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Bird- Lore 



This habit of leaving the nest (when disturbed) so soon after they are 

 hatched malces the young very difficult to photograph. However, this can be 

 accomplished by leaving the camera set up and focused on the nest, returning 

 cautiously after an hour or two, when they will have come back to the nest; 

 or the shutter can be released by attaching a thread to the release lever and 

 running it back to some convenient place from which the nest can be seen. 

 The surroundings of the nests preclude one's getting but gHmpses of the adults 

 as they scamper about the nest. Last May we were fortunate enough to find 

 a nest in a bunch of sweet flag which stood alone in a rather open place so that 

 the bird had to cross the open when going to and from the nest. On my first 



^i'--^i:-..^ 



FAILING TO CALL HER YOUNG TO HER SHE CAME AND PICKED ONE FROM 

 THE PIT AND CARRIED IT AWAY INTO THE FLAGS 



visit the female left the nest as soon as I came near and ran across into the flags, 

 where she kept running from cover to cover, showing herself but a few times 

 and giving me no opportunity for a picture. 



June 13 I was more fortunate. This time she left the nest as before but 

 returned at once, coming at me with wings drooping and feathers ruffled. 

 This she did again and again. She would come right up to and strike the 

 camera. She moved so quickly that it was impossible to keep her in focus, but 

 focusing on a point about four feet away, and following her with the lens 

 until she came in focus, several good pictures were secured. 



She came out from cover time after time, running at me with wings droop- 

 ing and feathers ruffled, and seemed determined to drive me away. I could 

 easily bring her to me by giving the flags by the nest a little shake, when she 

 would give little grunts and run right up to the camera. To catch her with 

 wings drooping was a task. She came so quickly and so close, her image grow- 



