Officers - - - - - Foreword ------ The Remarkable May of 1 933 in Eastern Mats. Ludlow Griscom Ipswich River Bird-Trip, 1933 - Ralph Lawson The Shooting Season of 1933 in Essex County Edward Babson Some Winter Activities of the Northern Shrike Charles W. Townsend Annotated List of Birds Observed, 1 933 S. G. Emilio, Recorder A Wintering Yellow-bellied Sapsucker at Ipswich Charles IV. Townsend 49 14 The Bohemian Waxwing at Ipswich 17 Charles IV. Townsend 22 Club Calendar for 1933 List of Members for 1933 50 51 53 BULLETIN OF THE Essex County Ornithological Club OF Massachusetts 1933 ESSEX COUNTY ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB OF MASSACHUSETTS, INC. Salem, Massachusetts OFFICERS OF THE ESSEX COUNTY ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB 1933 President Frank W. Benson Vice-President Albert P. Morse Secretary Ralph Lawson 88 Washington Square Salem, Massachusetts Treasurer Benjamin Shreve 29 Chestnut Street Salem, Massachusetts Recorder S. Gilbert Emilio 7 Winter Street Salem, Massachusetts Council, the Officers and the following Ernest P. Dickson Arthur Morley Charles H. Preston BULLETIN OF THE ESSEX COUNTY ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB OF MASSACHUSETTS Salem, Massachusetts ISSUED ANNUALLY Editor , Albert P. Morse DECEMBER, 1933 SALEM, MASS. Number 15 FOREWORD The somewhat reduced sales of the Bulletin during the de¬ pression have brought rather pointedly into question the desira¬ bility of issuing the 1933 annual. Contributions of material too were rather meagre but it has finally been decided to publish the number at this very late date rather than omit it or combine it with an issue for 1934. Whether or not such a temporary or permanent plan of a biennial issue will be resorted to in the future remains to be seen but there is no disposition to suspend publication altogether nor any necessity therefor. While the loss of members by resignation and death has been above the average new names added to the roster have more than counterbalanced and the change is a small net gain. The newer members are of course less experienced on the whole than the older ones who have left or passed on, but it is felt that the in¬ fusion of young blood augurs well for the future. Few of the members are able to devote more than a very limited amount of time to bird-study and the nature of the work done is necessarily not very profound on the average. But with a contributor of such enthusiasm and ability as Mr. Griscom and his facility for making so interesting whatever he writes about, these pages cannot be wholly without value. S. G. E. 3 4 Bulletin of the 1933 THE REMARKABLE MAY OF 1933 IN EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS Ludlow Griscom To those who are perennially interested in the relatively con¬ centrated migration in May, one of the rewards of long-continued field experience is a season when birds are so exceptionally abund¬ ant as to set at naught the usual expectations as to the variety of species and the approximate numbers of each to be seen. I might add that one of the rewards of an unusually varied field exper¬ ience is a far better concept of the existing inconsistency in the use of terms such as abundant, common and rare, and the ability to contrast the status of certain transients in two or more differ¬ ent sections of the northeast. Finally, in these days when scores of competent field observers scour various local regions in the northeast, we discover that an exceptionally good year is a very local phenomenon indeed, and a careful study of the reports from adjacent areas and the meteorological history of the month en¬ ables us to frame some reasonable hypothesis as to why a partic¬ ular area did have a most exceptional year. In this Bulletin for 1930 I discussed briefly the very good May of 1930 and contrasted it with the fair spring of 1928. I gave the lists of the birds seen on the three days when there were marked waves, with the number of individuals of various tran¬ sients noted. Readers are referred to this paper for certain con¬ trasts and comparisons. To summarize the year 1933 briefly, it was immeasurably superior to 1930. In certain cases the unusual abundance of war¬ blers was equalled only by the year 1917. At least, no detailed rec¬ ords available (particularly Mr. Brewster’s journals from 1875 on) raise the slightest presumption that any other even approached these two in eastern Massachusetts for the variety and abundance of warblers. Finally, I shall attempt to show that only excep¬ tional years in eastern Massachusetts compare favorably with good years near New York City and other areas. Before proceeding to detailed demonstrations, certain gen¬ eralizations are in order. When comparing two local regions the Essex County Ornithological Club 5 variety of warblers is the first and most important factor; when comparing two different years in the same place this factor is static, and the relative number of individuals seen is the sole basis for comparison. 1. The variety of warblers is primarily a geographic fac¬ tor. Some are of more southerly range and others primarily western. Both groups are bound to decrease rapidly northeast¬ ward to zero. The New York City region has the Worm-eating, Blue-winged, Louisiana Water-thrush, Chat, and Hooded Warbler as common summer residents, while the Cerulean and Kentucky Warblers breed locally. Ithaca in western New York will always be superior to New York City in the greater abundance of Ten¬ nessee, Orange-crowned, Cape May, Bay-breasted, Cerulean, and Mourning Warblers. 2. The relative abundance of warblers, after excluding the geographic factor, is a mixture of ecological and climatic factors. 3. Nothing can compete successfully with broad river-val¬ leys with a north-south trend as natural highways for land-bird migrants. The Mississippi, Ohio, Hudson and Connecticut River valleys are bound to be superior to adjacent areas. 4. Next to this factor, rich deciduous-wooded lowlands, city parks or peninsulas are highly favorable. The pine barrens of the southeastern states, New Jersey, Long Island, and south¬ eastern Massachusetts are almost devoid of land-bird transients, compared to the richer country further inland. City parks are natural oases for birds, and peninsulas like Point Pelee and Na- hant are natural traps for transients. The presence or absence of these types of terrain in any local region is consequently of ma¬ terial importance in explaining the relative abundance or scarcity of land-bird transients.- 5. The climatic factors are much less appreciated and con¬ sequently require more extended discussion. Throughout the northern half of the eastern United States, students have long been familiar by experience with the fact that the variety and abundance of land-bird transients in any one season is largely a question of how many good ‘ ‘waves’ ’ there were. It is axiomatic 6 Bulletin of the 1933 that it is on days when great ‘ ‘waves” roll in, that the rare or very rare transients are recorded, as well as unusual numbers of the commoner species. The question naturally arises, what causes a “wave”? There are really two reasons. One factor is a purely latitudinal one. For a great “wave” to take place, there must be a sufficient variety of species. If we go sufficiently far north, there is naturally no such thing as a “wave” of land-bird transients, as there are practically no land- birds bound for further north. The same thing is true if we go sufficiently far south. In the southeastern states, for instance, two thirds of the- species which make up the horde of transients around New York City are lacking or are not transients. Half of them are lacking, as they belong to that group of species which arrive from the tropics via Central America or fly across the Gulf of Mexico, and move northward over a great southwest to northeast diagonal. Well-known examples are the Least Fly¬ catcher and Warbling Vireo. The other half are winter residents. In a park in New York City or Cambridge, it is entirely pos¬ sible on the day of a wave to find 50-60 species of land-birds which were not there the previous day, and many of them will be in large numbers. This is impossible in the southeastern states. It will be apparent, therefore, that the area in the east¬ ern United States where a series of great “waves” is a charac¬ teristic and regular feature of the spring migration will occupy the belt where both the West Indian and Central American con¬ tingents occur together, and where the long list of winter resi¬ dents of the southern states is in part at least passing through to more northern breeding grounds. The other factor is purely climatic. Students in the north¬ eastern states again know perfectly well that a “wave” is caused by a period of cold and unfavorable weather with northeast or northwest winds, which holds up migration. With the return of warm pleasant weather with southerly winds, the delayed host rushes forward en masse , and a “wave” arrives overnight. My readers can readily infer that great “waves” will be confined to that section of the eastern United States where the spring climate might be described as highly variable, with a constant succession Essex County Ornithological Club 7 of sharp contrasts. Latitudinally it occupies a median belt. In the southeastern states spring is a mild and gentle crescendo, steadily and slowly unfolding and developing. Day after day, the weather is warm, pleasant, and sunny and the birds slip stead¬ ily by. In Florida there will be one or two days only in the entire spring when transients are notably commoner than on all the other days. Around New York City such weather in May is a phenom¬ enal exception, which took place in 1922, a very disappointing year, as there were only two days on which birds were at all abund¬ ant. In western Newfoundland on the other hand the winter ice begins to break up about May 10. Bare patches of ground appear the last week in May and the early land-birds arrive. All the re¬ maining land-birds arrive the first week in June, and all are nest¬ ing by the second week. The “spring, tf in our sense of the word amounts to practically nothing. Similarly, the number of re¬ markable waves characteristic of the Central States as compared with the Atlantic States is in part accounted for by the well-known greater variability of the climate in the interior of the continent. Now it so happens that there is a sharp climatic difference between New York and Boston. Due in part to the much colder ocean north of the Cape, there is a great increase in the Boston region of cold easterly and northeasterly spells often of protracted duration. These cold easterly winds entirely suspend migration in this region. They often affect the coastal strip only and do not reach the Connecticut Valley, which consequently has a far higher average of abundance of land-bird transients. At any rate all of us know how often May can be completely wrecked by northeast¬ erly storms, with very few really pleasant days, until summer sud¬ denly arrives at the end of the month. Such a year was 1931, for instance, when there was one big wave of arriving summer resi¬ dents very belated on the 10th, and not a single real wave of transients the entire month. The spring of 1933 I have summarized below in the same way that I did in 1930. The spring started badly and a little later than usual. There was not a single spell of really warm weather during March, which was chiefly remarkable for one of the heaviest rainfalls ever recorded. The first really pleasant day was April 5. 8 Bulletin of the 1933 j April 9. Lovely day. Pronounced migration, many arrivals. April 11-12. Northeast rain storm. April 13. 