192 Union Bay 



The four shorebirds just described do not include all 

 species in the state that indulge in such practices. I have seen 

 hundreds of pipits, sparrow-sized land birds, raise and lower 

 their tails as they sat on projecting rocks among the wither- 

 ing alpine plants of Welcome Pass. The birds had assembled 

 there in late summer to feed on the thousands of grass- 

 hoppers which had so far escaped freezing weather. In other 

 parts of the United States certain flycatchers and the oven- 

 bird, a warbler, display like movements. The willet, a shore- 

 bird never seen in the marsh but an infrequent visitor along 

 the ocean beaches of this state, and recently seen near the 

 Government Locks, exhibits this same habit. Also, in -this 

 state, the water ouzel, or dipper, bobs and dips along all the 

 mountain streams. It has not been seen in the marsh, but un- 

 questionably will be, sooner or later, because it has wintered 

 at the mouth of the locks less than five miles away. Since it 

 is the most characteristic and possibly the best known of the 

 dipping birds it is worth a description. 



It is a chunky bird, a trifle smaller than a robin, and of a 

 family closely allied to that of the robins. It lacks the 

 webbed, or partially webbed, feet of typical swimmers, but 

 it is a master of turbulent water. The dipper dives into the 

 swiftest and roughest parts of mountain streams, crossing 

 from rock to rock by swimming above or under water, dis- 

 appearing in eddies, and staying there for an unbelievably 

 long time. When it is pleased with the food, one dive is fol- 

 lowed by another. It sings often. Few songs are sweeter. 

 They are even delivered when the banks are snow covered 

 and the slower portions of the stream frozen. The white 

 outer membrane which can be pulled over the eye makes 

 the face look like a Negro minstrel's. To my mind, the bird 

 is an exceptionally accomplished stream resident and one 

 which I never cease to admire. It appears to have the strength 

 and steadiness of nerve required to take a living from such 

 unusual and difficult surroundings in every sort of weather. 





