Two Interesting Photographs from Alberta 



109 



THREE YOUNG AND ONE EGG OF THE SOLITARY SANDPIPER IN THE 

 NEST OF A ROBIN 



and began to think that I was not to find any more birds to photograph that day. 

 Finally, I reached the cabin, and was sitting on a fallen tree, resting a few mo- 

 ments, when I heard a peculiar noise in a birch tree at the edge of the lake nearby. 

 On going down to the tree, I could see nothing of the bird that was making the 

 noise; so I tossed a small stick up into the branches, and out flew — what do you 

 suppose ? A Solitary Sandpiper {Helodromas solUarius) . My heart nearly leaped 

 out of my mouth. I had certainly found the Solitary's nest at last. It seemed 

 to me as though I should never get up that thirty-five feet; never did climbing 

 seem so slow, although I had good limbs to hang on to. At last, after much slip- 

 ping and pufhng, I reached the nest, a somewhat dilapidated Robin's nest, and 

 there found tliree newly hatched Sandpipers, and one partly broken, addled egg. 



Returning for my camera, I found the Loon sitting very quietly on her two 

 eggs, and spread out enough to cover a dozen. I advanced very cautiously to 

 where my thread was fastened, and gave it a steady pull, then started down to 

 the blind for the camera. When abovit half way down, the Loon spied me and 

 struck for the water with breakneck speed, its wings flopping and feet paddling. 



I placed the slide in its proper place, folded up the camera, and started 

 back to my last find. After much discussion, we decided that, as the young 

 Sandpipers were ready to leave the nest, it would be best to bring it down to 

 photograph it. Indeed, one bird had already gone, but was found close by. 



After securing our photograph, we placed the nest on the ground, and the 

 mother bird came and called the vounsi; to her. 



