[ 2.44 ] BIRDSOFOREGON 



Woodcock (1901) recorded it from Yaquina Bay from Bretherton's re- 

 ports. We have found it to be a regular but not common inhabitant of 

 the coast, frequenting the rocky headlands, feeding on the mussels and 

 barnacles exposed by low tide, and resting on the higher rocks when 

 the tide is high. It is most abundant in April and October but is present 

 in numbers all through the winter (earliest date, August 5, Lincoln 

 County; latest, April 2.7, Clatsop County). In behavior and actions it 

 resembles the Black Turnstone, and scattered individuals are often found 

 feeding with their smaller cousins. Occasionally the early birds arriving 

 from the north still have the beautifully marked breeding plumage, 

 although most of them are in the duller winter dress. 



Ruddy Turnstone: 



Arenaria interpret morindla (Linnaeus) 



DESCRIPTION. "Adults: Throat and belly white, chest crossed by a broad black 

 band; back coarsely mottled with rufous and black; head variously streaked. 

 Young: similar to adult but duller, without rufous on back, and with the chest band 

 mottled dusky gray. Length: 9.00-9.90, wing 6.00, bill .80-. 90, tarsus i." (Bailey) 

 Nest: A slight depression, scantily lined with grass and leaves. Eggs: 4, olive to 

 olive-buff, marked with warm browns. 



DISTRIBUTION. General: Breeds from western Alaska to Southampton and western 

 Baffin Island. Winters from central California, Texas, Louisiana, and North Caro- 

 lina southward into South America. In Oregon: Irregular fall and rare spring 

 migrant on coast. 



THE FIRST KNOWN specimen of the Ruddy Turnstone from Oregon was 

 taken by M. E. Peck at Seal Rocks, Lincoln County, on August 2.8, 1914. 

 It was not again recorded until 192.1, when between August z} and 1.7 

 the writers took five at Netarts. Since that time it has been found more 

 frequently, and in addition to the numerous skins in our collections, we 

 have seen birds from Lane County in the Dowell collection and from 

 Clatsop County in the Braly collection, all taken between Julv 2.4 and 

 August 31, except three that Dowell took at Mercer on May 14, 192.2.. 

 The latter furnish the only spring records for the State, although more 

 extensive collecting would probably reveal the species as a more regular 

 migrant. Most of the birds are in juvenile plumage and are found on the 

 sand spits and long beaches rather than on the rocky headlands with 

 their darker cousins. 



Black Turnstone: 



Arenaria melanocephala (Vigors) 



DESCRIPTION. "Adults in summer: Crown and upper back black, with greenish 

 bronzy gloss; rest of head, neck, throat, and chest black, spotted on forehead and 

 sides with white; a white spot in front of eye; belly and sides white. Adults in 

 winter: similar, but with head, neck, and chest unspotted, sooty black. Young: head 



