6 Monthly Bulletin 



ANNISQUAM BIRDS 



My Dear Mr. Packard — Now that we are watching so intently for 

 summer residents, as well as migrants, I feel I must tell you of a very 

 unusual and interesting experience I had with nesting birds in May, 1921. 

 I was with my friend, Mrs. Clark, at her summer home, "High Elm," 

 Annisquam, so called from having the highest elm in the county. The yard 

 is about one-third of an acre. In it are a number of trees, mostly ash 

 and elms. There are a few very old apple and pear trees, a small intensive 

 vegetable garden, wonderful beds of hybrid tea and rambler roses, of 

 course, a large and well-kept bird-bath. Cats are not allowed in the 

 yard when seen. Traps have been used for English sparrows. At one 

 corner of the house was a luxuriantly growing honeysuckle. In this cat- 

 birds were nesting. The vine was so thick we could not see the nest from 

 the yard, but • from the dining room window we could see the nest and 

 brooding bird very plainly. The male came many times a day to the 

 lower branches of a nearby tree. He would give in a low tone part of 

 his delightful song. The female often replied very sweetly while still 

 on the nest. Generally she would soon appear and off they flew. They 

 seemed a most happy and loving pair. 



Six feet above the catbirds' home the cornice of the house projected. 

 It was like a little shelf. It seemed to me an ideal place for a nest, 

 for it was partly protected from wind and rain. The robin who was sitting 

 there seemed to agree with me, for she looked most contented, always with 

 her bright eyes towards the yard. She had evidently appointed herself 

 a special police, for a number of times I saw her fly down from the nest 

 and drive non-residents from the precinct. Cowbirds, bronzed grackle and 

 purple finches were among the number. 



This robin had probably lived there a number of summers. She 

 was not so nervous as many of her kin. The year before she had built 

 directly over the screen-door of the Lodge, which was constantly banging. 

 It did not disturb her in the least. She also was not over fond of 

 hunting for angleworms. She much preferred to follow the farmer's son, 

 while he was spading the garden, and would stand almost under foot, 

 until a nice fat juicy one was tossed her way. 



The catbirds were equally tame. Sometimes it would seem as if we 

 should step on them if they happened to be on the walk when we wished to 

 use it also. 



Four of my paces from the corner of the house, where the catbirds 

 and robins lived, was rather a small elm tree. In this the oriole was 

 building. In a very, very old apple tree, another four paces, starlings 

 were feeding their young. They were quite good-sized. I could see their 

 heads as they were poked out for food, over the piece of tin which had 

 been nailed on to keep them from nesting. 



The orioles had wished this tree for their home; they had lived there 

 before and a piece of the nest was still hanging in the branches. But the 

 starlings had driven them away. It seemed strange they decided upon 

 a home-site so close to their intelligent and conquering neighbors. Four 

 feet from the home of the starlings was the hammock, where we were 

 sitting much of the time. 



In the lowest branches of an old pear, which hung almost over the 

 awning of the hammock, a dainty yellow warbler was building. She 



