File:The home life of the Baird Sandpiper. - with map and five photos (1917) (14748310322).jpg

Identifier: homelifeofbairds00dixo (find matches)
Title: The home life of the Baird Sandpiper. : with map and five photos
Year: 1917 (1910s)
Authors: Dixon, Joseph S. (Joseph Scattergood), 1884-1952
Subjects: Shorebirds Birds Birds
Publisher: S.l. : Condor
Contributing Library: Queen's University Library, W.D. Jordan Special Collections and Music Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Queen's University - University of Toronto Libraries

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HE BAIRD SANDPIPER 83 bank. In this case the bird fluttered off, simulating a broken wing and utteringcries of distress. We were some twenty-five yards distant when he flushed, andhad considerable difficulty in finding the nest. It contained the usual four eggs,so badly incubated that there seemed little hope of saving them, and in every re-spect was typical of the species. The photo (fig. 29) was taken about nineoclock in the evening. Unfortunately the slanting rays of the sun glinted fromthe upper surface of the eggs, obscuring the markings, which were unusually boldin this set. Both female and male came about and inspected the camera, while wehid behind a snowbank trying to keep warm by fighting mosquitos. It was overhalf an hour before the male returned to the nest, and then he insisted upon fac-ing the camera, which is a trait typical of all sandpipers that I have tried to pho-tograph on their nests (fig. 30). We did not secure any Baird Sandpipers in natal down, as apparently we
Text Appearing After Image:
Fig. 30. Same nest as is shown in fig. 29; near Griffin Point, Arctic Alaska, July11, 1914. Male Baird Sandpiper brooding. left too soon, going aboard the ship leaving winter quarters on July 16. We didnot again meet with the species until reaching Herschel Island on July 28. Dr.Anderson, however, took downy young at Collinson Point on July 11. In the report of the Mcllhenny Expedition to Point Barrow, Stone states:Ten young in the down were taken July 16, 18 and 27; they are darker thanyoung Dunlins, with the brown tints darker and not so rufous, while the lightmottlings are whiter and less tinged with buff. Two others taken August 1 areintermediate between the down and first winter plumage (Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci.Phila., 1900, p. 26). A young Baird Sandpiper taken at Herschel Island, Yukon, July 30, has thenatal down still plainly visible on the back and top of the head (fig. 31) ; thewhitish tips of the feathers on the back are much in evidence. These white edg- 84 THE CONDOR Vol. XI

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