Hf'iV'riifcr' ^VK.’vV- A' /fv-; V; :*/ •>«!’ if ' I ’.L ' ^ - ' \ • TABLE OF CONTENTS |t|| ‘ 7 -/ :> •'•• /;a:^+- •;• : *:y PAGE PAGE Officer* 2 Bird Banding by Club Members in 1 924 Foreward Arthur P. Stubbs 3 Willis H. Ropes 23 Birds in Their Relation to Changes in V egetation Annotated List of Birds Observed During 1924 by Charles W. Townsend 5 the Essex County Ornithological Club 27 Ipswich River Bird Trip Ralph Lawson 10 Around the Big Table 39 The Shooting Season of 1924 /. C. Phillips M,. Field Meetings in 1924 5. Q. Emilio 49 Hall's Brook Meadow A rthur P. Stubbs 1 7 Calendar for 1 924 of the Essex County Ornithological A Rink-Footed Goose Taken in Essex County, Mass. Club of Massachusetts 51 V -v; J.C. Phillips 20 List of Members of the Essex County Ornithological 1’he Black Skimmer in Essex Co , Mass. S. G. Emilio 2 1 Club of Massachusetts 53 Js *v Lftr 1 . -j • i -t:. ■, i .? ===== jrafp. - •«* - r>. «cxGk*.« ;nw' * 4.' ■ x , y£ - * t .* * , s 4 BULLETIN OF THE Essex County Ornithological Club OF Massachusetts 1924 FIFTY CENTS COPYRIGHT 1925 BY THE ESSEX COUNTY ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB OF MASSACHUSETTS Salem, Massachusetts o OFFICERS OF THE ESSEX COUNTY ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB 1924 President Frank W. Benson Vice-President Albert P. Morse 0.Xm)AW- . » ? i-C A O ■su.jW*. ■r E E\ "S' E3 \q^H 6\ Secretary Ralph Lawson 88 Washington Square Salem, Massachusetts Treasurer S. Gilbert Emilio 156 Hobart Street Danvers, Massachusetts Recorder Arthur P. Stubbs 14 Fisk Avenue Lynn, Massachusetts Council C. H. Preston W. B. Porter W. R. M. Tortat BULLETIN OF THE ESSEX COUNTY ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB OF MASSACHUSETTS Salem, Massachusetts ISSUED ANNUALLY EDITORIAL COMMITTEE Ralph Lawson Arthur P. Stubbs Rodman A. Nichols S. G. Emilio DECEMBER, 1924 SALEM, MASS. VOLUME VI, No. 1 FOREWORD Arthur P. Stubbs A survey of the work of the Club during 1924 while showing no unusual or startling features puts before us a picture that is on the whole satisfactory. The regular meetings of the Club have been well attended and papers by outside speakers have given us much valuable in¬ formation. The practice of frequently devoting an entire meet¬ ing to field notes and their discussion has met with approval and has increased our knowledge of local bird life. The innovation this year of placing a group of mounted birds on the table at each meeting and having some member familiar with the field marks of the particular species discuss the various characteristics, has been of much value. During the year a set series of field meetings averaging one in each calendar month has been followed. Although some of these meetings were scantily attended, a good amount of data has been collected and an excellent foundation laid for future work. The Annual Ipswich River Bird Trip was the usual success and well attended. During the year the Club has been approached in several instances by persons and organizations interested in political propaganda and other work for bird protection. Practically all of these matters have been of great importance in the protection of our native bird life and our individual members have given considerable time and in some cases money to further these objects. While the sympathy of the Club is almost always with such endeavors, it has seemed that such matters can better be handled by the existing societies organized for such purposes and that this Club should devote its attention to its own particular field, the general and scientific study of ornithology. 4 BIRDS IN THEIR RELATION TO CHANGES IN VEGETATION Charles W. Townsend The avifauna of Essex County, Massachusetts, is principally that of the Transition zone, but, with a few birds of the Upper Austral, it includes also a number of those of the Canadian zone. Juncos and White-throated Sparrows and probably Myrtle Warb¬ lers occasionally nest within its limits, and Red Crossbills, Canada Warblers, Winter Wrens, Brown Creepers, Red-breasted Nut¬ hatches and Golden-crowned Kinglets have all been recorded as breeding in the County. The less typically Canadian birds like Hairy Woodpeckers, Olive-sided Flycatchers, Solitary Vireos, Nashville and Blackburnian Warblers, and Hermit Thrushes also breed here. The County is not elevated but it lies not far South of the Canadian zone. Its flora contains in limited amount such Cana¬ dian forms as black spruce, larch, canoe birch, red pine, Linnaea, Clintonia, dwarf cornel and gold-thread. In earlier days, before the forest was invaded by the white man and before the swamps were drained, the sun was unable to warm and dry much of the land which is now open to its rays. The coolness and dampness of the forest floor was favorable to the growth of Canadian plants, and these, instead of being few in numbers and limited in kind as today, were probably abundant. Those of today are the vestiges of a larger Canadian flora and are doomed to disappear if the land is all given over to pasture and to cultivated land and to the habitations of man. With the recent extension of large private estates in some parts of the County, as for example in the valley of the Ipswich River, where re-forestation, especially with evergreens, is practiced and a return to natural conditions is being favored, we may look for a creeping down of Canadian birds. This, I believe, has already taken place, for Juncos and White-throated Sparrows are of late years being reported more and more frequently as summer resi¬ dents in these regions. This return towards former conditions is the exception, for the general tendancy, as the population of the County grows, is all in the other direction. The forest is being cut down, the 5 swamps drained and in their places are found pastures for cattle, orchards, fields of English grass, clover, daisies and buttercups, of corn and potatoes, and suburban lots with their shade trees and trimmed bushes. Even the natural growth of bushes and weeds by the wayside is cleared away and grass substituted, and the last remnants of a more northern flora eventually disappear. As a result, the character of the avifauna changes. Birds that prefer cool swamps and forests draw in their outposts and retreat north, while birds of the open country increase and some southern birds extend their range. Thus, it is probable that Song, Ves¬ per and Chipping Sparrows are now more common than in the earlier Colonial days of the County, and that the Baltimore Oriole, a bird of the village and farm has also increased in numbers. The dependence of birds on the character of the vegetation, resulting in a southward extension of birds of the Canadian zone, where the forest is extensive and where the resulting coolness from the shade and moisture is favorable to the growth of a Cana¬ dian flora, is well shown in the hilltop town of Petersham in Worcester County, Massachusetts. Here altitude helps in this southward extension, but the influence of this factor here would, I am convinced, be slight or negligible if the forests were destroyed. The town of Petersham is situated on a ridge which extends from north to south and reaches an elevation of 1,200 feet, while the valley to the west, in which lies Tom Swamp and Meadow Water, and that to the southeast, containing Hemlock Swamp, are each 800 feet in elevation. The whole region is extensively wooded and contains the Harvard Forest of 1,775 acres. White pine is the predominant tree, but there are a few red and pitch pines. Hemlock also is common and there are a few larches and red spruces. Canoe and yellow birches, sugar and striped maples, beech, linden, white ash, chestnut, red and white oaks, sassafras and hickory are also to be found. The occurrence of oaks, chest¬ nuts and sassafras in the same region with spruces, larches, canoe and yellow birches and sugar maples shows the mingling of the Transition and Canadian floral forms. Clintonia, Linnaea, wood sorrel, gold-thread, Labrador tea and dwarf cornel also testify to the Canadian admixture of the flora. The breeding of the Goshawk in Petersham — the first record 6 of the breeding of this northern hawk in Massachusetts — was reported by J. A. Farley in 1922* and he found it breeding there again in 1923** and in 1924***. He also noted the presence there in June of three passerine Canadian birds. In my brief visits to Petersham in June 1922 and 1923 and in a more extended visit through May and June, 1924, I have been struck with the number of Canadian birds in this region. Besides the Goshawk, I found two singing male Olive-sided Flycatchers. Juncos and White-throated Sparrows were fairly common breeders. Of Warblers, the Myrtle, Magnolia, Canada, Black-throated Blue and Blackburian Warblers and the Water- Thrush were all present and in song throughout June, and, although I did not find their nests, I discovered many of their “singing trees, ” so it is probable they were breeding. I was able to locate as many as ten pairs of Black-throated Blue Warblers within a five mile radius of the summit of the Petersham ridge and there were several pairs of the other Warblers with the exception of the Blackburnian, of which I found only one pair. In 1922, on June 17th, I heard a Winter Wren singing in Tom Swamp, but failed to find any there in the other years, al¬ though in these years I heard one in full song in the Hemlock Swamp of the Harvard Forest, where Professor R. T. Fisher had previously discovered it. The Hermit Thrush, the Blue-headed Vireo, and the Hairy Woodpecker are all common breeders at Petersham, but these, like the Canada and Black-throated Blue Warblers and Olive-sided Flycatcher are not exclusively Canadian birds and are found further south in appropriate surroundings of forest. The same is true of the Brown Creeper of which I found a family of adults and young in June. With these Canadian forms, generally in the nearby more open country of farm and pasture, were to be found typical Transition birds such as Black-billed Cuckoos, Bobolinks, Balti¬ more Orioles, Chewinks, Catbirds and Brown Thrashers. The expression “cold swamp” is familiarly used for swamps with dense tree growth where the flora as well as the avifauna often contain more northern examples than in the surrounding- country. Tom Swamp and Hemlock Swamp at Petersham, already mentioned, are examples of cold swamps, as well as a swamp on * Wilson’s Bulletin, December 1922. ** The Auk, XL, 1923, Page 582 *** The Auk. XLI, 1924 7 the Poor Farm Road where I always found Water-Thrushes and Canada Warblers singing. With a wet and dry bulb thermometer I took twenty-three observations of temperature and humidity in these swamps and in the adjacent dry forest elevated from fifteen to fifty feet above them. The results may be summarized as follows : Tom Swamp 1° cooler and 2° greater humidity ; Hem¬ lock Swamp, same temperature but 5° to 19° greater humidity; Poor Farm Road Swamp, 2° cooler and 5° to 9° greater humidity. The observations are too few to be of much value but they do not point to any marked coldness in the swamps. It is possible that observations taken before sunrise would give different results. We have seen or surmised that changes are taking place in Essex County due on the one hand to the clearing up of the swamps and forests, and on the other hand to the growth of large estates with their re-forestation and return to more primitive conditions. In the Island of Grand Manan, which lies off the northern coast of Maine and the southern coast of New Bruns¬ wick, we are fortunate in having records which show the changes in the avifauna in the last seventy years due to changes in the vegetation. Originally densely forested, largely with spruce and fir, and typically Canadian in character, the forests have been devastated by the axe and by fire with the result that hard woods have replaced much of the evergreen forest, while cultivated and pasture lands have increased. In 1856 Dr. Henry Bryant, * and in 1871 and again in 1872 Mr. Harold Herrick** made collecting trips to the island. A comparison of their lists together with one made by me in the summers of 1923 and 1924 is of considerable interest in this dis¬ cussion. Dr. Bryant found neither Song nor Chipping Sparrows, while Mr. Herrick makes no mention of Chipping Sparrows and calls the Song Sparrow “rather uncommon”. He says he “took but one nest and three or four birds”. In 1923 and 1924 Chip¬ ping Sparrows were common about the houses and in the roads of the villages, while Song Sparrows were abundant there and in the bushy fields and pastures. The White-throated Sparrow, found commonly by both of the previous observers, had in 1923 and 1924 largely deserted the fields and gardens near the houses, although it was abundant elsewhere on the island. Dr. Bryant * Transactions Boston Society of Natural History, January 21, 1857; pp. 114-123 ** Bulletin Essex Institute, V, Nos. 2 and 3, 1873 8 refers to the same fact for he says: “Few were seen in the neigh¬ borhood of the houses, but wherever the woods were thin, with an undergrowth of bushes, or in bushy pastures, they were quite numerous.’ ’ The changes among the Warblers are also significant. Thus, both Bryant and Herrick speak of the abundance of the Black-poll * Warbler. Indeed the latter calls it “the most common warbler” but, with the cutting of the spruce forests and their replacement by birch and other broadleaf trees, it has diminished in numbers and I found it one of the more uncommon Warblers, except in regions of unbroken spruce. The Yellow Warbler and the Oven- bird were not found by Bryant, and he records but one pair of Chestnut-sided Warblers. All three were called rare by Herrick, while all three are now common. The Yellow Warbler is espec¬ ially common in the bushes and gardens about the houses. In the same way, in Nova Scotia, in the extensive region of farms and orchards in the Annapolis Valley, such Transition birds as Wood Pewees, Chestnut-sided Warblers, Catbirds, and Bluebirds occur, while in Advocate, where the spruce forest pre¬ dominates over the tilled land, or in the interior even farther south than the Annapolis Valley, these Transition birds are not found and their place is taken by typical Canadian species. Yet, formerly, no doubt, a forest largely of spruce covered the whole of Nova Scotia including the Annapolis Valley. The natural habitat of trees and other plants is of course determined largely by the various factors of climate, and the climate is in turn dependent on altitude and latitude, yet local conditions of soil and moisture may interfere with this rule. In the final analysis one is obliged to fall back on the character of the vegetation, rather than on altitude or latitude per se, and as changes in the vegetation are often caused by man, so is the avi¬ fauna to a considerable extent dependent on him. 9 IPSWICH RIVER BIRD TRIP Ralph Lawson The Eighteenth Annual Ipswich River Trip was held on Sat¬ urday and Sunday, May 17 and 18, 1924, a total of ninety-one species being recorded during those two days in the valley of the Ipswich River or about its mouth. The spring had been extremely backward, and during the week of May 1L New England had experienced a long, cold northeast storm which apparently kept large numbers of migrants away from the coast. The foliage appeared to be from ten days to two weeks behind normal and the river, owing to the recent rains, was very high, covering most of the fresh marshes. In spite of all these handicaps the list was a fairly good one, but it was generally observed that numerically there were few birds. The morning party started from Middleton Paper Mills shortly after 9.15 on Saturday, three canoes containing ten obser¬ vers leaving for Howe Station, which was reached about noon. The next two hours were spent in and around Mr. Felt’s camp at Howe Station, where an exceptional opportunity was afforded to observe a House Wren, the first bird of this species to be observed on any of the River Trips. The main party began leaving Howe Station soon after two p. m. and a short stay was made at the Club Camp on the Otter- bank at Boxford. Pine Island was reached about six p. m. and after supper the usual camp-fire was enjoyed and the day’s lists checked. It was found that seventy-seven species had been ob¬ served on the 17th. Several parties explored the neighboring marshes after sun down with the aid of a full moon, but night birds were strangely silent. The camp was astir early as usual on Sunday morning, though few Warblers were found on Pine Island, which was deserted by nine o’clock. From this point to Ipswich, the River valley was fairly well explored by the thirty odd observers in ten canoes, but at lunch just above Ipswich, where the lists were again checked, it was found that the total had been increased to only eighty-six. After a walk across the town of Ipswich, a motor boat was boarded for Little Neck about half past two and the trip around Clark’s Pond and back to Ips¬ wich, via Plover Hill was completed shortly after five. 10 The weather on Saturday and Sunday was particularly fine and fairly warm, but a breeze which sprang up at noon on Sun ¬ day increased almost to a gale by the time the party had reached salt water, and this no doubt largely accounted for the fact that o only five additional species were added on this part of the trip. There were apparently no Laughing Gulls, Terns or Sea Ducks about the mouth of the Ipswich or on Plum Island Sound and shore birds with the exception of the smaller Sandpipers were almost entirely absent. There, were no Rails heard on the trip, possibly owing to the height of the river. A rather interesting observation was made from one of the canoes where three observers felt very positive that they saw a Lesser Yellow-legs with two of the Greater species, but in the interest of accuracy it was decided not to include this species in the list. It may or may not be significant, however, that a gun¬ ner familiar with both species of Yellow-legs reported a single bird of the Lesser species on the following day not far from the spot where the members of our party made their observation. The Warblers as a whole were in small numbers and there were no rare and few uncommon migrants reported. The Rusty Blackbird, which has been recorded on only three previous trips, was seen again this year. The list is as follows: Herring Gull Black Duck Wood Duck Bittern Green Heron Black-crowned Night Heron Least Sandpiper Semipalmated Sandpiper Greater Yellow-legs Solitary Sandpiper Spotted Sandpiper Black-bellied Plover Semipalmated Plover Ruffed Grouse Ring-necked Pheasant Mourning Dove Marsh Hawk Sharp-shinned Hawk Cooper’s Hawk Red-shouldered Hawk Osprey Yellow-billed Cuckoo Belted Kingfisher Hairy Woodpecker Downy Woodpecker Northern Flicker Whip-poor-will Chimney Swift Ruby-throated Hummingbird Kingbird Crested Flycatcher Phoebe Wood Pewee Least Flycatcher 11 Blue Jay Crow Starling Bobolink Cowbird Red-winged Blackbird Meadowlark Baltimore Oriole Rusty Blackbird Bronzed Grackle Purple Finch English Sparrow Goldfinch Vesper Sparrow Savannah Sparrow White-throated Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Field Sparrow Song Sparrow Swamp Sparrow Towhee Rose-breasted Grosbeak Scarlet Tanager Cliff Swallow Barn Swallow Tree Swallow Bank Swallow Cedar Waxwing Red-eyed Vireo Yellow-throated Vireo Blue-headed Vireo Black and White Warbler Golden-winged Warbler Nashville Warbler Northern Parula Warbler Yellow Warbler Myrtle Warbler Cbestnut-sided Warbler Black-poll Warbler Black-throated Green Warbler Pine Warbler Prairie Warbler Ovenbird Water Thrush Maryland Yellow-throat Wilson's Warbler Canada Warbler Redstart Catbird Brown Thrasher House Wren Long-billed Marsh Wren Chickadee Veery Hermit Thrush Robin Bluebird 12 THE SHOOTING SEASON OF 1924 J. C. Phillips 9 ■ The past shooting season in Essex County was in several respects a peculiar one, and a few notes may not be out of place because many of the men who follow the land birds most faith¬ fully with a glass or camera do not come much in contact with the game birds. I begin with the Wilson’s Snipe ( Gallinago delicata). Early summer was dry, but we got heavy rains in late August and again in the early part of September, so that the upland snipe grounds (for the river meadows were flooded all through September and early October) looked in perfect condition. But, as usual, we found that a dry August meant no snipe, regardless of how per¬ fect the conditions appear in mid-September. I saw a recent statement somewhere which explained the absolute lack of snipe this past autumn of 1924 as due to long continued prevailing winds from some particular quarter. But I do not think this will explain such conditions as we found this year. If the proper food is present snipe will come in numbers regardless of weather. It seems wholly a question of available food. Several hunts in September 1924 resulted in one snipe. One or two other snipe were found in out of the way places in early October, while a very few came to the river meadows after the water receded. In all, I, myself, saw not over six or seven birds. The previous year, 1923, was of course another snipeless year, due to extreme sum¬ mer drought. Rails, too, were almost absent in 1924. Woodcock were not present in any number in the usual coverts in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, in early October, but between the 6th and the 14th there were a moderate number, although new flight birds seemed to come in very slowly. Octo¬ ber 20th to 23rd there were a good many “cocks” in Essex Coun¬ ty, and I started at least twenty different birds the first two days of the open season. Then towards the end of the month, from October 25th on, there was another flight which came along about the time shooting was closed on account of the long drought. This temporary closed season lasted from October 29th to Novem¬ ber 24th. From reports of shooters through New Hampshire and 13 Maine, it seems that woodcock were present there at least in average numbers, but the very dry conditions spoiled the chances of a big fight. Perhaps the most interesting feature of this past season, and one which surprised many well-informed sportsmen, was the extremely poor crop of Ruffed Grouse. Throughout the regions which I covered in southern New Hampshire I should estimate that they were not over 20% normal and in some places as low as 8% or 10%. This condition is not local but extends all the way from Maine to Michigan and at least to western Pennsylvania. In the woods northeast of Moosehead Lake, I found almost no young birds in August last and it seemed that in most parts of New England there were few old birds and almost no young birds by the last of September. This in spite of the fact that grouse were about normal in the winter of 1923-24 and seemed to have bred well the past spring. Many broods were noticed by farmers and dog-breakers in Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire up to at least the latter part of August, 1924. Essex County is, however, far more fortunate than many other regions in Massa¬ chusetts, and during that last week of the past season I myself started in just two and a half days shooting between fifty and fifty-five different birds. We had already suspected that there were more birds near home than there were in New Hampshire, fifty to one hundred miles farther north and this was proved by the experi¬ ences of that last week’s shooting. Also, we have, or did have, a great many more grouse in our country than there were west of Boston or on Cape Cod. It will be interesting to see whether these Essex County birds vanish during the winter. Intensive work is now being carried on by Dr. A. A. Allen of Cornell and Dr. A. 0. Gross of Bowdoin College, to find the real cause or causes back of these periodic depression cycles which always have, and we fear, always will affect the numbers of this great game bird. Already some interesting discoveries have been reported, and there is more to follow. Any dead or sick birds, which are picked up by members of our Club, ought to be carefully pre¬ served because they (especially the still living ones) might yield valuable results. Of the shore birds 1 do not care to speak in