Monthly Bulletin 9 



WINTER BIRDS 



Higher and higher, day by day, swings the returning sun. The north- 

 ward movement of the wildfowl has begun. Wild geese which have been 

 driven to the far south by snow and ice are reported early this month flying 

 north from the lagoons of Florida. Leagues upon leagues of ice crowding 

 out of Long Island Sound with out-going winds and tides have driven hordes 

 of white-winged scoters in advance of the floes until it seems as if the entire 

 species were concentrated on these coasts. 



The winter has been one of the severest ever known. A flight of glaucous 

 gulls or burgomasters passed down the coast as far south at least as Phila- 

 delphia and the Iceland gull has appeared on the coast of New England 

 and Long Island. Both species may be confidently looked for now, on 

 their return. Among the herring gulls now on Long Island are some ring- 

 billed gulls and a single Bonaparte's gull was reported from Block Island 

 in February. 



Probably the winter has made some new records in the south. The 

 usual feeding-grounds of the canvas-backs have been blocked with ice, 

 and they have been recorded in South Carolina and Georgia, even the 

 hardy harlequin duck has been noted in South Carolina. Loons, murres, 

 little auks, golden-eye ducks and red-breasted mergansers have wintered 

 off the Massachusetts coast, the latter in smaller numbers than usual. Com- 

 paratively few black ducks and geese have wintered here, except in fav- 

 ored spots, but Barrows', golden-eyes and buffleheads have been reported 

 from time to time. Snow geese have been seen recently in southern Con- 

 necticut, and four have been taken. A few mallards and lesser scaups are 

 wintering in New England. Many of the hardy scoters have gone far south. 

 Blue-winged teal are reported from Block Island. Some snipe have win- 

 tered near open springs in southern New England. Purple sandpipers are 

 on our coasts and a few night herons still remain in Massachusetts and 

 Connecticut. 



A few bald eagles were seen or taken in December and January, but 

 none reported since. Many birds of prey have wintered here; goshawks 

 have been most common, with occasional pigeon, cooper's and red-tailed 

 hawks in southern New England. Marsh hawks are reported from Cape 

 Cod and Long Island, and a few sharp-shinned and many sparrow hawks 

 from the three southern New England States and Long Island, N. Y. Snowy 

 owls increased in January but were only scattering on the coast and rare 

 in the interior. Great horned owls increased in southern Connecticut, where 

 one gamekeeper is reported to have trapped and shot 225 hawks, mostly 

 goshawks, and 76 owls, mostly great horned. At least three Arctic horned 

 owls have been taken in New England and this species should be looked 

 for. A few long-eared owls have been seen and taken in this region. 

 Barred owls, screech owls and Acadian owls have wintered generally in 

 New England. A great gray owl was taken in Worcester County, Massa- 



