EEEDER REPORT 
     
    
   
   
    
     COLD WEATHER VISITORS AT CROSSROADS FEEDER by Arlene MacGuigan 
     
    
   
   
    
     On the morning of Jan. 18, 1982 -— the coldest day recorded 
     
     on the Island since 1877 —— we had our first close-up look at a 
     
     Snow Bunting. It spent the daylight hours of the storm perched in 
     
     the spruces overlooking the feeder outside the kitchen window and, 
     
     making frequent trips down to eat with the House Sparrows, Starlings 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     and Blue Jays. That same morning we found a sparrow dead at the 
     
     back door. The bunting returned the next day, but not since. 
     
    

    
     On the previous day, Jan. 17, a covey of ten Gray Partridge 
     
     arrived in the yard, nervously circled the house, then left. Three 
     
     days later they returned, but this time there were only nine. They 
     
     fed on the grain beneath the feeder, and have returned to feed 
     
     several times a day ever since. Their numbers dwindled to eight, 
     
     then to seven. Today, Jan. 30, the number is still seven. 
     
    

    
     On Wednesday, Jan. 20, as I opened the door to let my little 
     
     boy out to play, I was surprised to see a hawk with a starling in its claws, not 
     
     three feet from the back door. A number of starlings had been eating at the 
     
     feeder nearby, and obviously the hawk had plucked one from there. It remained in 
     
     the snow and began to kill the starling -— totally unconcerned that I was only a 
     
     few feet away and watching him. The children were upset by the episode, so I 
     
     tried to chase the hawk, hoping it would drop the starling. It did not let go, 
     
     but flew a few feet away, watching me. I got my bird book and found that it was 
     
     a male Sharp—shinned Hawk. Eventually it flew to the neighbours' lilac hedge to 
     
     have its supper in peace. Two days later at 9 a.m. the hawk returned to the 
     
     feeder, snatched a starling, flew several feet away beside our picnic table and 
     
     settled down in the snow to have breakfast. It remained about 30 minutes. No_ 
     
     other birds were seen in the yard or at the feeder until the following afternoon. 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     BILL REDDIN FEEDER AT TEA HILL. On the very cold day of Jan. 18 the following 
     
     birds were seen: 13 Gray Partridge, 12 Blue Jay, 1 American Crow, 12 Black- 
     
    
   
   
    
     capped Chickadee, 30 Evening Grosbeak, 2 Slate-colored Junco. An owl was also 
     
     heard close by at night. 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     HOLMAN FEEDER ON NORTH RIVER ROAD IN CHARLOTTETOWN. These birds were present 
     
     during January: 4 Rock Dove, l Downy Woodpecker, 2 American Crow, 3 Black— 
     
     capped Chickadee, l White-breasted Nuthatch, 15—20 Starling, 12 House Sparrow, 
     
     30-40 Evening Grosbeak, 1 Common Redpoll, 8-10 American Goldfinch. 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     CLARK FEEDER IN INDIAN RIVER. Writing on Feb. 19th Mrs. Clark reports the 
     
     following recent bird visitors to their feeder or in the vicinity of their yard: 
     
     4 Black Duck in the brook (Feb. l7), 4 (2m + 2f) Red-breasted Merganser (Feb. 8), 
     
     l Goshawk (Jan. 31), l Red-tailed Hawk (Jan. 31), 1 Mourning Dove (more than 60 
     
     had been present until mid January when all but one disappeared during a period 
     
     of extremely cold weather), 2 Hairy Woodpecker, 2 Downy Woodpecker, 3 doz. Blue 
     
     Jay, 2 Common Crow, 12+ Black—capped Chickadee, Boreal Chickadee, 2 doz. House 
     
     Sparrow, 4 Common Redpoll, l8 Dark-eyed Junco, 1 Song Sparrow. Mrs. Clark also 
     
     mentions that so far no Evening Grosbeaks have shown up although some which 
     
     hatched there stayed until December. Two years ago the wintering flocks arrived 
     
     in December and last year they came in January. 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     DUMVILLE FEEDER ON SUNSET DRIVE IN CHARLOTTETOWN. On Feb. 8 regular visitors 
     
     included 6+ Blue Jay, Black-capped Chickadee, 2 White-breasted Nuthatch, 20 
     
     Evening Grosbeak, and Dark—eyed Junco. One Red—breasted Nuthatch had also been 
     
     coming regularly and 4 Common Redpoll showed up that day. 
     
    
   
   
    
     IO 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     (continued on page 14....)