
terns seen within the marsh. The nearest point where they had been observed 
previously was along the main portion of the bay, about 3/4 of a mile distant, 
Thereafter no large groups of gulls were seen although scattered individuals 
were observed flying over the area as was the case before spraying. In 
like manner, the roosting spot was deserted except on one occasion five days 
later when a group of 70 was noted. Presumably the majority had left to 
feed in other parts of the marsh. 
Gulls were much less numerous on the three lower dosage areas 
before spraying, and they remained so afterwards. 
Effects on gulls from the second spraying were similar to the 
first. Laughing and herring gulls (Larus argentatus) were noted feeding 
on dead fish and blue crabs. On this occasion they were observed in the 
0.8 and 0.) areas as well as in the high dosage unit. 
As a test of whether gulls were affected by eating blue crabs 
that had died or were dying from DDT, crabs recovered from the creeks. and 
ditches of the 0.8 area after the second spraying were dumped on a dyke 
close to the gulls' roosting spots. Although many of these were eaten, no 
resulting illness or mortality of gulls was evident. 
Observations on the feeding habits of herons and egrets after 
spraying indicated that they took little, if any, of the dead fish. In 
several instances birds were noted feeding in shallow ponds with dead fish 
floating nearby. In every case they took live fish. No changes were noted 
in the number of herons after treatment of the areas. 
There were no indications of harm resulting to clapper rails 
though direct observation of these birds is difficult due to their 
secretive habits. Surveys after sprayings revealed no dead rails. Rails 
consumed many dead fiddler crabs as evidenced by the increased numbers of 
large claws of male crabs, commonly discarded by rails. 
A pair of long=billed marsh wrens in the 1.6 plot were observed 
to successfully rear five young. The nestlings were about a week old at 
the time of spraying and no abnormal behavior was noted then or thereafter. 
Two of the young collected four days after leaving the nest had well-filled 
gizzards as did several adult birds. 
Three young sharp—-tailed sparrows that fledged in the 0.8 tract 
the day before spraying were likewise observed for a week afterwards and 
appeared to act in a normal manner. Similar evidence was obtained for a 
Seaside sparrow, with no indications.that the bird or its young were affected. 
Strip Counts 
Since the breeding season was largely past at the time of the 
August spraying, the mapping of nesting territories to determine bird 
populations in the marsh could not be employed. Instead a strip count 
method was used. Strip count routes were established in the two higher 
dosage plots: one route about 1.1 miles long was laid out in the 1.6 area 
