Volume 11 — Occasional Notes on Birds at Sea.

By Dr. William C. Kendall, Scientific Assistant U. S. Bureau of Fisheries.

The following notes were made by the writer while serving as naturalist on the U. S. Fish Commission Schooner, "Grampus," in 1891, 1894 and 1895, during cruises connected with enquiries relating to mackerel. These cruises extended from off the coast of Virginia to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and even southern Labrador, but all of the notes are not now available, thus rendering those following more or less fragmentary, desultory and indefinite. They are copied almost verbatim from the available notes, about the only change being that of adjusting such technical names as were used to the more modern nomenclature of "Knight's Birds of Maine." Owing to the writer's unfamiliarity with birds, unfortunately they could not always be identified with certainty when at a distance, and in the case of the Petrels not even when in hand. Therefore when the species is in the least in doubt the technical name when used is questioned. Many references are to Phalaropes without specifying the particular species. This is due mainly to inability to determine which they were. But always when identifiable the Northern Phalarope was the more common.

The only excuse the writer has for offering these notes for publication in the Journal is that he was urged to do so by officers of the society. So, ever desirous of obliging his friends, he has complied, even though contrary to good judgment and discretion.

1891.

May 5. Latitude 41° 16´ north; longitude 71° 2´ west. Two Herring Gulls (Larus argentatus) seen flying northwest.

May 8. About 5.5 miles north and west from latitude 39° 46´ north; longitude 73° 46´ west. Two Herring Gulls were seen in shoreward. Two Loons (Gavia imber) and two Ducks (sp.?) were also observed. Fresh southwest by west breeze and hazy sky. When about six miles off Navesink a Yellow Warbler (Dendroica æstiva) flew aboard and remained for some time.

May 9. About 10.30 A. M.; near latitude 39° north; longitude 73° 55´ west. A small flock of Phalaropes (Phalaropus lobatus?) and one Petrel (sp.?) seen. At 12 M. Small numbers of Phalaropes and Petrels occasionally seen. Latitude 38° 39´ north; longitude 73° 39´ west; gentle west southwest breeze; temperature of air 56.5°. A flock of about thirty or more Phalaropes seen. 2.6 miles south and west of above position several small flocks of Phalaropes were observed. About latitude 38° 39´ north; longitude 73° 59´ west. Small flocks of Phalaropes seen. Have seen frequent small flocks during the afternoon. All the Phalaropes seem to be one species (P. lobatus?).

May 10. Near latitude 38° 21´ north; longitude 74° 26´ west; light west southwest air. A Yellow Rumped Warbler (Dendroica coronata) flew aboard and remained several hours. (About noon; near latitude 38° 18´ north; longitude 74° 24´ west, a red Bat flew aboard). About latitude 38° 15´ north; longitude 74° 22´ west, a few Northern Phalaropes seen. 4.7 knots south and west from latitude 38° 9´ north; longitude 74° 19´ west; temperature air 58°; gentle southwest breeze and somewhat hazy. Two large flocks of Northern Phalaropes seen.

May 11. Latitude 38° 11´ north; longitude 74° 22´ west; 11 A. M. Observed small flocks of Northern Phalaropes.

May 18. Latitude 38° 23´ north; longitude 74° 45´ west; 8 A. M. A few Northern Phalaropes seen. Latitude 38° 3´ north; longitude 74° 39´ west; 11 A. M. Several Petrels (sp.?) seen.

May 19. Latitude 38° 40´ north; longitude 74° 10´ west; 11 A. M.; wind west by south; light air. Observed some Petrels (sp.?). Here an Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapillus) flew aboard and remained until night. Latitude 39° 2´ north; longitude 73° 53´ west; 7 P. M. Two small bunches of Northern Phalaropes and one Petrel (sp.?) seen.

May 25. Latitude 40° 17´ north; longitude 73° 23´ west; 6 P. M. Large flock of Petrels (sp.?) seen.

May 26. 12 M.; light south wind; heavy rain; fog lifting some. Two Maryland Yellowthroats flew aboard. Latitude 41° 2´ north; longitude 71° 46´ west; 2 P. M. Two Black Hags (Puffinus fuliginosus?) seen.

May 28. Latitude 41° 6´ north; longitude 71° 15´ west; 4 P. M. Few Petrels (sp.?) and Hags (Puffinus gravis) observed. Latitude 41° 7´ north; longitude 71° 16´ west; 6 P. M. One small flock of Northern Phalaropes seen.

May 31. Latitude 41° 9´ north; longitude 71° 9´ west; 8 A. M. Petrels (sp.?) appear whenever toll-bait for mackerel is thrown. These birds, as well as preceding Petrels, are called by the sailor on the vessel "Carey Chickens" or just "Caries."

June 3. Latitude 41° 15´ north; longitude 71´° 2´ west; 4.30 P. M. A few Petrels ("Caries") observed.

1894.

