Birds of Allegany Park 313 



portions of the former course of the stream now cut off, where 

 the water is more or less shallow. Some of these bayous belong 

 more properly to the marsh type. In others the water is too deep 

 to be characterized as marsh, but is filled with water plants such 

 as arrow-head {Sagittaria latifolia) and yellow pond lily {Nuphar 

 ad vena) . 



Birds found occasionally along open shorelines and bayous, not 

 listed here, are the Bittern, Green Heron, Crow, Red-winged Black- 

 bird and Bronzed Grackle. 



Spotted Sandpiper. Actitis macularia (Linn.) 



This is the only Sandpiper to be found in the Park throughout 

 the summer, and is easily distinguished by its small size — a 

 little larger than the English Sparrow — and its long bill and legs. 

 The long, pointed wings show a white stripe lengthwise when spread 

 in flight. The back is brownish gray, faintly spotted with black, 

 and the breast of adult birds is heavily spotted with the same color. 



It is quite common along the shore of the Allegheny River, and 

 also on the larger streams of the Park such as Quaker Run and 

 Red House Creek. It lives on the stony bars that border the stream. 



The notes of the Sandpiper are a high-whistled " peet " or " peet- 

 weet." In early summer this is varied by a longer call " weet- 

 weet-weet-weet-weet — peeterweet-peeterweet-peeterweet " sometimes 

 reversed with the " peeterweet " notes first. This long call is uttered 

 by the male as a song, and in a softer, lower voice by the female as 

 a means of calling her young together. 



The nest is simply a slight depression in the ground, lined with a 

 few grasses. The three or four dark olive eggs, blotched with black, 

 are large for the size of the bird. The downy young run about soon 

 after they are hatched and look like small gray chickens with ab- 

 normally large feet. 



Belted Kingfisher. Ceryle alcyon alcyon (Linn.) 



This bird, considerably larger than the Robin, is easily distin- 

 guished from all others by the large, irregularly crested head, the 

 long straight bill, and the gray-blue plumage with collar of white 

 about the neck. 



The Kingfisher is quite common in the Park, being always found 

 near streams, either sitting on a dead limb or tree in a conspicuous 

 place where it can watch the water ; or hovering over the water, or 

 diving into it bill first, for some small fish that its keen sight has 

 detected. 



The characteristic note is a long rattle-like call, easily distin- 

 guished from those of all other birds, but resembling the long call 

 of the Hairy Woodpecker. 



The nest of this bird is made at the end of a long tunnel excavated 

 in the bank of a stream. The openings of several such burrows, 

 probably those of Kingfishers, were seen in banks along Quaker 

 Run and Red House Creek. A brood of young birds just from the 

 nest was seen on Quaker Run, August 4. 



