CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT REPORT 1980 
     
    
   
   
    
     The two annual Christmas Bird 
     
     Counts organized by the P.E.I. 
     
     Natural History Society once 
     
     again turned out to be highly 
     
     successful events. Despite 
     
     the early arrival of winter in 
     
     mid-November and the few weeks 
     
     of bitter weather preceding the 
     
     count dates, both counts turned 
     
     in the largest species totals 
     
     since T976. 
     
    
   
   
    
     The ninth P.E.I. National Park 
     
     Count was held on December 20, 
     
     a day of bright sun and bitter 
     
     cold. The 4l species observed 
     
     equal the l976 total and topped 
     
     only by the 43 tallied in l973. 
     
     However, the total of 2473 in- 
     
     dividuals is the lowest ever 
     
     recorded on this count. Lesser 
     
     Scaup and White—Crowned Sparrow 
     
     were two new species sighted 
     
    

    
     on this count. 
     
    
   
   
    
     The tenth Hillsborough Count 
     
     took place on December 27, a 
     
    

    
     day of seasonable temperatures 
     
     with sunny periods and snow 
     
     flurries. The total of 37 
     
     species observed is higher than 
     
     average, while the total of 4028 
     
     individuals is Tower than average 
     
     for this count. Bohemian Wax— 
     
     wing and Pine Siskin were two 
     
     species not previously observed 
     
     on this count. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Both count days concluded with 
     
     very enjoyable and delicious 
     
     pot-luck suppers. Thanks to all 
     
     participants for braving the 
     
     weather and helping to make both 
     
     counts successful. Special 
     
     thanks to Ann MacPhail and Diane 
     
     Houston and to Winston and Eileen 
     
     Johnston for hosting the after- 
     
     count suppers. A welcome guest 
     
     at the second gathering was 
     
     Diane Griffin, president of the 
     
     Canadian Nature Federation. 
     
    
   
   
    
     P.E.I. National Park Count 
     
     December 20, I980, 4! species, 
     
     2473 individuals. Total party 
     
     miles 342 ( 2.25 walking, 2.25 
     
     snowshoeing, 337 driving). Total 
     
    
   
   
    
     5. 
     
    
   
   
    
     party hours 49.25 C 2 walking, 
     
     l.75 snowshoeing, 33.5 driving, 
     
     3 stationary). Species seen 
     
     during the count period but not 
     
     on the count day Canada Goose. 
     
     Participants: David L. Carins, 
     
     Winifred Cairns, Rosemary Curley. 
     
     Jim Hamilton, Diane Houston, 
     
    
   
   
    
     Danny Johnston, Winston Johnston, 
     
    
   
   
    
     Norah Longworth, Karen Lowther, 
     
    
   
   
    
     Clare Martin, Kathy Martin, George 
     
     .Mason, Gordon Pierce, John Wright, 
     
    
   
   
    
     Peter Wright ( l6 observers ) 
     
     in 6 parties). 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     Great Cormorant l 
     
     Double Crested Cormorant 2 
     
     Black Duck l96 
     
     Lesser Scaup 4 
     
     Common Goldeneye l33 
     
     Barrow‘s Goldeneye 6 
     
     Bufflehead l 
     
     Oldsquaw 7 
     
     Black Scoter 45 
     
     Common Merganser l30 
     
     Sharp-shinned Hawk l 
     
     Rough-legged Hawk l 
     
     Ruffed Grouse 3 
     
     Ring-necked Pheasant l 
     
     Gray Partridge l3 
     
     Great Black-backed Gull l8 
     
     Herring Gull 39 
     
     Ring-billed Gull .l 
     
     Rock Dove 92 
     
     Hairy Woodpecker 3 
     
     Downy Woodpecker 2. 
     
     Horned Lark 9 
     
     Blue Jay l2l 
     
     Common Raven 26 
     
     Common Crow 3T4 
     
     Black-capped Chickadee 47 
     
     Boreal Chickadee 9 
     
     Red-breasted Nuthatch l 
     
     Northern Shrike l 
     
     Starling l23 
     
     Yellow-rumped Warbler l 
     
     House Sparrow 586 
     
     Evening Grosbeak 20 
     
     Pine Grosbeak l 
     
     Pine Siskin TSO 
     
     Dark-eyed Junco 89 
     
     Tree Sparrow 6 
     
     White-crowned Sparrow l 
     
     White-throated Sparrow 3 
     
     Song Sparrow 2 
     
     Snow Bunting 264 
     
    

    
     2473