6-18 inches of snow. Aptil 14. Northeast rains. April 15. Clearing with southwest wind. Apri 1 16. Remarkable wave of late March and early April species. April 17-21. Prolonged cold spell with rain, clearing on 21st. April 22. Slight migration. April 25. Marked migration. April 26-29. Colder, with frost on the 28th, warming up on 29th. April 30. Unprecedented wave for this season of the year. 101 species, the previous best day in April, 82 species. May 1-3. Pleasant weather with southwesterly winds and steady slight migration. May 4-6. Cold weather ; wind becoming southerly at sunset of the 6th. May 7. Slight migration. May 8-10. Cold and rainy, warming up. May 11. Marked migration. May 12-13. Continued pleasant weather with southerly winds and steady migration. May 14. First big wave of the month around Boston, with many rare transients recorded. Emilio, Lawson, et ai.y get 116 species in Essex County, including Willet and Chat. May 15. Continued warm. Slight migration. May 16. Phenomenal wave. Seth Low, R. T. Peterson and I record 25 species of warblers, and 90 species before break¬ fast around Cambridge; over 60 species in Mt. Auburn Cem¬ etery alone; at least 10 Cape May Warblers together, 1 Blue¬ winged, 1 Orange-crowned, 3 Bay-breasted, and 15 Black¬ burnian Warblers. May 17. Big exodus. Wind northwest. May 18. Rapidly becoming hot. May 19. Extraordinary wave. 127 species in Essex County with Emilio and Peterson ; many warblers in remarkable numbers. May 20. Transients continue common; very hot. May 21. Fourth big wave of the month. Over 100 species re- Essex County Ornithological Club 9 corded in southeast corner of Essex County before 10 A. M. Messrs. Clarke and Perry find 3 Tennessee Warblers, and 10 Bay-breasted in one flock. Cape May and Bay-breasted War¬ blers at Marblehead (Judge Walcott). At least 10 Bay- breasts in Mt. Auburn Cemetery (Eaton, Griscom, Peterson and Taber.) On the Ipswich River trip many of the com¬ moner species were unusually abundant, such as swallows, Wilson’s and Canada Warblers, but Myrtles, Magnolias and White-throated Sparrows were most unusually scarce. (Emi¬ lio in litt.) May 22-23. Cool, northwest winds, warming up rapidly on 23rd. May 24. Extraordinary wave. Record of 133 species in Essex County with Emilio (and Peterson in early A. M.) Yellow- bellied Flycatcher, 7 ; Philadelphia Vireo, 1 ; Tennessee War¬ bler, 2 ; Mourning Warbler, 1 ; Wilson’s Warbler at least 8, and others in extraordinary numbers. May 27. Final flight of the month. 3 Mourning Warblers in Mt. Auburn Cemetery (Peterson. ) To summarize the season, it will be apparent that the cli¬ matic conditions were ideal for producing waves, and strongly paralleled the normal spring around New York City. The ma¬ jority of the days of the month were warm and pleasant with pre¬ vailing southwesterly winds. There were just enough brief cold spells scattered through the month to provide the necessary con¬ trasts, and to bank the birds up, so that they did not dribble through steadily every night. It is interesting and illuminating to note that the slightly milder climate of New York City softened or reduced the cold spells around Boston, so that there were not sufficient contrasts. My colleagues around New York City report an uninteresting and uneventful May, very like the year 1922, which I discussed above. It is very easy to state that in a certain spring warblers were much commoner than usual, and equally easy to state that war¬ blers are generally commoner in place A than place B. There are difficulties in the way of demonstrating this to people without the adequate field-experience themselves, so as to make it a per¬ manent record which will furnish a useful basis of comparison for 10 Bulletin of the 1933 I 3BM the future. The inherent difficulty is the incomparability of most people’s field-work and the precision of their records. As regards the past spring, therefore, I have decided to confine the data to my own records, rather than to pool the work of numerous ob¬ servers, as their number and the amount each one went afield in two different years is bound to vary. In the table below I give the total number of species recorded per day in Essex County over the long route described in my 1930 paper. In every case but the ones duly noted, the route was the same and the time-schedule was approximately the same. The list is a one-party list in each case, though on most days the ma¬ jority of us missed one or more species. Mr. Emilio kindly sup¬ plied the list of May 14, 1933, and other memoranda about the migration. The success of most of the other days was due in part to his being a member of the party. It will be obvious, there¬ fore, that these lists are strictly comparable, and prove the greater variety of species on days when there are big waves. 1930 1931 1932 1933 May 13—122 May 30 — 116 May 22 — 111 May 24 — 107 May 27—106 May 8—113 May 15 — 119 May 25 — 114 Apr. 30—101 May 7—105 May 14 — 116 May May 19—127 21—103 Big wave. Good late wave. The only wave of the month was on the 10th. Wind prevailingly northwest or northeast the entire month. Chiefly late ducks, early shore-birds and northern finches. Big wave the day before. Good wave. Remarkable wave. Small flight. Route taken omitted Lynnfield, Nahant and Fay Estate. Emilio, Lawson etal. Big wave. Extraordinary wave. The count ended at 10 A. M. ! Lynnfield, Nahant, and Fay Estate only. Big wave. May 24 — 133 Extraordinary wave. The table presented below aims to show the variation in num¬ bers of various transients about Boston in different seasons. It will be seen that the range of variation between the extremes is Essex County Ornithological Club 11 indeed extraordinary. The numbers represent the total number of individuals seen by me personally each year. These records are as nearly comparable as possible, because they represent the same amount of field-work each year, daily early morning trips between Cambridge and the Sudbury Valley after favorable nights for migration, and all day trips in Essex County on Sundays and one or two week days when big waves were expected. The final table contrasts the two good Boston years with se¬ lected very good years from New York City, Rhinebeck in the upper Hudson Valley, and Ithaca in western New York. These again are my personal records, based on regular early morning work over the same route, and a few long all-day trips over the same territory. It will be noticed that the exceptional year around Boston compares favorably with a very good year around New York City, that Rhinebeck is well ahead of New York, and that Ithaca has a crushing superiority in the abundance of the more ‘ ‘western’ ’ species. Boston Region 1928 1930 1931 1933 Fair Very Good Very Bad Extraordi nary Solitary Sandpiper 6 4 2 4 • «• • ■ Sapsucker 4 2 0 2 Olive-sided Flycatcher 0 0 0 1 Yellow-bellied Flycatcher 0 0 0 10 White-crowned Sparrow 1 6 o 3 White-throated Sparrow 36 178 '7 . 98 Lincoln’s Sparrow 0 6 0 9 Philadelphia Vireo 0 0 0 h - • . 1 Blue-headed Vireo 4 ‘ 7 1 io Blue-winged Warbler 0 1 0 1 Nashville Warbler 25 47 9 39 Orange-crowned Warbler 0 1 0 t . •• 1 Tennessee Warbler 2 0 0 3 Parula Warbler 49 61 11 81 Cape May Warbler 1 1 0 12 Black-throated Blue Warbler 20 14 0 19 Myrtle Warbler 43 258 51 131 Magnolia Warbler 25 20 2 156 12 Bulletin of the 1933 Boston Region 1928 1930 1931 1933 Extraordi" Fair Very Good Very Bad nary Bay-breasted Warbler 0 9 0 17 * Blackpoll Warbler 13 28 24 191 Blackburnian Warbler 12 7 2 62 Palm Warbler 0 1 0 1 Yellow Palm Warbler 14 34 10 56 Water-thrush 15 23 2 21 Mourning Warbler 0 0 1 5 Wilson's Warbler 3 11 1 26 Canada Warbler 20 22 3 24 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 3 22 4 34 Gray-cheeked Thrush 4 2 0 6 Olive-backed Thrush 11 14 0 45 N. Y. City N. Y. City 1913 1926 Rhinebeck Hudson Valley 1929 Ithaca 1916 Boston 1930 Boston 1933 Solitary Sandpiper — 0 24 30 4 4 Sapsucker — 8 — 38 2 2 Olive-sided Flycatcher 1 2 8 0 0 1 Yellow-bellied Flycatcher 0 ll1 15 3 0 10 White-crowned Sparrow 0 12 19 14 61 3 White-throated Sparrow — 136 1000x 213 178 98 Lincoln's Sparrow 2 4 13 2 61 9 Philadelphia Vireo 0 0 0 6 0 1 Blue-headed Vireo 17 15 17 10 7 10 Nashville Warbler 18 10 182 110 47 39 Tennessee Warbler 3 2 9 105 0 3 Orange-crowned Warbler 0 1 2 6 1 1 Parula Warbler 177 27s 36 78 61 81 Cape May Warbler 141 6 17 28 1 12 Black-thro’d Blue Warbler 81 21 83 18 14 19 Myrtle Warbler — 239 367 278 258 131 Magnolia Warbler 69 86 98 35 20 156 Bay-breasted Warbler 371 12 31 79 91 17 Blackpoll Warbler — 78 137 104 28 191 Blackburnian Warbler 14 33 67 62 7 62 Essex County Ornithological Club 13 Rhinebeck N. Y. City N. Y. City Hudson Valley Ithaca Boston Boston 1913 1926 1929 1916 1930 1933 Water-thrush 761 152 32 26 23 21 Mourning Warbler 1 1 6 Com. S. R. 0 5 Wilson’s Warbler 19 18 36 16 ll1 26 Canada Warbler 69 47 76 51 22 24 Ruby-crowned Kinglet — 33 42 35 22 34 Gray-cheeked Thrush 18 29 131 3 2 6 Olive-backed Thrush 100 89 98 26 14 •45 1 Unusually numerous. 2 Abnormally low figure, x Estimated. 14 Bulletin of the 1933 IPSWICH RIVER BIRD-TRIP, 1933 Ralph Lawson One hundred and ten species of birds were recorded by the party covering the usual route from Middleton Paper Mills to Little Neck, on May 20 and 21. This was the third largest total recorded. • The early spring had been wet and backward but beginning about May first the weather had turned warmer and dry, so that the foliage was almost completely out and the river at about a normal height. May 19 was warm and clear with a southerly breeze. May 20 was very warm with a brisk southwest breeze and increasing cloudiness and there were thunder showers in the evening and through the night. May 21 was cloudy and cool with a northeast wind and occasional light showers, clearing in the afternoon. \ The tide was low when we reached the seashore. Catbirds were unusually numerous and a remarkable number of Canada Warblers were reported, also Prairie and Wilson’s Warblers were relatively common and more Cedar Waxwings and Chickadees were seen than for many years. On the 21st there was an immense gathering of swallows over the lower Topsfield marshes. Common Loon Double-crested Cormorant Great Blue Heron Green Heron Black-crowned Night Heron American Bittern Common Black Duck Wood Duck American Golden-eye Red-breasted Merganser Red-shouldered Hawk Marsh Hawk Osprey Sparrow Hawk Ruffed Grouse Ring-necked Pheasant Virginia Rail Sora Semipalmated Plover Killdeer Black-bellied Plover Wilson’s Snipe Spotted Sandpiper Solitary Sandpiper Greater Yellow-legs White-rumped Sandpiper Essex County Ornithological Club 15 Least Sandpiper Semipalmated Sandpiper Great Black-backed Gull Herring Gull Common Tern Mourning Dove Yellow-billed Cuckoo Black-billed Cuckoo Great Horned Owl Whip-poor-will Nighthawk Chimney Swift Ruby-throated Hummingbird Belted Kingfisher Flicker Hairy Woodpecker Downy Woodpecker Kingbird Crested Flycatcher Phoebe Least Flycatcher Wood Pewee Prairie Horned Lark Tree Swallow Bank Swallow Barn Swallow Cliff Swallow Blue Jay Crow Black-capped Chickadee House Wren Prairie Marsh Wren Short-billed Marsh Wren Catbird Brown Thrasher Robin Wood Thrush Hermit Thrush Olive-backed Thrush Veery Bluebird Cedar Waxwing Starling Red-eyed Vireo Warbling Vireo Black and White Warbler Golden-winged Warbler Nashville Warbler Northern Parula Warbler Yellow Warbler Black-throated Blue Warbler Black-throated Green Warbler Blackburnian Warbler Chestnut-sided Warbler Bay-breasted Warbler Black-poll Warbler Pine Warbler Prairie Warbler Oven-bird Northern Water-Thrush Northern Yellow-throat Wilson’s