this winter, (although New Brunswick did have twice as many siskins as in 1990-91). The deferences between years were evident in most provinces, not just in the east as with Evening Grosbeak.

L4 PURPLE FINCH EVENING GROSBEAK l 2 I2 LO I0 0.8 e as a 0.4 4 Q2 . 2 \ , . I . . . ._ _/——_ \ _ _ _ — — -‘ I I I u I u l t x *r I I I 1 AK BC ‘8 SK “3 ON PG N8 "5 AK BC ‘3 SK “3 ON PG N3 "5 Film 2. Avenue weekly msnho' of Purl: Finch at film 3- AW ("guy mum. Sondmmmwz while m.” “ 5°“ m” «newsmauulnom. . ameuuumaulmnsi

Goldfinch is yet another species whose main winter distribution is in eastern Canada (Figure 4). It declined generally though the U.s., but remained stable in Canada. As usual, the Maritimes had all the big numbers.

If participants from the east coast provinces know of special conditions that might have caused finches to be so abundant there last winter, we would really appreciate hearing of them. Was there a great cone crop in 1991, for example? Or a wide spread outbreak of spruce budworm (or gypsy moth)?

Another bird more common in western Canada than in the east is Pine Grosbeak. Like redpolls, these grosbeaks increased in central Canada and a little in the east, while remaining at usual levels in Alberta and Alaska. Changes were not nearly as marked as in redpolls however.

We recently had cause to estimate the effort put into Project FeederWatch by Canadian volunteers. Assuming that each active participant spends one hour on the survey each count period (a figure we suspect is minimum), more than 3 person-years of effort are put into the project each winter in Canada alone (more than 20 years continent wide)! This illustrates the power of volunteer surveys to collect vast amounts of data over a broad geographical area -- and underscores the debt we owe to you for your dedicated observations. Keep up the good work!

AMERICAN BOLDFINCH COMMON REDPOLL 6 5 4 3 2 I 1 1-4;! I . 1 I 1 I v 1 l I I AK ac AB SK ND ON PG N8 N5 AK sc AB 3K us on PO NS NS Flu-:4. Amewutlymhuumfiolflinchsl Fug-e5. Average vealymwadew-I mm SoidlheMIWI-9ZM mm Solidliieflmlfil-Dzwhilc dulled Isle Mites: 1990-91. fished I'm: Misses 1990-9].

Editor's Note: You can participate in Project Feederwatch by sending your membership fee of $16 to Project FeederWatch, Long Point Bird Observatory, P.o. Box 160, Port Rowan, Ontario L4G 281.

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