detail, as I did not follow the migration myself. The season was a bad one and in spite of some rather severe storms few sizable flights landed in 14 our county. I noticed a number of Greater Yellow legs at Wen- ham taken rather late in the season (November 1). It seems to me that all our larger eastern-coast shore birds except the Greater Yellow-legs need more protection. A delayed shooting season opening on all species at the same time that the duck and snipe season opens (September 16) would give the bulk of these birds a real chance. Incidentally, by keeping a host of irresponsible shooters off the marshes during late August and early September, such a measure would protect a great many other birds and give the locally bred Black Ducks a chance to settle down along our coast, instead of being driven away by noisy shore-bird shooters. A uniform open season would, I believe, be more effective than the present law which elects to protect all except four species of shore birds, but which in practice is difficult to enforce. Such a law would be rather hard on the school-boy gunners whose only opportunity to hunt nowadays is during the late summer before schools open. At Wenham Lake the records were interrupted by the long period of the close season mentioned above, so that there is no complete picture of the migration of the fresh-water ducks. A few points are worth mentioning. Ring-necked Ducks again made their appearance. They must now be regarded as a common At¬ lantic coast species from Massachusetts to the Caroliners. Two were shot as early as September 25th. Both Lesser Scaup and Ruddies continue scarce and neither of these species seems to have picked up satisfactorily, at least along the Atlantic coast. A few Greater Scaup appeared very early in October (2nd and 3rd). Few migratory Carolina ducks were noticed, and it appears to me that there has been a falling off in locally bred Carolinas in our county in the past two or three years. A few Blue-winged Teal went through between the 7th and 15th of September, but there seems to be little change in their numbers. Only one Canvas- back was taken and no Red-heads were seen. Black ducks were not present in large numbers or in large flocks but were certainly twice or three times as plentiful as in 1923. The most remark¬ able change in our duck population was the first appearance (within my memory) of really good numbers of Pintails. One flock of 45-50 birds lived at the Lake for a week or ten days in November, and I saw some as late as December 7th. It is unus¬ ual to see these ducks in Essex County after early or mid-October, 15 but this year they were present right through the whole season. The same conditions held at the Chebacco ponds (letter from Stephen D. Edwards), and in the ponds about Harwich and Brew¬ ster some inquiries made for me by Mr. A. E. Crowell brought out similar facts. Flocks of as many as fifty were seen there, mixed sometimes with Black Ducks and in the Mill Pond (East Brewster) Pintails were shot as late as December 20th. Tales of unusual numbers of Pintails came to me also from the Kenne¬ bec River ducking grounds in Maine. Another water-bird which was far more numerous this year in the ponds near Boston than for a long time past was the American Coot. These continued to show up at late dates. I saw a large flock on November 2nd. Mr. Forbush noticed this same conditions for Massachusetts as a whole and especially for Mar¬ tha’s Vineyard Island. Massachusetts gunners did not see any great flights of geese this year, but the indications are that geese bred well and are present in more than normal numbers along the Carolina coasts. Geese crossing Cape Ann flew high and passed mostly in fine weather, so that few were shot. There were some considerable flights very late in December at various points in eastern Massachusetts. Nearly the whole autumn the weather was very fine and settled, with none of the freakish, changeable, or stormy “spells” usually seen. On this account it is conceivable that there was a larger off-shore migration of all water-birds than is usually the case. 16 HALL'S BROOK MEADOW Arthur P. Stubbs So many of our favored localities for bird study have passed, or are fast passing out of existence, being wiped out by the hand of so-called progress, I am led to describe and sing the praises of a little boggy meadow, long threatened but still existing, in spite of encroachment by man's dwellings and factories which crowd its very edges and threaten its further being by their refuse. Hall's Brook Meadow was formerly a shallow swampy cove of Flax Pond in the old city of Lynn, Massachusetts. This cove is now cut off from the pond by a filled-in street under which is a culvert allowing the passage of the brook which conveys the surplus water of Sluice Pond into Flax Pond. The brook divides the meadow into about equal but irregularly shaped parts ; that on the northeast side being covered by a mixed growth of water loving shrubs and tussocks of marsh grass, while the southwest¬ ern side supports a growth of cat-tails. The length of the meadow is about one thousand feet and its greatest breadth is about half the length. There is just enough movement and warmth to the water of the brook to keep a channel open throughout the length of the meadow, even during the coldest and snowiest of winters. This water, open at all seasons, and the thick cover furnished by the brush and cat-tails, attract many species of birds to the meadow, thereby accounting for the numerous records of unusual species having wintered there, Around the borders of the meadow are bushy gravel banks, weedy back yards and two small tanyards. One of these tanyards was enlarged at the expense of the meadow in such a manner as to make a short stretch of muddy beach. This beach has its special attractions for avian visitors of which I will speak later. On account of the nearness to dwellings, shooting is forbid¬ den in the meadow at all seasons and the only trespassers are an occasional muskrat trapper or boys at play along the icy channels of the bog in winter, Mr. Frank M. Allen, proprietor of one of the tanneries, whose workrooms overlook the meadow, has taken 17 great interest in its bird population and has done all that he can for their protection. Another abutter has a few tame Mallards which hide their nests away and breed among the tussocks act¬ ing as harmless decoys to wild ducks of several species. During the winter of 1915-16 a female Green-winged Teal was about the meadow from January 8 to March 26. On February 17, 1917, a female American Golden-eye was seen in the open water of the brook, while, a few rods away a foot of ice covered the waters of Flax Pond. This duck remained about the meadow until the ponds opened up late in March. Just before Christmas, 1923, Charles A. Clark, employed in the Allen tannery, noticed two strange ducks feeding with the Mallards in the open water of the brook. He saw them daily and toward spring told the writer of their presence. On April 24, 1924, the writer visited the locality and found the strange ducks to be a male and female Pintail. Passing word to others he was the means of several other members of the Club seeing the Pin¬ tails, which remained very tame. Some time in May, Mr. Clark, from a window in his work¬ room in the upper part of the tannery, noticed that the female Pintail spent a large part of her time sitting on the top of a muskrat house out in the meadow. Near approach to this spot being well nigh impossible, he was not able to learn, for a cer¬ tainty, that she was nesting, but, not long after he saw her threading the channels between the tussocks followed by four or five little ducklings. From day to day, the ducklings decreased in number until none were seen, although the parent ducks re¬ mained about the meadow until late July when they disappeared. Many causes for the untimely demise of the young birds sugges¬ ted themselves to Mr. Clark’s mind, such as muskrats, snapping turtles and even cats. Hearing from Mr. Clark that Pintails had again appeared in the meadow on October 21, 1924, the writer visited the place on October 23 and found two male Pintails in a partial eclipse plumage, lacking the “post-ocular” white stripe. One male had a grayish head giving a slight suggestion of this stripe while the other had a solid color dark head. Further visits to the meadow showed the grayish headed male changing gradually to a full plumage bird while the head of the other remained dark and solid in color becoming iridescent and as green, in good lights, 18 as that of a male Mallard swimming beside him. The question arises, is not this dark headed male a cross between a Pintail and a Mallard? The two males were still present at the close of 1924 and it will be pleasing to extend this study into the coming year. The principal fame of the meadow is that it has been known for years as a wintering station for Wilson’s Snipe. These birds find feeding ground along the edges of the open water and can be flushed in small numbers even in the coldest and snowiest winters. During the fall migration, quite a variety of shore-birds drop into the meadow, showing themselves on the little muddy beach before mentioned. Among those recorded are Pectoral, White-rumped, Semipalmated, Solitary and Spotted Sandpipers and Greater Yellow-legs. The summer bird population consists mainly of Red-winged Blackbirds, Song and Swamp Sparrows with many visitors of other species. There are two spring records of visits of flocks of Evening Grosbeaks. During the winter of 1915-16 a Winter Wren remained about the meadow from December 2 to March 26. As it is the case with such birdy nooks, with features that attract a variety of species, an observer can never feel that he has exhausted its possibilities and he is always on the lookout for further surprises. 19 A PINK-FOOTED GOOSE TAKEN IN ESSEX COUNTY, MASS. J. C. Phillips One is naturally somewhat skeptical nowadays as to whether the taking of an exotic species of goose or duck on our shores represents a really wild bird strayed beyond its usual range, or whether it is an escape from some collection of water-birds. So in this case, the capture of a female Pink-footed Goose ( Anser hrachyrhynchos) , we must reserve final judgment. But wanting any direct present evidence that there are escapes of this species flying about on the Atlantic coast, the present specimen will have to be classed as of wfild origin. It is certainly more than re¬ markable that this and the European Sheld Duck should have been taken in Essex County within a few years. Can there be some person in Eastern Canada who is breeding and liberating exotic water-fowl? The bird, a female, was shot by Mr. Ben P. P. Moseley on the salt meadows of the Parker River, in Rowley, Mass., on September 25, 1924. Nobly resisting the temptation to have such a rare “find” mounted for “home use” he sent it to the Boston Society of Natural History where it has been mounted and placed on exhibition. This bird is gray-brown in color, with a pink area toward the end of the black bill, and pink legs. It appears to be in its first year, and there is nothing unusual about it except that the plumage is a mixture of juvenal and adult. Although the wings are fresh and new, the rest of the body plumage is a mixture of worn brownish summer plumage with fresher and grayer winter feathers coming in. The rump, curiously enough, is in full moult, and all except one of the tail feathers are old and much worn or blunted at the tips, a condition seen in many geese and ducks at the end of their first summer. The bill is extremely small ; indeed this is the one easily recognized character of the Pink-footed Goose, and separates it at a glance from the larger Bean Goose of Europe and Asia. So far as we know, this is the first instance of the capture of this species anywhere in North America. It is distributed in 20 winter over England, Scotland (where it is rare), and various parts of northwestern Europe, Russia (near Novgorod), and Iceland. The breeding ground is not well determined, but cer¬ tainly includes Spitzbergen, Franz Joseph