214 WILD WINGS 



shallow, muddy slough, on Memorial Day, I saw a typical 

 and beautiful sight. The soft, muddy shores and the shallow- 

 water were dotted all over with shore-birds wading about and 

 having a most happy time. Largest and most conspicuous, 

 save for two or three Willets, were a number of hue Black- 

 bellied and Golden Plovers in splendid plumage. Near them 

 w'ere Dowitchers, with their ruddy under parts of the spring 

 dress, and some Yellow-legs, as well as a varied proletariat 

 of the smaller species, — White-rumped, Semipalmated, and 

 Least Sandpipers, Ring-necks, and a few Solitary Tatlers and 

 Killdeers. It was a glorious day, spicy with the crisp ozone 

 of the prairies. How could I but be exhilarated ! Along with 

 the migrants one also continually sees the limicoline species 

 that remain to breed, — I'liland Plovers, Killdeers, Willets, 

 Great Marbled God wits, Wilson's Phalaropes, Piping Plovers, 

 and Avocets, the aggregate of which would make well worth 

 while a spring trip to the prairies of tlu' West, even if the only 

 bird-life were that of the shore-birds. 



In these degenerate days of waning numbers of shore- 

 birds in our Northern Atlantic States, it will greatly revive 

 the bird-lover's drooping spirits and stimulate his faith 

 that it is not yet too late to save the shore-birds, to take 

 a trip along the coasts of our Southern States in beautiful 

 May. It is pretty hot thi-n, l)ut ne\er mind, it will pay to 

 go. Aside from the breeding shore-birds, the abundance of 

 the migrants is a revelation. I was charmed with the gentle 

 Red-backed Sandpipers, in their beautiful spring plumage, 

 with the black abdomen, so different from our " Lead-back " 

 of the late fall. They were so tame I was sometimes able 

 to creep up near enough to them, on the open flats and 

 shores, to secure quite satisfactory pictures with the reflex 

 camera. Then there were the Dowitchers, Knots, and Turn- 

 stones in their gay habiliments, with the Black-bellied and 