Warbler Canada Warbler American Redstart English Sparrow Bobolink Meadowlark Red-wing Baltimore Oriole Bronzed Grackle Cowbird Scarlet Tanager Rose-breasted Grosbeak Purple Finch 16 Bulletin of the 1933 Goldfinch Red-eyed Towhee Savannah Sparrow Vesper Sparrow Chipping- Sparrow Field Sparrow White-throated Sparrow Lincoln’s Sparrow Swamp Sparrow Song Sparrow Essex County Ornithological Club 17 THE SHOOTING SEASON OF 1933 IN ESSEX COUNTY Edward Babson Most nimrods seem agreed that the 1933 shooting season was a very unfavorable one for about everything that could be hunted, due to a marked scarcity of nearly all kinds of game. Early indications were that there would be a plentiful game- supply, but these did not materialize later. Black Ducks bred more commonly hereabouts than for the past three or four years, and some good-sized broods were reared ; but all had migrated long before the gunning season opened. Wood Ducks bred and appeared in normal numbers. All of our most common and usual species of ducks were exceptionally scarce throughout the migrating season, while some of our less common ducks appeared in larger numbers than I have ever before noted them. It is possible that the marked scarcity of Black Ducks made the presence of the occasional species seem more plen¬ tiful in contrast to other years. At any rate, I seemed to note more Pintails, Mallards, Red-heads, Green-winged Teal and Ring¬ necked Ducks. Comparatively few ducks were taken during the entire season, gunners complaining of their scarcity and increased wariness of decoys and gunning-stands, floats, etc., even on the opening day of the season. Canada Geese were just a little more numerous than most of the ducks, but the flight compared with last year's seemed in¬ significant. Most of the flocks were small in numbers, averaging from five to fifteen birds to a flock, and a fair number of these were taken. There was no big flight-day for either geese or brant, as there usually has been in other years. It is peculiarly interesting to observe how quickly large num¬ bers of the harried ducks discovered and sought sanctuary in places affording them no other inducement to linger there. Due to the continuance of much rainy weather many small water holes formed just inside the sand-dunes within the Annie H. Brown Wild-Life Sanctuary on Plum Island, in Newbury, and these soon 18 Bulletin of the 1933 became the favorite daylight resting areas for practically all of the Black Ducks within a two-mile radius of the island. On Thursday, October 26, 1933, Dr. Cottham, of the U. S. Bureau of Biological Survey and I visited the marshes in New¬ bury and Rowley opposite the Sanctuary to take a census of wild¬ fowl observed and also to look over the natural food-supply of these birds in that area. We saw a flock of about six Green¬ winged Teal, five Canada Geese and fifteen Black Ducks all in flight away from these areas early that morning. That afternoon we made a trip to Plum Island, visiting these water-holes and Bar Island Head. We estimated that we saw 1,500 Black Ducks there. On approaching these water-holes about thirty Black Ducks would jump into the air and fly out over the tops of the sand-dunes to alight in the ocean just beyond the surf-line along the beach. Within fifteen minutes time they would arise, a few at a time and commence straggling back to the water-holes from which they had just been jumped. It was most interesting to observe how quickly they dispensed with the usual precautionary tactics of Black Ducks in coming into a place where there were other live ducks. They would fly in and drop straight down like parachutes with none of the usual spiralling around and around. During July several Ipswich and Rowley duck-hunters called my attention to the fact of the disappearance of the tall thatch that usually grows so rankly along the banks of the creeks in our tidal marshes, with which they were wont to thatch or dress their gunning-stands; but now owing to the scarcity, none could be found for the purpose. In justice to them, I want to state that their concern was not for their inability to get this thatch for the purpose, but because of a widespread knowledge that both the seed and roots of this plant form one of the principal natural food- supplies for our ducks, geese and brant remaining since the eel- grass disappeared so quickly and completely in 1930. Much ado amongst gunners has arisen over the duck-food shortage and anti¬ baiting situation because of our inability to hold the wild-fowl on areas where there is no adequate supply of food. While there is much merit in their contentions, I can see that this situation is not due entirely to the lack of food, for were it Essex County Ornithological Club 19 in abundance the constant harrying by an increased number of gunners would soon drive most of these ducks to avoid these areas and adopt self-preservation methods of existence. In my opinion they far more need sanctuary, or rest areas or days. Continued observation of conditions at the wild-rice fields near the mouths of the Artichoke and Indian Rivers, in West Newbury, during the past season, where there was an abundant supply of that most favored food of most species of wild-fowl, were most illuminating. Just prior to the opening of the 1932 duck-shooting season I was able to make an actual count of sev¬ eral hundred ducks in those areas, while on the opening day of that season a Mr. Stewart, who conducts a duck-shooting stand adjoining these areas told me he estimated there were 3,000 ducks there. This season I have seen only three American Coot, two Wood Ducks, and scattering grebes there; while on October 26 when Dr. Cottham and I visited the area to observe the twilight flight of incoming ducks we saw only two Wood Ducks, and Mr. Stewart informed us that there had practically not been any ducks there this season. He showed us a photograph of the best day's bag taken there this season up until then, which I believe totalled nine birds— all Black Ducks except for an American Merganser or two. I seem to have digressed from the subject of the shooting season — now to get back to it. Despite a general stocking with young state-reared pheasants in covers thought most desirable for them which again was without precedent in this state, pheasant- hunters were unable to find many after the pandemonium of the first day's shooting, even with their dogs. More pheasants were reported taken in Georgetown, Groveland and Amesbury, than in other parts of my district. Partridge were more plentiful than I had expected that they would be, but this condition was very spotty, too. Quite a few were shot in these favored places, but most partridge hunters said that they found them exceptionally hard of approach. Quail do not seem to have increased a great deal over the last year or two, but some good sized bevies have been reported in scattered areas where no stocking with them has been done. The wetness of the season was favorable to some of the best Jacksnipe shooting hereabouts in a good many years. 20 Bulletin of the 1933 Gray Squirrels were most abundant everywhere, and I found they were being hunted by persons who had never thought of hunt¬ ing them in other years, probably because of the scarcity of other kinds of desirable game to hunt. Even rabbits were scarce, which I believe may be due to the periodic appearance of the disease that is said to reduce their numbers every seven years. The increase in ground vermin and night hunting of them may be sufficient cause for this scarcity. There is no question but what rabbits will re¬ appear in their usual numbers quite suddenly, for they are very prolific ; but their scarcity creates a serious situation for our up¬ land game-birds, since rabbits form the easiest obtainable diet for our increasing number of foxes, weasels and certain species of winged vermin, which are not kept under as good control as when there was a good deal of trapping being done. Woodcock-hunters reported a good flight of birds, more even¬ ly distributed than in recent years, and some good shooting wag had by them. Just before dusk on Friday, October 27, 1933, while near Savage’s Ice Pond in Rowley, I witnessed a flight of migrating Woodcock swing by me within a few minutes over the alder-run above this pond. During that time I saw six small bunches of Woodcock, averaging about that many birds to a flock, pass swiftly by, all headed in the same direction. Yellow-legs and Black-breasted Plover seemed to be present in ever-increasing numbers, and I also noted a greater number of Golden Plover, but they did not seem to tarry with us as long as they have in recent falls, which may have been due to the ditch- irg of our marshlands in mosquito-control work. Upland Plover bred in the pastures bordering the Upper Artichoke River, near Pike’s Bridge. There were about a dozen pairs of them in this locality during July and early August, but they left early for some reason or other but which was not for lack of grasshoppers there. Here are a few items not in the game-bird list which may be of interest : On Friday, July 28, 1933, Wallace B. Ordway of West New¬ bury, William W. White of Newburyport and I, saw two Egrets in the cove west of Pike’s Bridge, on the Artichoke River, West Newbury. Essex County Ornithological Club 21 On Sunday, August 27, 1933, Herbert K. Prout, game-expert from the Dupont Estate in Delaware, and I, took a census of shore-birds seen on Plum Island, where we saw many thousands of Greater and Lesser Yellow-legs and “peep/’ about one hundred Black-breasted Plover, two Hudsonian Curlew, one Upland Plover, a Willet and several Killdeer and Turnstone. On Labor Day I saw the following birds on Patmus Marsh, Rowley : six Sora Rails, five Willet, forty-five Black-breasted Plover and about a hundred and fifty Greater and Lesser Yellow- legs. On Thursday, September 8, 1933, I saw three Egrets on the marsh in front of Mr. George Batchelder's camp, Rowley. On Saturday, September 9, 1933, I saw five Egrets on the Poor Farm marshes, Ipswich, and four more on the Rowley River marshes, near R. H. Wilkinson's gunning-stand in Rowley. On Friday, October 6, 1933, U. S. Game Protector Bertrand E. Smith, and I, saw one Hudsonian Godwit with about a dozen Greater Yellow-legs wading about in the overflowed brook in the pasture south of the Robert W. Brown farm, West Newbury. Friday, October 27, 1933, was the second date on which I saw Canada Geese last year. That morning I saw ten asleep on the shore of the Upper Artichoke River, West Newbury, and a pair of Mallards with them. On Monday, December 11, 1933, I saw two Bald Eagles near Ox Pasture Hill, Rowley. On Friday, December 22, two Bald Eagles were reported seen near Salisbury Point, Amesbury, on the Merrimack River. On Thursday, December 7, 1933, Paul Usley of Salisbury Beach shot a Snowy Owl with a wing-spread of five feet, according to a news item appearing in the Salisbury news, in the Newbury- port Daily News of that date. Deputy Warden Charles A. Safford, keeper of the Annie H. Brown Wild-Life Sanctuary, Plum Island, tells me that he has seen as many as five Snowy Owls on the island in a single trip several weeks prior to the above date. I have seen only one Snowy Owl myself, and it was sitting atop a stack of salt hay just south of the Plum Island bridge, about January 2, 1934. 