•M 



RR* 



Vol. VI, 



ALBION, N. Y., JUNE, 1889. 



No. G 



Birds of Mathews County, Va. 



I think the suggestion made by Mr. Clute 

 in the January issue of the Oologist, a 

 very good one— for everyone to give some 

 account of the bird life in his locality 

 Doubtless this would be very interesting 

 as well as instructive to the readers of the 

 OoLOGisT, for a great deal of valuable in- 

 formation concerning the haunts and 

 habits of our birds, could thus be gained. 



As some have already given interesting 

 acooiiuts regarding the above, I send in the 

 following report of some of the most com- 

 mon species which occur in this sectiou, 

 hoping that it may of interest to some. 



This county, as may be observed, lies on 

 the western side of the Chesapeake Bay; 

 the northern, eastern and southern shores 

 being washed by its waters. The entire 

 coast is indented with rivers, creeks and 

 coves, so that there is no point within the 

 county, more than two miles from salt- 

 water; hence we are frequented by many 

 aquatic birds, such as Ducks, Geese, Gulls, 

 Terns, Loous, Herons, Rails, etc. 



Among the Ducks the most common are 

 the Canvas-back, Mallard, Scoter, Eed- 

 headed, Old- wife, Pintail, Golden-eye, Teal. 

 Wood, etc. With exception of the Wood 

 DiTck, all depart, at the approach of Sum- 

 mer, for more northern regions. 



The Loous, which are frequently caught 

 in the seines, by the fishennen, are very 

 coQimon during Winter and early Spring, 

 but the Summer haunts, of this bird, is 

 farther north. 



We have quite a number of speides of the 

 Gull and Tern, but I can not give each by 

 by its proper name, as I have not had the 

 opportunity to procure specimens for ident- 

 ification ; but however the Laughing Gull 

 and Common Tern are the moj-t numerous 

 of their family. Hundreds of eggs of the 

 latter species can be picked up aloug the 

 beach about the first of June. 



The chief representatives, of the Heron 



family, are the Great Blue Heron and the 

 Green Heron: the first is known here by 

 the name ' 'Scoggiu. " The White Huron is 

 sometimes met with, but be can not Le 

 considered as a summer resident. 



The Clapper Rail, Black Rail and Yellow 

 Rail are fouud here in the Summer season. 

 The Sora or Carolina Rail is not common 

 here, but iu the reeds a-jd marshes along 

 the rivers, farther inland, where it is 

 very numerous it is hunted ex- 

 tensively by the sportsmen, affording a 

 most agi'eeable amusement as well as a 

 delicious repast. 



Of the shore birds, the Wilson's Snipe, 

 Least Sandpiper, Sjjotted Sandpiijer, Wood- 

 cock and Kilideer are among the most num- 

 erous. The Woodcock is common through- 

 out the year. In the latter part of March, 

 when nidification begins, it resorts to the 

 swamps, sedgefields and thickets, where it 

 rears its young. Its nest is usually placed 

 iu a tussock of grass or patch of briers. I 

 have seen the young large enough to fly Ijy 

 the middle of May. 



The Turkey Buzzard, which is so much 

 respected here for his usefulness, though 

 not beloved, in consequence of his habit's 

 is abundant at all times. They begin nest- 

 ing here about the first of May. A slight 

 depression iu the ground with, perhaps, a 

 few scattering leaves, inside of an old hol- 

 low stump, make up the nest. Two eggs 

 are eaid to be a set, but we frequently find 

 them here containing four. 



The Bald Eagle, in consequence of his 

 gi-eat partiality for fish, which he often 

 procures by robbing the Fish Hawk, is a 

 common resident here. The nesting season 

 of this bird begins about the 10th of Febiu- 



ary, though Mr. M , a fritnd of mine, 



took a nest on Feb. lc,'89,containiug eaglets 

 not less than a week old. Allowing four 

 weeks for incubation, the eggs were laid 

 about January 12th. This, I consider, 

 early nesting for this species: ceitainly iu 



