The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-09-18
Utah Water Fowl

About two miles west OF This city are
situated several bodies of shallow water.
known ns the White lakes, so called from
the srayish appearance OF the bottoms.
which are mixture OF mud and adobe
clay and added TO the effect thus pro-
duced the water is heavily impregnated
with alkali. These shallow lakes gradu-
ally dry up during the summer months,
thus depossttnS the alaldi. which gives
the shores Il frosty appearance, and from
which the name is derived.
The mud flats and salt grass marshes
surrounding these lakes comprise the
summer home and bruc,.inS ground OF ru
inerous water fowl. among which are the
aNocet. the black-ncclkcd silt. the kildcer
and the snowy plovcr The latter and |
once carried quite IA conYcrsat ton;
that Is, Il rnimicking and answering 10 his
whistle can be so called. Standing on
the margin OF =. shallow pool not more
than three yards away. he repeatedly an
swercd my imitation OF his cali notes,
anu never seemed Ia tire. In fact, he
seemed 10 enjoy the FUN His call Is
composed of two mclodiouS whstling
notes. and is very easy to initiate. be-
Ing the TWO "Ss" ON the flute stop OF
pipe organ-thc middle and upper g
uttered with rising infection. They
are fun ma '"Jnd and axe readily trans
lated into his own name-"snow -oe':
bat "qucc-io' seems TO be the correct
translation. He is not nj all shy. and
his plump little throat will swell TO twice
the natural size wiki the spirit and vim
he puts Into his call.
Smallest OF Flower Family.
This llt;le bird Is the smallest OF lh,
plovcr family. being only siN and one.
half inches III length. He is prom incntly
marked with black blotchcs IN the crown |
o. his head and car rovcrtS. has small
black ciescents on The sides Of his |
breasts. upper parts and forehead gray |
ish brown, Unc over the eve. incomplete |
collar. ard uilar- parts pure white. He |
is truly "a western species breeding from |
lhc Rock mountains TO the Pacific. The |
f.lN It.,..
small Insects and minute crustaccans,
which nc finds on the margins Of these
shallow lakes. hut does not probe for
them in the mud as MS short, pigeon
depression OH the ground. without any
lining. The eggs. three il number. arc
pale butf or clay color, finely dotted and
scratched with black In size they aver
age 20 Inches in length by 80 OF an
inch broad. The nesting site Is usually
on ground that resembles the eggs so
closely in color that 4 is impossible TO
About the Kildeer
(OXycchus nociferus)
The kildeer plover although so we'll
known. deserves Il description if only for
the good ne does as an insect DESTROYER.
and OF these alliali mud fats the nature
student may learn his habits and know ;
MN as he really is. He is n bird of
akcsIdes anG marshes rs he is also Of
cultivated fields and meadows His call
~ ''kii-deei is the first Sound of bird
lie THAT greets the ear as one approaches !,
lese mud fats and salt grass marshes :
lie is nervous fellow and STAYS right :
With one as long as one fingers about ,, ,,
MS breeding grounds When undisturhed ;
his call OF 'kil-dcc" Is plaintiye and
sweet. The numerous sheep and cattle !
lerded over these salt grass pastures do >
iot seem 10 annov him in the least but ,
when man is aliicld his call is loud and Z
hrill. necessarily repeated, while he Isl
lying close overhead or running along the
'round IN front. but always at Il safe dis
ance. The white ring around his neck
nG the black bands across his breast .
eadily identify him, with grayish brown .
upper parts, a prominent chestnut COL y
red patch az the base of the tail. "A !,
White line across the forehead and eye !,
no white outer taIl feathers. In length u
e averages about ten and one half :,
inches. There Is no difference In the y
lumage OF ,he sexes. Angle worms are -
ne 1aNorite food OF the kildeer, He is Il
artly nocturnal OH this account for the ri
eason that the angle worms come To {,
he surface after dark and in the day Z,
mc he feeds upon insects and larvae r
ie Is greatly beneficial II the farmer as n
1uch OF his time Is spent in cultivated II
eIas destroying grasshoppcrs q
Ihe kildccr has a natural protection i'm a
le fact that IL matters not what constt-
ites his food. his flesh has a mushy and II