Painted

—

Published

1932

Volume

1

Plate

38

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Longtail Jaeger

Stercorarius longicaudus

DESCRIPTION

At sea, weather is important. A sailor scans the sky when he comes on deck at dawn and sweeps the horizon when he turns in.

These "tricks" have never left me. One September morning I saw a LONGTAIL JAEGER sweeping above these Taconic Hills. Between two wing-beats, memory flew back to the schooner's deck where we lay off the Bay of Fundy.

The sun — a ball of dull copper — hung above a level plain of sienna sea.

"Get the boom in the crotch — hook on both tackles and see they're taut. Double-stop the sails an' put an extra hitch on the halliard pins. Rout out the wire bridle an' make it fast to the seine boat. Get that net an' oars on board."

Andrews gave the orders quite casually but obedience was man-o'-war precision.

Comradeship and efficiency linked arms aboard the Eva and Annie.

Low over the far western shore, came the swirling gray squall arch and then beneath its ominous smoky brown appeared a line of white.

"A double-header an' butt end foremost!"

Bill's pipe was going at regulation exhausts. He wasn't worried so why should I be?

Smash! Like an enormous hand the wind hit. Over went the schooner and lay there at an angle of 30 degrees without a bit of duck on her.

The breath went out of me and only returned under shelter of the cabin side. Every one of us had a hand grip on some part of the vessel. The pull of our long seine boat astern gradually brot us head to wind and the pressure eased as she took it on the bows.

Then into that chaos of wind, three Longtail Jaegers appeared to lu'ard riding the gale lightly as Swallows on a June morning. In hard puffs they were blown upward many fathoms: when the blast lessened, their wings vibrated and while we watched, they slowly forged ahead!

They knew when to work and when to let the wind work for them.

"Breeze hittin' seventy an' them spalpeens beatin' into it! Dommed if I ever see the like!" gasped Flanagan.

Neither did I nor have I since seen such masterly control of wind by those tiny points of energy.

Other observers agree with this verdict and comment on their grace and agility aloft. They have the same thievish traits as other species and if an enemy like man threatens the home, they use the "disabled" act in an attempt to lure him away.

‍

BREEDING

In a ground depression, with little attempt at a nest, the 2 eggs — greenish or drab, spotted with darker shades — are deposited.

‍

RANGE

Northern North America. South in migration to New England coast, and to California on Pacific.

longtail-jaeger
western-grebe
Western Grebe
1
holboell-grebe
Holboell Grebe
2
horned-grebe
Horned Grebe
3
eared-grebe
Eared Grebe
4
mexican-grebe
Mexican Grebe
5
piedbill-grebe
Piedbill Grebe
6
loon
Loon
7
yellowbill-loon
Yellowbill Loon
8
blackthroat-loon
Blackthroat Loon
9
pacific-loon
Pacific Loon
10
redthroat-loon
Redthroat Loon
11
tufted-puffin
Tufted Puffin
12
puffin-largebill-puffin
Puffin, Largebill Puffin
13-13a
horned-puffin
Horned Puffin
14
rhinoceros-auklet
Rhinoceros Auklet
15
cassin-auklet
Cassin Auklet
16
paroquet-auklet
Paroquet Auklet
17
crested-auklet
Crested Auklet
18
whiskered-auklet
Whiskered Auklet
19
least-auklet
Least Auklet
20
ancient-murrelet
Ancient Murrelet
21
marble-murrelet
Marble Murrelet
23
kittlitz-murrelet
Kittlitz Murrelet
24
xantus-murrelet
Xantus Murrelet
25
craveri-murrelet
Craveri Murrelet
26
black-guillemot
Black Guillemot
27
mandt-guillemot
Mandt Guillemot
28
pigeon-guillemot
Pigeon Guillemot
29
murre-california-murre
Murre, California Murre
30-30a
brunnich-murre-pallas-murre
Brunnich Murre, Pallas Murre
31-31a
razorbill-auk
Razorbill Auk
32
dovekie
Dovekie
34
skua
Skua
35
pomarine-jaeger
Pomarine Jaeger
36
parasitic-jaeger
Parasitic Jaeger
37
longtail-jaeger
Longtail Jaeger
38
ivory-gull
Ivory Gull
39
kittiwake-pacific-kittiwake
Kittiwake, Pacific Kittiwake
40-40a
redleg-kittiwake
Redleg Kittiwake
41
glaucous-gull
Glaucous Gull
42
iceland-gull
Iceland Gull
43
glaucouswing-gull
Glaucouswing Gull
44
kumlien-gull
Kumlien Gull
45
nelson-gull
Nelson Gull
46
great-blackback-gull
Great Blackback Gull
47
slatyback-gull
Slatyback Gull
48
western-gull
Western Gull
49
herring-gull
Herring Gull
51
california-gull
California Gull
53
ringbill-gull
Ringbill Gull
54
shortbill-gull
Shortbill Gull
55
heermann-gull
Heermann Gull
57
laughing-gull
Laughing Gull
58
franklin-gull
Franklin Gull
59
bonaparte-gull
Bonaparte Gull
60
ross-gull
Ross Gull
61
sabine-gull
Sabine Gull
62

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