The Season 



43 



a performance of the Catbird. So much for 

 the vocal powers of this usually silent 

 morose species. 



There has also been more than the usual 

 influx of Long-eared and Saw-whet Owls. 

 On December 9, the writer was called in to 

 verify the identity of one of the latter dis- 

 covered by Miss B. S. Miller, over a back 

 yard in the heart of New York City. It 

 was sitting in the sun on top of a projecting 

 blind, almost within reach as he leaned from 

 a second-story window to look at it. For 

 a brief moment its big yellow eyes opened in 

 an owlish stare, and then it relapsed again 

 into drowsy somnolence. 



As regards wandering northern Finches, 

 very few have reached us. At Rhinebeck, 

 up the Hudson, on the other hand, Pine Gros- 

 beaks came early and have been constantly 

 present; Redpoll and Evening Grosbeak 

 were reported later (M. S. Crosby). This 

 augurs well for a chance at some of these 

 interesting birds nearer New York later in 

 the winter. As a matter of fact, a single 

 Pine Grosbeak was observed flying over at 

 Garden City, December 3, and there are one 

 or two other creditable reports of that species 

 near New York. 



A Catbird is reported at the Bronx Botan- 

 ical Garden, December 11 (F. F. Houghton). 

 A flock of Crackles, up to thirty birds, was 

 frequently observed at Upper Montclair, 

 N. J., as late as December 16 (R. H. How- 

 land) . 



Certain of Mr. Howland's banding returns 

 at Upper Montclair are of seasonal interest. 

 A Song Sparrow (No. 44699) was taken in 

 his traps October 27, and six times there- 

 after this fall, a bird which had last been 

 taken March 6, its thirteenth visit since the 

 preceding fall. Contrasted with this is 

 another Song Sparrow (No. 47143) taken 

 twenty-nine times from April 12 to October 

 16, 1921, and absent since that date. A 

 Junco (No. 45740) banded November 28, 

 1920, was retaken in the same trap, October 

 15, 1921. 



Bird-life during the present period is of 

 interest for the light it may throw on data 

 furnished by the census at the close of 

 December. The season has been mild, and 

 if it is reflected in the bird-life, such species 



as Blackbirds and Hermit Thrushes will be 

 found wintering. In general, land-birds 

 have become exceedingly scarce, and the 

 total counts may be expected to be low 

 unless, for some reason, winter birds come 

 down from the North in numbers during the 

 next week. — J. T. Nichols, New York City. 



Philadelphia Region. — With the ex- 

 cel it ion of November 18 and 19, when the 

 temperature soared to 75 , weather condi- 

 tions for this region averaged normal. 

 Seasonable easterly storms occurred during 

 the latter part of November and first week 

 of December. 



Throughout October, and until the second 

 week in November, immature Laughing 

 Gulls, which as a rule occur very sparingly 

 in the fall on the Delaware River, were 

 present in unusual numbers, from ten to 

 twenty of these Gulls being no uncommon 

 sight while crossing the river. With the 

 appearance of the Herring Gulls (first noted 

 October 27), the smaller species commenced 

 to thin out and were last observed November 

 10). 



The plight of a Duck Hawk observed at 

 Cape May, October 30, shows at least that 

 this Falcon is sometimes unfortunate in his 

 pursuit of prey. On being informed by the 

 lighthouse tender that he had seen a rather 

 large bird with a curved bill floundering 

 around in the mud on the edge of a nearby 

 pond, investigation was made, and said 

 Hawk was found sitting on the top of a post 

 in a very much bedraggled condition, with 

 drooping wings half extended, evidently 

 drying oft". On close approach the bird made 

 several feints, and then took wing and made 

 off with great difficulty and considerable 

 noisy flapping. The Duck Hawk when 

 first found was so wet and muddy that it 

 was unable to fly and so helpless that the 

 tender could have caught it had he been 

 so disposed. 



The writer spent November 20 in the 

 field with Mr. Nelson Pumyea at Mt. Holly, 

 N. J. Thirty-five species of birds were 

 noted, among them being a full-plumaged 

 male Evening Grosbeak and a Mockingbird. 

 According to Mr. Pumyea, this is the first 

 time to his knowledge, that the Mockingbird 



