SUPPLEMENT TO BIRDS OF ESSEX COUNTY 



25 



CHAPTER III 



Annotated List 



a 



I [2] Colymbus holboelli (Reinh.). 

 Holecell's Grebe. 

 Not uncommon winter visitor. October 15 to May 24. 



At times this bird is common; thus, on March 17, 1912, I saw from a fishing- 

 steamer over seventy-five birds within a radius of eight miles of Gloucester 

 Harbor. Mr. H. W. Wright reports eighteen seen off Marblehead Neck on April 

 4, 1917; thirteen of these were in one flock. 



2 [3] Colymbus auritus Linn. 

 Horned Grebe; "Devil-diver"; ''Hell-diver." 



Common winter visitor. October i to May 6. 



The date for molting into nuptial plumage varies, but I have seen birds in 

 this plumage as early as April 14. Their cheeks and heads look very large and 

 their brownish-yellow ear-tufts are conspicuous and wave in the breeze. It is a 

 very dififerent-looking bird from the ones seen during the winter. 



As an index of the occasional great abundance of this species I would cite 

 the record of fifty-two birds seen at Nahant on February 22, 1909, by Mr. 

 H. W. Wright. 



The Horned Grebe is very silent with us. In fact, I had never heard its 

 voice until October 18, 1919, when one swimming near the beach uttered from 

 time to time a loud whistling, creaking note which at times suggested a shore- 

 bird, at times a gull. 



3 [6] Podilymbus podiceps (Linn.). 



Pied-billed Grebe; "Dabchick"; "Hell-diver"; "Water- witch." 



Common autumn visitor ; rare spring visitor ; probably rare summer resident. 

 April 10 to June 3; July 22 to December i. 