April 22. Latitude 38° 22´ 30´´ north; longitude 74° 26´ 30´´ west; 2 P. M. Two small flocks of Petrels (sp.?) feeding in a slick. Near station; latitude 38° 22´ 30´´ north; longitude 74° 26´ 30´´ west; 1.6 knots southeast by south. Several small flocks of Northern Phalaropes, from eight to thirty birds each, one or two Jaegers and many Loons seen to-day. Near latitude 38° 19´ north; longitude 74° 23´ west. A flock of Gannets seen.

April 23. Near latitude 38° 15´ north; longitude 74° 18´ west; dead calm. Phalaropes have been common this morning in small flocks and scattering birds, generally flying southward. Latitude 38° 12´ north; longitude 74° 17´ 30´´ west. One Gray Gannet shot; stomach contained nothing. Two Northern and two Red Phalaropes shot. Their stomachs contained copepods and coarse and fine sand, and had a few small gastropods. Latitude 38° 13´ north; longitude 74° 20´ west. Phalaropes have been common this morning. A few Arctic Terns observed. Phalaropes mostly on the wing, but flying in no particular direction.

April 25. Latitude 37° 35´ north; longitude 74° 47´ west. Occasional flocks of five or six Phalaropes each have been seen to-day.

April 26. Latitude 38° 3´ north; longitude 74° 31´ west; 12 M. Very few birds thus far to-day. Two Loons heard crying. East northeast; 5.2 knots from latitude 38° 17´ north; longitude 74° 26´ west; 5 P. M. A small flock of White Gannets seen sitting on the water.

April 27. Latitude 38° 42´ north; longitude 74° 2´ west; 8 A. M.; temperature of air 53° F.; moderate south southwest breeze. Phalaropes very common. Latitude 38° 27´ north; longitude 73° 37´ west; 12 M. Some Phalaropes seen.

April 28. Latitude 38° 24´ 30´´ north; longitude 74° 6´ west; 6 A. M. A few Phalaropes seen in flocks of three to five.

May 1. Latitude 38° 24´ 30´´ north; longitude 74° 9´ west; 12 M. Quite a number of scattering Phalaropes have been seen through the last hour. Six knots southeast by east from latitude 38° 24´ 30´´ north; longitude 74° 9´ west; 1 P. M. Northern and Red Phalaropes quite common but scattered.

May 2. Latitude 38° 13´ 30´´ north; longitude 73° 33´ west; 12 M. Very few Phalaropes seen to-day, one Pomarine Jaeger(?). Latitude 38° 9´ 30´´ north; longitude 73° 44´ 15´´ west; 4 P. M. Phalaropes scattered but common.

May 4. Near latitude 38° 29´ north; longitude 74° 47´ 45´´ west. Numerous large flocks of Phalaropes and large schools of mackerel seen.

May 12. East by south, 4.3 knots from latitude 39° 19´ north; longitude 72° 49´ 30´´ west; 8 A. M.; gentle northeast by east breeze; temperature of air 53° F.; clearing; moderate swell. Scattering Phalaropes seen this morning, also one "Marlinspike" (Stercorarius longicaudus?). West northwest, 1.3 knots from latitude 39° 19' north; longitude 72° 37´ 30´´ west; 10 A. M.; temperature of air 56° F.; gentle northeast by north wind; moderate swell. Few scattered Phalaropes.

May 12. Latitude 39° 21´ 45´´ north; longitude 72° 49´ west; temperature of air 56° F.; gentle north wind; sea smooth. Observed a few Phalaropes and one Common Jaeger. Latitude 39° 24´ 30´´ north; longitude 74° 55´ west; temperature of air 64° F.; calm. Several flocks of Phalaropes seen flying.

May 13. Latitude 39° 22´ north; longitude 72° 29´ 30´´ west; temperature of air 54.5° F.; gentle west southwest wind; sea smooth. Several fair sized flocks of Phalaropes seen this morning.

May 16. Latitude 40° 41´ 30´´ north; longitude 69° 5´ 30´´ west; temperature of air 57° F.; moderate west breeze; smooth sea. A small flock of Phalaropes circling about the same spot repeatedly, and alternately sitting on the water and rising again in quick succession. Nine Terns (Sterna hirundo?) seen "plugging" in the same spot, but soon flying off to the westward.

May 18. Latitude 45° 6´ 30´´ north; longitude 65° 29´ west; 10 A. M.; temperature of air 47°; moderate east southeast wind; sky cloudy, clearing some; sea smooth. Small flocks of Phalaropes seen, very wild. No birds seen during the afternoon.

