The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-09-12
THE RETURN OF THE BIRDS.
They Begin Their Twittering Flight
Southwark in September.

/
Southwark in September.
From Country Life in America.
For the lover of birds September is
a month in which every hour at the
desk or in the office is sorely be-
grudged. Once again is the shrubbery
| filled with the old friends whose ac-
quaintance was made early in the
| spring. In August the search for bird
| life was ofttimes most dscouraging,
and it would seem that the feathered
| folk had deserted all the dear old
haunts. But in this month behold the
| feathered hosts once more. The first
cool weather brings wave of the little
winged sprites, most of them being the
| warblers. They are on their way
south now, and to the amateur the new
dresses of many of them make recog-
milton a bit difficult. A great number
are young birds which have not yet at
| tanned the pluma ge of maturity Then.
| too. many of the adult birds have
donned their travelling gowns, which
are much soberer than the gorgeous
dress of the nuptlal season. The
| spring songs are lacking now, but the
familiar twitterings and characteristic
| notes are to be heard wherever the
| birds arc found. The fall flight is in
| reality one of the most interesting
| phases of bird study. He who would
know his feathN'ed friends thoroughly
must be abroad with notebook and
pencil daily, for many of the birds
| tarry but for day or two OH their
way south.
| Species which We're by no means
common in the spring will often be
seen in unexpected numbers during the
fall migration, as if they varied their
routes of travel between the limits of
their habitat. Those who dwell along
the seacoast have an opportunity of
studying a phase Of bird life, the trag-
edy of migration, which those further
inland know nothing of. At no sea-
son of the year do so many of the
feathered folk come to untimely death
by dashing against the light houses as
in the September flight. Beyond ques-
tion this in part is due to the fact
that large percentage of the migrants
are making their first long journey.
Then, again. September nights are
inclined to be foggy. The result is
that the glare of the big seacoast bea-
travellers, and thousands dash them
selves to death. From September 1 to
10 many sojourners of the summer
will take their departure for warmer
climes. The worm-eating warbler and
the winged warbler are among
the first to depart.
With them will go the rough winged
swallow, the orchard oriole and the
Arcadian fy-catcher During these
same early days the black-polled
warbler, the Connecticut warbler and
the Lincoln sparrow are likely to ar
rive from the north, tarrying briefly
on their way south. During the next
ten days we may say goodbye to the
purple martin, the Baltimore oriole,
the yellow-breasted chat, and that lit
tie nugget of living gold, the yellow
warbler. At this time in the low,
damp meadows and marshes that er-
ratio flyer who is at once a delight and
an evaporation to the sportsman,
Wilson'S snipe, is to be found. He also
is a transient. The e-headed vireo,
the olive backed thrush and Bicknell's
thrush will also make fleeting visit.
September 20-30 sees the departure and
arrival of many old acquaintances.
The Louisiana water-thrush, the veery,
the hooded warbler, that pleasant little
singer of warm July days. the warb-
ling vireo, the wood peewee, the rose
breasted grosbealk, the Yellow -throated
vireo, the kingbird the crested fly
catcher, the humming bird, the little
green heron and the common tern all
depart for distant lands. At the same
time little woodland ponds and quiet
waters become tenanted by those mar
vellously swift yet dminutive ducks,
the green-winged and blue winged
teal. The American coot will also be
found in the sedges. All three of these
are but sojourners for week or two
The golden crowned kinglet and the
junco come down from the north to
spend the winter. In certain sections
the winter wren also comes 20 take up
his abode. The yellow palm warbler
the myrtle warbler, the white-crowned
sparrow, the white throated sparrow
and the ruby-crowned khglet also
come from the northern districts, and
later will seek more southern lati-
tude. Along the seacoast the great
broad-winged herring-gull arrives to
spend the winter, All through the
month the various waders, such as the
sand-pipers, the plover, the curlew and
the yellow-legs come down In great
focks along the salt marshes, travel
ing to the south The flight of these
birds is usually heaviest in the early
part of the month and by the end of
the month only a few belated strag-
glers are to be seen. The forerunners
of the great web-footed tribe begin to
l.,,t ns,, t..lt ,.rtl ha
for some weeks yet. Thus 1t is that
the bird student who would keep in
touch with the feathered world finds
his hours afield in September are all
too short