iSgs^^l WiDMANN, Gabheret Island Bird A'oos/s. 27 



quenters of the roost for the same period as the Martins, 

 beginning early in summer and deserting it, with the last 

 Martins, about the middle of September. 



About a mile north of this great roost is the Crow's roost, 

 where the Crows of the neighborhood, some 400-500, congregate 

 all summer and form the nucleus of a much larger gathering later 

 in the year. 



The mud fiats which separate the island from the Illinois main- 

 land are the favorite feeding grounds of the Killdeers {y^gialitis 

 vocifera)^ Spotted, and Solitary Sandpipers (^Adiiis macuJdria and 

 Totanus soUtarms)^.2.\\6. they roost on the large sandbank, where 

 their voices are heard after nightfall. In daytime, as well as at 

 night, they act as decoys for the hordes of northern Plovers and 

 Waders, which are trooping down the great thoroughfare during 

 August and September. On some days the mud flats are fairly 

 swarming M'ith the most interesting bird life, when Pectoral, 

 Baird's, and Least Sandpipers (Tringa maculata, bairdii and 

 minutilld) feed harmoniously with Semipalmated and Belted Piping 

 Plovers {^gialitis seviipabnata and AL. meloda circumcinda) in 

 the same pools. 



On September 7 the island enjoyed the visit of a distinguished 

 guest, the Turnstone {Arenaria interpres), a lovely bird with a 

 strikingly beautiful dress and melodious voice. 



The two most interesting summer sojourners of Gabberet 

 Island are the Song Sparrow (^Melospiza fasciata) and the Least 

 Tern (^Sterna anti//ariim) . The former finds here his most 

 southern record for this section of the country, and the latter 

 is remarkable for his good luck in escaping so long the notice of 

 the egg-hog and pot-hunter in close proximity to a big city. The 

 high water of early summer retarded nesting so much that the 

 young were still begging for food in the latter part of August, 

 and the species remained until the second week in September. 



