184 The Migration of Birds 
Every moment is precious, for the migration wave will 
probably reach its height between May third and 
fourteenth. The hedges and small groves are thronged 
with migrants. Their plumage is spotless, and in 
most species the males are easily recognized by 
their bright colors. This is the time to add new 
names to your bird list, for upon their return, al- 
though upon the whole they move more leisurely, 
there will be the young, and many of the old birds 
will have changed color by moulting, thus making 
identification more difficult. 
By May fifth we should have the night hawk, king 
bird, great crested flycatcher, wood pewee, orchard 
and Baltimore orioles, indigo bunting, ruby-throated 
humming bird, scarlet tanager, white-eyed vireo, long- 
billed marsh wren, Wilson’s thrush, chat, and our 
remaining warblers. By the end of the first week 
in June we have the birds that intend to remain with 
us during the nesting season. 
One of the earliest nesting birds is the great horned 
owl. This nest is sometimes found by the latter 
part of February. The early migrants, that remain 
with us, begin to nest in the latter part of March or 
the first of April. 
It seems as though we hardly get used to the birds 
being with us before some of them are preparing to 
