Partridges but no pear trees turn up in Edmonton Christmas bird count

Edmonton’s Christmas bird count has turned up a congress of ravens, a banditry of chickadees, a convocation of eagles and, as usual, a mad squawking of magpies.
About 440 volunteers took part in the 69th annual local version of an event started 118 years ago by an American Audubon Society official to replace a much uglier Christmas tradition, Edmonton count co-ordinator Kim Blomme said Friday.
“It started way, way back when someone … said, ‘Hey, let’s go out and se