The Red Phalarope 



Distribution in California. — Abundant along the coast and off shore during 

 migrations. Of casual occurrence interiorly. Winters sparingly and irregularly off 

 shore from Monterey southward. 



Migrations. — Spring: Enters State from south in March or early April; 

 attains maximum May 25 to June 3. Fall : Stragglers return in late July and August; 

 species becomes common off shore in September; most abundant along shore in 

 November; clears for South by December 5th. 



Authorities. — Gambel (Phalaropus fulicarius), Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 

 ser. 2, 1, 1849, p. 224 (Monterey); Grinnell, Pac. Coast Avifauna, no. I, 1900, p. 20 

 (Cape Prince of Wales, Alaska) ; Beck, Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci., ser. 4, vol. iii., 1910, p. 

 70 (Monterey); Cooke, U. S. Dept Agric, Biol. Surv. Bull., no. 35, 1910, p. 14 (migr., 

 distr.); Willett, Pac. Coast Avifauna, no. 7, 1912, p. 33 (s. Calif., occurrence, migr. 

 dates, etc.); Grinnell, Bryant and Storer, Game Birds Calif., 1918, p. 320. 



"SEA GEESE" the Atlantic fishermen call them, and if you can con- 

 ceive of geese no bigger than your fist, scattered broadcast by thousands 

 over the bosom of the ocean, you will have a fair idea of the general 

 appearance, as well as of the confidence which inspires these remarkable 

 birds. Albeit classed as a "shore-bird," this hardiest species of the 

 Phalaropes spends its entire life upon the water, save as it is driven by 

 stress of weather to seek shelter in the lee of some island or headland, or 

 as it is led ashore by the promptings of the reproductive instinct. Inas- 

 much as the prevailing winds along our western coast are from the north- 

 west during the spring months, and especially during May, no more 

 favorable opportunity exists for the study of Red Phalaropes during 

 migration than that afforded by the Farallon Islands, some twenty-five 

 miles off the Golden Gate. Here in late spring thousands of these birds 

 ride at anchor in the lee of the main island, along with other thousands of 

 the other northern species, Lobipes lobalus. Of these some few scores are 

 driven ashore by hunger and seek their sustenance in brackish pools, or 

 else battle with the breakers in the little "bight" of the rocky lee shore. 

 The date is May 23, and the company under survey numbers a few bril- 

 liant red birds in high plumage among scores in unchanged gray, together 

 with others exhibiting every intermediate gradation. When to this 

 variety is added a similar diversity among the Northerns, which mingle 

 indiscriminately with them, you have a motley company — no two birds 

 alike. Ho! but these are agile surfmen! Never, save in the case of the 

 Wandering Tattler and the American Dipper, have I seen such absolute 

 disregard of danger and such instant adjustment to watery circumstance. 

 Here are thirty of these Phalaropes "fine mixed," threading a narrow 

 passage in the reefs where danger threatens in the minutest fraction of a 

 second. Crash! comes a comber. Our little world is obliterated in foam. 

 Sea-anemones and rock-oysters sputter and choke, and there is a fine fury 

 of readjustment. But the Phalaropes rise automatically, clear the crest 



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