1993—4 CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNTS SUMMARY 
     
    
   
   
    
     by J. Dan McAskill & 
     
     Gary Schneider 
     
    
   
   
    
     Perhaps the best word to describe the Hillsborough and Montague counts 
     
    
   
   
    
     this year was "birr". 
     
    
   
   
    
     Despite the bitter cold, the number of species seen was 
     
    
   
   
    
     excellent with 42 on the Hillsborough Count day (44 in the seven day count 
     
    
   
   
    
     period) and 49 on the Montague Count day (54 in the count period). 
     
    
   
   
    
     Whether it 
     
    
   
   
    
     was the balmy weather during the National Park Count or the improved endurance 
     
     of the counters not facing wind chills 
     
     the 53 count day species is debatable. 
     
     those that made it to hill and dale or 
     
    
   
   
    
     enjoyable day! 
     
    
   
   
    
     Jean Ouellette again took on the 
     
     Park count, warming the Dalvay shelter 
     
     the shelter was fairly full and the crowd was partaking of a varied feast of 
     
    
   
   
    
     main dishes and desserts brought for the pot-luck. 
     
    
   
   
    
     of -40 to —55°c. 
     
    
   
   
    
     that contributed to 
     
    
   
   
    
     Despite the vagaries of the weather, 
     
     watched the feeder reported an 
     
    
   
   
    
     role of host at the P.E.I. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Nati 
     
    
   
   
    
     and cooking up a pot of stew. 
     
    
   
   
    
     onal 
     
     By 1230 
     
    
   
   
    
     Following the Hillsborough 
     
    
   
   
    
     count, Diane and Kevin Griffin hosted the counters who braved the weather. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Roast Canada goose, 
     
    
   
   
    
     a variety of other treats, 
     
    
   
   
    
     counters rounded out a brutally cold day. 
     
     On Friday, January 7th, the highlights of the various Christmas Bird 
     
     Counts in the Maritimes were featured on the Costas Holobrasis CBC-FM radio 
     
    
   
   
    
     show. 
     
    
   
   
    
     and the camaraderie of the 
     
    
   
   
    
     Costas led Sheila Coors (N.S.), Jim Wilson (N.B.), and Dan McAskill 
     
    
   
   
    
     discussed the highlights, the abnormalities, the values of the information, 
     
    
   
   
    
     the feasts, 
     
    
   
   
    
     camaraderie, 
     
    
   
   
    
     and, of course, 
     
    
   
   
    
     venture out in it at the extremes seen on certain counts. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Observations 
     
    
   
   
    
     Common Loon 
     
     Great Cormorant 
     
    
   
   
    
     Double—crested Cormorant 
     
    
   
   
    
     Great Blue Heron 
     
     Canada Geese 
     
     Mallard 
     
     Mallard/Black Hybrid 
     
     Black Duck 
     
    

    
     Northern Pintail 
     
     Green-winged Teal 
     
     Blue—winged Teal 
     
     Scaup sp. 
     
    

    
     Common Goldeneye 
     
     Barrow's Goldeneye 
     
     Oldsquaw 
     
     White-winged Scoter 
     
     Common Merganser 
     
     Red-breasted Merganser 
     
     Duck sp. 
     
    

    
     Northern Goshawk 
     
     Sharp-shinned Hawk 
     
     Bald Eagle 
     
    

    
     Northern Harrier 
     
     Hawk unidentified 
     
     Ruffed Grouse 
     
     Ring-necked Pheasant 
     
    
   
   
    
     Number in the Count Area 
     
    
   
   
    
     National Park Hillsborough Montague 
     
     ......2.... . . . . . ........................ 
     
     .............. . . . . . . ..2CP....... . . . . . ... 
     
     ......1................................. 
     
     ......1. . . . . . . . . . . ...................... 
     
     ....750..............76.............14.. 
     
     . . . . ..9...............2.............16.. 
     
     ....634.............675............545.. 
     
     ............ . . . . . . . . ..{..............4.. 
     
     ......l.... . . . . . . . . . . ................... 
     
     ......lfP............................... 
     
     ....320..............27............118.. 
     
     ......1... . . . . . . . . ............ . . . . . ..3.. 
     
     .....72.... . . . . .......3............184.. 
     
     . . . . ..4................................. 
     
     .....35...............5............498.. 
     
     ......1.............................11.. 
     
    
   
   
    
     ......l..............................l.. 
     
    
   
   
    
     ......1..............................3.. 
     
    
   
   
    
     ....................................10.. 
     
    
   
   
    
     coo-coo- 
     
    
   
   
    
     coco-ooo-ocooc 
     
    
   
   
    
     coco...ooooooloooosocooooooo...ooooo‘o 
     
    
   
   
    
     ......3...............2..............l.. 
     
    
   
   
    
     .....................12................. 
     
    
   
   
    
     4— 
     
    
   
   
    
     the weather and why anyone would