BIRD STUDY 309 



true of robins, bluebirds, blackbirds, cowbirds, doves, 

 meadow larks, song sparrows, and others. The number 

 of birds in a flock may be noted, where the different groups 

 may be found, whether or not all the individuals in a flock 

 look alike. A record should be kept of the date when the 

 last flock was seen. Watch to see if any stragglers are left 

 after the flocks have disappeared. During September and 

 October flocks of migrants that spend the summer farther 

 north will be found in abundance. 



The winter residents begin to appear about the same 

 time. It is worth while to continue the observation long 

 enough to enable the children to determine for themselves 

 which birds are winter residents and which migrants. 

 When the leaves have fallen from the trees, nests that have 

 been hidden away during the summer are exposed to view. 

 They may be counted and in this way the number of birds 

 that reared young in the neighborhood be estimated. 

 Children who live in the country will be interested in find- 

 ing out how. many nests are stowed away in the osage hedge 

 rows that border the roadside. The location of nests may 

 be noted as to whether they are in a crotch or on a hori- 

 zontal limb, whether in a tree or bush, and how far from 

 the ground they are built. Determine whether certain 

 species of trees and shrubs are preferred to others. A few 

 nests may be collected and studied, noting how they are 

 made, the material used, the skill with which they are put 

 together. 



The outdoor study may well be supplemented with 

 short exercises in the schoolroom. Fifteen or twenty 

 minutes a week will be ample time for this work. Give 

 the children a few definite points to find out about some 



