Sherman — Effects of Weather, Spring 1910. 117 



Just before nightfall the flock again convenes, but after a 

 half hour or so of spasmodic dancing, groups fly silently away 

 in different directions to grassy depressions, where they spend 

 the night. 



One pair nested in this vicinity and I was fortunate enough 

 to find the simple nest. It was upon a slight rise in a large 

 moist meadow. The two yellowish green, brown-spotted eggs 

 were kept off the ground only by a few blades of grass. 



EFFECTS OF WEATHER IN NORTH-EASTERN 

 ^lOWA, SPRING, 1910. 



BY ALTHEA R. SHERMAN. 



The '"ffect of weather conditions on bird movements this 

 spring in north-eastern Iowa has been similar, no doubt, to 

 that in other portions of the country. Here the average noon 

 temperature for March was fifty-five degrees, which was 

 twelve degrees above the average for the past eleven years. 

 This unseasonably warm weather continued during the first 

 half of April, followed by a second edition of winter, north 

 winds and frosty nights prevailing until the middle of May. 

 Temperature for the first half of May fell seven degrees be- 

 low the average. Of the earlier migrants most of the breeding 

 species came at their usual time, and took their places, having 

 few attendant birds even of such abundant species as the 

 Junco, Robin and Blackbirds. Not an individual was seen of 

 several species that are regarded as tolerably common in most 

 years. The warm weather brought but two birds out of sea- 

 son that were seen, a Ruby-crowned Kinglet, on March 28, 

 and a Solitary Sandpiper on April 14 : both of them a little 

 more than two weeks in advance of their average dates for 

 first arrivals. Dates for migration and nesting in this locality 

 will have no suggestive value unless it is kept in mind that 

 ordinarily they are from one to two weeks later than are such 

 dates in northern Ohio, or the vicinity of New York City. 



The cool weather during the second half of the migration 