22 Bulletin of the 1933 SOME WINTER ACTIVITIES OF THE NORTHERN SHRIKE Charles W. Townsend My earliest notes on the Northern Shrike, Lanins borealis borealis , were made in December, 1875, when I pasted into my scrapbook some clippings from the “Boston Transcript’ * about Butcher-birds and their onslaught on English Sparrows. A con¬ tributor signing himself “Union Park” under date of December 29, writes: “Understanding that the city has temporarily em¬ ployed a man to shoot batcher-birds which at this time are in¬ dustriously destroying the sparrows, and learning from your paper that he has been successful in killing quite a number on the Com¬ mon, we write in hope that he may be induced to come to Union Park, where it has been apparent for the past few days that unless immediate means are taken to destroy the butcher-birds, but few if any sparrows will be left alive.” Parenthetically I may add that two years later, as a member of the Nuttall Ornithological Club, I had the pleasure of voting with J. A. Allen, Theodore Roosevelt, Minot, Purdie, Brewster and all the rest, “That the further increase of the House Sparrow in this country is undesir¬ able,” much to the wrath of Dr. T. M. Brewer. The Northern Shrike, which breeds from northern Ungava to southern Ontario and Quebec, is a winter visitor to eastern Mas¬ sachusetts in varying numbers from late October to early April. Much has been published about this Shrike but I propose here to relate only some of my own observations. Before the snow has come and when it is gone, the Northern Shrike devotes itself to small rodents and insects, both of which are hard to get at when snow covers the ground ; then birds are the chief of its diet. On the top of a tree often forty feet or more from the ground he sits upright, waving his tail up and down nervously and for balancing, and scanning the ground with his high-powered eyes. Suddenly he swoops down in a graceful curve and snaps up an insect in the dead grass, or perhaps a mouse, although his swoop may end in a blank. On a warm March day I watched a Shrike fly-catching from the top of a tree. He pursued^a large bee and missed it, but by a quick turn he caught it. After a swoop he may alight Essex County Ornithological Club 23 on the ground or a bush perhaps to swallow more comfortably the insect, or he may return to the same observation perch or he may fly to another tree, perhaps alighting mid-way in its branches ; but he soon flies to the top. The Shrike’s flight between points is generally very direct, but often with slight undulations. Again he may advance with a few quick wing-strokes succeeded by glides in flicker-like dips. He may also hover like a Sparrow Hawk in one spot over bushes or trees, evidently looking for birds con¬ cealed in the branches, and once I saw two on March 9 hovering about the dry thatch-grass cast up on the beach, apparently pick¬ ing up flies and spiders. It is rare to see two Shrikes together ; these were male and female, perhaps a mated pair on their northern migration. When the Shrike swoops down at a bird on a perch he strikes it a fatal blow, apparently with his bill and not, as in the case of Hawks, with the talons. A flying bird may be struck a blow in the same way that sends it dead to the ground. A GambeTs Spar¬ row in Arizona that I saw killed on the ground by a White-rumped Shrike seemed, on examination, to have no external wound but a hemorrhage under the skin at the upper end of the neck and base of the brain, and a few small hemorrhages on the posterior sur¬ face of the brain. The neck was completely broken between the first and second cervical vertebrae. At Ipswich I found a dead Tree Sparrow with exactly the same lesions which made me think it had been killed in the same way. In many cases I have seen a small bird pursued in the air by a Shrike whose object seemed to be to tire out his victim, as he rarely appeared to fly as fast or to dodge as quickly as the small bird, but his endurance is greater. If the little bird can reach a thicket and takes advantage of it by diving in among the thick branches, the Shrike may turn at once and fly away, although I have also seen him enter the thicket but emerge without his prey. Sometimes the pursued does not take advantage of the thicket, perhaps not daring to trust to its safety or to its own ability to reach its depths in time. Thus, one February day, I watched a Shrike chase a Myrtle Warbler in a figure-of-eight course, the Warbler only about twenty feet ahead of the Shrike, dodging in 24 Bulletin of the 1933 and out among the branches of gray birches, and, in the middle of the figure, those of a white pine. There were thick bushes below but the Warbler did not seek them. This pursuit con¬ tinued for six minutes, the loops being made with great uniform¬ ity. At the end of this period the Warbler, manifestly tired, and flying more slowly, made off, the Shrike fatally close at its heels, and both were lost to sight behind the trees. The Warbler chirped constantly during the pursuit, a sad waste of breath. In other cases the small bird mounts higher and higher in circles so as to keep above the pursuing Shrike. Thus, on a De¬ cember day, I watched the pursuit by a Shrike of a Myrtle War¬ bler that mounted in this way, the Shrike about fifteen feet behind. At a considerable height the Warbler suddenly turned and darted diagonally downwards, so closely followed by the Shrike that a fatal ending seemed imminent, but by a quick turn the little bird eluded its pursuer and both disappeared behind trees, a too fre¬ quent and unsatisfactory sequel for the observer. Again, I watched a Shrike chase a Golden-crowned Kinglet in and out among the branches of a white maple, until both the Shrike and I lost sight of the little bird. It must have alighted close to the trunk of the tree, but the Shrike soon succeeded in flushing it and gave chase only to lose it again. Then the Shrike began hovering in various places near the trunk, looking for the Kinglet. After a minute or two he again flushed it and the King¬ let flew across to some spruces, so closely pursued that it had to dodge by dropping suddenly about a foot. It gained the spruces and disappeared in the thick branches while the Shrike gave up the pursuit and departed, and I saw no more of either of them. The Northern Shrike may fly with his dead victim in his bill or in his talons or, occasionally, in both at once. Of all these methods there is good evidence, but I have never been fortunate enough to see him using his talons for carrying. The largest bird I have known a Shrike to kill was a Pine Grosbeak. He has been reported to kill and carry off Starlings. My only observation as to this was where a Shrike had killed a wounded Starling on the ground and had devoured most of it on the spot. Later I placed a frozen Starling near the scanty remains of the first and Essex County Ornithological Club 25 was rewarded by having the Shrike return and begin to eat the frozen bird at once, occasionally standing on the body and peck¬ ing at it, but generally he braced his feet near, flapping his wings to steady him while he tore off feathers and flesh. I watched him at this for twenty minutes while he ate the flesh and occasionally swallowed a mouthful of feathers, and on my return half an hour later, I found that the head had been removed. One February day I saw six Starlings in the top of a tall tree and among them a Northern Shrike. After a few moments the Starlings flew away, and a little later the Shrike departed, but not in pursuit. Here was a peaceful paradox. The eating of the Pine Grosbeak referred to above was watched within fifteen feet. The victim was hung within a few inches of the ground in the branches of a bush, and the Shrike vigorously plucked out a wisp of feathers from the breast and swallowed them. After that he tore off and ate ;junks of flesh and the entrails, at the same time nervously depressing and rais¬ ing his tail and keeping a watchful eye on me. I ventured a little nearer and the Shrike departed. Although, as in the case of the Starling mentioned above, the Shrike may rarely stand on its dead victim and thus inciden¬ tally hold it while it is being eaten, it is evident that, lacking the powerful legs and talons of a Hawk, the Shrike needs to fix the body securely in some way so that he may more easily tear it to pieces. Where large thorns are common or where barbed-wire fences abound, and trees and bushes are few, the thorns or barbs are often used to transfix and hold the victim, but here in New England it is much more common for the Shrike to hook his prey into a small crotch of a bush or tree. Thus, one April day I watched a Shrike with a Chickadee in his bill searching an apple- tree for a place to secure the body, finding after several trials a small crotch where the neck slipped in and the head caught fast. The Shrike standing below soon made the feathers fly, but before long he resented my curiosity and flew off with the Chickadee, carried as before in his bill. The reaction of small birds to the nearby presence of a Shrike may often be watched at a feeding-shelf from a window. The 26 Bulletin of the 1933 swoop to the shelf of a Blue Jay merely scatters the feeding birds who hop about impatiently on perches near, and the sudden ap¬ pearance of this large bird on the top of a tree disturbs the little birds not at all. The Shrike in the latter situation is at once recognized for what he is, and strikes terror into the smaller fry, who at once remain immobile or “freeze” in whatever position they happen to be. There is no question but that they distinguish at once a Shrike from a Blue Jay. As examples of “freezing” the following from my notes show the details. On a December day a Shrike alighted in the top of a tree thirty yards from one of my feeding-shelves where a Junco was feeding in a corner, a Tree Sparrow stood on the edge and a Fox Sparrow was feeding below. All “froze” instantly, but, after a few minutes the Shrike flew away, the Tree Sparrow resumed feeding cautiously in a minute, but the Fox Sparrow did not move for five minutes and the Junco for eight minutes. In vines and bushes the small birds act in a similar manner. A Tree Sparrow, “frozen” in vines on account of the presence of a Shrike on a tree top, gave up its pose and flew away when I walked within four paces. Again, I saw a num¬ ber of small birds fly from a feeding-shelf to the vines of my house and “freeze” while one Tree Sparrow remained on the ground “frozen” for several minutes in an awkward pose, its tail twisted to one side. No Shrike was to be seen ; it seemed to have been a false alarm and an instance of mob psychology. When the Shrike was tearing at the frozen Starling mentioned above, Chickadees and Tree Sparrows were active at a feeding-shelf twenty yards away, and two Chickadees pecked at suet on a tree within eight feet of the Shrike. The voice of the Northern Shrike is interesting. I have noted a harsh rasping call as he flew, and a rough zee and a rattle, but his song is well worth while. I have been fortunate in hearing it at least once in every winter month from December to March in¬ clusive. My most satisfactory notes are of March 31, 1918, when a Shrike gave me a long song-performance, interrupted at times by swoops after insects. He began with a harsh Catbird-like cry followed by the flute-notes of a Robin, clear and sweet. Then he emitted harsh sounds like the scraping of a comb over a board, Essex County Ornithological Club 27 ending with the liquid notes of a Red-eyed Vireo. Again a pretty trilling issued forth from his throat, he mewed like a Vireo, he uttered some shrill notes to be succeeded by the full-throated war¬ ble of a Robin. He was an excellent mimic. The whole was a pleasing performance — at least to an optimist, but in the mind of a pessimist the harsh notes might preponderate and spoil his enjoyment. 