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 