Land and the north coast of Greenland. European birds in general are not so common in this coun¬ try as are American birds in Europe. Among the ducks we get a few Old World species on our Seal Islands in Berhing Sea, but we seldom get anything of this nature on the Atlantic coast. An exception is the European Widgeon which is now so common, especially on our east coast, as scarcely to deserve mention. THE BLACK SKIMMER IN ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS S. G. Emilio On August 26, 1924, the New England coast was lashed by a severe easterly storm. This was a so-called tropical disturbance which moved north-easterly along the Atlantic coast, causing strong southerly gales off shore and easterly ones on land. Im¬ mediately following the storm, Black Skimmers ( Rynchops nigra) were seen along the New England shore. The inference seems fair that they were carried far to the northward of their normal range by the hurricane which had just passed. The last previous occurrence of the bird in Massachusetts was, I believe, in 1879, and that time no specimens were taken in Essex County, and there is no record of the species occurring here at any time. But this invasion by the southern birds was rather extensive, and the Black Skimmer is now added to the County list. The first definite date of which I have knowledge, is August 31, 1924, when several birds were seen at Ipswich by Mr. C. E. Clarke, of Medford. The following day Dr. C. W. Townsend saw three, and has reported his observation in The Auk, January, 1925. Mr. W. D. Moon undoubtedly saw one of these birds over the city of Lynn, about this time. On September 17, Mr. James Hodg¬ kins secured two specimens at Plum Island, Ipswich, for the 21 Boston Society of Natural History. Mr. R. H. Wilkinson saw several birds during September and found one with a broken wing. This specimen is now in the Peabody Museum, Salem. Still another bird was secured by Mr. H. S. Hathaway near the northern end of Plum Island. By far the greatest number of the Skimmers occurring in the County were seen in the vicinity of the mouth of the Merrimac river, near Newburyport. Mr. Charles Richardson of that town made regular and very frequent trips to his gunning camp on Plum Island from mid-August to November, and he tells me he saw the birds repeatedly from late August to about the middle of October, possibly as late as the twentieth. The last date he has recorded is October 9, and he remembers seeing the birds for some time subsequent to that. He reports the birds practically silent, feeding by themselves in Newburyport harbor, and not mingling with the gulls and terns. They rested on sand bars and on the water, also in bunches of their own species, apart from other birds. Mr. Richardson counted as many as seventy-five, the total of several flocks, and estimates, very conservatively he thinks, that at least one hundred birds were present in the har¬ bor. He further says that a considerable number of birds, large¬ ly immature, in grayish plumage, were reported to him as fre¬ quenting the south jetty at the mouth of the river, and these added to the ones he himself saw would make the total close to one-hundred and fifty birds. 22 BIRD BANDING BY CLUB MEMBERS IN 1924 Willis H. Ropes / The bird banding done the past year by members of the Club may be divided into three classes. First, banding at or near their homes and feeding stations by members resident in Essex County. Second, banding done by ' non-resident members, of which the writer has little data, but which has been brought to public attention in printed articles and through lectures delivered in Massachusetts and elsewhere. I especially refer to the excep¬ tional work of Messrs. Fletcher and Whittle, at Cohasset, Mass. Third, co-operative banding done by members of the Club. This includes the banding of six hundred Black-crowned Night Herons at Barnstable, on June 16, and three hundred and thirty at Ips¬ wich a week later. One hundred and thirteen sparrows trapped near the Club Camp in Boxford during the first week in Septem¬ ber, also belong in this group. As was the case in 1923, most of the trapping and banding at home stations was done by Messrs. Morley, Preston and Ropes. This year however, another bander may be added to the list, for Emilio reports over two hundred birds banded by him near his home. Mr. Morley has an exceptional location, nearby scrub growth and lowland adjoining, as is shown by his record of forty- eight Fox Sparrows, sixty Tree, seventy-three Song, seventeen Field and nine White-throated Sparrows. As in previous years a few migratory birds remained all winter at his feeding station. Some of his returns are especially interesting : a Field Sparrow, sixteen months after banding, a Song Sparrow back for the third season, several Tree Sparrows also for the third winter, and a Junco for two seasons. Mr. Preston has a quantity of large old growth woods near his station, and has been particularly successful in trapping woodpeckers and other climbers. His percentage of returns of some species is quite large, and he reports three Tree Sparrows, three Song Sparrows, five Barn Swallows, two Downy Woodpeckers, and most remarkable of all, out of seven Chicka¬ dees banded early in 1923, six returned, and another returned for a second season. Mr. Emilio has but little cover near his house, and his traps are located over two hundred yards away, 23 not far from a little running water. His trapping this year in¬ cludes a Ruby-crowned Kinglet which was indeed a prize and was taken in an automatic trap of his design. This type of trap is rather promising as it is simple in construction, light, inexpen¬ sive and adaptable for catching and holding birds varying in size from a Kinglet to a Catbird, or larger. He reports that five Song Sparrows banded in 1923 returned to his traps this year. The writer’s total is larger than the previous year, but it is due to going a field for birds when they did not come to the home traps. The fall of snow as compared with that of the preceding winter was so much lighter that winter birds were not nearly as numerous at the traps, and the number of repeat records has been materially lessened. Returns in 1924 of birds banded in 1923 were four Tree Sparrows, two Slate-colored Juncos, two Chicka¬ dees, two Song Sparrows, three Chipping Sparrows, one Robin, one Flicker, one Catbird and two Bluebirds. This pair of Blue¬ birds which raised three broods of four each in 1923, returned together, and the female was caught on two broods of five and three respectively, in 1924. Her mate of 1923 was caught feed¬ ing the brood of five, but was not trapped with the last brood. It is very probably they were also the parents of four young which died in the nest in the long May rainstorm of this year. The totals for the four banders above mentioned are as fol¬ lows : Mr. Preston, two hundred fully grown and one hundred and thirty-five nestlings, including fifty Night Herons, total three hundred and thirty-five, twenty-six different species being repre¬ sented. Mr. Emilio, one hundred and eighty-four grown, one hundred and ninety-two young, including one hundred and sixty Night Herons, a total of three hundred and seventy-six, twenty- two species. Mr. Morley, a total of three hundred and seventy, including forty-two Night Herons, twenty-two species; and the writer, two hundred and eighty-six grown, one hundred and twenty-five young, total four hundred and eleven, twenty-three species. Two trips to band young Night Herons in the nest were arranged and carried out in 1924. The first was June 16 at Barnstable in which Messrs. Emilio and L. B. Fletcher of the Club participated, and each was credited with one hundred and ten birds out of the total of six hundred banded by the whole party. The second was June 22 at Ipswich, and a total of three 24 hundred and thirty birds were banded. Owing to the nestlings being well advanced in growth it was found quite difficult to catch them, many leaving their nests and climbing, rather than flying from one pine to another using wings, beak and claws in the operation. A supply of bands had been secured from the Biological Survey by Mr. Emilio who issued them to the other accredited banders, Morley, Preston, Porter, Townsend, Taylor, Ropes and Stockbridge, who were assisted by Clark, Fanning, Mackintosh and Tortat of the Club and several non-members who were very helpful. The intense heat of the day strengthened the somewhat disagreeable odors in the heronry. On the first Sunday in September, Mr Emilio found a very large flock of sparrows not far from the Club Camp on the Ips¬ wich River, in Boxford. They were ranging from scrub growth and brush piles near the marshes across a farm road into a field of ensilage corn, evidently feeding on the weed seeds in the corn rows. Five traps were taken up there in Mr. Morley’s car the following day and they were operated a few hours each morning and late afternoon by one or more of the banders, Emilio, Mor¬ ley, Preston and Ropes. The “bag” for the six days was one hundred and thirteen birds, practically all Song Sparrows. Very few birds repeated, and only one banded elsewhere was taken. This was a Song Sparrow banded August 2 by the writer at his station in Danvers, five miles away. This is the only bird banded in Danvers which has been caught elsewhere in Essex County. September has proved to be a rather poor month for banding birds at the home stations, the birds evidently preferring the maturing weed seeds to any under the traps. A record of only two birds banded by the writer in September 1923 seemed likely to be repeated until the success in trapping the one hundred and thirteen sparrows in Boxford suggested moving two traps to the rear of a neighbor’s cornfield. The result was that twenty-four sparrows were taken in the last twelve days of the month, and twenty-four the first eighteen days of October. Food is the main factor in trapping birds for banding. The above experience sug¬ gests that it may be advisable to gather and dry weed seed for use in the traps through the winter, and during the spring migration. A brief summary of the operations on the numerically impor¬ tant species may be of interest for comparison with last year’s 25 report. Confining the figures this time however to the banding within Essex County, we find the totals as follows : Song Sparrow, four hundred and thirteen; Black-crowned Night Heron, three hundred and thirty; Tree Sparrow, one hundred and sixty; Slate- colored Junco, one hundred and sixty; Chipping Sparrow, sixty- one ; Fox Sparrow, fifty-five; Robin, forty-six; Catbird, thirty- eight ; Northern Flicker, largely young, thirty-five and Chicka¬ dee, thirty-three. Smaller numbers of thirty-two additional species were banded in the County, and the total number of bands placed by Club members is well over fifty percent greater than reported in 1923. 26 j ANNOTATED LIST OF BIRDS OBSERVED DURING 1924 BY THE ESSEX COUNTY ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB * Records marked thus are from information furnished the Recorder by observers who are not members of the Club. The year 1924 has been very satisfactory, both in the amount of field work accomplished and in the good fortune experienced from the visits to our region of many unusual birds. On the first day of the year the Club inaugurated a series of annual field trips, patterned after our well known Ipswich River Bird Trip. These trips average about one in each calendar month and, being on set days, are intended to be carried on for years in succession, thereby giving the club a fairly correct idea of the bird species present in the County throughout the year and their variations from year to year. The results from these trips for the current year and the number of members taking part in them are given elsewhere in this Bulletin so the recorder will only state that these results have been pleasing and well up to expectations. Several rare and unusual species have visited Essex County during the year and while no organized parties were gathered to view the strangers, an exchange of information among the mem¬ bership enabled several members to profit by the good fortune of others. The practice of not publishing the names of the makers of the records in this list, instituted last year, has been continued in this issue. Any interested party may obtain such names and other data as he may desire by applying to the Recorder. A few important records made in the County by observers who are not members of the Essex County Ornithological Club are included in this list and are therefore credited by name and marked in a distinguishing manner. a. o. u. 2. Holboell’s Grebe. March 7. Comparatively few reported. 