Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-09-03
THE RETURN OF THE BIRDS.
They Begin Their TwitterinE Flight
Southwark in September.

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 begrudged. Once
again is the shrubbery filled with the old
friends whose acquaintance was made
early in the spring. In August the search
for bird life was oftimes most dis
couraging, 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 a 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 recognition a bit
birds, which have not yet attained the
plumaSe Of maturity. Then, too many
of the adult birds have donned their
travelling gowns. which are much sober
season: The spring songs are lacking
now, but the familiar twitterings and
characteristic notes are to be heard
wherever the birds are found. The fall
teresting phases Of bird-study. He who
would know his feathered friends
thoroughly must be abroad with note
book and pencil daily, for many of the
birds tarry but for day or two on their
way South.
Species which were by no means COM
mon in the spring will often be seen in
unexpected numbers. during the fall nil
SiS@IioAi, eiS IL tiiCS shliSt lliClh IoulCS
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 tragedy OF mi,
know nothing of. At no season of the
year do so many Of the feathered folk
come to untimely death by dashing
feber s doubt aS in hs sp
TENDER fight. Beyond question this in
part is due to the fact that a large per-
centage of the migrants are making
t their first long journey. Then, again.
September nights are inclined to be
foggy. The result is that the glare of
the big seacoast beacons seemingly con-
fuses the feathered travellers, and thou
sands dash themselves to death. From
the summer will take their departure for
warmer climes. The worm eating warbler
and the blue-winged warbler are among
the first to depart.
swa--ow, the orchard oriole, and the
Arcadian fycatcher. During these same
early day the black-polled warbler, the
sparrow are likely to arrive 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
at, and that tileltnugg 6sn.6 -l.xngmeine
chat, and that little nugget of living
gold, the yellow warbler. At this time
in the low. damp meadows and marshes
that erratic flyer who is at once a de-
light and an evaporation to the sports
man, Wilson's snipe, is to be found. He
is also transient The blue-headed vireo.
the olive-backed thrush, and Bicknelrs
thrush will also make a fleeing visit.
September 20th-30th sees the departure
and arrival Of many old acquaintance.
The Louisiana water thrush. the veery.
the hooded warbler, the pleasant little
singer Of July days, the warbling vireo,
tue wood pewee, the rose-breasted gros-
beak, the yellow throated vireo, the
kingbird, the crested hycatcher,, the
hummngbird. the little green heron,
and the common tern all depart for dis
tant lands. AT the same time little wood
land ponds and quiet water become
tenantedby those marvellously swift yet
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 king
North to spend the winter. In certain
sections the winter wren also comes to
take up his abode. The yellow-palm
warbler. the myrtle warbler. the. white
sparrow, and the ruby-crowned kinglet
also come from the northern districts,
and later will seek more southern lati-
tude. Along the seacoast the great broad
the winter. All through the month the
various waders, such as the sandpipers,
the pover, the curlew, and the yellow
legs come down in great focks along the
salt marshes, travelling 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
balated stragglers are to be seen. The
forerunners of the great web-footed tribe
to arrive, but the main flight will not
be for some weeks yet. Thus it is that
the brd-student who would keep in touch
with the feathered world finds his hours
a-tield in September are all too short.