1996-97 CHRISW BIRD COUNTS: by J. Dan McAskill &

Ruth Richman

The winter of 1996-97 marked the 97th year that participants have gone to their portion of a count circle to participate in the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Counts. For many of us, it has become a yearly tradition that allows us to have one, two, or three pleasant days out with friends counting birds. The benefit to all North American’s is often forgotten during the spirit of the occasion. These counts offer valuable information on the population trends of many species.

This year, 66 participants went to the field and 35 families watched their feeders. The Montague contingent edged out the Billsborough counters by one species with a total of 48 on the count day. Montague counters added another three during the three day period before and after the count. The PEI National Park count despite a slow start to the day ended up with a respectable 34 species. In total, the three counts recorded 72 species and a total of 20,596 birds.

The reports by area are provided below.

W Wheels". Mien- Wheat»:- mm m w Tod Mala-1M w W Ted mom 1 1 c.“ 17 17 WOW! 1 g g my“. 1 1 W 3h- H-M 2 1 European sumo 302 5702 1050 7134 Calms-ss- 421 ‘23 90 939 — 1 ‘ Menu 2 10 13 — 1 1 EM M 238 1173 6“ 3°93 mm 12 149 173 334 W W 1 2 3 km W a 3 M UID 6 - W 9-.“ 1 1 mm 46 101 ‘88 Q5 M‘ W 33 2 13 16‘ sum cud-m 8 5 Cam Rscbcl 19 19 w 33 3 ‘57 ‘93 no. sum 19 10 29 56' ‘0 ‘° Amsncan 60101111131 23 107 431 591 W Scour 1 1 1 1 COMM ‘20 57 ‘15 ‘92 mnumco 2 12 00 02 Rm 1 3 ‘ anncsn TmSpum 3 31 34 SUP-W HM 1 ‘ 94mm) Spam 2 2 Rod-hind HM 1 1 MW 1 2 3 wa*wwHwk 3 1 4 smws» 1 n i- 3.“ Eng- 3 6 20 29 w Law: 1 1 Nam-m Hunsr 1 1 2 am mung so 83 173 m use 1 1 ? Tau ans 2557 10397 7143 20597 b Rule-16ml.- 2 4 2 Tu W“ 34 47 a 5 W M 1 ‘ cm Pm Spades 3 Gil-1001:3111 1 9 2 1: on: Doc. 21193 Dec 23193 4m 4m W ' ' :11 cm: mac-d cu 70 331 77 473 W; “I ,l ‘3 :3 3 Law aha-mam: on 1 1 W; Hm ca 423 953 504 1300 R“ m 2 We: 15 11 2' Seals 0 2 kmflm‘a‘ ” a ‘3' mmnnn N2 51 a 7m 9"” 5 2 553 m Han 10 13:1 10 33.3 R” 9°" 5’ “3 a 7‘ 01m Km 519.3 323.2 335.3 1173.40 m 0"“ ° '9 Hun 29.17 323 337.5 419.47 w W 1 3 4 “wsw m we "‘9'" "d" 5 5 mm Endng 1545 1700 “'1 WW ‘1 7 1‘ mu any Han 33.17 31.3 45.75 1152: MW 1 12 21 34 M Hm o o o W 1 a 04.19 mm: o o o W $9 1 5 9191' CM- ".0111. 0 5 WM 142 142 s‘w“ w_*mm 3° 5° 1m “ 1 1 saw-wanna o 10 20 au- J-y 5" 375 521 953 From wmr- 11 frozen 5o 75 100 cam-0n Raven 28 ” 7° 13‘ Wsshsr. Mum-n Crw 430 540 0“ 157‘ mandamus) 3 2 cum 110 275 330 730 1 . m 02 m M“

Bond cam 10 15 1 3: m x m M“. Moo

1 1mm c -5.7 -4.3 -4 “Wm WM" 5 7 ‘2 wm Sposd- MM 14.7 10.4 mm m m 2 2 4 Prov-l. m m we was! "m “11°” 7 ‘5 g 3: Max. Wine 59...: 37 1s Gammon! W Bahamian Wm 12 ‘2 M08. M111 Prov. w wsw 535

A special thanks to Ruth Richman and Gary Schneider who compiled the Montague COunts, to Ben Hoteling who assisted with the Hillsborough Count, and to Maurice Roy of the PEI National Park who provided the Dalvay Interpretive Centre and stoked the fire for the potluck! Thanks also to the many participants, namely:

Lenore Andrews; Graeme & Molly Armstrong; Ron Arvidson; Suzanne Barnes; Gwen Beck; Eileen Best; Bill Bowerbank; Lenice Brandon; Mary & Fred Bradley; Pat and Cathy Chan; Donna Collings; Ray Cooke; Rosemary Curley; Wanda Curley; Emery Downing; Liz Driscoll; Susanne Essensa; Chris & Blair Fraser; Beth and David Grant; Don & Jane

-5-