3. Horned Grebe. March 27 ; October 12. Present in usual numbers. 27 6. Pied-billed Grebe. September 21 to November 16. Less common than usual. 7. Loon. May 29 ; September 11. Apparently missing during the summer of 1924. 11. Red-throated Loon. October 25. Present in usual numbers. 27. Black Guillemot. February 22. Uncommon. 36. Pomarine Jaeger. August 10 and September 11. Only a few reported. 40. Kittiwake. January 10 ; December 27. Present in some numbers off Nahant during late December. 42. Glaucous Gull. January 24 to May 1. Rarer than usual. 43. Iceland Gull. February 10 and 14. Not present in usual numbers. 47. Great Black-backed Gull. Present in varying numbers throughout the year. No noticeable increase or decrease in numbers during 1924. 51. Herring Gull. The remarks on the preceding species also apply to this species. Both are locally non-breeders. 58. Laughing Gull. June 8 to August 20. This gull has in the past few years become a regular summer visitor with the prospect of becoming a breeding summer resident. 60. Bonaparte’s Gull. January 10 to June 1 ; August 20 to December 4. Present in good numbers. 70. Common Tern. May 29 to November 25. A few were about Lynn harbor during late November. 72. Roseate Tern. May 29 to September 11. This species was very common at Ipswich during the summer. 74. Least Tern. *Mr. C. E. Clarke saw one individual of this species resting with other, larger species of Terns on the ruins of the wooden bulkhead near the mouth of the Saugus River on September 7, 1924. 77. Black Tern. August 10 and September 13. Few reported. 80. Black Skimmer. September 1. A flight of this rare species visited the New England coast to the north of Cape Cod during late August and early September ; their visit seemed to follow a heavy storm. Many observers saw the birds. One observer fortunately being a member of the Club. 117. Gannet. September 11 to October 26. A regular autumn institution over Plum Island Bar. 28 119. Cormorant. February 14 ; December 9. Most frequently seen about the ledges off Marblehead. 120. Double-crested Cormorant. August 31 to October 12. Frequently seen during the autumn in immense flocks flying along shore and not always over the water. 129. Merganser. April 12 ; November 16. Frequently seen spring and fall while the ponds are open. 130. Red-breasted Merganser. May 29 ; September 21. Com¬ mon along shore in salt water. 131. Hooded Merganser. April 5. Sagamore Pond. ^Messrs. Clarke and Perry saw two in the same location on Sep¬ tember 21, 1924. 133. Red-legged Black Duck. A large number pass the icy months off Little Nahant at the mouth of Lynn harbor. 133a. Black Duck. April 19 to October 29. Frequently seen summer resident and probably winters in some numbers. 143. Pintail. April 24 to June 8 ; October 23 to December 25. *Charles A. Clark has records of the same Pintails recorded above from early in January 1924 to about August 1, 1924, and from October 21 till the close of the year. The above records were made at Hall’s Brook Meadow, Lynn, Mass. 144. Wood Duck. March 30 to May 18. Few reported during 1924. 147. Canvas-back. November 16. Reported by gunners to have been somewhat common during the shooting season this year. 148. Scaup Duck. March 27 ; October 12. Present in usual numbers. 149. Lesser Scaup Duck. October 23. Not many reported. 150. Ring-necked Duck. November. Collected at Chebacco Pond. 151. American Golden-eye. April 27 ; November 16. Present in usual numbers. 152. Barrow’s Golden-eye. March 27 ; December 7. Three males and a retinue probably of females and young birds at the old station at Sliding Rock. The December birds showed a tendency to work along shore toward Swamp- scott, a new move from the practice of former years. 153. Buffle-head. May 1 ; November 13. Increasing in numbers. 29 154. Old-squaw. June 1; October 15. Does the late spring stay of this duck, nesting far beyond the Arctic Circle, indicate an inclination to stay south until the nesting grounds are ready and then make a rapid dash north¬ ward? 163. Scoter. October 12. Few reported. 165. White-winged Scoter. May 1 ; August 10. Usual numbers. 166. Surf Scoter. October 12. Usual numbers. 167. Ruddy Duck. November 16. Very few reported. 172. Canada Goose. April 13 to 22 ; November 4 to December 9. Fall flight about average. 173. Brant. April 7. Plum Island. The only report for 1924. 190. Bittern. April 5 to October 13. Locally common. 194. Great Blue Heron. April 12 to May 22; July 8 to Novem¬ ber 16. Usual numbers. 200. Little Blue Heron. August 10 to September 11. A re¬ markable flight of this species visited the County during August, being seen by several observers, from one to four birds at a time at Breed’s Pond, Lynn, Spring Pond, Peabody and Middleton Pond, Middleton. These birds were all in the juvenal white plumage. On September 11, another Little Blue was seen at Sagamore Pond, Ips¬ wich, this individual being in the blue adult plumage. 201. Green Heron. May 3 8 to September 1. Apparently not so numerous as usual. 202. Black-crowned Night Heron. April 12 to October 26. Usual numbers. 208. King Rail. September 28. A single bird was seen in Danvers; the second record for that town in recent years. Very rare in Essex County. 212. Virginia Rail. April 7 to December 3. The latter date is of a bird caught in a trap set for fur-bearing animals. 214. Sora. May 23 to July 4. Few were reported but probably many birds were here but not observed. 221. Coot. July 6 to November 25. The earlier date is of several birds seen in West Peabody under circumstances that indicated that they had bred nearby. 223. Northern Phalarope. September 11. A single bird seen near the inner shore of Ipswich Dunes. 30 228. Woodcock. March 27 to October 25. Breeds to some extent locally. 230. Wilson’s Snipe. April 13, May 11, June 5, July 3, October 23. Evidently breeds in the County but there are no recent records of nests or young being found hereabout. 231. Dowitcher. August 10. An instance of a not uncommon bird that slips by our observers. 233. * Stilt Sandpiper. A single bird of this species was seen on September 7, 1924, by Mr. C. E. Clarke, at Nahant Beach on the Lynn harbor side. 234. Knot. June 1 ; September 11. Only a few reported. 235. Purple Sandpiper. February 22 to March 20 ; December 29. A common denizen of the outlying ledges during the colder months. Very rarely seen on the mainland. 239. Pectoral Sandpiper. August 5 to September 13. Usual numbers. 241. * Baird’s Sandpiper. Clark’s Pond, Ipswich, August 30, 1924, seen by Mr. C. E. Clarke. 242. Least Sandpiper. May 9 to June 1 ; August 5. Usual numbers. 243a. Red-backed Sandpiper. June 1 ; August 10 to October 13. The earlier date is of three birds in summer plumage, seen at Clark’s Pond, Ipswich. 246. Semipalmated Sandpiper. May 18 to June 1 ; July 13 to October 2. Usual numbers. 248. Sanderling. May 29 to June 1; July 31 to December 4. Usual numbers. 249. * Marbled Godwit. August 27. Parker River. Dr. T. Barbour. 254. Greater Yellow-legs. May 4 to June 1 ; August 7 to Sep¬ tember 11. About the usual flights. 255. Yellow-legs. August 4 to 20. No spring reports. 256. Solitary Sandpiper. May 11 to 18; August 6 to Septem¬ ber 7. Usual numbers. 263. Spotted Sandpiper. May 4 to September 11. No late dates although birds were probably present. 265.* Hudsonian Curlew. Mr. C. J. Maynard saw them at Plum Island May 17, 1924. 270. Black-bellied Plover. June 1; August 10 to November 15. 272. Golden Plover. September 11. One record. 31 273. Killdeer. April 13 to October 5. Definitely re-estab¬ lished as a breeding summer resident of Essex County. 274. Semipalmated Plover. May 18 to June 1; July 31 to October 2. Usual large numbers. 277. Piping Plover. April 12 to September 21. Holding its own if not increasing in numbers. 283a. Ruddy Turnstone. August 5 to September 11. No great numbers reported. 289. Bob White. Resident species. A few reported from Dan¬ vers and vicinity. 300. Ruffed Grouse. Resident species. A scattering few re¬ ported here and there. Ring-neck Pheasant. Naturalized-resident species. Barely hold¬ ing its own against the gunners. 316. Mourning Dove. March 29 to December 14. Most com¬ mon along the Ipswich River. 331. Marsh Hawk. March 2 to September 20. Locally com¬ mon. 332. Sharp-shinned Hawk. Resident species. Not abundant. 333. Cooper’s Hawk. Resident species. Few reported. 334. Goshawk. March 9. Only one reported. 339. Red-shouldered Hawk. Resident species. Everywhere common. 343. Broad-winged Hawk. October 23. Only one reported. 352. Bald Eagle. April 6 to October 7. Irregular visitor to the County. 256a. Duck Hawk. November 16. Only one reported. 360. Sparrow Hawk. Resident species. Everywhere common. 364. Osprey. April 9 to May 17 ; September 11 to October 2. Frequently seen spring and fall. 366. Long-eared Owl. November 27. A pair seen in Salem Pastures on above date. 367. Short-eared Owl. December 4. A single bird seen at mouth of Saugus River. 372. Saw-whet Owl. December 6. Single individual seen in Upper Swampscott. 373. Screech Owl. Resident species. Moderately common. 375. Great Horned Owl. Resident species. Frequently heard about the Club Camp in Boxford. 32 387. Yellow-billed Cuckoo. May 26 to June 27. This species has become almost rare in the last ten years. 388. Black-billed Cuckoo. May 24 to July 26. Has decreased in number but is not so rare as 387. 390. Belted Kingfisher. March 23 to October 6. A species which seems capable to care for itself in spite of civil¬ ization. 393. Hairy Woodpecker. Resident species. Many seen even in town. 394c. Downy Woodpecker. Resident species. More common than above species. 402. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. October 24. Unusually uncom¬ mon this year. 412a. Northern Flicker. Resident species. Very common. 417. Whip-poor-will. May 5 to August 31. Locally and vari¬ ably common. 420. Nighthawk. May 23 to September 16. Breeds here irreg¬ ularly. 423. Chimney Swift. April 30 to September 14. About usual numbers. 428. Ruby-throated Hummingbird. May 14 to September 17. Apparently decreasing in numbers. 444. Kingbird. May 4 to September 15. Usual numbers. 452. Crested Flycatcher. May 18 to September 25. Most com¬ mon along the Ipswich River. 456. Phoebe. March 30 to December 7. Common everywhere out of town. 459. Olive-sided Flycatcher. May 29 to June 8. Rare spring migrant. 461. Wood Pewee. May 18 to August 24. Common summer resident. 463. Yellow-bellied Flycatcher. May 29. Rare migrant. 467. Least Flycatcher. May 5 to July 6. This species is apt to escape noticed after it ceases its breeding time calls of “Chebec, chebec” but it surely stays later than early July. 474. Horned Lark. April 10; October 9. Variable winter visitor. 33 474b. Prairie Horned Lark. July 31. By finding this species present for two summers, 1923 and 1924, on the made land on the Lynn side of the mouth of the Saugus River, during mid-season, we have apparently added another breeding place in Eastern Massachusetts, to the well known breeding station at Eagle Hill, Ipswich. 477. Blue Jay. Resident species. Surely not decreasing in numbers. 488. Crow. Resident species. Holding their own in spite of all man can do. Starling. Introduced species. Rampantly increasing in num¬ bers but up to date have no proven agricultural crimes laid at their door. 494. Bobolink. May 14 to September 24. Locally common. 495. Cowbird. March 25 to December 28. Is wintering in Danvers. 498. Red-winged Blackbird. March 10 to November 15. Local¬ ly common. 