THE OOLOQIST 



109 



TWO NOTABLE RECORDS 



On January 30th, last (1923),I was 

 watching a mixed group of Chickadees, 

 Nuthatches (White and Red-breasted), 

 Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers, feed- 

 ing on dormant wood ants, exposed by 

 wood cutters splitting up a large dead 

 basswood tree in a 20-acre wood-lot, 

 located on the south edge of the town 

 of Chili, Monroe County, New York. 



It was an extremely cold day, tem- 

 perature hovering around zero, with 

 a stiff west wind and snow squalls. 



I noticed a small bird in the under- 

 brush, evidently keeping company with 

 them, the first glimpse reminding me 

 of a Purple Finch in fall plumage. 



On closer inspection, I recognized 

 the Gray-crowned Leucosticte (Rosy 

 Finch). I have had skins of this bird 

 on several occasions, but this was 

 my first chance to observe a live bird. 

 It stayed close around for half an 

 hour, at times as close as fifteen feet, 

 and there was no question as to iden- 

 tity. 



Eaton did not find a state record 

 for his "Birds of New York," and 

 classes it as an extremely rare winter 

 straggler. 



On March 2nd, last, in another wood 

 of about the same size, a mile north 

 of the last, I heard a raucuous squawk 

 that was new to me, and on closer ap- 

 proach found a pair of Northern Pile- 

 ated Woodpeckers quarreling with a 

 male Red-headed Woodpecker. A 

 party residing close by stated that 

 they had been in the woods several 

 days. It was again my first view of a 

 live bird. Ernest H. Short, 



Rochester, N. Y. 



ground, in an alder bush, and when 

 discovered on June 18th, had a brood 

 of four ready to leave the nest. The 

 young hastily left the nest as I ap- 

 proached within a few feet of them, 

 and eluded all attempts to capture for 

 the purpose of banding. Observations 

 for a number of years in this particu- 

 lar location had led me to believe the 

 species nested here, but this is the 

 first nest I have located. On numer- 

 ous occasions young, five to ten weeks 

 have been seen, and for this reason 

 was sure of my ground. During 1923 

 I intend to watch more closely and 

 may be able to observe more of their 

 home life here. Louis S. Kohler. 



CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER 



In the hills north of the State 

 Normal School at Montclair Heights, 

 N. J., a Chestnut-sided Warbler nested 

 in the spring of 1922. The nest was 

 located about three feet from the 



DECEMBER, 1922. IN RICHFIELD, 

 NEW JERSEY 



Unlike a number of years past, the 

 weather during this month has been 

 more than usually rigorous. The 

 month was marked by two very severe 

 sleet storms, which played havoc with 

 our feathered friends and deprived 

 them of their natural food for several 

 long periods. The Crows, which usu- 

 ally are either observed in the adjacent 

 hills or flying high overhead, have 

 this month been haunting the fields 

 and gardens in search of available 

 food. Blue Jays are to be found on 

 all sides. In the yards immedia ely 

 about the residences the Juncoes, Tree 

 Sparrows and Song Sparrows roved 

 about in small flocks, picking up what- 

 ever feed they could find to sustain 

 themselves. Bird seed and cracked 

 corn was placed in among the berry 

 bushes, and suet, peanuts and pieces 

 of raw meat at different points in the 

 peach and apple orchards. Downies 

 and White-breasted Nuthatches, and 

 an occasional Chickadee enjoyed these 

 tidbits. On the 15th a Cardinal put 

 in an appearance and a Northern 

 Shrike was observed over the rose 

 beds of the nurseries here. These 