28 Bulletin of the 1933 ANNOTATED LIST OF BIRDS OBSERVED DURING 1933 S. G. Emilio, Recorder As in 1932, January was unseasonably warm, averaging about 10° above normal and with but little precipitation. February was also above normal by 5° on the average, with normal rainfall. March and April were normal in temperature but the precipitation was nearly double the usual amount and the ground-water level was very high in April. May was decidedly warm due largely to the almost complete absence of easterly winds and there resulted an extraordinarily heavy coastal migration. From May 1 through August it was rather dry but the deficiency in rainfall did not equal the excess of the earlier months. Then in September, ex¬ actly as during the previous year, precipitation was very heavy and the temperature was also above normal. In spite of a close parallel in climatic conditions with 1932, however, the fall mi¬ gration was not nearly as heavy as last year. Bird-life rapidly declined during October and November, especially in the latter month which was unusually cold with early snow and heavy pre¬ cipitation. December also was cold, but brought a great and most interesting flight of northern finches, white gulls and alcids. These, with a number of summer stragglers, surprising in view of the severe weather of late fall, gave us in the closing days of the year an unusual variety and abundance of bird-life. Common Loon. Present in numbers until May 24. Also reported from Ipswich by Townsend, June 17 and August 5 — probably summering birds. August 23, migrants. Unusually rare dur¬ ing December. Red-throated Loon. May 30; September 10. A lone bird was also seen August 3 off Plum Island by Griscom. HolboelTs Grebe. May 7 ; October 15. Horned Grebe. April 30 ; October 29. A very late straggler was seen June 3 at Lynn. There were no May records. Pied-billed Grebe. March 30 to November 12. At least two pairs took advantage of the very high water-level prevailing during April and May in Farm Pond at the Fay Estate, Lynn, and Essex County Ornithological Club 29 succeeded in raising nearly a dozen young. By late June all the birds, old and young, had been forced to leave by the re¬ ceding water. Gannet. April 19, Ipswich, Wendell Taber — our only spring date ; October 8 to November 13 in some numbers. December 26 one came ashore at Salem in a northeast blizzard and was cared for and released about a week later by employees of the Salem Gas Light Co. (Another was seen off Cape Ann, Jan¬ uary 1, 1934, by Griscom and party.) European Cormorant. April 22 ; September 19. On the latter date, a very early one for fall birds, one was seen a-wing with Double-crests by Griscom, Emilio and party. The April bird was immature. Double-crested Cormorant. April 22 to June 3 ; July 9, Salem, two birds, J. H. Conkey ; August 10 on, in numbers, to Oc¬ tober 15. Great Blue Heron. April 2 to June 4 ; July 6, Ipswich, Townsend, to December 24, Gloucester, four birds, S. H. Low et al. According to the Boston Post of February 25, a crippled bird was captured in Haverhill the preceding day. American Egret. July 28 to September 24. There was an un¬ usually heavy post-breeding northern flight this year and six to eight birds were repeatedly seen on the Rowley marshes and many individuals elsewhere. For a time they outnum¬ bered the Little Blues. Little Blue Heron. July 30 to August 21. There were at least nine at Ipswich and six at Lynnfield in mid-August. Eastern Green Heron. April 30 to October 8. More numerous than usual. Black-crowned Night Heron. April 16 to November 10 in num¬ bers and there was at least one in early January at Ipswich and stragglers were seen there until December 13. Yellow-crowned Night Heron. August 3 to September 12. At least two adults and one young bird were present in the Plum Island region and adjacent marshes. On the latter date a bird in practically adult plumage was seen by Griscom and Emilio. 30 Bulletin of the 1933 American Bittern. April 9 to November 20. Common Canada Goose. Wintered in numbers between Newbury- port and Ipswich. Spring-flight birds, March 26 to May 8 ; fall-flight, October 4 to December 14. Common Mallard. January 2, a pair, and January 25, one drake; September 12, two. Apparently wild birds on each date. Red-legged Black Duck. Not reported as identified later than February 16, nor in the fall before October 29. Scarce in the fall. • Common Black Duck. Many wintered and seen regularly until October 22. Doubtless some with the wintering Red-legs, but not reported. Gadwall. May 7 to 24 ; October 29. For the second time a drake of this species has been seen in May in the Newburyport re¬ gion. On the 24th it was seen by Griscom and Emilio. Baldpate. January, Babson saw a drake at Newburyport and on the 15th C. E. Clarke and G. L. Perry observed a female at Ipswich. April 16 is the latest spring date reported this year; September 10 to November 12. American Pintail. A few wintered at Newburyport and the swan- pond at Manchester — last reported May 7 ; September 12 to November 12 and three birds again at Manchester to the end of the year. Green-winged Teal. April 8 to May 14 ; September 3 to Novem¬ ber 12. Blue-winged Teal. August 26 to October 12. Wood Duck. April 2 to October 12. Lockwood reports as many as sixty-five coming regularly to a small artificial pond. Redhead. Due to the extremely mild winter Flax Pond in Lynn was open until mid-February and until it froze over eight Redheads, including five drakes, frequented the pond almost daily. This group was last seen there February 20. On March 30 seven birds were seen there by Dickson and finally on April 5, seven (doubtless the same) were seen in salt water Essex County Ornithological Club 31 off the Lynn Shore by Emilio and Pettingill. We have no previous record. Again in the fall, Moon saw several in Flax Pond where the species has been observed at that season not infrequently. Ring-necked Duck. January 15, two males and a female seen at Newburyport ; a pair was seen regularly with the Flax Pond Redheads until February 20. April 22, a drake was seen by Griscom, Low and Emilio at West Newbury ; October 8 to December 10. Apparently becoming much more common hereabouts. Canvas-back. Another new wintering species, three to five seen at Newburyport between January 21 and February 5; Novem¬ ber 23, only fall date. Greater Scaup Duck. May 24, Newburyport, six, Griscom et al.; October 22. Lesser Scaup. October 29 to November 19, several birds at West Newbury. American Golden-eye. May 24; October 29. Comparatively un¬ common in fall. Barrow’s Golden-eye. January 2, Rockport, an adult male, Taber. No others were seen until Marcy found two on December 17 at their old station off the Lynn shore. A small group of this species containing no adult males however, was reported present at Lynn as usual in January et seq. Bufflehead. Observed mainly at Lynn and Newburyport, the last, May 24, one male, Griscom and Emilio ; October 29. Scattered all along the rocky North Shore in the fall. Old Squaw. May ; October 29. Eastern Harlequin Duck. December 24, off Rockport, two were seen by Griscom, Lawson et al. American Eider. February 22; December 17. Near the Salvages off Cape Ann is a wintering station for these birds which can sometimes be seen from mainland with a powerful telescope. King Eider. A “high-colored” female eider contrasting strongly 32 Bulletin of the 1933 with two American Eiders associated with it attracted at¬ tention off Bass Rocks, Gloucester, on January 31. Itwas seen there repeatedly until February 22 and its identity event¬ ually established by careful telescopic observation of the feathering- pattern at the base of the bill and the color of the iris which was golden-yellow. Griscom worked out the identification and several others were able to confirm the points observed. (A drake was seen off Rockport, Decem¬ ber 26, 1932.) White-winged Scoter. June 4; August 26, and October 8 on, in numbers. Surf Scoter. April 30 ; October 8. As often, summering birds were observed and reported by Townsend, August 4. American Scoter. April 22; August 23, six (possibly summering birds,) and October 8 on. Ruddy Duck. October 7 to November 12. American Merganser. April 30; November 12. Red-breasted Merganser. Several observed as late as May 30 and also seen at Ipswich by Townsend, June 16, July 8 to 23, and by others August 3 and 23. None reported there¬ after until October 15 when three were observed at Nahant and the species remained far below normal in numbers until December. Eastern Goshawk. Only three directly reported, February 16 and December 13, Ipswich, by Townsend ; December 10, Griscom. Sharp-shinned Hawk. Resident, apparently in normal numbers . this year. Cooper’s Hawk. April 9 to December 17. The latter, which is an unusually late figure, for winter dates are few, was an immature bird seen by Griscom, Emilio and party as it flew directly overhead. Northern Red-tailed Hawk (borealis). May 14; October 8. The indicated hiatus may be due to lack of observation but we do not know of recent nesting in the County. Essex County Ornithological Club 33 Northern Red-shoulderd Hawk. Resident, but rare in winter and unreported during November this year. Broad-winged Hawk. April 22 to October 10. American Rough-legged Hawk, February 22 ; October 10. The fall date, given by Townsend at Ipswich, is unusually early. Southern Bald Eagle. Observed in June and October at Ipswich, also December 11 at Rowley. Marsh Hawk. More winter reports than usual — regularly ob¬ served to October 12, and also seen December 24. American Osprey. April 2 to May 20 ; August 25 to October 22 and November 19, Nahant, Walcott. Also observed “all sum¬ mer1' at Ipswich by Dr. Townsend though the bird is nor¬ mally only a migrant here. Duck Hawk. January 2, 15, 17, March 5, April 2 and June 3 ; August 23 to November 12. The above dates for the first half-year are all from different places and the series is most unusual as we almost never see the bird here before May. Eastern Pigeon Hawk. April 16 to May 7 ; August 23, Newbury, Griscom, Emilio and Wolfe, to October 15. Unusually com¬ mon this fall. Northern Sparrow Hawk (sparverius) . Resident. Found nest¬ ing in June, in the center of the city of Salem, on a ledge of a building belonging to the Peabody Museum. Eastern Ruffed Grouse. Permanent resident, but all too rare. Bob-White sub-spp. Permanent resident. Introduced stock. Ring-necked Pheasant. Permanent resident. Virginia Rail. April 10 to October 8. Sora. April 30 to October 8. Yellow Rail. May 19, again heard at Lynnfield by Griscom, Emi¬ lio and R. T. Peterson. Florida Gallinule. May 11 to October 8. Very few reports this year. 34 Bulletin of the 1933 American Coot. An injured bird wintered at Hall’s Brook, Lynn, and was seen regularly until March 25 by C. A. Clark. March 26, Ipswich, one bird, Emilio and Dickson, to April 8 ; Sep¬ tember 24 to October 29. Piping Plover. April 9 to September 30. Semipalmated Plover. May 14 to June 4; July 30 to October 29, Ipswich, one bird seen by Emilio and C. P. Preston. Killdeer. March 18 to November 12, Newburyport, Griscom. On August 6 the Recorder with C. P. Preston found a flock of over ninety birds in the open country southwest of New¬ buryport. American Golden Plover. September 2 to October 22. Black-bellied Plover. May 8 to June 4 ; July 8 to November 19. While June 4 and July 8 mark approximately the end and the beginning of the migrations, Dr. Townsend reports their presence at Ipswich, as stragglers perhaps, June 16, 20 and 27, seven birds on the last date. Ruddy Turnstone. June 5, Ipswich, Townsend, a new late spring date and the only report for the season ; August 3 to