 10.6 H Dark-eyed Junco 82 + 1.5 + European Starling 73 - 5.3 + Pine Siskin 78 + 2.8 ++ Pine Siskin 70 H- 5.7 H Downy Woodpecker 78 - 0.6 - American Crow 68 - 1.6 - American Tree Sparrow 74 + 3.0 - Downy Woodpecker 55 o 0.6 - Hairy Woodpecker 70 - 0.7 Song Sparrow 50 - 0.4 + Mourning Dove 67 + 4.8 4» House Sparrow 48 - 4.6 - Red~breasled Nuthatch 67 + 0.8 4» Purple Finch 45 H 0.4 +4» Red-winged Blackbird 63 + 0.9 - Common Crackle 45 - 0.4 — Common Grackie 56 - 0.8 - Red-winged Blackbird 40 + 0.4 - House Sparrow 44 + 1.8 - Hairy Woodpecker 38 - 0.4 ~ Purple Finch 44 <H- 0.1 H Red-breasted Nuthatch ' 38 - 0.3 — American Crow 37 + 0.6 +4- Mourning Dove 33 - 1.6 — Rock Dave 33 + 7.2 + American Robin 33 - 0.1 — Common Raven 30 + 0.2 + Brown-headed Cowbird 30 - 0.9 ~ Brown-beaded Cowbird 3O - 0.2 - American Tree Sparrow 30 - 0.4 -— Song Sparrow 30 4- 0.1 + Sharp-shinned Hawk 30 + 0.1 + American Robin 22 + 0.1 + Fox Sparrow 28 + 0.1 + Sharp-shinned Hawk 22 - 0.0 - Rock Dove 25 «r 0.9 - Pine Grosbeak 15 < 0.4 9 Common Raven 18 H- 0.1 - Gray Jay 15 + 0.1 - While-Mater: Sparrow 18 - 0.1 - While-doomed Sparrow 15 - 0.0 - Pine Grosbeak 15 H 0 7 ++ “Rule-breasted Nuthatch 15 - 0 2 -

Feederwatch News requested that participants record the number of birds killed in window collisions during the winter of 1989-90. Nine percent of all feeder watchers reported one or more window-killed birds, with an average of

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