Todd : Birds of Erie and Presque Isle. 559 



in. Ceryle alcyon. Belted Kingfisher. 



' ' Common as a summer resident from April to November, and on 

 one occasion (January 23, 1895) I saw a single bird in midwinter, 

 after the bay had been frozen for several weeks." (Bacon). It is 

 not very common, however, on the Peninsula during the breeding 

 season proper, doubtless owing to the scarcity of suitable nesting 

 sites. In 1900 it was first observed April 7, and by April 11 had 

 become quite numerous along the bay shore and margins of the ponds. 

 This comparative abundance continued until about the first of May, 

 when the nesting season begins. The only nest discovered was in a 

 low bank on the Peninsula about the middle of the shore of the bay. 

 It was found May 25, but not examined. The species was seen almost 

 daily in the fall up to October 12, and once again November 1. 



112. Dryobates villosus. Hairy Woodpecker. 



A permanent resident here as elsewhere throughout its range, pre- 

 ferring heavy timber. An occasional bird is seen on the Peninsula, 

 and Mr. Bacon thinks it is more common than the Downy Wood- 

 pecker. 



113. Dryobates pubescens medianus. Downy Woodpecker. 

 Like the last, a permanent resident, not uncommon in its chosen 



haunts, and, except in the nesting season, often associating with other 

 of the small resident and winter resident birds. 



114. Sphyrapicus varius. Yellow-bellied Woodpecker. 



A transient visitant, noted by Mr. Bacon as being in some years 

 quite abundant in the spring migration. His earliest spring note is 

 March 31, 1893. Mr. Sennett has several specimens, one taken 

 April 10, 1875. According to our observations in 1900 it was toler- 

 ably common in the spring, but much more numerous in the fall. 

 The first was seen April 18, but from lack of data the length of its 

 stay cannot be given. In the autumnal movement September 18 was 

 the date of its first appearance, and by September 26 it had fully 

 reached the limit of its abundance, and did not finally disappear until 

 October 12. It was particularly partial to wild cherry trees, and was 

 accordingly most abundant along the board-walk, where these trees 

 are numerous. Mr. Sennett' s expressed opinion that the species 

 breeds occasionally {Birds of Pennsylvania, 1890, 169) refers in all 

 probability to the interior of Erie County. 