October 22, one bird at Newburyport, C. E. Clarke — another new late date for the fall migration. A strangely rare bird here com¬ pared to the numbers occurring on Cape Cod. American Woodcock. March 24 to November 22. Again, as last year, a bird was reported seen on February 8, but this time at Merrimac by Babson. Ponds and streams had not frozen over up to that time and the bird was probably a late strag¬ gler rather than an early migrant. Wilson’s Snipe. March 23 to May 20; September 11 to October 22. In addition, Teel observed a bird at Danvers during December and subsequent to the unprecedented cold spell in the closing days of that month. The bird survived two nights of nearly 20° below zero. Hudsonian Curlew. August 7 to 27. Upland Plover. May 7 to August 27. More than holding its own in numbers. Essex County Ornithological Club 35 Spotted Sandpiper. April 30 to October 8. Eastern Solitary Sandpiper. May 14 to 24 ; July 7, West New¬ bury, Babson and Aylward, to October 8. The July date is very early for a migrant of this species but is not unprec¬ edented. Eastern Willet. May 14 to June 1 ; August 6 to September 4. Increasing. Greater Yellow-legs. March 16, Newburyport, R. T. Peterson, and April 6 to June 8 ; July 23 to October 29. The March date seems most extraordinary especially in view of the weather prevailing much of the first half of the month. Lesser Yellow-legs. May 7, one seen with Greaters by Griscom, Emilio et al.; July 7 to September 19. American Knot. May 19 ; August 23 to September 12. Decided¬ ly uncommon. Purple Sandpiper. April 30 ; November 12. A common winter resident on our off-shore rocks and islands. Pectoral Sandpiper. July 30 to October 22. Some particularly fine, large groups of these birds were found on the exten¬ sive salt marshes of the County this year. Griscom and Emi¬ lio report more than one hundred on September 19. White-rumped Sandpiper. May 14, Peterson, to May 24 ; August 23 to November 19, two birds at Newburyport, Emilio. Baird’s Sandpiper. September 5 to 29 — at least a half dozen seen this year. Least Sandpiper. May 14 to June 3; July 8 to September 24. Red-backed Sandpiper. May 14 to June 3 ; July 8, Ipswich, one in full plumage, Townsend, and September 5 to November 19. On the last date the marshes were well covered with snow and ice and an unusually high tide forced the birds to the neighborhood of the highway between Newburyport and Plum Island. The Recorder drove to within twenty yards of a flock of over one hundred, which included the White-rumps above mentioned. These with the four plover that presently flew over seemed out of place in that wintry setting. 36 Bulletin of the 1933 Eastern Dowitcher. April 30, Newburyport, three, Griscom et al., to June 3 ; July 26 to September 19. Long-billed Dowitcher. August 23, Newburyport, one, Griscom, Wolfe and Emilio. This bird could be picked out readily from the Easterns and the darker flank due to heavy barring was seen by all. The bill was not noticeably longer than on some other birds. Stilt Sandpiper. August 6 to 23. On the latter date nine dif¬ ferent birds were reported. Semipalmated Sandpiper. May 14 to June 4 ; July 8 to October 29. Dr. Townsend also found nearly a score present at Ip¬ swich, June 16, 20 and 27. Western Sandpiper. May 19, Nahant, one, Griscom, Peterson and Emilio; May 24, Newburyport, two, Griscom and Emilio ; June 4 also, Newburyport, one, Emilio. These are the first spring records for the County. August 23 to October 1. On the latter date two were identified at Newburyport by Pet¬ erson — a new late local date. In no other year have so many been observed. Hudsonian Godwit. October 6 to 29, Ipswich, one, Griscom. Sanderling. May 16 to 28; July 8 to November 30. In addition, Townsend saw nine at Ipswich on June 16. This makes the third species of shore-bird he reports for mid-June at un¬ precedented dates. Glaucous Gull. June 4, Newburyport, an immature example seen by Emilio; December 17. Nine were seen at Cape Ann on Deceember 24. Iceland Gull. May 28. Swampscott, Peterson; December 17. Great Black-backed Gull. Increasingly common winter resident. Ninety were observed off Cape Ann, December 24. Several pairs off Marblehead all summer, Walcott. American Herring Gull. Abundant resident. Ring-billed Gull. April 2 to 30 ; August 3 to October 12. In Essex County Ornithological Club 37 addition, Griscom and F. H. Allen report several at New- buryport June 3. Young non-breeding birds have been seen there during June and July of other years. Laughing Gull. April 30 to June 4 ; September 12 to 24. One bird at Nahant on the latter date which is a slight extension of our records. Bonaparte’s Gull. Hundreds present until mid-April, a few there¬ after until September 19. Only one October date, 31st. In numbers again from November 21 on, but irregular. Atlantic Kittiwake. February 1; November 12. Forster’s Tern. September 3, Newburyport, F. H. Allen and W. M. Tyler, and September 12 at the same place, one bird, Griscom and Emilio. Common Tern. May 14 to October 1. Arctic Tern. June 25 and September 12. Only two dates re¬ ported. Roseate Tern. May 14 to September 12. It is not known that this species nested in this County but it was observed sever¬ al times during June as well as later. Least Tern. June 27, Ipswich, one seen by Townsend. Black Tern. May 19, Lynn Harbor, one bird in breeding plum¬ age, Griscom and Emilio, to June 3 ; August 3 to Septem¬ ber 10. Razor-billed Auk. January 31; December 24, Cape Ann. Briinnich’s Murre. April 2 '‘a compact flock working northward, ” S. A. Eliot, Jr. December 24. Unusually common the earlier part of the year. Dovekie. February 22 ; December 17. Black Guillemot. February 22 ; October 10. Rock Dove. Abundant in all our cities. Eastern Mourning Dove. January 1, Wenham, two birds seen by Phillips. April 2 to November 19. 38 Bulletin of the 1933 Yellow-billed Cuckoo. May 14 to September 24. Black-billed Cuckoo. May 14 to September 30. Eastern Screech Owl. Resident. Rather frequently reported this year. Great Horned Owl. Resident. Reported found on eggs in a hollow tree on February 13. Snowy Owl. November 5. Fair numbers this fall. Northern Barred Owl. Resident. Occasionally heard, especially in the Boxford region. Long-eared Owl. Several birds reported heard during Septem¬ ber at Topsfield. No nests found this year. Short-eared Owl. April 9, Newburyport, Moulton and Dickson. Saw-whet Owl. Reported April 10 and October 20 only. Eastern Whip-poor-will. April 30 to September 23. Eastern Nighthawk. May 14, Boxford, one seen by C. P. Preston, to September 5. Chimney Swift. April 29 to September 19. Ruby-throated Hummingbird. May 9 to September 27 and Octo¬ ber 7. On the latter date, Moulton, whose eye for years has been focused just right for hummingbirds, saw one at the Fay Estate in Lynn. Eastern Belted Kingfisher. Probably wintered, for one was seen February 5 in Danvers. Migrants, April 9, summering, to October 24, and again wintering, at Gloucester (December 24) and Danvers. Northern Flicker. Resident as a species. Abundant in migra¬ tion April 16 and found in numbers until about November 1. Northern Pileated Woodpecker. January 15, Lockwood, April 3, Wolfe, both in Boxford, and November 10, Mrs. Maxwell Foster, Topsfield. There is an indirect report of a pair seen during July in Boxford and at various times fresh cuttings by the species have been seen there. Essex County Ornithological Club 39 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. April 16 to May 19; September 24 to October 15. Subsequent to the extraordinary cold weather of December a bird was found at Ipswich on December 30 and 31. A full account of this new winter record is given by Dr. Townsend elsewhere in this issue. Eastern Hairy Woodpecker. Permanent resident. Somewhat more common than usual. Northern Downy Woodpecker. Permanent resident. Eastern Kingbird. May 3 to September 30. The latter date is from Ipswich by Townsend. Northern Crested Flycatcher. April 29, Peabody, Lawson, to August 6. Walcott reports its presence near Peach’s Point, Marblehead, during the summer, as new nesting territory. Eastern Phoebe. March 19 to October 15. Yellow-bellied Flycatcher. May 24 to 28 ; September 12, Box- ford, Griscom and Emilio. This is a new late date. Alder Flycatcher. May 21 to July 30, West Newbury, two birds, uttering their characteristic notes, one of which was also observed at close range by Emilio and Dickson. Least Flycatcher. April 30 to July. Wood Pewee. May 19 to October 1. On the latter date, which is a new late figure for the County, Moon and Marcy report a bird from Lynn, and Emilio another from Nahant. Northern Horned Lark. April 22 ; November 19. Flocks of the northern race are usually identified in the fall before mid- November. Prairie Horned Lark. April 9, Boxford, a pair, Clarke, Perry and Emilio. Repeatedly observed in the County until June 17. Not until December 24, however, were any more of this race reported and the date is some five weeks later than any pre¬ vious figure. Three birds were seen in West Gloucester with many of the northern race by Low, R. M. Hinchman and F. B. Whitman, Jr., all keen, young, but experienced observers. That the three birds were different in appearance from the 40 Bulletin of the 1933 Northern Larks goes without question with those of us, at least, who know the observers. And the presumption is fair that the birds were Prairie Horned Larks. But the Recorder knows only too well how erroneous a seemingly fair presump¬ tion may turn out to be and therefore feels that the identifi¬ cation should not be accepted without reservation. Until a specimen is secured and its identity most carefully deter¬ mined the mid-winter occurrence of praticola must be con¬ sidered hypothetical. Tree Swallow. April 7 to September 27. A rather short season with us this year. Bank Swallow. April 30 to August 6. Rough-winged Swallow. May 7, West Peabody, two, Griscom, Emilio et al ., to May 24, same place. Again, it is a fair pre¬ sumption this pair nested but we have not yet seen a nest, an egg or a fledgling in this County. Barn Swallow. April 11 to September 19. It was not until April 30 that the bird became at all common. Northern Cliff Swallow. April 30 to July 30. Northern Blue Jay. Permanent resident and this year assumed that status in down-town Salem where the Recorder, at least, had no previous knowledge of the bird. Eastern Crow. Permanent resident. Black-capped Chickadee. Permanent resident. Very numerous during December, and also in May — an unusual number of pairs were seen. White-breasted Nuthatch. Another permanent resident but usu¬ ally rather rare. During this fall they became most notice¬ ably common. Red-breasted Nuthatch. Only two reported during the spring, April 30 and May 28. On the latter date Peterson saw one at Marblehead. August 20, and very common to the end of the year. Brown Creeper. April 30 ; October 8. Essex County Ornithological Club 41 Eastern House Wren. April 27 to October 8. On the latter date Marcy saw one at the Fay Estate, Lynn. Eastern Winter Wren. February 19, Hall’s Brook, Lynn, Clarke and Perry, and April 9, Hamilton, Emilio. Carolina Wren. First reported April 3, Marblehead, by Walcott. This bird was a male and was again seen April 22. A week later his mate and their nest with five young a day or two old were discovered inside a play-house on the Walcott property. Entrance and exit had been effected through a small break in a tile chimney, the only available opening. Repeated en¬ trance there is understandable in a bird of this wren’s habits, but once inside the house there are four or more glass win¬ dows offering apparent means of escape whereas it is neces¬ sary for the birds to run through a length of horizontal stove¬ pipe from the inside to even see the small entrance-hole. The day the nest was found the female was seen momentarily on the window-sill inside at a time when the male was known to be in the nearby wood-pile. The bird did not flutter against the glass and it is not known how long it took these birds to learn the futility of that very common procedure. But it seems remarkable that they learned at all. May 6 the nestlings were found dead and the nest deserted by the old birds and the female no longer in evidence. Mr. Walcott assumed she had come to grief in some way, but later, three times during his summer residence there, a PAIR of wrens were seen. The date of nesting was utterly unprecedented hereabouts, and while a more protected location could hardly have been chosen, on the “plate” at the junction of roof and side-wall of this perfectly weatherproof little house, it is probable that weather and food conditions did not prove satisfactory for a successful nesting at such an early date. This nest and young are preserved at the Peabody Museum, Salem. Prairie Marsh Wren. April 30, Lynnfield, several seen and heard by Griscom, Emilio et at., — a new early date, to September 24. 