kits were red. only one of the adults was red. Another was silver and the third champagne (off-white). The latter is most likely an escapee from a fox farm. '

The den was active for about two months before they moved on. During this time. we were able to record the kits of video tape. Once. with the mother looking guite frantic as the kits scattered everywhere on the lawn playing. three of the kits played at my uncle‘s feet until they heard_the video camera whirring. Many times. the kits were seen playing hide and seek around the farm machinery.

We did find large bones near the den. However. their diet consists mainly of mice. voles, hares. grouse. eggs, ducks, fruit. berries, insects. and earthworms. , '

There are ten species of fox worldwide. Also. there are twelve subspecies of red fox in North America. The red fox molt once a year and the new coat is at its best in December. Although they are most acceptable species to rabies. P.E.I. still does not have that problem.

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NEW BIG DAY RECORD ESTABLISHED by Ray Cooke

On Sept. 2 1991 four birders met at 3:30 AM to begin a day of bird- finding.l Sue Stephenson. Bill Bowerbank. Dan Mcaskill. and I set out to find over 104 species of birds on P.E.I.. establishing a new American Birding Association record for species seen in one day in the Province. and putting the record in the hands of Islanders.

Our first stoo. near Selkirk. was to try for owls and the day was begun. we were unsuccessful. Another stop near St. Margarets yielded a Northern Saw-whet Owl which answered to a taped recording. The next stop gave us a Great Horned owl. As dawn was approaching we made our way to the Townshend 'woodlot to try for passerines during their early morning activity. In Souris west we were lucky enough to spot a Great Horned Owl in our headlights. and when we arrived at the woodlot the bird sightings began to grow. The drive in yielded Savannah Sparrows and Blue Jays. which were quickly followed by a Northern Opshawk and a few minutes later by a Red-Tailed Hawk. A walk through this woodlot is supposed to be very productive when seeking birds and this was my first trip here. Within a few minutes I had a superb look at my first Barred Owl ever obligingly perched only a few feet off the trail. Although it was getting late in the season and we could not count on easily finding the passerines. with help from two other birders we met in the woodlot. Roberta Palmer and Linda Thomas. we were successful. .

A mixed flock was passing and we began "pishing" to keep the birds nearby: Roberta and Linda were instrumental in keeping this and another flock around long enough for identification of several species. By the time we left Tawnshend our list was 37 species. The unccnnpn species included the warbling Vireo. which was picked out of one of the flocks and confirmed independently by some of the others present. The very similar Philadelphia Vireo was also seen. A first record for Pine warblers was made when three individuals were seen. The woodlot had supplied more species than we could have hoped for.

A stop in Harmony Junction gave us two more warblers and our first waterfowl. The only gadwall seen were here. as was the only Spotted Sandpiper. The next stop was the Souris causeway where we hoped to view shorebirds. Although we were able to add some gull species and a Merlin. the stop was unsuccessful in giving us the expected. and counted on. shorebirds. The Merlin was without doubt instrumental in this. Undaunted we made our way to Black Pond which supplied us with most of the dUCks we could expect as well as a Red-necked Grebe. The trip to East Point was productive with the days

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