BIRDS OF PEASEMARSH 



With their clear, yellow coloring and black 

 wings and tail they are very beautiful birds. 

 High up in a fork of a branch of a maple tree 

 just outside the window a pair made their cup 

 shaped nest last year. The tall maples are 

 their favorite nesting places. Only rarely are 

 their nests found in low bushes, but frequently 

 they nest in a tall apple hedge here, and, flying 

 in and out against the dense green, they look 

 like rare gold. They are among our most per- 

 sistent seed eaters, and, when a pair alight on 

 a tall thistle, so intent will they be on getting 

 the seeds that one can come very close to them. 

 They are late in beginning their housekeeping, 

 flitting irresponsibly about when other birds 

 are searching their nesting material, and only 

 beginning to build when many birds have al- 

 ready nestlings to feed. 



Curiously enough the Purple Finch is dis- 

 tinguished by its crimson color, very vivid on 

 its head and breast. The wings and tail, how- 

 ever, are a dull, brownish shade. The mate is 

 dull grey brown, her breast white but well 

 streaked with brown. It would be very hard 

 to find her while on her nest or guarding her 

 little ones, so like the nest and the branches 



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