42 Bulletin of the 1933 Short-billed Marsh Wren. April 30, Lynnfield, one, Griscom, Emilio et al., — also a new early date, to September 24. Both Marsh Wrens nest regularly in different but almost adjoin¬ ing parts of the Lynnfield meadows. There were many Short- bills present September 24 close to the railroad embankment, due to the flooding of the marsh by the heavy September rains. A half dozen would be in sight at one time and some were absurdly tame or fearless, coming almost to one’s feet. Eastern Mockingbird. January 22, Beverly. Miss Viola Critten¬ den reported a bird that had been in the neighborhood two weeks. It was seen that day by Dickson and Emilio and last by Emilio on February 5. Another was indirectly reported wintering at Essex. On April 16 at Ipswich, Dr. Townsend and F. H. Allen saw one, and at Peabody from about May 25 to June 12 M. E. Kelley repeatedly saw another. Catbird. April 30 to October 15. In addition, a bird was seen April 16 in the Merrimack River region by Clarke and Perry. This was so early as to suggest a possible wintering bird •rather than a migrant. There are in our files, however, data on various species which indicate at least occasional earlier arrivals in the Merrimack Valley than in the rest of the Coun¬ ty. This might come about by a small influx from the Connecticut Valley preceding, as well it might, the usual and much more voluminous coastal flight. But that is mere theory at present. Brown Thrasher. April 26 to September 27. Eastern Robin. Migrants and summer residents in numbers from March 26 to November 26. There were frequent reports of a few in January, February and early March. Between Feb¬ ruary 7 and March 4, C. P. Preston saw flocks varying from twenty to eighty of wintering birds in Danvers. And again there in December even a greater number were reported wintering. Wood Thrush. May 7 to June 17. The latter date, of course, does not indicate the end of the bird’s summering period here but no later figure was given the Recorder. Essex County Ornithological Club 43 Eastern Hermit Thrush. April 8 to December 10. From August 20, however, until September 30 when northern migrants ap¬ peared, the Recorder has no reports of their presence. Olive-backed Thrush. May 15 to 28 ; September 23. Gray-cheeked Thrush. May 19, Emilio, Griscom and Peterson, to May 24, Griscom and Emilio ; September 23, Salem, in garden, Emilio. Bicknell's Thrush. May 24, Griscom and Emilio; September 24, Nahant, “an obviously small Gray-cheek, ” Emilio. Attempted field identification of the gray-cheeked thrushes has been con¬ sidered inadvisable largely because size, their only difference, frequently cannot be estimated correctly. On May 24, how¬ ever, both races of this species were seen together and di¬ rectly compared. And, in general, the thrushes are seen under conditions that permit a good estimate of distance and hence of size whereas one cannot estimate accurately distances and sizes across a smooth field, mud-flat or beach. Veery. May 8 to August 20. Eastern Bluebird. February 27 to November 12. Subsequent to February 27 the species was conspicuous by its absence until March 25. By April 2 it had become common. Eastern Golden-crowned Kinglet. April 20; October 1. Not common. Eastern Ruby-crowned Kinglet. April 16 to May 24 ; October 8 to 22, and on December 12 Miss Dorothy Jenkins picked up one in Danvers which succumbed, presumably, to the severe cold. Its mandible was deformed by curvature. The speci¬ men is preserved. American Pipit. April 9. Boxford, flock seen by Clarke and Perry, to May 14, Ipswich and Newburyport, Peterson ; Sep¬ tember 24 to November 12. Bohemian Waxwing. November 21, Ipswich, Townsend. There is a full account elsewhere in this issue. Cedar Waxwing. Very common from mid-May to the end of August. Present in irregular and reduced numbers during the rest of the year, but not reported by Club Members in January. 44 Bulletin of the 1933 Northern Shrike. February 4, Andover, C. E. Clarke — the only report for the season; October 29 on, unusually common. Migrant Shrike. August 20, Newbury, Clarke and Perry, and August 21, Lynnfield, Emilio. European Starling. Present in uncounted thousands. White-eyed Vireo. October 15, Nahant, J. H. Conkey and Emilio. This bird was immature, lacking the white iris of the adult but otherwise perfectly typical of the familiar male bird. Yellow-throated Vireo. May 12 to June 24. Again, the reported dates are wholly inadequate to indicate the summering period of this increasingly rare species. Blue-headed Vireo. April 25 to October 1. Red-eyed Vireo. May 14 to September 5. Philadelphia Vireo. May 24, Rowley, Griscom and Emilio. The bird was with a notable aggregation of migrant warblers and though elusive, was observed closely and at some length. Eastern Warbling Vireo. May 14 to June 18. Another uncom¬ mon species that dropped out of sight very early. Black and White Warbler. April 30 to October 1. The latter date was given by Wendell Taber of a bird seen at Ipswich. Golden-winged Warbler. May 7 to October 13. Few reports. Tennessee Warbler. May 21, three at Nahant, reported by Clarke, Perry and Conkey, and May 24; September 19, West New¬ bury, S. A. Eliot, Jr., Griscom and Emilio. Nashville Warbler. April 30, Lynn, Griscom, Emilio et al., to September 1. This is the first local April record. Northern Parula Warbler. May 5 to 28; September 7 to October 1. Eastern Yellow Warbler. April 30 to August 20. These birds were very common at the time of the River Trip. Magnolia Warbler. May 11 to 28; September 12. Scarce, not recorded on the River Trip this year. Essex County Ornithological Club 45 Cape May Warbler. May 14 and 16 only. Black-throated Blue Warbler. May 14 to 24. None reported in the fall. Myrtle Warbler. Migrants in numbers from April 16 to May 19, and September 10 to November 5. There were also numer¬ ous records of wintering birds in the sand dunes and else¬ where as usual with an unusual number present inland in late December. Black-throated Green Warbler. April 30 to October 15. Blackburnian Warbler. May 14 to August 27. Chestnut-sided Warbler. May 3 to September 3. Bay-breasted Warbler. May 14 to 24 ; September 19. Most un¬ usual numbers of this relatively rare bird reported during the spring. Black-poll Warbler. May 14 to June 4; September 3 to October 15. Not a heavy spring flight of these birds. Northern Pine Warbler. April 9 to June 18. Still another ex¬ ample of a species lost track of by our observers. Northern Prairie Warbler. May 6 to September 10. Western Palm Warbler. September 10 to November 12 and De¬ cember 24, West Gloucester, Low et al. Yellow Palm Warbler. April 15 to May 14; September 24 to October 15. Very common April 22 but a week later less numerous than the Myrtle. Ovenbird. May 2 to September 12. Northern Water Thrush. May 3 to 24; September 12 to 24. A pair was found at Andover on July 11, the male in song, by C. E. Clarke. These birds were seen again in the same place July 12 by Clarke and Emilio, July 16 by Emilio and C. P. Preston and August 6 by Clarke. Neither nest nor young were found but the continued presence of two birds, one a singing male, at that time of year is at least suggestive. We know of no other similar occurrence in the County. 46 Bulletin of the 1933 Connecticut Warbler. September 7 to October 12, West New¬ bury, Emilio et al., and October 15, Lynn, Moulton. Both October dates are extensions of the previously recorded per¬ iod of occurrence in this County. Mourning Warbler. May 24 and 27. The finding of this bird this spring is due largely to the keen ears of R. T. Peterson and his familiarity with the species. Griscom and Emilio also saw the May 24 bird. Northern Yellow-throat. May 7 to October 18. Yellow-breasted Chat. May 14, Topsfield, Emilio, Lawson et al. This bird was heard repeatedly during our half-hour’s stop but we could not see it. Wilson’s Warbler. May 15 to 24 ; September 12. Unusually com¬ mon this spring. Fall records are very few. Canada Warbler. May 19 to July 30. This species was also un¬ usually common at the time of the River Trip, in May. American Redstart. May 5 to September 24. English Sparrow. Resident, static in numbers. Bobolink. May 7 to September 25. On the latter date a single bird was heard and seen with a small flock of Pipits at Mid¬ dleton. Eastern Meadowlark. Resident. Eastern Redwing. March 16 to November 12. As early as Au¬ gust 20 a small flock had gathered in the Merrimack River rice-fields. Baltimore Oriole. May 2 to September 10. An indirect report reached the Recorder of a bird seen in Swampscott April 28. That is quite within the range of possibility but it would constitute, if accepted, a new early record. Rusty Blackbird. March 19 to May 14 ; September 25 to No¬ vember 12. Bronzed Grackle. March 9 to November 18 in numbers. Decem¬ ber 15, 17 and 31 single birds were seen, the last by Dickson at Lynn. Essex County Ornithological Club 47 Eastern Cowbird. March 18 to September 19. Few observed this year. Scarlet Tanager. May 14 to September 24. Rose-breasted Grosbeak. May 12 to September 24. Indigo Bunting. May 14 to September 12. On the latter date one was seen by Griscom and Emilio with a flock of Chick¬ adees. Eastern Evening Grosbeak. December 13, Topsfield, Clarke, a large flock. Others reported in late December. Eastern Purple Finch. Resident, but unusually scarce in late fall and early winter. Canadian Pine Grosbeak. December 3, increasing in numbers to the end of the year. Common Redpoll. November 5 to the end of the year. A few scattering birds. Northern Pine Siskin. From October 7 on. A big flight eventual¬ ly developed. Eastern Goldfinch. Resident. Red Crossbill. December 10, one bird only, Emilio. In striking contrast to the exceedingly restless White-wings, this bird sat for many minutes close by in plain sight on an exposed branch of a hemlock in Boxford feeding quietly on the small cones. White-winged Crossbill. December 10, Wenham and Boxford, fourteen birds, Griscom. Subsequently hundreds were seen in and over the hemlock woods in Boxford, Beverly, Wenham and elsewhere. There has been no flight like this for many years. Red-eyed Towhee. April 22 to October 15 and 22. On the last date Moon saw one at Lynn in the Fay Estate. Ipswich Sparrow. April 22; October 10. Eastern Savannah Sparrow. April 8 to November 12. 