The Lake Erie Islands Christmas Bird Count was held this past Sunday, December 18.  we had pretty good coverage of islands with Keleys, North Bass, Middle Bass, South Bass, and Green Islands being covered.  Pelee Island was not covered.  Mild weather allowed people to get to Green and North Bass Island this year.  Final total was 83 species seen with two additional species seen during count week.  The record for the count is 84 species.  A total of 14,606 individuals wetre found.   Gulls and waterfowl were a little down for the count.  The vast majority of the waterfowl were observed flying from the southeast heading toward Pelee Island.  Kelleys Island had a great fruit crop with lots of berries on the cedars and dogwood so fruigivore numbers were up.  Sparrow numbers were low.  we had a nice mix of raptors and despite the south winds we had a rough-legged hawk and northern harrier migrating south. Best birds on the count were American bittern flushed from North Pond at Kelleys Island, turkey vulture on Kelleys Island, a purple sandpiper at South Bass, and a red crossbill in a flock of purple finches at Kelleys Island.  Other species of note  (all from Kelleys Island) were 5 surf scoters, 2 white-winged scoters and 3 count week black scoters,, 4 dunlin, 1 count week American woodcock, 2 lesseer black-backed gulls, 1 yellow-bellied sapsucker, 41 hermit thrushes, 2 ruby-crowned kinglets, 79 yellow-rumped warblers, 42 purple finches, and 45 snow buntings.  A snow bunting was also found at North Bass Island.   In my area on Kelleys Island I saw 69 species of birds yet missed rock pigeon, mourning dove, blue jay, white-breasted nuthatch and titmouse.  Rock pigeon and tufted titmouse were not found on any of the islands.  That is the way it goes on the island count.  It is unlike any other count in Ohio. Thanks to all that participated and helped out. John Pogacnik                                         
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