501. Meadowlark. Resident species, wintering in favorable localities. 507. Baltimore Oriole. May 6 to September 11. Pleasingly common. 509. Rusty Blackbird. March 10 to May 11 ; September 20 to November 11. Locally common. 511b. Bronzed Grackle. March 4 to December 28. Rapidly in¬ creasing in numbers and becoming a nuisance. Many are wintering in several localities in the County. 514. Evening Grosbeak. February 17 to April 25. No flight recorded for this region winter of 1924-25. 515. Pine Grosbeak. January 6. Only record for the year. 517. Purple Finch. Variable resident species. About average numbers. 529. Goldfinch. Resident species. Usual numbers. 533. Pine Siskin. May 11 ; October 12. Average numbers. 534. Snow Bunting. March 18 ; October 26. Rare away from Ipswich dunes. 536. Lapland Longspur. October 13 and December 4. Like above, few seen away from Ipswich. House Sparrow. Introduced species. Happily for man they are decreasing locally. 34 540. Vesper Sparrow. April 9 to October 12. Locally com¬ mon. 541. Ipswich Sparrow. October 13 and 16. *Plum Island May 17, 1924. C. J. Maynard. 542a. Savannah Sparrow. April 6 to November 15. Locally common. 549. Sharp-tailed Sparrow. June 1 to October 13. This species deserves much more notice than it gets. 544. White-crowned Sparrow. May 16. Only record for the year. 558. White-throated Sparrow. May 10 ; September 20 to Decem¬ ber 28. Winters in Essex County in small numbers, more or less regularly. 559. Tree Sparrow. April 29 ; October 26. Average numbers. 560. Chipping Sparrow April 15 to December 7. Summered in usual numbers. 563. Field Sparrow April 13 to October 23. A few winter more or less regularly at our Swampscott member’s banding station. 567. Slate-colored Junco. May 10 ; September 24. Usual num¬ bers. 581. Song Sparrow. Resident species. 583. Lincoln’s Sparrow. September 25. A single record for the year. 584. Swamp Sparrow. In small numbers a resident species. They have been seen practically each month this year. 585. Fox Sparrow. April 13; October 23. Winters in small numbers. 587. Towhee. May 2 to October 16. Very common summer resident. 595. Rose-breasted Grosbeak. May 4 to September 29. By no means numerous. 598. Indigo Bunting. May 25 to September 20. Not so com¬ mon the last two or three years as previously. 608. Scarlet Tanager. May 17 to September 28. Surely not in¬ creasing in numbers. 611. Purple Martin. April 19 to 27. No breeding records. 612. Cliff Swallow. April 19 to August 10. Breeding station near the East Street Bridge over the Ipswich River. 35 613. Barn Swallow. April 16 to September 11. Common sum¬ mer resident. 614. Tree Swallow. April 9 to September 11. Common sum¬ mer resident. 616. Bank Swallow. April 27 to August 20. Nesting colonies are decidedly uncommon. 619. Cedar Waxwing. Variable permanent resident. About average numbers present this year. 621. Northern Shrike. April 15 ; December 7. Usual numbers. 624. Red-eyed Vireo. May 16 to October 3. Usual numbers. 627. Warbling Vireo. May 14 to September 12. Only locally common. 628. Yellow-throated Vireo. May 10 to Septemper 11. No where abundant. 629. Blue-headed Vireo. May 4 to October 3. Bred in some numbers in the vicinity of the Club Camp in Boxford this year. 636. Black and White Warbler. May 2 to September 17. Com¬ mon summer resident. 642. Golden-winged Warbler. May 9 to September 7. Com¬ mon summer resident locally. 645. Nashville Warbler. May 11 to September 7. Uncommon summer resident. 648a. Northern Parula Warbler. May 6 to 24 ; September 17. Common spring migrant but not so common in the fall. 652. Yellow Warbler. April 27 to August 19. Common sum¬ mer resident. 654. Black-throated Blue Warbler. May 18. Unusually rare this year. 655. Myrtle Warbler. May 27 ; September 7. Variable winter resident. 657. Magnolia Warbler. August 20. Unusually rare this year. 659. Chestnut-sided Warbler. May 11 to August 31. Common summer resident. 660. * Bay-breasted Warbler. Was seen in the Fay estate, Lynn, June 3, 1924 by Mrs. M. E. Ward. 661. Blackpoll Warbler. May 14 to June 5; September 8 to October 19. Common spring and fall migrant. 662. Blackburnian Warbler. May 18 to August 17. Bred this year on Border Line Farm, Boxford. 36 667. Black-throated Green Warbler. May 4 to October 3. Common summer resident. 671. Pine Warbler. April 19 to June 8. A common summer resident that should have been seen long after June 8. 672. Palm Warbler. February 3 ; October 26. The winter record is a very unusual occurrence. 672a. Yellow Palm Warbler. April 12 to May 11 ; October 13 to 19. Common spring migrant but not usually so common in the fall. 673. Prairie Warbler. May 18 to June 28. Common resident of the sprout-lands of the extreme southern corner of Essex County, during the breeding season. • 674. Ovenbird. May 4 to September 28. Common summer resident. 675. Water-Thrush. May 17 to 25 ; August 18 to September 28. Variable spring and fall migrant. 681. Maryland Yellow-throat. May 10 to October 13. Com¬ mon summer resident. 685. Wilson’s Warbler. May 18 to 25; November 18. The November bird was collected. 686. Canada Warbler. May 18 to 28; June 29. Later date was probably of a breeding bird. 687. Redstart. May 6 to October 12. Common summer resident. 697. Pipit. September 20 to November 14. Variable spring and fall migrant. 704. Catbird. May 4 to October 5. Common summer resident. 705. Brown Thrasher. May 9 to September 20. Common sum¬ mer resident. 721. House Wren. May 10 to June 27. Uncommon summer resident. 722. Winter Wren. October 16. Variable spring and fall mi¬ grant and occasional winter resident. 724. Short-billed Marsh Wren. June 8 to September 7. Locally common. 725. Long-billed Marsh Wren. May 18 to October 26; Decem¬ ber 28. The December date is the first wintering record in Essex County for this species. 726. Brown Creeper. May 6; August 24. Variably common. 727. White-breasted Nuthatch. March 30; October 10 to Dec¬ ember 22. Variable winter visitor. 37 728. Red-breasted Nuthatch. May 24; October 12. Variable winter visitor. 735. Chickadee. Permanent resident. Common. 748. Golden-crowned Kinglet. April 27; September 25. Vari¬ able winter visitor. • 749. Ruby-crowned Kinglet. April 6 to May 11; September 24 to November 2. Somewhat common spring and fall migrant. 755. Wood Thrush. May 8 to September 11. Locally common summer resident. 756. Veery. May 11 to September 7. Locally common summer resident. 759b. Hermit Thrush. April 13 to December 7. Breeds locally and occasionally winters in the County. 761. Robin. Has almost the status of a permanent resident as it winters in good numbers most years. 766. Bluebird. March 10 to November 4. Common summer resident. 38 A BLACK VULTURE AT IPSWICH Charles W. Townsend On November 2, 1924 I was so fortunate as to see a Black Vulture close to my house at Ipswich, Mass. As I had seen a bird of this species in August at Grand Manan, my first thought was that my eyes were playing me a trick — although the shape, color and manner of flight at once recalled that bird — and I tried my best to criticise my findings and make it out some other variety. When I first caught sight of this vulture, I was stand¬ ing in the north side of my ‘ ‘forest’ ’ and the bird was swinging around close to the southeast corner of my house. It disappeared behind the forest, but I ran quickly to the western border, and in good light I examined it carefully with eight power binoculars, when it reappeared and flew within fifty yards of me. Its im¬ mense stretch of wing, its black color with the exception of the grayish white appearance of the primaries, as seen from below, its short tail, its hooked bill and especially its small naked black head made its identification certain. It was pursued by a crow which appeared diminutive in comparison, and soon disappeared towards the southwest. As I had been told that vultures were apt to investigate any motionless prostrate body, I extended my¬ self on the grass, but owing doubtless to the pestering crow the experiment failed and the bird did not return. 39 There have been more records for the Black than the Turkey Vulture in Essex County. The previous records for the Black Vulture are as follows: November, 1850, Swampscott; Septem¬ ber, 1863, Gloucester; April, 1913, Nahant; May, 1916, Glouces¬ ter, and August, 1917, Wenham. The specimen was taken in each of these cases. A LONG-BILLED MARSH WREN IN COUNTY OF ESSEX, MASSACHUSETTS, IN WINTER S. G. Emilio December 28, 1924 began cold and clear with a moderate northwest wind. I started early on a ten-mile walk to make a count of the birds for Bird Lore’s Christmas Census. There had been no snow since the first part of the month, and very cold weather had frozen solidly the water in the swamps. Near the Ferncroft station in Danvers, Beaver Brook runs through a low area of twenty or more acres. There is only a little alder, but a considerable extent of cat-tails, grasses and low shrubs, especially wild rose, and several lagoons. I had traversed most of the swamp and was about to leave from the northwest side when I heard the call note of a wren. Only a few hundred feet from here I found a Winter Wren two years ago, but this note did not seem right for that species, though I heard it but faintly from a considerable distance. My notes state that I “investigated and found a cat, (as usual in this neighborhood) and about one hundred feet or so from the original point saw a wren in wild rose, etc. It was silent, as the cat withdrew at my approach. View obstructed and glasses stuck in focusing, on account of cold. Bird appeared to have plain white under parts and a line over the eye. I soon lost it. It did not bob like a Winter Wren nor was the call note suggestive of that species.” My day’s walk had scarcely begun, and I was reluctant to spend more time with the wren. I was fairly well convinced it was not a Winter, though that is the only one of the family sup¬ posed to be here at this season. The call note and the fleeting glimpse I had pointed to the probability of a Long-billed Marsh Wren. 40 A little before sunset I returned to the wren territory and after a short search, the bird began to call excitedly, whereupon I easily located it in cat-tails near the railroad. It was very accommodating this time, and I had a good close unobstructed view of the little fellow in characteristic poses on the brown reeds. There was a white line over the eye. The under parts were plain whitish, but faintly tinged on the sides with brown. This was enough to establish the identity of the bird though other minor points were noted, and I went home very much pleased to have found a Long-billed Marsh Wren here in winter. So far as I know the species has not before been observed in the county in winter though Mr. Brewster has recorded it in the Cambridge region at this season. SUMMER RECORD OF THE BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER AT BOXFORD, MASS. Rodman A. Nichols About 3 o’clock on the afternoon of Thursday, June 26, 1924 I was listening to the song of a Blue-headed Vireo which was singing in a small oak tree about twenty-five feet from where I was working at my camp in Boxford, Mass. My eight year old son was with me and I told him to go over to the tree and try to see the bird as it was quite uncommon in our neighborhood. Without stirring from his position the boy said “There he is now” and pointed out to me what I took to be a Black and White Warbler. The bird was back to me and I was about to dismiss him with a few admonitory remarks as to the difference between Black and White Warblers and Blue-headed Vireos and the im¬ portance of more careful observation, when the bird turned full toward me revealing a flaming orange throat and white wing patches. I instantly named the bird as a full plumaged male Blackburnian Warbler fully realizing the great unlikelihood of such an occurrence in the summer. I watched the bird for two or three minutes while my son ran into the house for my glasses. (The measured distance was twenty-one feet.) I found the bird was feeding on some minute material which 41 I could not see. Just after I got the glasses on him he secured a soft green worm and