May 23. Southeast by south from latitude 44° 11´ 15´´ north; longitude 64° 14´ west; 12 M.; temperature of air 43° F.; moderate east wind; clear sky; moderate swell. A very large number of Herring Gulls were seen, two flocks of from 100 to 200 each, also a flock of Red Phalaropes on the water and Terns (Sterna paradisea?) "plugging," and covering this one place. Latitude 44° 22´ north; longitude 63° 53´ west; 5 P. M.; temperature of air 44° F.; gentle east southeast breeze; cloudy; sea smooth. "Mackerel Gulls" (S. paradisea?) very common this afternoon. Northeast by east, 3.3 knots from latitude 44° 22´ north; longitude 63° 53´ west; 6 P. M.; temperature of air 44° F.; gentle east southeast wind; sky cloudy; sea smooth. About 7 P. M., a large flock of Phalaropes seen sitting on the water. One (P. lobatus) was shot. Tow net took a lot of "red feed" (copepods) here. Birds contained fragments of copepods. Nothing found in proventriculum; everything in gizzards and intestines.

May 23. Latitude 44° 23´ north; longitude 63° 51´ 30´´ west; 7 P. M.; temperature of air 42.5° F.; light east southeast breeze; cloudy; sea smooth. Shot five Arctic Terns (Sterna paradisea) and three Phalaropes (P. lobatus). Terns had been eating crustacea; contained fragments. Phalarope had copepods in gizzard. The Terns were very common to-day. If one is wounded and utters a cry when shot, the others will hover over it and everyone could be killed.

May 24. Latitude 44° 24´ 45´´ north; longitude 63° 27´ west; 5 P. M.; temperature of air 44° F.; gentle southeast breeze; sky cloudy; sea smooth. Surface net took a very few minute copepods in ten minutes. Surface life is scarce. Terns (S. paradisea) have been numerous all day. They were frequently observed to dive. Phalaropes have been very common also, but so far away that it was impossible to identify them. Those we succeeded in shooting were (P. lobatus). Red Phalaropes (Crymophilus fulcarius) may have been present, as some looked redder than others.

May 25. Latitude 45° 0´ 45´´ north; longitude 61° 28´ 30´´ west; 7 P. M.; temperature of air 46° F.; light west southwest air; sky clearing; moderate swell. All along a few flocks of Phalaropes have been seen. A few "Medricks" (S. paradisea?) also observed.

May 28. Latitude 44° 49´ 15´´ north; longitude 62° 9´ 30´´ west; 9 A. M.; temperature of air 45° F.; light north wind; sky cloudy; moderate swell. Several small flocks of Phalaropes seen sitting on the water.

May 29. Nearly one knot (.7) east northeast from latitude 45° 39´ 30´´ north; longitude 60° 4´ 15´´ west; 2 P. M.; temperature of air 55° F.; light west northwest air; sky clear; sea smooth. A couple of small flocks of Phalaropes seen sitting on the water; seemed pretty "tame".

July 9. One knot north by east from latitude 42° 34´ 45´´ north; longitude 70° 29´ 15´´ west; 2 P. M.; temperature of air 66° F.; sky overcast; fog; light north by east breeze; sea smooth. Large flock of Petrels (sp.?) seen sitting on the water or hovering over the surface in certain localities, probably feeding on something at the surface.

July 17. Latitude 42° 54´ 30´´ north; longitude 70° 18´ 30´´ west; 1 P. M.; temperature of air 72°; light southwest air; overcast; fog; sea smooth. Observed a large school of large fish ("Bonito") followed by a lot of Petrels (sp.?).

July 30. Latitude 50° 9´ north; longitude 65° 2´ 30´´ west; 9 A. M.; temperature of air 53° F.; gentle east southeast breeze; overcast; fog; sea smooth. Very few birds have thus far been seen up here. One or two Ducks, a few Plover, a few large Gulls, a Loon and a Gannet.

August 5. Latitude 47° 52´ north; longitude 60° 57´ 30´´ west; "Bird Rock" light bearing west northwest about six miles; 11 A. M.; temperature of air 61° F.; fresh west by south wind; cloudy; very choppy. A large number of Gannets seen flying about.

August 18. Southwest by south 1/2 south, 5.5 knots from latitude 44° 59´ 45´´ north; longitude 61° 44´ west; 6 P. M.; temperature of air 62° F.; stiff west by south wind; sky clearing; sea choppy. Few Medricks seen.

August 23. Near latitude 43° 11´ 15´´ north; longitude 65° 27´ 15´´ west; 10 A. M.; temperature of air 60° F.; light northwest by west air; sky clear; moderate sea. Five Phalaropes (P. lobatus) seen. Latitude 43° 13´ 30´´ north; longitude 65° 33´ west; 11 A. M.: temperature of air 55° F.; gentle west by south wind; sky moderate; moderate sea. Scattering Phalaropes (P. lobatus) seen about 10.30 A. M.

September 11. Latitude 43° 11´ 30´´ north; longitude 69° 45´ west; 1 P. M.; temperature of air 59°; moderate west northwest wind; sky clear; sea choppy. Four Red and four Northern Phalaropes seen.

[To be concluded in the September Journal.]