The Red Phalarope 



the Bow-head, or Right Whale (Balcena mysticetus), since the birds delight 

 in the same sort of sea-forage as that upon which the whales subsist. 



The nature of the Red Phalarope's winter habitat is much less clear. 

 Instead, the bird has surrounded itself with quite an atmosphere of 

 mystery. There are winter records from regions so diverse as our own 

 Monterey, Santa Cruz Island, and San Diego, the west of Chile, San Juan 

 Fernandez, and the Falkland Islands. On the whole, it would appear 

 probable that the species winters upon the open ocean in some unknown 

 tropic latitude, and that it appears on shore only when driven in by 

 storms or when seeking landmarks for the migratory movement. The 

 fall migrations along our coast are very leisurely. Stragglers, presumably 

 those which fell short of the northern goal, begin to appear as early as 

 late July and in August. The pace quickens throughout the autumn 

 months, but the bulk of the species musters from the ocean and feels its 

 way south along the kelp beds only in early November. Thus, we 

 count the birds of regular occurrence at Santa Barbara upon the 7th 

 or 8th of November. Most of the birds have cleared for the southern 

 rendezvous by the tenth of December, but a few linger throughout the 

 season, from Monterey southward. 



The return movement of spring is less scattering. Beginning easily 

 in April, it bulks largest during the last week in May and, save for unusual 

 adversities of tempest, has cleared by the 7th of June. 



/ 



Taken near Santa Barbara Photo by the Author 



NORTHERN PHALAROPES AND WESTERN SANDPIPERS 



1177 



