1976 HILLSBOROUGH CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT

It was pouring rain near the time some counters should have been getting on the road on December 27th. The count was postponed until December 28th which was sunny all day but fairly cold. Travelling was excellent —

but no skiing or snowshoeing this time. The count area was a lS-mile— diameter circle centered just east of Governor's Island and passing through Bunbury, Mt. Herbert, Mt. Albion, Vernon, Eldon, Fairview and including the Prim Point Peninsula, Earnscliffe Peninsula, Rocky Pt. Peninsula, St. Peter's Island and Charlottetown wharf area.

There were 12 observers-—9 in 5 parties and 3 at feeders. The following counters spent an eight-hour day in the open: Anna Cairns, David K. Cairns (Compiler), Winnifred L. Cairns, Roy Horton, Margaret Mallett, Dave Smith, Paul Smith, Mary Willms, John Wright.

COUNT Cormorant 2 Downy Woodpecker 6 Great Blue Heron 1 Blue Jay 51 Black Duck 171 Common Raven 11 Common Goldeneye 895 Common Crow 432 Barrow's Goldeneye ' 35 Black-capped Chickadee 76 Oldsquaw 65 Boreal (Brown-capped) Chickadee 35 White-winged Scoter 1 Robin 1 Common Merganser 182 Golden—crowned Kinglet 2 Red—breasted Merganser 14 Common Starling _ 197 Bald Eagle (adult) 1 Yellow—rumped (Myrtle) Warbler 3 Ruffed Grouse (Partridge) 2 House (English) Sparrow 433 Ring-necked Pheasant 2 Evening Grosbeak 15 Gray Partridge 14 Common Redpoll 4 Iceland Gull 1 American Goldfinch 12 Great Black-backed Gull 506 Darkeyed (Slate—colored) Junco l4 Herring Gull 509 Tree Sparrow 1 Rock Dove (Pigeon) 90 White—throated Sparrow 8 Mourning Dove 2 Song Sparrow l Hairy Woodpecker 1 Snow Bunting 110

Total Species 38; total individuals 3906

1977 Christmas Bird Counts in P.E.I. National Park Area and Hillsborough Area will both be planned together to minimize long distance telephone calls. Counters should get their names in as soon as it appears that they will be available. It remains to be verified, but December 17, 1977 to January 2, 1978 would appear to be the logical count period, with December 17th or 19th the likely date for the National Park area count.

INTERPRETING THE 1976 CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT

In the Guardian January 4, 1977, a report appeared of the Christmas

Bird Count conducted by the P.E.I. Natural History Society. This report must have been of great interest to nature lovers all over the pro- vince, especially to the growing number of citizens who maintain bird ‘feeding stations.

It is possible that some people were a bit confused by some of the

names used. These names are approved by the "American Orithological Union" but for many of us other names are more familiar. For example, "Gray Partridge" are much better known as "Hungarian Partridge". Other examples include "Dark—eyed Junco" usually referred to as "Slate—colored Junco", "House Sparrow" is more commonly known as "English Sparrow".

How many of us would recognize "Rock Dove" as our common "Pigeon"?

"Pink Grosbeak", of course, was a printing error and obviously referred to "Pine Grosbeak".