62 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



smaller numbers than usual. The month was notable, particu- 

 larly in the coastal region, for the small number of individuals 

 of migrating warblers, and several species were unusually rare. 

 The scarcity of birds was not so noticeable, however, in extreme 

 western and northern New England. There was an immense 

 flight of shore birds along the New England coast. Hawks 

 also were more numerous than usual. 



Bird Waves. — On the 2d there was a warm wind which 

 brought a flight of early warblers in Maine. On the 10th, with 

 warm weather and south winds, the northward movement was 

 again accelerated, and a considerable migration of Sharp- 

 shinned Hawks occurred. At this time a large flight of Knots 

 appeared on Nantucket. On the 12th one of the greatest 

 flights of shore birds seen within the last forty years was re- 

 ported on the coast of Essex County, Massachusetts. For 

 several days sandpipers and other shore birds continued in 

 abundance along the coast. The flight of land birds also 

 increased, and between the 12th and 17th the main migration 

 of northern warblers passed through southern New England. 

 The crest of this northbound wave apparently reached Ontario 

 on the 14th and 15th and northern Vermont and Northern 

 Maine on the 18th and 19th. A few Canada Geese and Brants 

 lingered along the coast of southern New England until the 

 20th, which was a warm day. After the 20th Cedar Waxwings 

 began to appear in abundance. In western Massachusetts and 

 northern New England a flight of land birds was noticed on 

 the 21st. On the 23d there appeared a great arrival of Greater 

 Yellow-legs and Turnstones at Nantucket and on Cape Cod. 

 Black-breasted Plovers came in numbers until the 30th. Some 

 Loons, Scoters, Mergansers and Brunnich's Murres remained 

 throughout the month. Probably some of these delayed water 

 birds were more or less disabled by oil and were too weak to 

 go north. The 26th was cold with north winds, followed in the 

 night by sharp frosts. The month closed, however, with high 

 temperatures. Although a large flight of Red-breasted Nut- 

 hatches went south early in the autumn of 1921, but few were 

 reported in southern New England on their return in the spring. 

 Two Blue Grosbeaks were reported in Massachusetts during 

 the month, and there were reported a few Blue-gray Gnat- 

 catchers. A considerable increase in nesting Killdeer Plovers 

 was noted in many parts of New England. 



