THE OTTAWA NATURALIST 



VOL. XXI. OTTAWA, JANUARY, 1908 No. 10 



DATES OF DEPARTURE IN THE FALL MIGRATION 

 OF THE MORE COMMON BIRDS OF OTTAWA.. 



By G. EiFRiG 



The appended list does not claim to be complete or quite 

 exact. This would take several observers, who would have to 

 have much time and opportunity at their disposal for making 

 observations. However, the list gives an approximate idea. 

 Some vears certain birds stay longer than in others. Of many 

 species the bulk leaves at a fairly regular time, Avhile single 

 skulking, belated individuals of their kind linger much longer 

 and people accidently seeing :uch a one, e.g., a robin, will feel 

 in position to impugn any li:.t, even if its dates were accurate 

 for the species in general. At its best the Fall migration cannot 

 be studied so successfully as the one in Spring. Then the birds 

 come with a greater regularity, they can be seen better on 

 account of the bareness of the trees and fields, they are livelier, 

 in manv cases in a more flashy plumage than in Fall, when 

 many are averse to being seen, are not given to song, and tra\'el 

 in smaller flocks. A few only are more noticeable in Fall than 

 in Spring, as the blackbirds. The Vv'riter would again urge 

 members of the O.F.N.C.to next year begin to keep a list of. 

 the birds that thev know seen by them ; when they saw the first 

 and last ones, and send in such lists to him. The writer must 

 acknowledge his indebtedness to Mrs. Brown and Miss Lees of 

 Ottawa East, without whose co-operation this list would be 

 much more incomplete than it is now. Several dates were also 

 furnished by Mr. C. H. Young. 



1905 1906 1907 



Bluebird Oct. 20 Oct. 16 Oct. 17 



Robin Dec. 2 Oct. 30 Oct. 29 



Hermit Thrush Oct. 21 Oct. 10 



Wilson's Thrush Oct. 4 



Olive-backed Thrush Oct. 2 



