July, 1907 105 



SUMMER BIRDS OF A PRAIRIE IvAKE 

 By G. WILLETT 



IN 1903, while spending the summer in the prairie country of northeastern Mon- 

 tana, I observed with a great deal of interest the breeding of the many species 



of water birds which make this region their summer home. Upon being told 

 of the colonies of birds breeding at lyake Bowdoin, which is fourteen miles east of 

 Malta on the Great Northern Railroad, I determined to lose no time in making an 

 investigation. 



On the afternoon of June 19, I alighted from the train at Bowdoin section 

 house and found myself on the bank of the- lake, which was about three miles in 

 diameter and nearly circular, bordered by grass and tules and containing several 

 small islands. After ascertaining that there was no boat to be had, I started on 

 foot to explore the grassy swamp bordering the open water. 



The first signs of nests that I found were some hollows on a piece of high 

 ground which had evidently been inundated by the late rains and their contents 

 washed away. From some egg shells found in the grass near by and the presence 

 of two or three Wilson Phalaropes I decided that the nests were those of this 

 species. 



Upon wading a short distance into the marsh I flushed an American Bittern 

 and found one fresh egg of this species in what was apparently an old nest of the 

 Mud-hen. A little further on I flushed a duck from a bunch of tules and, being 

 determined to make no mistakes in identification, I brought her down with a load 

 of number sixes. She proved to be a female Canvas-back (Ay//iya vallisneria) 

 and the nest contained nine slightly incubated eggs. This nest was built over 

 shallow water like that of the Red-head, but afterwards I also found this species 

 nesting on dry ground like the Mallard. After walking some distance farther and 

 passing numerous nests of the Mud-hen I dropped a female Spoon-bill {Spatula 

 clyfeata) as she left her nest of down which was partly under a pile of driftwood 

 on a dry hummock. This also contained nine eggs of nearly the same shade as the 

 Canvas-back's but of course much smaller. 



I then spent some time trying to locate the nest of a Short-eared Owl which 

 flew up from the grass ahead of me, but in this I was unsuccessful. As it was get- 

 ting dusk by this time I left for home resolving to return at an early date. 



Returning on June 28, I made directly for the point of shore that was nearest 

 the small islands previously mentioned. I took off my clothes and carrying them 

 above my head succeeded in wading to the first and largest island which was about 

 150 yards out. I was met half way by a swarm of Common Terns and Avocets. 

 As I stepped ashore the ducks started to rise from the grass all around me and I 

 found myself in the midst of four or five acres of eggs. The bare spots between 

 the grass patches were occupied by the Terns and Avocets, and I also found two 

 nests of the Spotted Sandpiper, each containing four eggs. 



Every bunch of grass held a duck's nest with from six to twenty-four eggs. 

 There were Mallards, Canvas-backs, Spoonbills, Blue- and Green-winged Teal in 

 abundance; also a few Baldpates. Many nests contained eggs of two or more 

 varieties, so they must have occasionally become mixed in their house numbers. 

 The nests were all finely lined with down and in most cases were well hidden in 

 the long grass. I also found a nest of the year before containing two addled eggs 

 of the Canada Goose, but none were breeding here at this time. 



About three-fourths of a mile farther out was another island around which I 