after working over it until he had it firmly in his bill flew quickly into the dense white pines nearby. Al¬ though I had no doubt as to my identification the rarity of the bird in summer seemed to warrant sharing my find and also called for further verification. I arranged an appointment with Mr. S. G. Emilio and the next morning, Friday, June 27, we met at 5.50 and repaired to the tree where I had seen the bird. We immediately heard the song of a Black and White which I located and identified. Mr. Emilio then heard another note which he had difficulty in sepa¬ rating from the continuous song of the Black and White. Event¬ ually, however, this bird came into full sight about thirty-five feet up in a white pine. We both had a satisfactory view of him in the full light of the rising sun which brought out all the beauty of his plumage. In this instance, as previously, the bird found a soft green worm and disappeared into the heavy tops of the pines. We searched for some time for a nest but without result and also listened carefully but heard no further song. From this time on the bird was seen almost daily and frequent search was made for the nest but without success. The growth of pine is extremely heavy and we were also handicapped by the fact that the bird was never heard to sing after the first morning. One of the favorite feeding grounds was in the vicinity of a small hut in which one of my daughters slept. Early each morning she watched the bird from her bed and made notes on a card kept for the purpose. On July 3rd, the female appeared with the male and on the 10th, two young. The family kept well together but began to range over a somewhat wider territory. My last observation was made on July 30th, when I saw all four birds with an Ovenbird and three Black and White Warblers. While the nest was never found it would appear that the evidence of breeding is sufficient. In any event the simple occur¬ rence of the bird in summer is extremely rare. *Mr. J. A. Farley records a nest at Lynnfield, on June 21, 1901 and no subsequent record is cited by Dr. Townsend in his Supplement to The Birds of Essex County, 1920. * J. A. Farley, Auk, vol, 18, p 399, 1901 42 A DECEMBER VIRGINIA RAIL George M. Teel December 3, 1924, I found an unusual and accidental victim, a Virginia Rail, caught in a trap set for mink. This was in Middleton, Mass, in a small stream fed by a spring about thirty or forty yards away. The spring is at the edge of a large mead¬ ow, and the water flows through it rather sluggishly. The bottoms of such streams here are black with decaying vegetable matter which attracts the animal food searched for by Virginia Rails and their relatives. The fact that this is the second time I have found a Virgnia Rail in early winter caught in a trap, makes this occurrence more interesting. The first time was a few years ago, in the Salem pastures and the surroundings were nearly identical with those in Middleton. An account of the previous occurrence may be found in the 1920 Bulletin. AN AMUSING EXPERIENCE Ralph Lawson Early in January, 1924, I chanced to be staying for a few days in West Byfleet, Surrey, England. The first morning when I awoke I realized that I was listening to a very familiar bird song, but for a few moments was at a loss to remember where I had heard it before. Then it came to me that although I never before had heard or even seen a bird of the species to which I was listening the song was that of the English Throstle, a Victor record of which I had had at my home in Salem for several years. AN IMITATIVE ORIOLE Ralph Lawson During the spring and early summer of 1923, I heard regu¬ larly about my house in Duxbury, Mass, an Oriole which gave a series of notes strongly resembling the whistles of the Greater Yellow-legs. This spring, 1924, an Oriole, presumably the same 43 bird is again about my house and is giving regularly the same Yellow-leg call, but it seems to me that the resemblance is even more striking than it was in 1923, in fact several times I have had to listen to one or two repetitions before I could decide abso¬ lutely that I was listening to an Oriole and not a Greater Yel¬ low-legs, although in thinking the matter over I believe that it is only an Oriole that fools me and that I have never mistaken a Yellow-legs for my mimicing Oriole. It seems to me that this is a clear case of mimicry, as the land about my home is bounded by a tidal river which, except during late June and all of July usually contains one and sometimes great numbers of Greater Yellow-legs which visit it to feed at low water. OSPREYS ROOSTING AT NIGHT S. G. Emilio The third evening of the long northeast storm in early May, the tenth, to be exact, I went on to Whipple Hill, Danvers, to see, or hear, if any migrants had arrived in spite of the storm. I found there had been some recent arrivals, a Maryland Yellow- throat, two Wood Thrushes, some White-throated Sparrows and a Catbird. It was nearly a half hour after sunset when I emerged from the woods and started down the trail through the slashing on the south side of the hill. This cut-over area is bordered on the east by a stone wall which separates it from a large field. Along the wall are several large rock maple trees. I paused a moment in the trail on the chance of hearing a Veery, but was greeted by six shrill whistled notes from an Osprey. As I turned to see where the bird was, he launched himself from one of the maples, flew southward a little, over the cemetery, then turned and pro¬ ceeded northward out of sight. I assume the bird if undis¬ turbed, would have spent the night there in the maple tree. Such a location seemed to me rather strange, and I was some¬ what astonished at finding the bird, for Whipple Hill overlooks no body of water, and this Fish Hawk was far from any possible “feeding ground.’ ’ Six days later I came upon another Osprey apparently settled for the night, for it was more than a half hour after sunset. 44 This bird was in a very large dead oak beside the channel of the Ipswich River. The bird was flushed and found again shortly after, a few hundred yards up stream, in a leafless tree beside the river. These two roosts seemed perfectly normal, in contrast to that of the bird of the previous week. A MALE BOB WHITE AT TOPSFIELD Rodman Nichols On the 18th of June, 1924, on the Topsfield-Middleton road about a mile from Topsfield village I saw a male Bob White in excellent bright plumage. The bird came out of the grass, edg¬ ing the road, in front of a mowing field bordered with hedge rows. He did not flush nor show undue haste in departing although my Ford was rattling and banging in a terrible way. The bird simply turned and walked sedately into the grass and was lost to sight. It may seem peculiar to devote space to the record of a species so common here in years gone by and still common in other counties but quail in Essex County have been a rarety for some twenty years. A SHARP-SHINNED HAWK’S SUPPER Arthur Morley On the afternoon of April 19th, Walter Bates and I were re¬ turning to the Club Camp after a tramp through the neighboring country, when a Sharp-shinned Hawk, flying very low, passed over our heads and settled on a fence post about a hundred yards in front of us. We stopped and with the aid of our glasses watched this bird catch his evening meal. After scanning the field for a few seconds he moved down one post, a few seconds more and he moved another post, another short interval and this time he moved two posts and turned completely around, facing us, the setting sun shining directly across his barred breast. It was now plain to be seen that he had an object in view. He quickly dropped into the grass, and commenced a series of long jumps, aided by his partly raised wings, showing that he had his quarry on the run. After eight or perhaps ten of these jumps his victim 45 took wing and turned, twisted and doubled, but to no avail, for inside of fifteen yards or so the Hawk simply smothered the little fellow, and after seeming to stand on his prey (apparently a Savannah Sparrow) gathered him up and flew towards the pine trees in the distance, the whole operation from start to finish tak¬ ing not more than five minutes. LITTLE BLUE HERONS IN ESSEX COUNTY, 1924 S .G. Emilio The only report of the Little Blue Heron occurring in 1924 in Massachusetts, which has appeared in the Auk, is an account of one bird in the January, 1925 issue. Mr. Forbush, however, in his “Items of Interest” sent to observers on September 1, 1924 mentions the fact that twenty-two birds of this species had- been reported to him up to that time, in Massachusetts and Connecti¬ cut. From my own experience it would seem that a considerable proportion of these birds reached Essex County, Massachusetts as the following records may indicate. August 10 Mr. Stubbs found two at Breed’s Pond, Lynn. The next day I saw three of the species at that place. August 20 there were four at Spring Pond, and going immediately to Breed’s, I saw three more. It is possible, though extremely improbable, that three of the Spring Pond birds flew over to Breed’s while I was traversing the distance myself. August 27 I went to Middle- ton Pond with Mr. Morley, and found there two white Little Blue Herons. Soon after at Breed’s we found two more, and at Spring Pond, one. We learned however that five had been seen at Spring Pond at first, about two weeks previously, and that one had later been found shot, and another killed by flying into wires or possibly by some animal. It might be mentioned incidentally, that both these skins have been preserved. September 11 at Sagamore Pond, Ipswich, I saw one adult Little Blue, that is, in the blue plumage. All the others were in immature or white plumage. From the above observations I feel very safe in concluding that certainly six, and very probably at least eleven different Little Blue Herons visited the southern and eastern part of Essex County in the summer of 1924. 46 WINTERING MALLARDS Willard B. Porter During the latter part of January, 1924 “wild” Mallard Ducks were reported in the North River at Salem. Investigation proved these reports to be based on fact, as just before sunset on January 25 I saw three Mallards (a male and two females) off Ropes’ Point. They were near enough to shore to be identified and watched without the aid of glasses. When the birds arose into the air they headed up the Danvers River, then struck a direct line toward the north and disappeared in range with the United Shoe Machinery plant in Beverly. Further inquiry devel¬ oped the fact that a number of Mallards had wintered in the fresh water pond of the United Shoe Machinery Company. The condensers at the adjacent power plant exhausting their steam into the pond, thus warming the water, had kept a good sized pool open all winter. Neighbors and employees at the plant had thrown food to the birds with the result that the ducks remained throughout the winter. They made daily trips to the North and Danvers Rivers (salt) returning at night according to report, evidently to feed. A YOUNG SPOTTED SANDPIPER AT CAMP Rodman A. Nichols On the afternoon of Saturday, July 19th, 1924 I found a young Spotted Sandpiper running along a deep rut in the road leading into the Club Camp, at Boxford, Mass. One of my daughters chased the little bird, which was apparently unable to fly, and finally caught it, much to the concern of one of its par¬ ents which immediately appeared. The old bird flapped along the ground, rolled and twisted and uttered loud cries in an effort to distract us. The young bird was evidently but a few hours old, covered with light and dark gray down with a black line running from the top of the head to the base of the tail. The bill and feet were black. It ran well but had difficulty in push¬ ing through the grass stems. Neighborhood gunners tell me this species has always bred here on the “Plains” but this is the first time I have found the young in the vicinity since the Club Camp was established. 47 EVENING GROSBEAKS AT HALLS’ BROOK S. G. Emilio The morning of April 25th I went to Hall’s Brook, Lynn in quest of the pair of Pintails that had been seen there.