Page:Bird-lore Vol 03.djvu/82

 Birds and Seasons 67 Northern Shrike (should have been included in the notes for February and March); April 7, Mallard* and Pintail Ducks;* 17, Herring Gull ; 19, Fox Sparrow and Short- eared Owl;* 23, American Roug;h- legged Hawk; 25, Tree Sparrow; May 2, Purple Finch;* 5, Canada Goose* and Golden Plover; 7, Hermit Thrush; 8, Junco, Ruby and Golden-crowneil Kinglets; 12. Sapsucker; 15, Sharp-shinned Hawk;* 16, Lapland Longspur; 19, Brown Creeper; 24, Ring-necked Duck.* APRIL AND MAY BIRD-LIFE AT STOCKTON. CALIFORNIA+ BV I.VMAN BELDING BIRDS OF THE SEASON April Miirrants. — A^rW i-io, female Bullock's Oriole and increase of earlier arrivals. Black-chinned Hummingbird, Rufous Hummingbird, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Western Chipping Sparrow, Yellow Warbler, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Townsend's Warbler, Hermit Warbler, Pileolated Warbler; April 20-30, Black-headed Grosbeak, Lazuli Bun- ting, Louisiana Tanager, Cassin's Vireo, Least Vireo, Lutescent Warbler. May Mii^rants. — Western Wood Pewee, Western Flycatcher, Little Flycatcher, Hammond's Flycatcher, Wright's Flycatcher, Western Blue Grosbeak, Russet-backed Thrush. Most of the following are often met with during the spring migration: Northern Phal- arope, Long-billed Dowitcher, Least Sandpiper, Red-backed Sandpiper, Western Sand- piper, Greater Yellow Legs, Yellow Legs (rarely). Western Willet, Spotted Sandpiper, Long-billed Curlew, Hudsonian Curlew, Black-bellied Plover, Semipalmated Plover, Snowy Plover. The following abundant winter visitants leave us about May 1 : Intermediate Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Junco, Townsend's Sparrow, American Pipit. Most of the northern breeding Ducks and CJeese leave us prior to May. SUGGESTIONS FOR THE SEASON'S STUDY Birds and Seasons.— Compare the preceding outlines of the characteristics of the bird -life of Boston, New York, etc., with their accompanying lists of April and Mav birds. Miiiralion.t — I'oo much time cannot be spent in the field during the migration. It possible one ^iiould go out both in the early morning and late afternoon, visiting as great a variety of ground as opportunity permits. A knowledge of what birds to expect greatly increases the probability of seeing a species on or soon after its arrival. Weather conditions should be observed as closely as the migration itself, and the charts issued by the Weatlier Bureau, at Washington, should be studied. The blooming of plants, shrubs and trees and the advance of vegetation in general, together with the ap- pearance of various forms of insert life, calling of hylas, etc., should all be closely noted and these phenomena recorded with ;iv uuich detail as the arrival of birils. The record of each migrant shouUl ^how when it was Hrst observed, the tnimlHT seen. giving, if possible, the sex, if in song on arrival, if migrating singly, in scattered com- panies or in flocks, if observed to migrate during the dav. Succeeding observations of tin- same species should lie entered with as much detail as the first one in order to ascertain its increase or decrease in numliers. tThc notes here given refer to the country within a radius of fifteen miles of Stockton. These data heini: de- signed wholly for popular use. it has not been deemed necessary lo employ the latest subspecific names. I See also KiHI> I.OHF. tiir I'ehruary. |c^)l.
 * Suiniiirr resident in northern Illiniiis.