158 



ORNITHOLOGIST 



[Vol. 15-No. 10 



Ornithology of a City Garden. 



I thought it might interest some to see the 

 variety of hirdsthat were observed in a garden 

 nearly in the heart of a city of about 50,000 

 population, during the northern migration. 

 The garden is fringed by tall hemlocks and 

 lilac bushes, and within are fruit trees, ras})- 

 berry and currant bushes, and a variety of 

 shrubs, plants, and flowers. 



I will begin with January, though strictly 

 speaking the northern migration has not yet 

 begun. My notes show the following: 



Jan. 1. Red-breasted Nuthatch still around 

 garden; has been there for some time. 



Jan. 4. Saw some American Crossbills feed- 

 ing on cones of the hemlocks in garden; they 

 seemed mostly males. 



Jan. 17. Crows and Black-cap Chickadees 

 common in garden. 



Jan. 18. On going into garden this morning 

 saw large flock of Crossbills whicJi had been 

 feeding on cones; as usual in such cases I 

 didn't liave my gun. 



Jan. 21. Saw a pair of ('rows in garden this 

 morning, and as they have been there for 

 some time I believe they contemplate building 

 this year, as they built a nest here last year 

 and lost a set of eggs for their pains. They 

 were continually harassed and chased from 

 the nest by the Bronzed Grackles building 

 near. 



Feb. 1. Saw a small flock of Pine Finches 

 which flew out of gaiden. 



Feb. 5. Crows and Chickadees common in 

 garden. 



Feb. 11. Saw large flock of female Pine 

 Grosbeaks in garden but did not disturb them 

 as I tiiouglit they would attract the males. 

 This is their flrst a])pearance in this section, 

 in, I believe, five years. 



Feb. 14. Saw a solitary female White- 

 winged Crossbill feeding in lienilocks in tlie 

 garden. 



Feb. 17. Saw two male and two female 

 White-winged Crossbills in tlie hemlocks. 



Feb. 18. A flue male American Crossbill 

 perched on top of the hemlock trees and be- 

 gan to whistle for its mate, which soon 

 appeared. 



Feb. 11). More Wliite-winged Ci-ossl)i11s in 

 garden. 



Feb. 22. Saw two Great Northern Shrikes 

 enjoying Sparrow pie in the garden. 



March 4. The man in cliarge of tlu; garden 

 hearing a great commotion in the hemlock 

 trees caused by Crows, investigated, and 



found them harassing a fine Barred Owl. The 

 Owl found consolation in a charge of shot. 



March 26. To-day dawned clear and bright 

 and brought with it to the gardens Song and 

 Tree Sparrows, Robins and Bronzed Grackles. 



March 27. Snow fell and the birds have 

 disappeared. Saw" Sharp-shinned Hawk eat- 

 ing Sparrow in hemlock trees. 



Ajiril 5. Male Golden-crowned Kinglet in 

 garden. 



April V. Saw male Purple Finch, singing 

 on top of a hemlock. 



April 10. Saw Chipping Sparrow in garden. 



April 11. Observed Slate-colored Juncos 

 in garden. 



April 14. This morning observed Hermit 

 Thrush, Flicker and Yellow-bellied Wood- 

 pecker, and heard Fox Sparrow in garden. 



April 1"). To-day observed Cowbad, Fox 

 Sparrow, Juncos, Yellow-bellied Woodpecker, 

 and a Redpoll which was feeding on the cones 

 in the manner of a Pine Finch; heard Field 

 Sparrow. 



April 22. Saw large flocks of Fox and 

 White-throated Sparrows and Yellow-bellied 

 Woodpeckers. The W^oodpeckers would tap a 

 maple and as soon as they left the tree the 

 English Sparrows would congregate and drink 

 the saj). 



April 23. Saw flock of Ruby-crownetl 

 Kinglets, all males. 



Mayo. Warbling Vireo and House Wrens 

 in garden. 



May 4. Observed Yellow and Parula War- 

 blers, and Least Flycatchers. 



May r». Female Ruby-crowned Kinglets 

 have arrived. 



May (). Redstarts and Pine Finches in 

 garden. 



May 0. Noted Maryland Yellow-throat as 

 new arrival. 



May 10. Numbers of birds arrived to-day, 

 among them Catbird, Brown Thrasher, Wood, 

 Wilson's and Golden-crowned Thrush, Mag- 

 nolia, Blackburnian, Yellow-rumped, Black- 

 throated Blue and Xasliville Warblers, and 

 Towhee. 



May l:!. White-crowned Sparrows in garden. 



May 14. Tlie new arrivals for to-day are 

 Black-billed Cuckoo and Baltimore Oriole and 

 Scarlet Tanager. Many otliers probably passed 

 through without my notice. 



The Pine Finches, which from their remain- 

 ing so long led uu' to think they would nest 

 here, departed on the 27th of May. 



('k((x. ('. Trt-nihli/. 

 rtica, X. Y. 



