The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-29
Birds OF EARLY SPRING
The Vanguard Of Summers Feath-
cred Tribe Approaching.
BIueinys, Meadow LARS, Gold
tinchcs, and WsrbIers Of All De-
scriptions Flying Hitler From the
south to FIJI the Woods and Fields
With Their MeIOdiOus Notes.

| The number of species of birds on record
| for the month of April reaches an even
| 200. This number is easily accounted for
when we consider that quite a number of
birds that have spent the winter here
| move North during April. and that the ad-
vance guards of our migrants and summer
residents begin to arrive This is the time
for the local observer to be on the alert,
so as to find the first arrivals few days
ahead of existing dates. or the last stray
| glers few days behind time.
All birds being migratory. the move
ments of all the different species have to
be watched. Those which, like the song
| sparrow, are with Us all winter increase
in numbers BY the influx of individuals
which have wintered farther South. and
| later the numbers will thin out until only
these that will spend the summer with us
remain. The singing periods of birds have
also to be noted and the woods and fields
will now be found to resound with melody.
Frogs are singing, the country begins
to loose its wintry aspect the early flow
ers blossom. the air gets balmy. and the
OrnitholCsist gets the first touches of
spring fever.
The horned grebe. the pied billed grebe.
and the loon are numerous. single Ice
land gull was noted on the 2ist. The great
black backed gull is irregularly noted I'M
til the 26th. The herring and ring-billed
gulls are common. The first laughing, or
black-headed, gulls are recorded on the
23d. and the little Bonaparte gulls are To-
cally noted in fiocks all month. The latest
note ] have on the gannet is the z1st,
while the double-crested cormorant occurs
all month. and white pelicans are on rec
ord at Washington, ID. c.. as rare stray
glers.
The American merganser, or sheldrake,
is recorded to the 2Sth. the red breasted
merganser en- the Goth. and the hooded
merganser all month: the last mallard Oh
the 9th. This species is the originator of
our common puddle duck and the male is
generally called green-h head mallard, while
the female is called grey mailard. The
black duck. or black mallard. is here all
MOI In, and no doubt had something to do
in originating the domestic duck. The
gadwall, or grey duck proper is quite
rare. but one is On record as being shot
on the ith. and a European wigeon was
taken on Sinepuxent Bay on the 5th while
its near relative. the baldpate is last re-
corded on the Sth. The European teal is
on record as being taken in the District
of Columbia and the green wing teal and
blue wing teal are here all month. The
shcyeler. or spoon-bill duck is scarce
The pintal or sprigtail. has been noted
until the 2Sth; wood ducks and redheads
all month. but the last canyasback on the
Sth the scaup. or bay blackhead until the
2Sth: the little. or creek. blackhead all
month. and the ring-necked duck until the
4th. The gOlden-eye, or whittier, is re-
corded 10 the 9th, and the little buffie-
head, butter ball or dipper. is here all
month. The last old squaw, or south
southerly is recorded on the Goth, while
all three OF Oh: scoters-the black white
winged, and surf-aTe here all month as
is also the ruddy duck. coot or greaser.
Snow goose, or common wild goose is here
all month, but is gradually thinning out.
aud toward the end of the month is rather
rare. Brant have been recorded until the
18th. and swan to the 18th.
The American bittern, or Indian hen. is
here all month. and no doubt the little bit
tern arrives from the South during this
month. but as it is quite elusive it has rot
been noted. The great blue heron. or crane.
is in evidence. The first green heron. or
poke. is noted on the Sd, and the first night
heron. qua or dogbird. on the LIST. The
king rail. clapper rail. Virginia rail sora
or common rail and yellow rail are all
here. but are seldom noted. being very
secretivc in their habits and not partcu