The Season 



167 



southern New Jersey. The same day a 

 huge flight of Red-winged Blackbirds was 

 seen passing northward, flock after flock, 

 the totals of which must have numbered 

 thousands. 



Early spring migrants were noted as fol- 

 lows: Bluebird, February 27,; Fox Sparrow 

 and Flicker, March 7; Vesper Sparrow, 

 March 20; Robin, March 21; Purple 

 Crackle, March 13; Red- winged Blackbird, 

 March 21; Killdeer, March 28; Savannah 

 Sparrow, March 30; Phoebe, March 27; 

 Osprey, April 11; Bonaparte's Gull, 

 April II. — Julian K. Potter, Camden, 

 N. J. 



Washington Region. — The long, cold 

 winter is but slowly giving place to 

 spring in the region about Washington. 

 Vegetation is at least two weeks behind its 

 ordinary development at this time of the 

 year. Notwithstanding these conditions, 

 bird-life during February and March 

 showed its customary spring increase. This, 

 of course, means the permanent residents 

 and earliest migrants, which are now 

 (March 31) in their usual numbers and in 

 full song. Only two of the spring migrants 

 that are due before April i, the Purple 

 Martin and the Pine Warbler, have failed 

 to put in their appearance. On the other 

 hand, some species have arrived earlier 

 than usual: the Woodcock, which came on 

 February 15, but which was not due until 

 March 8; the Chipping Sparrow, seen on 

 March 21 (average date of spring appear- 

 ance, March 26); and the Tree Swallow, 

 noted on March 28 (average spring arrival, 

 April 11). 



The Ring-billed Cull has been frequently 

 noted on the river, usually in flocks in. 

 company with the Herring Gulls, and ap- 

 pears to be much more numerous than is 

 ordinarily the case. The Starling continues 

 to be common, and apparently has become 

 thoroughly established, both summer and 

 winter, in the vicinity of Washington. 



Although most birds have been present 

 in about normal numbers, the scarcity of 

 the Golden-crowned Kinglet has been 

 noticeable, a fact remarked by nearly all 

 observers. 



Without doubt, the outstanding feature 

 of ornithological interest during the past 

 two months has been the astonishing num- 

 bers of Ducks that have frequented the 

 Potomac River. These birds seem to be 

 present in even greater numbers tha;n dur- 

 ing the corresponding period of 1919, and 

 is an encouraging sign to both ornitholo- 

 gists and sportsmen of the beneficial effects 

 of game-protection efforts during the past 

 few years. The species most abundant 

 have been the Greater Scaup, Lesser Scaup, 

 Black Duck, and Golden-eye. Several 

 thousand Scaups and Black Ducks have 

 frequented the river as far up as the city 

 of Washington, feeding out in the broader 

 reaches of the river but spending the night 

 nearer to the shore in the more sheltered 

 portions, sometimes close to the city, off 

 the lower end of Potomac Park. Other spe- 

 cies noted more or less frequently are the 

 Ring-necked Duck, Redhead, American 

 Merganser, and Hooded Merganser. Three 

 Pintails were seen by Francis Harper on 

 February 20 on the Potomac River near 

 Washington, between Alexander Island 

 and Potomac Park; and a single Canvas- 

 back was observed by Miss M. T. Cooke 

 on March 28 near Millers, Va. Flocks of 

 Canada Geese in migration have also been 

 larger and more numerous than for several 

 years past, at least so far as may be judged 

 by reports from local observers. Further- 

 more, the Whistling Swan has continued 

 to winter in the Potomac River some 

 twenty to forty miles below Washington, 

 as has been the case for several years 

 past. — Harry C. Oberholser, Biological 

 Survey, Washington, D. C. 



Minneapolis (Minnesota) Region.— 

 As one correspondent aptly expressed 

 it "The spring is coming with slow, re- 

 luctant steps" here as elsewhere after the 

 unusually 'snowbound winter' that has 

 prevailed throughout the whole northern 

 United States the past season. Minnesota 

 has experienced an exceptionally pro- 

 tracted and hard winter, followed by a 

 spring which, thus far, has been character- 

 ized by brief spells of mild weather inter- 

 rupted by constantly recurring severe 



