®i|? Journal 



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Mmtu QPnittlioloQtral i'onrtg 



Published by the Society on the first of March, June, September and December 

 Vol. VIII JUNE, 1906 No. 2 



Inhabitants of Alders and Evergreens. 



By Dana W. Sweet, Phillips, Maine. 



There are some species of birds that may be easily identified by 

 aid of their song when they are in their summer home, but where 

 they occur onl)^ as migrants they are likely to be overlooked unless 

 the observer knows where to search for them and is familiar with 

 their call notes. There are others that escape notice on account of 

 their similarity in song or plumage to other birds, or because they 

 inhabit places where the observer doesn't think of looking for them. 

 I will attempt to briefly describe some of the habits and notes of sev- 

 eral interesting species that may be found in alder and evergreen 

 growths. 



During the winter alders are a favorite resort for Redpolls, 

 which visit them and feed upon the seeds. The amateur may very 

 easily mistake these birds for Goldfinches. They are just about the 

 same size, and, like the Goldfinches, they utter squeaky notes when 

 feeding and when flying. They usually fly very high in the air and 

 are most in evidence during extremely cold weather. Besides alder 

 seeds, they feed upon yellow birch and hemlock seeds in winter, and 

 when the snow is going off their favorite food seems to be the seeds 

 of pigweed and evening primrose. 



Water thrushes, during the breeding season, inhabit alder bogs 

 near water, and it is probable that they are to be found in such 

 places during the migrations. 



