56 Spring Migration in Lorain County, O. 



ceeding eight days were cold and wet, with northerly winds. 

 Then followed a period of warmth and hope for eight days, 

 with maximum temj)eratnres ranging from 62 degrees on the 

 3rd to 84 degrees on the 7lh, culminating on the 9th with a 

 morning storm of rain and cold. More cold on the loth, 

 iith and 12th, followed by two warm, and these by six cold 

 days, closed the season so far as arrivals were concerned. At 

 tht present writing ( May 27) a few of the transient warblers 

 rtmiain. 



There had been no distinct movement up to May 4th, but 

 scattering records of hardy individuals proved that the host 

 was not far to the .south. Clearly, the weather a hundred 

 miles south v^^as more favoi able for the movement of the birds 

 than at Oberlin, during the first five days of May. On the 

 6th matters began to turn to decidedly favorable, and on the 

 7th the belated biids rushed in by hundreds. The three suc- 

 ceeding nights were impossible for northern movement. In 

 fact, onl\- the night of the 12th gave much opportunity for 

 migration in the da 'kness, and evidently not many birds were 

 read\- then, and the>- were obliged to wait until the 21st and 

 22nd, when the hosts moved north, leaving the 23rd with 

 only the laggards. 



As in 1888, brilliant males, females and young, were 

 found together, and apparently in nearly equal numbers. 

 Mating was clearly in progress. Very few birds, except the 

 Raptores and Robins, had succeeded in making much pro- 

 gress in raising broods. Red-winged Blackbirds, which often 

 have \ oung before this time, had scarcely even begun their 

 nests. 



One of the most noticeable features of this exceptional 

 migration was the superabundance of Grey-cheeked and Olive- 

 backed Thrushes. For days they were more numerous than 

 Robins, overflowing from the woods into the bordering fields. 

 Wilson and Hermit Thrushes were also unusually numerous, 

 but their numbers were insignificant compared with the 

 others. Many of the warblers were also more than usually 

 numerous, notably the Magnolia, Blackburnian. Chestnut- 

 sided, and Black-throated Blue. On the other hand, the 

 Cuckoos and Wood Pewee were hard to find, and the Chicka- 

 dee almost refused to be seen or heard. Red-breasted Nut- 

 hatches were fairly common for more than a week. One of 