* I found the drake and had a fair but distant view. An opportunity to see the species in Essex County is rather rare and I decided to study this bird at closer range in better light, so I went around to the northeast bank, which is quite high and close to the marshy area where the bird was preening on a tussock. While working cautiously through the trees and bushes a noisy flock of birds came out of the air from the eastward, hovered a moment over¬ head and dropped into the trees very near me. Intent on stalk¬ ing the Pintail, the significance of the notes and indeed of the great white wing patches that I saw momentarily above me, did not at once make an impression on my mind. A second or two later as my eye caught a bird at rest in a nearby tree I remarked quite audibly to myself, “Why those are Evening Grosbeaks”. I counted twenty, only five of which appeared to be adult males. This is by far the largest flock I saw during the winter of % 1923-1924. The other occurrences observed were bands of a few wandering erratically, but a flock of about the size above men¬ tioned had been seen with some degree of regularity in nearby parts of Lynn until the early part of April, by observers in that neighborhood. FIELD MEETINGS 1924 S. G. Emilio A schedule of Field Meetings or Trips was prepared in Decem¬ ber, 1923 for the following year. The County offers unusual facilities for observing water birds, and the schedule was arranged with that fact in mind. Ten dates were selected, part holidays and part Sundays, not more than one in any month except June. Limitations of space preclude more than a very brief account of the ten trips, and the relatively small number of members par¬ ticipating indicates the present comparative unimportance of this report. The sponsors of the plan of scheduled field trips can find some comfort however, in the fact that more observers braved the cold and miles of icy walking on the very first trip to see a few species of birds, than made the 1906 Ipswich River trip at the height of the spring migration. Twenty-one members took part in these trips throughout the year, and the average attendance was just five. The writer alone made one trip, about the most interesting one of the ten, by the way, and as many as nine members appeared at Nahant in Febru¬ ary. One or more representatives of one-hundred and thirty- three species were observed. Only a few are worthy of particular mention here. The following brief summary may be of interest. January 1. Ipswich Beach. Seven members. Seventeen species. Clear sky, strong northwest wind, ground icy, temper¬ ature about 30. February 22. Nahant. Nine members. Twenty-one species. Clear sky, strong west wind, some glare ice and very stiff snow crust, temperature 15 to 25. Two Black Guillemots in winter plumage were seen from the Cliff Walk, and at least three Pur¬ ple Sandpipers were seen from the mainland on Shag Rocks. March 23. West Gloucester. Seven members. Twenty species. Cloudless sky, gentle easterly wind, temperature 40 to 50. Some snow in woods. April 19 and 20. Club Camp Boxford. Eight members. Forty-four species. April weather ranging from clear sky to showers, strong northerly winds diminishing, and temperature 35 to 55. A single Cliff Swallow on April 19 was a rather early arrival for a decidedly late spring. 49 June 1. Clark’s Pond and Plum Island. Four members. Forty-six species. A female Old Squaw, possibly somewhat crip¬ pled but still able to fly well, was seen off Plum Island beach. Three fine Red-backed Sandpipers at Clark’s Pond were the most interesting birds of the trip, though the opportunity presented to observe several Sharp-tailed Sparrows also made the day an interesting one. June 29. Wenham Swamp. Four members. Sixty-two species. Low clouds, clearing, and temperature rising. Very few mosquitoes. One singing male Canada Warbler and a Sharp- shinned Hawk were the only unusual summer residents discovered. August 10. Clark’s Pond and Plum Island. Two members only. Fifty-two species. No clouds, but hazy, moderate variable winds, cool. A Large Jaeger presumably Pomarine, and a Black Tern in nearly full summer plumage were seen at Plum Island. September 20 and 21. Club Camp, Boxford. Four members. Fifty-two species. Finest of September weather. A short trip was made by automobile to Ipswich Beach. At Sagamore pond were two birds which I recorded as “mergansers anyway, and probably Sheldrakes.” Mr. C. E. Clarke of Medford visited the pond soon after and saw (presumably) these same birds at close range. He pronounced them unmistakably Hooded Mergansers. This is a new early fall date for the species, in this county. October 12. Nahant. Four members. Thirty-four species. Partly cloudy, northwest wind, temperature 50 to 60. The water birds were somewhat disappointing, and it remained for two be¬ lated migrants to bring a little of interest to the trip. A Black¬ billed Cuckoo and a Redstart were seen near the Cliff Walk. November 16. Ponds. One member only visited six south¬ ern Essex County ponds during the day. Twenty-eight species. Partly cloudy, southwest wind increasing. The temperature 30 to 60. At Suntaug in the early morning ten species of water birds were seen. One Pied-billed Grebe, a pair of American Mergansers, several hundred red and brown legged Black Ducks, two drake Pintails, a female Canvasback at close range, one male and several female or young Lesser Scaup Ducks, seven or eight American Golden-eyes, a Ruddy Duck in female plumage, one Great Blue Heron and four or five Coot. This was an appropriate place for a Duck Hawk, and an immature of the species was actually seen. 50 CALENDAR FOR 1924 OF THE ESSEX COUNTY ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB OF MASSACHUSETTS January 14, 1924 — Regular meeting. President in the chair, 28 members present. Speaker of the evening James L. Peters of Cambridge. Communication “Ornithological Collect¬ ing in Patagonia.” Field notes. February 11, 1924 — Regular meeting. Vice President in the chair, 20 members present. Speaker of the evening Mr. C. A. Spofford of Danvers, who gave an illustrated talk on the Ipswich River. Field notes. March 17, 1924 — Special meeting. Vice President in the chair, 25 members present. Speaker, Professor Alfred 0. Gross of Bowdoin. Communication “The Fast-disappearing Heath Hen on Martha’s Vineyard,” also “Gulls on Great Duck Island and Nesting of Night Hawks at Brunswick, Maine.” This meet¬ ing combined the two usual March meetings in order to allow Club members an opportunity of hearing Professor Gross at a time convenient to him. April 14, 1924 — Regular meeting. Vice President in the chair. 17 members present. Field notes and general discussions. April 28, 1924 — Regular meeting. Vice President in the chair. 27 members present. Voted to hold the Ipswich River Bird Trip on May 17 and 18. The Secretary, Ralph Lawson, gave an illustrated talk on his recent winter’s trip through England to Egypt and return by way of Italy and France. May 12, 1924 — Regular meeting. Vice President in the chair. 17 members present. Field notes and general discussions. May 26, 1924— Regular meeting. 17 members present. Discussion of the 1924 River Trip and general field notes. June 9, 1924— Regular meeting. Mr. R. A. Nichols, tem¬ porary Chairman. 15 members present Field notes and general discussions. 51 September 8, 1924 — Regular meeting. Vice President in the chair. 14 members present. General recounting of summer experiences and field notes. October 13, 1924: — Regular meeting. Mr. C. H. Preston, temporary Chairman. 15 members present Messrs. Taylor, Hubon and Dr. Fanning appointed Nominating Committee for 1925 officers. Communication from Dr. C. W. Townsend, “Some Summer Notes,” “Experiences in Petersham, Mass, and Grand Manan Island,” also interesting records from Ipswich. November 10, 1924 — Regular meeting. Vice President in the chair. 15 members present. Communication from Mr. L. B. Fletcher Secretary of the Northeastern Bird Banding Associa¬ tion, on some recent activities of the Association. December 8, 1924 — Regular meeting. Vice President in the chair. 22 members present. Communication from Dr. Glov¬ er M. Allen, President of the Nuttall Ornithological Club, sub¬ ject “Some Parasitic Habits of Birds.” Report of Treasurer and election of officers for 1925. Messrs. Mackintosh and Emilio appointed to plan field meetings for 1925. General field notes. 52 LIST OF MEMBERS OF THE ESSEX COUNTY ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB OF MASSACHUSETTS Bates, Walter E. Beckford, Arthur W. Benson, Frank W. Benson, George E. Bosson, Campbell Brown, Everett B. Bruley, Roger S. Bushby, Fred W. Chase, Charles E. Clark, W. Hobart Cushing, Milton L. Doolittle, Albert W. Dwyer, Elmer F. Emilio, S. Gilbert Fanning, Dr. Walter G. Felt, George R. Fletcher, Laurence B. Fowler, Albert B. Gifford, Lawrence W. Gifford, Morris P. Goodale, Loring B. Griffin, Bertram S. Hubon, William P. Ingraham, Phocion J. Jones, Gardner M. Kelley, Mark E. Lawson, Ralph Little, Philip Long, Harry V. Lord, J. Anderson Mackintosh, Richards B. McNeill, David C. McNeill, Ralph H. Means, Robert W. 279 Essex St., Lynn 10 Park St., Danvers 14 Chestnut St., Salem 14 Chestnut St., Salem 19 Brewster St., Cambridge 86 Grove St., Lynn 64 Center St., Danvers 17 Washington St., Peabody 31 Euclid Ave., Lynn 163 Hobart St., Danvers Box 374, Fitchburg Middleton 34 Maple St., Lynn 156 Hobart St., Danvers 2 Hunt St., Danvers 71 Main St., Peabody 54 Cotswold Road, Brookline 111 Locust St., Danvers 63 Federal St., Salem 63 Federal St., Salem 1 Pope’s Lane, Danvers Box 17, West Newbury 25 Flint St., Salem 235 Lowell St., Peabody Public Library, Salem 52 Sutton St., Peabody 88 Washington Square, Salem 10 Chestnut St., Salem 260 Clarendon St., Boston 13 Ash St., Danvers 131 High St., Danvers 33 Beckford St., Beverly 14 Mason St., Beverly 19 Pearl St., Boston 53 Moon, Wilbur D. Morley, Arthur Morrison, Alva Morse, Albert P. Morse, Prof. Edward S. Morse, Frank E. Moulton, Charles E. Newell, Frank F. Newhall, Milo A. Nichols, Rodman A. Osborne, Arthur A. Perkins, Porter J. Phelan, Joseph C. Phillips, Dr. John C. Porter, Willard B. Preston, Charles H. Proctor, George N. Robinson, Jr., John Ropes, Willis H. Sanders, Richard D. Sears, Judge George B. Smith, Fred A. Spofford, Charles A. Stockbridge, David L. Stubbs, Arthur P. Taylor, Arthur W. Teel, George M. Tenney, Ward M. Tortat, W. R. M. Townsend, Dr. Charles W. Walcott, Robert Whitney, Charles F. Whittle, Charles L. Wilkinson, Robert H. 46 Maple St., Lynn 26 Minerva St., Swampscott 35 Congress St., Boston Peabody Museum, Salem 12 Linden St., Salem 162 Boylston St., Boston 72 Maple St., Lynn 47 Summit Ave., Salem 12 Temple Court, Salem 27 Broad St., Salem 183 Lowell St., Peabody 128 Burley St., Danvers 16 Pierce Road, Lynn Wen ham 5 Lee St., Salem 42 Preston St., Danvers 35 Congress St., Boston 18 Summer St., Salem 252 Locust St., Danvers Box 138, South Hamilton 37 Cherry St., Danvers 420 Maple St., Danvers 23 Elm St., Danvers 112 Center St., Danvers 14 Fisk Avenue, Lynn 24 1-2 Briggs St., Salem 50 Pickering St., Danvers 60 East St., Ipswich 6 Perkins St., Peabody Argilla Road, Ipswich 152 Brattle St., Cambridge 29 Pine St., Danvers 50 Congress St., Boston Hamilton CORRESPONDING MEMBERS Brown, C. Emerson 1829 Green St., Philadelphia, Pa. Cousins, Willard C. 8 Sargent St., Hanover, N. H. Donaldson, Major George C. Vancouver, Washington Spalding, Frederick P. 1016 Middlesex St., Lowell, Mass. 54 3ftt Jfflemoriam Frederick M. Nichols Sumner F. Brown 55 PUBLICATIONS of the ESSEX COUNTY ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB BULLETIN 1919 BULLETIN 1920 BULLETIN 1921 BULLETIN 1922 BULLETIN 1923 BULLETIN 1924 Price 75 Cents Price 75 Cents Price 75 Cents Price 75 Cents Price 75 Cents Price 50 Cents Check List of the Birds of Essex County - Price 10 Cents Revised Check List - Price 25 Cents The above may be obtained from Ralph Lawson, Secretary, 88 Washington Square, Salem, Mass. Send Checks or Money Orders Payable to Ralph Lawson, Secretary 56 MILO A NEWHALL ft CO . PRINTERS SALEM. MASS.