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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hree eggs referred to above were fresh, and the setprobably incomplete. In those pairs which I have observed the male bird was found covering theeggs more often than the female, so I believe that it is safe to say that the maledoes at least half of the incubating. The birds are very nervous and extremelywary when once they have been flushed from the nest. They usually sit tightthe first time, however, and do not flush unless nearly stepped upon. On June 25 a male bird was flushed from a nest at a distance of less than sixfeet. I had been told the general location of the nest, hence was carefully exam-ining the tundra as I walked slowly along, yet I was unable to see the bird, flat-tened out as he was, and doubtless would have passed directly over him had henot darted from under my feet. Desiring a photograph of the brooding bird Iset up the camera a few inches off the ground, and four feet from the nest, cov-ering it completely with brown tundra moss. I then hid in a slight depression
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Pig. 29. Nest of Baird Sandpiper on dry tundra near Griffin Point, Arctic Alaska,July 11, 1914. about thirty yards away, and awaited the return of the bird. Instead of returning directly to the nest the bird first flew about in widecircles. Then, having satisfied himself that no active danger threatened, he litabout twenty yards away and began to run in circles about the nest, graduallyapproaching nearer and nearer. He stopped every few yards, and remaining mo-tionless, blended into the landscape so effectively that I was quite unable to dis-tinguish him unless I had had my eyes directly upon him when he stopped. Dur-ing these stationary periods a low whining bark was heard, of which he appearedto be the author, for the sound always came from where the bird stood, and movedabout as he moved. No other bird put in an appearance. The male finally wentonto the nest, but bolted wildly at the click of the shutter. He would not returnat all after being flushed a second time. On July 11 anoth

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