48 Bulletin of the 1933 Eastern Grasshopper Sparrow. June 25 a singing male at New¬ buryport, Emilio; July 28, two males seen and heard at Ip¬ swich, Emilio; July 30, Newburyport again, one, Emilio and Dickson. Acadian Sparrow. June 3, Plum Island, Griscom and F. H. Allen, eight. Sharp-tailed Sparrow. June 3, Plum Island, Griscom and Allen, several ; June 4, Newbury, two, Emilio. Eastern Vesper Sparrow. April 9 to November 5. Slate-colored Junco. Wintered as always and a very heavy mi¬ gration passed in April, largely over by the 22nd ; there¬ after stragglers were recorded until May 19 ; September 24, Lynn, two, Marcy and Southack. Eastern Tree Sparrow. April 30; October 15. Eastern Chipping Sparrow. April 16 to November 12. Eastern Field Sparrow. April 10 to October 15. White-crowned Sparrow. May 14 to 24, a good flight ; October 8 to 29. White-throated Sparrow. Wintered; migration thin and late to May 24 ; September 23, regularly observed to November 24 and stragglers wintering. Eastern Fox Sparrow. Wintered; migrants, March 18 to April 19 ; November 12 common and stragglers to the end of the year. Lincoln’s Sparrow. May 19 to 24 ; September 24 to October 8. Few. Swamp Sparrow. April 16 to October 22 and stragglers to the end of the year. Eastern Song Sparrow. Resident as a species; migrants in num¬ bers, March 17 to November 26. Lapland Longspur. October 12 to 24. On December 10 Griscom saw a flock of thirty at Newburyport — an unusually large bunch. Eastern Snow Bunting. January 25 ; October 15. Essex County Ornithological Club 49 A WINTERING YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER AT IPSWICH Charles W. Townsend On December 30, 1933, Mr. and Mrs. Robert G. Vickery, com¬ ing to their house at Ipswich for the week-end, saw near there a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Sphyrapicus varius varius, pecking at the bark of trees, making rows of holes and eating small berries on a bush. The bird remained near the house the next day and on the following day, January 1, 1934, they told me about their observations. I went over with them at once and watched the bird, a nearly full plumaged adult male with a crimson crown and black throat. He was flaking off the bark from white maples and evidently picking up insects, their eggs and larvae. I also saw him drill the typical round holes of the Sapsucker in a line on the level, and found apple trees circled by these freshly made holes. On one of these trees which bore circles of old holes, he had made a fresh hole in a gap in the circle. There was no sap in these fresh holes. This is the first recorded instance of a Yellow-bellied Sap¬ sucker in winter in Essex County. Forbush says of it in his “Birds of Massachusetts, ” “Casual in winter in eastern counties in mild seasons,’ * but on his map he indicates wintering bird or birds only in Norfolk County. As the temperature had fallen to 16 degrees below zero, Fahr., early in the morning on December 29, and did not rise above 10 degrees below zero all that day, this can hardly be called a mild season. It was of great interest to me to watch the Sapsucker making rings of holes exactly like those found in so many of our trees, confirming my opinion which was in opposition to that of Mr. Forbush, who thought they were made by Downy Woodpeckers. I would refer the reader to my paper on the subject in “The Condor,” 1932, vol. 34, pp. 61-65. As no sap exuded from these holes it is probable that the bird made them for the purpose of ob¬ taining the cambium, and it also showed the strong urge of the instinct inherited for many ages by Sapsuckers to make rings of holes, an instinct that is not possessed by Downy Woodpeckers. 50 Bulletin of the 1933 THE BOHEMIAN WAXWING BombyciUa garrula pallidiceps AT IPSWICH Charles W. Townsend On November 21, 1933, I found a flock of fifteen or twenty Cedar Waxwings in a thicket of bushes and trees not far from my house at Ipswich. My attention was at once attracted by two that were noticeably larger and had uniform gray breasts. They were perched by themselves near together in the top of a tall elm tree, and, against the sky, their under tail coverts looked black, and, even with binoculars, I could make out no chestnut-red color. The under tail coverts of the Cedar Waxwings in other trees in the same light were, however, plainly light or white in color. As the larger birds turned in preening themselves notice¬ able white patches were to be seen at the ends of the secondaries. The larger size — the Bohemian averages an inch longer than the Cedar Waxwing — the uniform gray breast and belly, instead of brown and yellow, the white patches on the wings and the dark and not light under tail coverts all point plainly to the Bohemian species, even if I did not see the reddish under tail coverts, for these in a poor light would look black. I did not hear the short woodeny trill or chatter of the Bohemian Waxwing which is said to be distinctive. The flock soon took to flight, and, although I looked for them again on this and succeeding days, I found only Cedar Waxwings. The Bohemians had vanished. The Bohemian Waxwing — the American subspecies, pallid¬ iceps — according to the last A. 0. U. Check List, ‘‘breeds from western Alaska to northern Mackenzie and northeastern Mani¬ toba. ’ ’ It winters irregularly as far south in the east as Penn¬ sylvania. In Massachusetts it is found as a rare and irregular winter visitor. There are six previous records for it in Essex County, all sight records but one which was taken at Lynn on February 18, 1877, by the well known taxidermist and collector, N. Vickary. The specimen is now in the collection of the Boston Society of Natural History. Essex County Ornithological Club 51 CALENDAR FOR 1933 ESSEX COUNTY ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB OF MASSACHUSETTS January 9, 1933. Regular meeting. Nine members present. Report on Christmas Census. Paper read by Mr. Emilio on relations of birds and insects. February 13, 1933. Regular meeting. Twenty-five members and several guests present. Dr. Townsend told of his 1932- 1933 trip to Africa. Many specimens of African birds were shown. March 13, 1933. Regular meeting. Eleven members present. Field notes given covering the year to date. I March 27, 1933. Regular meeting. Twenty-three members present. The collections of nests and eggs given by Mr. Charles A. Clark to the Peabody Museum were examined by club members. Mr. Clark told of some of his experiences with snakes. April 10, 1933. Regular meeting held at the Club Camp in Box- ford, following a picnic supper and a visit to the flight- grounds of a woodcock which performed splendidly. Twenty- two members present. Field notes were followed by a visit to Crooked Pond for owls. April 24, 1933. Regular meeting. Twenty-two members and several guests present. Dr. Townsend completed his account of his African trip. May 8, 1933. Regular meeting. Fifteen members present. Evening devoted to field notes. May 22, 1933. Regular meeting. Eighteen members present. The Club’s twenty-seventh annual Ipswich River Bird Trip was discussed and the records examined. 62 Bulletin of the 1933 June 12, 1933. Regular meeting. Supper at the Club Camp in Boxford. September 11, 1933. Regular meeting. Nine members and one guest present. Evening devoted to field experiences of the past summer. October 9, 1933. Regular meeting. Twelve members present. Field notes and general discussions. November 13, 1933. Regular meeting. Ten members present. Mr. Emilio spoke on October field records for the past twelve years. December 11, 1933. Annual meeting. Fifteen members pres¬ ent. Mr. Griscom spoke on “Our Northern Finches.” Essex County Ornithological Club 63 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, Norman R. Bruley, Roger S. Bushby, Fred W. Cogswell, Lawrence W. Cushing, Milton L. Dickson, Ernest P. Doyle, John F. Emerson, Philip Emilio, S. Gilbert Fay, S. Prescott Fletcher, Laurence B. Floyd, Charles B. Foster, Maxwell E. Foye, Elmer Gifford, Morris P. Granger, Ralph Griscom, Ludlow Haley, Francis Ingraham, Phocion J. Jenkins, Stephen W. Jones, Gardner M. Kelley, Herbert W. Kelley, Mark E. Lawson, Ralph Little, Charles R. Little, Philip Fayette Court, Lynn 10 Park Street, Danvers 14 Chestnut Street, Salem 31 Summer Street, Salem 560 Concord Avenue, Belmont 20 Ash Street, DanverB 64 Center Street, Danvers 17 Washington Street, Peabody Temple Court, Salem Shirley Centre, Mass. 27 Essex Street, Lynn Lee, Higginson & Co., Boston 90a High Rock Street, Lynn 7 Winter Street, Salem 2 Otis Place, Boston 50 Congress Street, Boston 454 Walcott Street, Auburndale Topsfield, Mass. 74 Bridge Street, Salem 17 Beckford Street, Salem Edgemere Road, Lynn 21 Fayerweather Street, Cambridge Lynnfield Street, Lynn 235 Lowell Street, Peabody 103 Columbus Avenue, Salem Willows 119 Federal Street, Salem 3 Willow Street, Winchester 52 Sutton Street, Peabody 88 Washington Square, Salem 481 Chatham Street, Lynn 10 Chestnut Street, Salem 54 Bulletin of the 1933 Lockwood, Dunbar Long, Harry V. Low, Daniel S. Low, Seth H. Mackintosh, Richards B. Marcy, William A. May, Dr. John B. Means, Robert W. Means, W. Gordon Moon, Wilbur D. Morrison, Alva Morse, Albert P. Moulton, Charles E. Newhall, Milo A. Nichols, Rodman A. Osborne, Arthur A. Phillips, Dr. John C. Porter, Willard B. Preston, Charles H. Preston, Charles P. Proctor, George N. Raymond, John M. Robinson, John, Jr. Ropes, Col. Charles F. Ropes, Willis H. Sears, Judge George B. Shreve, Benjamin Southack, Theodore L. , Jr. Spofford, Charles A. Stevens, Harold Taylor, Arthur W. Teel, George M. Tortat, William R. M. Townsend, Dr. Charles W. Walcott, Judge Robert Whitney, Charles F. Wilkinson, Robert H. Wolfe, R. Emerson 205 Richdale Avenue, Cambridge 206 Clarendon Street, Boston 16 Cypress Street, Marblehead 60 Glendale Road, Quincy 110 Central Street, Peabody 9 Hawthorne Street, Lynn South Main Street, Cohasset 10 Post Office Sq., Boston Essex, Mass. 46 Maple Street, Lynn 19 Congress Street, Boston Peabody Museum, Salem 72 Maple Street, Lynn 12 Temple Court, Salem 7 South Pine Street, Salem 183 Lowell Street, Peabody 77 Mount Vernon Street, Boston 5 Lee Street, Salem 42 Preston Street, Danvers 480 Blue Hills Parkway, Milton 35 Congress Street, Boston 21 Brookhouse Drive, Clifton 18 Summer Street, Salem Dearborn Street, Salem 9 Cambridge Street, Salem b7 Cherry Street, Danvers 29 Chestnut Street, Salem 5 Waldron Street, Marblehead 23 Elm Street, Danvers Ropes Memorial, Salem 24 1-2 Briggs Street, Salem 2 Otis Street, Danvers 6 Perkins Street, Peabody Argilla Road, Ipswich 152 Brattle Street, Cambridge 29 Pine Street, Danvers Asbury Grove, Mass. Depot Rd., Boxford Essex County Ornithological Club 65 CORRESPONDING MEMBERS Babson, Edward Bryan, G. Warren Chase, Charles E. Donaldson, Maj. George C. Doolittle, Albert W. Ellis, Ralph, Jr. Spalding, Frederic P. 7 Forrester Street, Newburyport Stella, Washington 761 Auburn Street, Bridgewater U. S. Army, Newport, R. I. Plaistow, N. H. Berkeley, Calif. Wilton, N. H. 3n iWemortam GEORGE R. FELT ARTHUR MORLEY PUBLICATIONS of the ESSEX COUNTY ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB BULLETINS 1919-1932 - PRICE 75 CENTS EACH Index of the Bulletins of the Essex County Ornithological Club of Massachusetts, 1919-1928, Price 10 Cents The above may be obtained from Ralph Lawson, Secretary, 88 Washington Square, Salem, Mass., or S. G. Emilio, 7 Winter Street, Salem, Mass. PUBLISHED AUGUST 11, 1934 THE NEWHALL PRINTERS 56 SALEM, MASS . ■ ■ ■ Phillips Library 3 6234 10001728 7 * . * i. . < x ■ :V ' - -J>>W ‘ "V ■ • ' . • ■ ;V; t .- ■ ' . 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