OUT-DOOR BIRD STUDY 



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At such times birds that have found food attract by their calls others flying by or overhead; 

 these also are heard or seen by others still ; and so they gather from far and near. 



Beginners in bird study usually choose the spring as the best time for making the 

 acquaintance of the birds, but it is well to begin early in the year, when birds are few, and 

 learn to recognize each species as it comes. It is also well to rememljer that the old males 

 usually come first, and llu' females and young birds later. 



Early mornings and late afternoons arc usually the best times for observation, partly 

 because most l)irds are then active and singing, and jjarlly because there often is little wind 

 movement then. The least motion is quickly noticed when the branches are still; but when 

 the wind blows, birds are more likely to be overlooked. Also they are more shy and retiring 

 on windy days, when they can spread their wings and be borne away with little effort. 



Phot'_i,:j;_'.. J 11. I . li'i..:;.aii 



WILLIAM L. FINLEY MAKING PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDIES OF PELICANS 



Cool days, with strong northwest winds, are unfavorable for bird study. Birds, 

 excepting water-fowl and shore birds, usually seek shelter during heavy rains, but are active 

 during light, warm showers. 



People, whose study of birds must be confined mainly to the city, can best observe 

 the common birds in large parks or cemeteries, where birds, being protected and seeing people 

 continually, are unsuspicious and may be readily approached. Water birds ma^^ be found 

 usually in spring and fall in ponds of large park systems. 



July is one of the most interesting months in the bird calendar, for then there are many 

 young birds about, and some of the birds that have reared their young begin to slip away 

 toward the south and shore birds begin to come from the north. 



The bird seeker must learn to notice every sound and movement in the woods and 

 fields. He must tr>' to follow ever\' strange note to its source. The expert usually hears 

 a bird before he sees it. Some birds are ventriloquists — when the bird is hidden by the 

 leaves, the song seems to come first from one tree, then from another. For this reason 

 the Scarlet Tanager can sometimes be found in summer by going around the place from 

 which the sound of its voice seems to come, or by passing it, and then returning to it. 



Many birds have the power of singing so softly that they seem to be far away when 

 really just at hand. The Catbird does this quite commonly, and several other species 

 occasionally sing their full songs in the fall as in the spring, except that they are audible 



