The Semipalmated Plover 



on their own account. One such I saw, a Semipalmated Plover, at 

 Sandyland on the 29th day of August, 191 1 . This bird suddenly detached 

 himself from the company of his fellows and went whistling and cork- 

 screwing through the air like a paper in a cyclone. The presence of the 

 birdman may have been the innocent cause of all this excitement, for as 

 often as this mad prophet repassed the main flock, he shrieked at them to 

 avoid the wrath to come — but the other birds paid no attention whatever 

 to him. 



Semipalmated Plovers are common, but never abundant visitants 

 during the fall migrations. Their movement at this season is leisurely, 

 and they occupy about two months in passing, from August 15th to 

 October 15th, with exceptions of a month or so on either side of these 

 dates. There are early accounts of the species wintering at San Diego, 

 but none have been seen at that season in a good many years. The 

 return movement of spring is much more condensed and purposeful. The 

 bulk of the species passes through our borders during the first week in 

 May, but again there are exceptions on either side, and a few stragglers, 

 as always, linger into June, or else abandon the northern journey outright. 



On a magic day in May, camera-laden, I visited Cavaletto's Point, 

 west of Santa Barbara, and straightway became engrossed with a little 

 flock of Semipalmated Plovers. Old hand that I am at the game, I shall 

 not soon forget the arduous and delightful hour spent in the company of 

 these confiding little gleaners. A thin fog kept rolling up over the scene 

 of operations, only to be burnt oft again by a sturdy sun. The alternating 

 moments of enshrouded mystery and stark revelation would have been 

 romantic enough in themselves, but when the chance of a lifted curtain 

 might bring one face to face with a gentleman from Peru, the occasion 

 was thrilling. The birds fed over the exposed rocks inhabited by the 







Taken near Santa Barbara Pnoio by the A tuiior 



"SUCCEEDED IN WINNING THEIR CONFIDENCE" 



1313 



