Page:Bird-lore Vol 03.djvu/152

Birds and Seasons 137 BIRDS OF THE SEASON For permanent residents, see Bird-Lore, December, 1900, p. 186. Arrivals in August. — Olive-backed Thrush, Solitary Sandpiper. Departures in August. — i-io, Traill's Flycatcher, Orchard Oriole, Blue-winged Warbler, Long-billed Marsh Wren, Wilson's Thrush; 10-20, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Purple Martin, Rough-winged Swallow, Yellow Warbler, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher; 20-31, Bartramian Sandpiper, Nighthawk, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Phoebe, Cliff Swallow. Arrivals in September — i-io, Bonaparte's Gull, Sanderling, Semi-palmated Plover, Greater Yellowlegs, White-crowned Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Black and White Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Magnolia Warbler; 10-20, Blackpoll Warbler, Tennessee Warbler, Blue- headed Vireo, Winter Wren; 20-30, Black Tern, Pintail, Shoveler, Pine Siskin (rare). Myrtle Warbler, Palm Warbler, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Golden-crowned Kinglet. Departures in September. — i-io, Kingbird, Crested Flycatcher, Bobolink, Baltimore Oriole, Migrant Shrike, Yellow-breasted Chat, Wood Thrush; 10-20, Great Blue Heron, Sanderling, Green-crested Flycatcher, Wood Pewee, Spotted Sandpiper, Red-headed Woodpecker, Grasshopper Sparrow, Scarlet Tanager, Warbling Vireo, Bank Swallow, Cerulean Warbler, Redstart, Ovenbird, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Brown Thrasher; 20-30, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Black-billed Cuckoo, Barn Swallow, Maryland Yellow- throat, Indigo Bunting, Red-eyed Vireo, Catbird, House Wren, Nashville Warbler, Mag- nolia Warbler, Blackpoll 'V'^arbler. BIRDS OF STOCKTON AND VICINITY By I.. BEl.niNG I wrote the notes in the March- April Bird -Lore with the purpose of interesting and instructing the school children of Stockton, relying upon my observations of former years for necessary data, knowing, however, that there had recently been a great change in the area under consideration but did not think the change as great as it is. The western half, or thereabout, of this area was until recently tule marsh in which water birds were abundant all of the year, but it has been mostly drained, plowed and quite deserted b' the water birds. In extensive explorations through the tule ground in May of this year I did not see a solitary Egret, and other conspicuous species which, like the Egrets, were formerly very com- mon appeared to be entirely absent. In the cit , owing to the superabundance of the English Sparrow, but few native birds breed now. Fortunately, the Western Martin is still ery common anel some otiur fine songsters breed sparingly' A few Black - headed Grosbeaks, House Finches and Bullock's Orioles manage to hold the fort against the Sparrows which are rapiiily spreading through the surrounding countrx . ( )ur spring migrants all arrie on or before May lO, ami by August i the birds, excepting the Mourning I)oe and rare indiviti- ual exceptions, Ikuc finished breeding and most species are in flocks. Millions of Blai kbinis ll vv morning from tlu-ir roosts in the tuli- marsh to the grain fiidds to thi- eastwarti, at night returning to tlu-ir roosts; and this occurs ever ila of the ear when these birds are not breeding.