Sept., 1916 
SOME BIRDS OF THE FRESNO DISTRICT 
197 
Macrorhamphus griseus scolopaceus (Say). Long-billed Dowitcher. This interest- 
ing wader occurs as a spring and fall migrant, but from my observations it is not very 
abundant at any time. October 18, 1912, two were noted at a small pond near Easton, 
and August 6, 1914, a single bird was seen near Fresno. This latter individual seemed 
to have already molted the brilliant cinnamon breeding plumage notwithstanding the 
early fall date. A specimen which Mr. Olil examined on May 3, 1913, was in very rich 
plumage and the stomach contained three angle-worms and two cut-worms. 
Ereunetes mauri Cabanis. Western Sandpiper. This sandpiper is an abundant 
spring and fall migrant, and winters sparingly, being greatly outnumbered at this sea- 
son, however, by the somewhat similar Pisobia minutilla. During the spring many 
flocks of the latter contain scattering individuals of this species. Migrant Western 
Sandpipers were still present in large numbers at many of the ponds as late as May 6, 
1914, and by July 5, 1915, a small returning flock had appeared in the White’s Bridge 
region. On August 12, 1914, this species was rather common along the Madera road 
east of Firebaugh, and October 15, 1915, they fairly swarmed about several large ponds 
near Riverdale. Around some of the stagnant alkaline ponds south of Caruthers I have 
noted a very heavy mortality among the flocks of spring migrants. 
Actitis macularia (Linnaeus). Spotted Sandpiper. April 4, 1914, Mr. S. L. N. 
Ellis called my attention to a small wader that had been noted daily during the pre- 
ceding three weeks or more, on the boom-logs at the Mendota dam. The bird proved 
to be a Spotted Sandpiper in the unspotted winter plumage. It fed along the logs, bal- 
ancing and teetering in characteristic fashion, and seemed not the least disconcerted 
by the very near presence of numerous fishermen. 
Aegialitis semipalmata (Bonaparte). Semipalmated Plover. I have an adult male 
of this species, collected April 21, 1914, at a small pond near Riverdale. It was feeding 
in the mud several feet from the water’s edge. Near-by were several avocets, stilts and 
killdeer. October 15, 1915, the dried-up remains of another Semipalmated Plover were 
discovered on the shore of a large pond not over a mile from where the one mentioned 
above was taken. 
Aegialitis nivosa Cassin. Snowy Plover. A rare visitant to the larger open bodies 
of water. Mr. J. E. Law and I discovered a pair near the shallow overflow along the 
Madera road, east of Firebaugh, May 24, 1915. All indications pointed to the probability 
that- this pair was preparing to nest. 
Buteo lineatus elegans Cassin. Red-bellied Hawk. This handsome hawk has never 
been detected anywhere in this region in the numbers that one might reasonably expect. 
It occurs sparingly in the Kings River bottoms near Sanger, where I saw a beautiful 
example on January 9, 1913. I have no breeding records. 
Falco columbarius richardsoni Ridgway. Richardson Pigeon Hawk. I recorded 
Falco columbarius columbarius in Pacific Coast Avifauna No. 9, page 46, the records 
being based on several birds seen but not collected. October 2, 1915, Mr. F. Seymour 
Hersey collected a specimen of richardsoni on the Madera County side of the river, 
near Mendota. It was a female in good plumage and I was very grateful to Mr. Hersey 
for supplying a new species for my list, even though by so doing he put me to the 
necessity of collecting further specimens to determine whether or not Falco columbarius 
columbarius occurs at all. This record and that of Sterna hirundo are made through 
the kindness of Mr. A. C. Bent. 
Pandion haliaetus carolinensis (Gmelin). Osprey. The Fish Hawk was quite fre- 
quently noted, iii former years, along the Kings and San Joaquin rivers according to 
several reliable observers, but has now become very rare. I saw one on the San Joa- 
quin River near Herndon March 31, 1914, and was so fortunate as to see him plunge 
into the river from a considerable height. 
Phalaenoptilus nuttalli californicus Ridgway. Dusky Poor-will. Mr. H. C. Ohl has 
a specimen of this bird taken March 27, 1912, at Mendota, and I have one from Piedra, 
collected March 5, 1915. 
Empidonax trailli trailli (Audubon). Traill Flycatcher. A spring and summer vis- 
itant, being encountered occasionally in the willows along certain sloughs. I have never 
found a nest, but on May 23, 1915, Mr. J. E. Law heard one of these flycatchers singing 
in the willows surrounding a small deep-water pond, north of Riverdale. The date 
would seem to indicate the possibility that this bird was preparing to nest, and the sur- 
roundings were most favorable. 
