DOLPHINS GALORE by Dan McAskill 
     
    
   
   
    
     During September and October sightings of "porpoise" were being reported 
     
     from a number of estuaries on the Island. On the night of September 18th, 45 to 
     
     48 Atlantic White-sided Dolphins became stranded in the shallow waters of the 
     
     Dunk River estuary when the tide fell. Fisheries Officers and volunteers who 
     
     responded to the call for help did what they could to assist these mammals. CBC 
     
     staff were on the scene to record the stranding and, within the next 24 hours, 
     
     the stranding and sightings of dolphins became high profile news. 
     
    

    
     Sightings in the Hillsborough River at the bridge in Charlottetown Harbour 
     
     became so frequent that the resultant traffic jams led to the posting of the 
     
     bridge for no stopping. On some days as many as 20 cars could be seen parked at 
     
     one time along the approaches to the bridge. The pod of dolphins ranged quite 
     
     widely in the river. On September 9th, 4 were watched for several hours at Red 
     
     Point (near Johnston's River) while on October lst, several were seen just 
     
     below Mount Stewart. As a natural history event, these sightings marked a 
     
     highlight for many naturalists and their families as the viewing opportunities 
     
     came frequently over a five plus week period. 
     
    

    
     The Atlantic White-sided Dolphin is a common mammal of the Atlantic Coast 
     
     from Cape Cod to southern Greenland. It occurs in groups of up to 500 or more 
     
     .and individual dolphins can measure up to 9 feet in length. This toothed whale 
     
     is a member of the oceanic dolphin family (Delphinidae) and feeds on squid, 
     
     herring, smelt, silver hake, and shrimp. They are recognized from the other 
     
     local dolphins and porpoises by their blackish back, white belly, a pale area 
     
     along either side below the prominent dorsal fin, yellowish streaks along the 
     
     sides, and a short, blunt nose. It has 30 to 37 teeth‘along each side of both 
     
     Jaws. ‘ , 
     
    

    
     These sociable dolphins are sometimes seen riding the bow waves of boats 
     
     and are known as jumpers in Newfoundland. In his book The Whales of Canada, 
     
     Erich Hoyt reported the mass strandings of 20 dolphins on May 15th, 1973 at 
     
     Cape Cod and about 150 dolphins at Cobscook Bay in Maine on September 6th, 
     
     1974. Studies of these animals revealed that the males become sexually mature 
     
     at 4 to 6 years of age while the females become mature at 5 to 8 years. Calves 
     
     nurse for about 18 months and it appears that sub-adults are segregated from 
     
     the breeding groups. 
     
    

    
     For more information on the various members of the whale family that occur 
     
     in our waters, consult Erich Hoyt's books The Whales of Canada and The Whale 
     
     Watcher's Handbook. 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     let CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNTS 
     
    
   
   
    
     Want to participate in a fun 
     
     birding event this Christmas? Why not 
     
     join members and friends of the Society 
     
     in celebrating the 20th consecutive year 
     
     of Christmas Bird Counts on Prince 
     
     Edward Island and the 9lst consecutive 
     
     year in North America. For the beginner, 
     
     participating in the counts is a great 
     
     way to learn bird identification as 
     
     there are far less species than in the 
     
     summer and some of the most confusing 
     
     ones have headed to warmer areas to 
     
     winter. Be one of the 40,000 plus people 
     
    
   
   
    
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     Cartoon for the 1986 count created by Edmonton Journal 
     
     Cartoonist, Yardley Jones.