Snowflake catching by cedar birds - association with Sialia.
MASS. (Middlesex Co.) [Middlesex County, Massachusetts] Absence of Regulus satrapa
Plectrophenax nivalis
1876. P (Pinicola enucleator last seen Watrn. [Watertown] Mch. 20 [March 20, 1876] A. Frazar [Abbott Frazar])
March 25 [March 25, 1876] Cloudy; ther [thermometer] about 32 [degrees]; commenced snowing at
8 A.M. and snowed hard all day most of it
melting as it came. The prevailing feature
of this winter has been the frequent light
snow storms. We have had some 40 - I believe
it is stated - and rarely any of them have
remained on the ground more than a few
days. Went up on the 7.35 car this morning
and calling for Frazer [Abbott Frazar] we started out on
the farm. Had not gone far when
we caught sight of a large flock of Ampelis
cedrorum at least 100 in all, just lighting
in a poplar tree and starting after we
chased them about for some time F. [Abbott Frazar] getting
8 and I 16 specimens. Of my specimens 7
had the waxen appendages on the wings & an
eighth had one spot on one wing. Of these [delete]8[/delete] 7,
4 were [males]. Of the remaining 9 unadorned birds
3 were [males]. Of Frazers eight one one bird possessed
the appendages. While we were following them
about it was snowing fast and several members
of the flock were always launching out into
the air after the snow flakes catching them
as they do flies etc. in summer. They
were first seen by F. [Abbott Frazar] on the 22nd [March 22, 1876]; on the 24 [March 24, 1876]
he saw about 30. Song sparrows were
singing persistently in spite of the snow
storm this morning. Saw a few scattering
blue birds; F. informs me that last spring
he saw them frequently mixed in with large
flocks of cedar birds flying & feeding with them.
Notably absent is Regulus satrapa; I have neither
seen nor heard of any since some time early
in Jany. [January] whether their withdrawal is from this
vicinity alone or E. Mass. [East Massachusetts] generally I cannot now
say. Saw a single P. nivalis [Plectrophenax nivalis] flying over the farm.
[margin]Saw a few small flocks of Chry. tristis [Chrysomitris tristis] & have seen more or less of them every day of late; also saw or heard of them at frequent intervals through the winter
Abbott Frazar saw a flock of Pinicola enucleator in Watertown Mch. 20 [March 20, 1876]. There were about 15 individuals, and the flock was flying overhead in a N. [northerly] direction[/margin]