THE BIRDS OF CHRISTMAS 1990 by Dan McAskill 
     
    
   
   
    
     After counters were in the field for the first several hours of this 
     
     year's National Park count, many probably wished it was cancelled. As Bruce 
     
     Pigot put it "Not Fit. A prime example of what a driving southeast rain storm 
     
     can do to a bird count". However, the count was carried out and Park's Canada 
     
     staff hosted those that braved the roads to a hot lunch cooked at the Dalvay 
     
     shelter. All those who made it expressed a heartfelt thanks to the chefs. 
     
     Bruce's closing comments on his count report "It was a correct decision to 
     
     proceed with the count" held true for 36 species were seen. 
     
    

    
     Well, the Montague counters have clearly established a new record number 
     
     of species for the P.E.I. Christmas bird counts. 52 species were seen on the 
     
     count day and an additional 5 species were seen during the count period. The 
     
     record of 48 count day species and 2 additional species in the period set in 
     
     the Hillsborough Count only 3 days previously was quickly surpassed! 
     
    

    
     The count summaries were as follows: (CP = Count Period) 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     Species Number in the Count Area 
     
     National Park Hillsborough Montague 
     
    

    
     Common Loon 3 
     
     Northern Gannet 1 
     
     Great Cormorant CP 2 1 
     
     Double-crested Cormorant 7 
     
     Great Blue Heron 1 1 
     
    

    
     Canada Geese 217 1565 315 
     
     Mallard 4 2 21 
     
     Black Duck 1122 852 652 
     
     Green-winged Teal 1 
     
    

    
     Northern Pintail 20 CP 1 
     
     American Nidgeon 1 
     
    

    
     Scaup sp. 22 38 
     
    

    
     Common Goldeneye 195 98 191 
     
     Barrow's Goldeneye 3 
     
     Bufflehead 1 
     
     Oldsquaw 8 62 182 
     
     Black Scoter ' 20 
     
     Scoter sp. 1 
     
     Common Merganser 237 14 110 
     
     Red-breasted Merganser 4 18 
     
     Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 3 
     
    

    
     Red-tailed Hawk 1 1 
     
     Rough-legged Hawk 5 1 
     
     Bald Eagle 2 CP 1 8 
     
     Northern Harrier 4 
     
    

    
     Osprey 3 
     
     Ruffed Grouse 1 3 3 
     
     Ring-necked Pheasant 1 1 
     
     Gray Partridge 5 CP 10 11 
     
     Iceland Gull 9 1 
     
     Ring-billed Gull 2 10 
     
    

    
     Great Black-backed Gull 85 149 106 
     
     Herring Gull 204 421 517 
     
     Ivory Gull 1 
     
    
   
   
    
     Dovekie 1 CP 1 
     
     ' -11-