Summer Haunts of Birds 



By Alcyona Johnson 



Perching on fences, flitting among the wayside weeds and bushes, or nesting 

 in the hedges, we may expect to see certain birds as we stroll along the country 

 roads in the golden days of July and Atigust. They are part of the way, and lend 

 charm and beauty to it, leading one to forget the choking dust, the burning heat 

 and the weariness that attend a walk on the much-traveled way. 



There will be the kingbird, of whose identity we are assured when he spreads 

 his tail in flight and shows its white margin. The gay indigo bunting will make 

 low, short flights before us and lead us to quicken our steps in pursuit. 



The shrike will be there, too, and looking at his dainty, pleasing little form, 

 we wonder if he really deserves the cruel sounding name of "butcher bird." 



The red-headed woodpecker will drum on some half-decayed rail ; swallows 

 will circule about, and sparrows of many kinds will move in happy little family 

 flocks. Oh, we shall not be lonely along the country road ! 



Out in the sun-baked fields of hay, grain and clover, some of our sweetest 

 songbirds spend the joyous summer hours. 



They hover over the tall weeds, sway on the grain stems, and call to each 

 other from hidden places. Meadow larks and bobolinks are here — to delight us 

 with their ecstatic songs : dickcissels and bobwhites tell their names over and o\-er, 

 and shy field sparrows sing and sing; then vanish in the sheltering grass. 



In briers and bushes and young growth skirting a woodland, other birds 

 are fond of lingering. 



From these low shelters they readily fly to the ground. Here they are often 

 found searching for food among the fallen luatted leaves. As they peck and 

 scratch noisily, one may approach near enough for a good look at them. 



In stich a hunting ground we see the chewink — a bird common enough to be 

 better known. But so quick is he in his little flights frotn bush to bush that only 

 the determined bird-seeker, after long pursuit and much waiting, is rewarded 

 with a satisfying view of the little beauty in his handsome suit of white, jetty- 

 black, and reddish brown. Here, too, on the half-sheltered, leaf-carpeted ground,, 

 are the olive-backed thrush, builder of the quaint oven-shaped nest, and her 

 kinsman, the russet-clad wood thrush. 



In more open places, such as parks, lawns, barnyards and feed lots, we look 

 for cow birds, purple grackles, flickers, robins, chipping sparrows, and red- 

 headed woodpeckers. 



Undrained prairie stretches, cat-tail marshes, and reed-covered swamps are 

 the resorts of marsh wrens, swamp sparrows and red-winged black birds. A tuft 

 of coarse grass or a clump of reeds holds the pretty nests built just above the 

 water's reach. 



The field pond unsurrounded by plant growth has its bird frequenters, too. 



Bank swallows fly into and out of their nests on the border or neighboring 

 bank or sail low over the water, making now and then a graceful dip. Pretty 



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