THE 99TH CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNTS: by J. Dan McAskiIl & 
     
     Ruth Richmaner 
     
    
   
   
    
     This was the 99th consecutive year that bird counters took to the field across North America to 
     
     participate in the Audubon Christmas Bird Counts. It was the 28th consecutive year that this event was 
     
     conducted on Prince Edward island. It has become a yearly tradition that allows those who choose it to 
     
     spend time with feathered friends and to contribute to the monitoring of North American winter bird 
     
     populations. 
     
    

    
     This year, 61 participants went to the field and 27 families watched their feeders. The 
     
     Hillsborough contingent brought in an impressive 50 species on the count day. The Montague and P.E.l. 
     
     National Park also had good days with 48 and 38 species respectively. An additional species was 
     
     recorded in the Hillsborough Count with the sighting of a Brown-headed Cowbird in the three day count 
     
     period (designated CP in the table) on either side of the count day and an additional 4 species in the 
     
     Montague Count area. In total, the three counts recorded 67 species and a total of 22654 compared to 
     
     the 71 species and 25616 birds last year (see issue 147). 
     
    

    
     The reports for each area are provided below. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Observations Number in Count Area 
     
     National Park Hillsborough Montague Total 
     
     Dec. 19 Dec.27 Jan. 2 
     
    

    
     Cormorant spp 3 3 
     
     Great Blue Heron 1 1 
     
     Canada Geese 154 875 487 1516 
     
     Mallard 57 2 59 
     
     Black Duck 410 2218 81 2709 
     
     Gadwell 22 22 
     
     Green-winged Teal 2 3 5 
     
     Ducks UiD 4 4 
     
     Greater Scaup 30 30 
     
     Scaup spp. 51 51‘ 
     
     Common Goldeneye 313 436 159 908 
     
     Oldsquaw 25 4 3 32 
     
     Common Merganser 26 187 297 510 
     
     Red—breasted Merganser 35 3 38 
     
     Sharp-shinned Hawk 2 1 3 
     
     Red-tailed Hawk 1 1 
     
     Rough-legged Hawk 2 1 3 
     
     Bald Eagle 3 6 20 29 
     
     Northern Harrier 1 1 
     
     Osprey 1 1 
     
     Peregrine Falcon 1 1 
     
     American Kestrel 1 1 
     
     Hawk spp 1 1 
     
     Ruffed Grouse 7 10 17 
     
     Ring-necked Pheasant 2 1 1 4 
     
     Gray Partridge 21 5 26 
     
     Glaucous Gull 1 1 
     
     Iceland Gull 1 14 11 26 
     
     Great Black-backed Gull 58 105 38 201 
     
     Herring Gull 255 287 469 1011 
     
     Ring-billed Gull 1 4 10 15 
     
     Gull spp. 9 3 12 
     
     Hudsonian Godwit 1 1 
     
     Rock Dove 90 257 243 590