The Season 



51 



of Ducks and Geese. It appears from his 

 daily notes that such Ducks as the Red- 

 head, Canvasback, and Ruddy are return- 

 ing in ever-increasing numbers, while 

 the more common Scaup, Mallard, and 

 Pintails show an even greater proportionate 

 increase. 



From the information at hand it is 

 difficult to decide whether or not the Geese 

 are showing any increase at all, though 

 encouraging reports come in. On at least 

 one day, October iq, White-fronted, 

 Canada, and Hutchins's Geese were present 

 in unusual numbers throughout the entire 

 region, one flock of between 50 and 60 

 (sp.?) being seen circling the Swope 

 Park Lakes within the city limits. On 

 October 21,5 specimens of Greater Snow 

 Geese were taken from a flock of 20 on the 

 Missouri River. Three of these birds were 

 carefully measured in the flesh, and all 

 came fully up to Greater specifications. 

 On the 23CI, 5 more, all measuring well 

 over 29 inches in length, were taken from 

 a large flock in the same neighborhood. 

 This is the first opportunity that has 

 offered in several years to personally 

 examine specimens of this rare Goose. 

 On the 26th, water-fowl were present on 

 the Missouri in such numbers as to suggest 

 old times. The bulk of the Ducks seen 

 were Scaup, though numbers of Lesser 

 Scaup, Mallards, Pintails, Ruddys, Gad- 

 wall, and Hooded Mergansers were noted, 

 as well as scattered troops of Pied-billed 

 Grebes. At least a dozen flocks of Canada 

 Geese were seen in the air during the 

 morning. During the night of the 26th, 

 Loons were heard on the river, and the 

 next day 3 of these rare visitors were seen, 

 together with Hutchins's Geese, Redheads, 

 3 Canvasback, a few Franklin's Gulls, and 

 about 200 larger Gulls (Ring-billed or 

 Herring). 



The period between October 19 and 26 

 marked the passage of the bulk of the 

 Sparrows. Song Sparrows were again 

 unusually numerous, while Harris's Spar- 

 rows, as last year, were uncommonly 

 scarce, a half-dozen birds being seen where 

 normally there should be hundreds. It is 

 interesting to note in this connection that 



Professor Johnson of Lawrence, Kans., 

 met the species this spring in its usual 

 abundance only 30 miles to the west of 

 this point. (November-December, 1919, 

 Bird-Lore, p. 360.) Most of the other 

 FringillidtE passed in their usual numbers 

 and on time, though no Clay-coloreds 

 were seen. 



A small party of Yellow-legs and a flock 

 of Red-breasted Mergansers were reported 

 on November i. This is indeed late for 

 Yellow-legs, and Red-breasted Mergansers 

 have been rarely seen here during the past 

 few years. 



Greatl)' to the relief of several residential 

 districts of this city, the immense flocks 

 of Bronzed Crackles left between Novem- 

 ber 2 and 5. Permission was had from 

 local authorities to use shot-guns within 

 the city against these hordes, and the U. S. 

 District Attorney was appealed to for 

 information regarding the status of the 

 Crackle's protection, all of which resulted 

 in much warfare against the bird and the 

 waste of quantities of ammunition. 



On November 5, two Woodcocks were 

 flushed from a small marshy spot in the 

 Blue Valley within the city limits (La 

 Brie). As has been before stated here, this 

 region seems to lie practically outside 

 the range of this bird. On the i6th, a Red- 

 shafted Flicker was seen, the first local 

 record of this species since 19 16. Myrtle 

 Warblers, Cedar Waxwings, and Cross- 

 bills seen on this date will doubtless remain 

 all winter, as their food is abundant. On 

 the 27th, the van of the wintering Rough- 

 legs and Marsh Hawks was noted, though 

 these birds had probably been in the 

 region ten days or more. This day also 

 marked the finding of many Crow pellets 

 recently cast on the fresh snow. Four 

 Green- winged Teal were found feeding in a 

 sheltered slough near the mouth of the 

 Blue River on this cold day. 



A cold rain froze as it fell on November 

 28 forming a thick sheet of ice, and making 

 conditions for bird-life as unfavorable as 

 could be imagined. A protracted period 

 of unseasonable cold has continued to date 

 (December 9), accompanied by high wind 

 and temperature below zero, and the 



