12 Massachusetts Audubon Society 



habits and the scarcity or abundance of their favorite food. Northward 

 movements of a few species may be expected soon, if the weather continues 

 mild, while if severe cold and deep snow comes we may expect still more 

 movements southward or toward the coast. Those who live near the coast 

 may discover some rare sea-birds now by keeping watch along the beach or 

 in sheltered bays immediately after severe storms. 



Ducks and Geese 



The southward migration of ducks and geese seems to have been de- 

 layed somewhat, but on the whole there is nothing remarkable to report 

 about their present status. There are some late records. The migration of 

 geese along the New England coast continued until the very last of December. 

 Some geese may be migrating still. If not, they are acting in a peculiar 

 manner. Recently some school children near Taunton, Mass., ran in to tell 

 their teacher that there were a lot of birds making letters in the sky. "They 

 made an 'N' and then they all turned round and made 'Vs.' " Yesterday 

 morning, (January 30), we were told that a great flock of geese was heard 

 moving over Worcester County before full daylight, headed south and within 

 hearing of our domicile. We suggested that it might have been a flock of 

 early hens laying for the listener, as we thought that such a flock moving 

 south late in January over our house would have waked us from the dead, — 

 but yesterday and today the mail brought in reports of flocks of geese mov- 

 ing in three other counties, one of them going north. Both geese and brant 

 seem to be wintering south of Cape Cod. 



Woodpeckers 



A great flight of hairy woodpeckers apparently must have moved in 

 from the north or west. The birds seem to have been unusually prevalent 

 this winter over most of New England, and it is quite possible that the 

 northern race is represented among them. They have appeared even in 

 cities in an unusual manner. Shrikes have attacked them in some cases, but 

 the woodpeckers seem to regard such attacks as a sort of game at which two 

 can play. Downy woodpeckers are not unusually common generally, and 

 flickers seem to be rather scarce, though occasionally seen, but principally 

 along the coast. 



Crows 



The distribution of crows this winter seems peculiar. They have de- 

 parted from some regions where the ground is bare, and concentrated in 

 others. Many have remained in New England. The greatest numbers are 

 reported mainly near the coast, and along the larger river valleys. 



Grosbeaks 



Either the number of evening grosbeaks in New England has increased 

 during the past six weeks, or they are moving rapidly from place to place. 



