4 Massachusetts Audubon Society 



OUTLOOK FOR BIRD DAY 



By Harry George Higbee, Superintendent 



Visitors to the Sharon Sanctuary on Bird Day may be assured of a good 

 variety of both bird and plant life to interest them. 



While dates of arrival may not be accurately foretold, it is safe to pre- 

 dict that at least fifty different species of our summer birds will be here by 

 the fifteenth of May. 



The warbler migration may not have reached its height by that date, 

 but most of our resident species will have arrived.* 



The hermit thrush, the wood thrush and the veery — all of which nest 

 within the seclusion of our Sanctuary — may confidently be looked for, with 

 a good opportunity for a comparison of their songs. 



The prairie and golden-winged warblers, field sparrow, vesper sparrow 

 and solitary vireo — birds of a rather local distribution — should be found in 

 the vicinity of their nesting haunts among the dry pastures and wooded 

 hillsides. 



White-throated sparrows should be here in song, and, with good for- 

 tune, we may have a return visit of our guest of last year's outing, — the rarer 

 white-crowned sparrow, — a fine male which appeared here on the fifteenth 

 instant and remained with us four days, feeding at the stone porch with the 

 purple finches, rose-breasted grosbeaks and indigo buntings. 



A Canada goose was our honored guest from the sixth to the twelfth of 

 May last season, and a lark sparrow was observed here on the eighth instant. 

 These, however, were casual visitors. 



Many of our resident birds will be found nesting. The house wren, 

 tree swallow, song sparrow, least flycatcher, bluebird, chimney swift, Balti- 

 more oriole, phoebe and others nest confidingly about the dooryard, — many 

 of them taking advantage of our proffered nesting appliances, — and these as 

 well as the rarer species may be studied with profit. 



The black duck and the marsh hawk nest in the open stretches of Cedar 

 Swamp near the eastern border of the sanctuary, the homes of the red- 

 shouldered hawk, the barred owl and the ruffed grouse have been among the 

 pines of the southeastern section; while the woodcock and the hairy wood- 

 pecker have chosen for nesting-sites locations not far from headquarters. 

 There is a possibility of observing these and other species at close range. 



Those interested in flowers and other plant life may be reminded that 

 two hundred and eighty-five species of flowering plants have been found 

 growing wild at the Sanctuary. Among these are several rare and beautiful 

 species which will probably be in bloom about the time of our outing. 



The large-flowering, the painted, the nodding, and both the white and 

 dark forms of the purple trillium, all grow here where they may be seen to 

 advantage. Trillium Trail, a new path which is being located through one 

 of the most beautiful corners of the Sanctuary, will give opportunity for a 

 study of several of these handsome woodland flowers. 



Beds of the curious mandrake, or May-apple, may be found near the 

 southern border of the farmyard where it joins Tanager Woods. Near here, 

 also, is a specimen of the beautiful shooting star and the yellow lady's- 

 slipper. Carefully secluded on the hillside below, grow the homed violet 



*Mr. Higbee is conservative in his forecast. The chances are always good for a 

 large warbler wave about May 15th. — Editors. 



