Long Island Bird Notes 



ON June 2nd I took at Smithtown a fine set of six eggs of the Ovenbird, 

 which is the largest set of this species that has ever come under my 

 observation. 



On my lawn at Floral Park thirty to fifty pairs of Robins breed annual- 

 ly. I think there are more here this year than ever before, and the early 

 nesting seems to have been unusually successful. The first young birds on 

 the wing were noticed May 28th, while during the first week in June there 

 was a score of them to be seen. 



Whip-poor-wills on the east end of Long Island seem to be diminishing. 

 In sections where they were very abundant ten years ago it is only occasion- 

 ally that more than one or two may now be heard during an evening. This 

 is not owing to any change in conditions in one particular locality at least 

 (Smithtown, where I observed them,) as there has been no new building, 

 no cutting off of forests, or, in fact, any changes that would make the section 

 less desirable for this bird, and I fear the species is diminishing in numbers. 



A pair of Sparrow Hawks were found nesting this spring in a small 

 piece of woods near Belmont Park, which is almost within the city limits of 

 Greater New York. 



One day early in May a Cormorant visited a small trout pond at Smith- 

 town and remained for about twenty-four hours. He was observed by a 

 number of natives, the oldest of whom were entirely unfamiliar with the 

 bird and declare they had never before seen one on Long Island. 



On June 2nd a Black-billed Cuckoo's nest was observed at Smithtown 

 with two eggs, one of which was just hatching. This is the first instance of 

 this bird breeding on Long Island that has ever come under my personal 

 observation. 



On June 2nd I discovered in a cedar tree near Smitwhtown what appeared 

 to be the foundation sticks for a Blue Jay's nest. The nest had evidently 

 been started and abandoned. On these sticks was a Whip-poor-will's egg the 

 contents of which had been extracted. Also the shell of a Blue Jay's egg. 

 As Blue Jays were nesting in the vicinity I give them credit for having perpe- 

 trated this piece of mischief. 



