July, 1908 ANNOTATED LIST OF THE BIRDS OF MESA COUNTY, COLORADO 157 [Gavia iramet. Loon. A bird of general distribution thruout the State. Probably a regu- lar tho uncommon migrant.] Larus delawarensis. Ring-billed Gull. Migrant. 'This bird is probably one of the species that occur with mor? or less regularity during migration, but are never common. Miss Eggleston reports it as a rare migrant and Mr. Sullivan has seen it several times during July and August of 1903 and 1904 at Grand Junction. The writer has never seen it in the higher portions of the County and can learn of no records of it except along the Grand River. [Hydrochelidon laigra surinamcrisis. Black Tern. Occasionally met with thruout the State in suitable locahties, and undoubtedly occurs in more or less abundance during migration. A very few may possibly stunmet in Mesa County as they do in Routt County.] Pelecanus erythr0rhynch0s. American White Pelican. Migrant. Whatever has been said regarding the occurrence of the Ring-billed Gull will apply equally well to this species.. The only record however for the County is of a flock of eight seen by Mr. Sullivan, September 4, 1904 at Grand Junction. [Mergus americanus. American Merganser. A bird of wide distribution, individuals of which undoubtedly find their way into the County from time to time during migration.] [l?lergus serratot. Red-breasted Merganser. Prof. Cooke says, "Undoubtedly occurs, tho not yet reported on the lower waters of western Colorado." Carter found them breeding on the Blue River not more than 75 miles northeast of Mesa County.] [Lophodytes eueullatu8. Hooded Merganser. Whatever has been said regarding the American Merganser will apply equally well to this species.] Arias b0schas. Mallard. Common in migration: breeds sparingly. This is probably the commonest duck occurring in the County. Owing to lack of suitable localities it is not a common breeder; but the writer has found young birds regular- ly on the head of Beaver Creek at about 9,000 feet. Mr. P. McCaffrey mentions it as a regular breeder along the Grand River and Dr. W. V. Watson reports that they breed rarely in the Plateau Valley at about 6,000 feet, and a few remain all winter in the warm springs below Plateau City. In speaking of the migration of Mallard, Cinnamon Teal and Pintail he says: "The flight begins in spring early in March and continues 3 to 5 weeks. The autumnal flight begins in September(about the 20th) and lasts until No?}ember lst." Mr. R. H. Sullivan has seen them migrating as early as February 3, 1904, and as late as November 4, 1904, at Grand Junction. He says, "I would say that the main spring migration is in full swing between March 5 and 20, and the fall flight between October 15 and November 1. Chaulelasmus streperus. Gadwall. Migrant. Mr. Sullivan says of this bird: "I saw a flock of 11 rise from the Gunnison River, March 28, 1904. The only time I have seen this duck." Th'is would seem to indicate that the Gadwall is not a common migrant. Mareca americana. Baldpate. Migrant. Mr. Sullivan reports them as more or less plentiful during the fall migration and he has also seen them occasionally during the spring at Grand Junction. ? 31ettion carolinensis. Green-winged Teal. Common in migration. Probably next in abundance to the Mallard during the fall and spring migrations, but have found no evidence of its breeding, altho Carter found it nesting in Middle Park. Mr. Sullivan has seen them both in spring and fall migration and classes them as "migrant, rather common in small flocks." It is also mentioned as a migrant at Grand Junction by Miss Eggleston. Querquedula discors. Blue-winged Teal. Migrant. Miss Eggleston reports it as "Migrant: found in the marshes with the Green-winged Teal each spring and fall." Mr. Floyd Smalley gives it as occurring regularly in migration on the Grand Mesa.
