160 COJ'FR CHARACTERISTICS AM) SHELTER REOl IREMENTS 



of conifers iHl are likeh In lia\e less liirds aiiKitij; llieiii llian at aiiv otliei time. 



Spring. The daily cover use |)att(rn in spring is markedly different from that of the 

 winter ftable 156)*. As one would expect, nesting cover (types E. EH) is now important. 

 Here one is apt to find about the same percentage of birds throughout the day. Conifers 

 (Hi. while less used now than in winter, are still frequented from daylight to dark. 



In early morning a relatively large number of adults are to be found in the more open 

 overgrown lands iB and Cl except where young conifers predominate (D). Possibly thev 

 are in search of variety in their diet. Interestingly enough this tendency does not extend 

 to cut-over areas (I and Jl. however, since these are but little used until later in the dav. 



By mid-morning this situation is apt to be reversed. The more open "edge" types (A, B 

 and C) appear to be utilized less, except for overgrown lands dotted with small conifers 

 (type D), which for some reason, now gain markedly in popularity. Some birds also seek 

 out the older slashings (J). 



From midday through late afternoon this pattern changes but little. As in winter, alder, 

 popple and birch cover (B) are progressively less used; brushy areas (C) more. Possibly 

 a few more birds may be found among the conifers, but the shifts are, at best, minor. 



Summer. Two differences from other seasons stand out in summer cover use (table 157)^. 

 Thick, coniferous covers are but little frequented. Even mixed second-growth hardwoods and 

 conifers (type EH) are much less popular than is hardwood cover alone lE). There is also 

 a strong tendency to make greater use of shrubby and herbaceous areas such as brushy pas- 

 tiires, spot-lumbered areas and slashings ( B, C. D. G. I and J I. Here birds find summer 

 feed in unending variety and abundance. 



Early on a summer morning birds are apt to be found in the overgrown fields (types B. 

 C and D) or in the second-growth hardwoods (type E). In fact the latter type is popular 

 throughout the day. 



Around midday the older slashings (J) seem to be particularly attractive, though the cover 

 just mentioned is also frequented. 



Late afternoon finds the birds more widely distributed though possibly with a tendency 

 to work back into second-growth hardwoods (E). 



Eall. In some respects good fall grouse cover is not as different from that used by the 

 birds in summer as one might think (table 158)*. As every grouse hunter knows, birds are 

 to be found in the overgrow'n lands (types B, C and D) in considerable numbers. Hedge- 

 rows and brushy patches, not too far from wooded areas, are favorite gunning spots in early 

 fall. But unless it is a "beechnut year" one has only about half as much chance of finding 

 birds among the second-growth hardwoods (E) as in the sunnner. To add a fair sprinkling 

 of conifers, among the young hardwoods (EH), however, is to increase the popularity of this 

 type considerably. Small ])atches of conifers (H) are three times as likely to be used in au- 

 tunm as during the warmer weather. Even so the birds are apt to be sur])risingly well dis- 

 tributed over most types, the notable exceptions being open land (Al and mature hardwoods 

 (F). Apparentlv. too. cut-ov<'r areas (I and J) serve as sunnner and early fall feeding grounds 

 for later they attract somewhat less birds, except in the early morning. Curiously enough. 

 on the Connecticut Hill area, young slashings (I) were also much frequented in November. 



• Sec Apiirndix, |i. 62't. 

 A Sec Appendix, p. 827. 

 t Sec App.-ii.lix. p. «-"'■ 



