Birds of Lewist on- Auburn 9 



SPRING MIGRATION 



In February, especially after the middle of the 

 month, we begin to see signs of spring in the bird world. 

 Chickadees that have left our city feeding stations dur- 

 ing the severe weather of December and January return 

 and sing their "phe-be" note interpreted by some one to 

 say "spring soon." The tree sparrows have a tiny song 

 which Chapman says sounds like the tinkling of icicles, 

 we hear the caw caw of crows flying over, for in Febru- 

 ary they become more noisy and numerous. A herring 

 gull is seen sailing over the river and the winter birds 

 are more in evidence. 



About mid-February when horned and prairie horned 

 larks are seen, we say the first spring migrant has arrived. 



In March the tree sparrow changes his song to the 

 sweetest warble that reminds me of the beginning of a 

 song sparrow's but much lighter. Another song of his 

 makes me wonder if a canary has commenced to sing. 



During the winter w r e have heard the sweet call notes 

 of redpolls, goldfinches, grosbeaks and chickadees, but 

 this song of the tree sparrow seems to me to be the first 

 spring singing. It always reminds me of a sunshiny, 

 frosty morning in March when I heard them for the first 

 time as they flocked about a feeding station near the 

 Androscoggin river south of Riverside Cemetery. If 

 one is where the chickadees are, either in the woods or at 

 some feeding place, he will hear the most delightful 

 warbling song in March that has no quality of "dee-dee- 

 dee" in it. Twice I have heard it, once in a shrub near 

 one of the city streets and once in the deep woods. Pur- 

 ple finches may also be seen, probably some who have 

 wintered near, and on the trees about the city a wood- 



