HOW TO STUDY THE BIRDS 19 



The bobolink is losing his gay coat of black and white 

 and buff, and is preparing for a raid upon the southern rice 

 fields, where he will travel under the disguise of " ricebird." 

 Less capable of flight while shedding his feathers, he retires 

 to cornfields to molt, where he is afforded an unobstructed 

 view on all sides as a protection against natural enemies. 



August is the general month for molting. About the 

 only birds demonstrative about nest-building at this late date 

 are some of the goldfinches and cedar waxwings. Many of 

 the latter have remained in flocks through the entire winter, 

 spring, and early summer, but are now busy nest-building 

 in some isolated orchard, shade tree, or evergreen. A walk 

 through the timber, along the water-courses, and over fields 

 will disclose little bird-life, as birds are naturally shy and 

 evasive while molting. Their flight, even, is defective, so 

 they remain within the shelter of heavy grass or brush. We 

 may see a dozen wood ducks about some little lagoon or 

 wooded lake, probably two adults and their offspring. Wood- 

 peckers may be seen moving about in families, two redheaded 

 woodpeckers guiding four or five inmiature birds which have 

 not attained the scarlet headgear. Only during the early 

 hours of morning do the birds show any animation. At that 

 time we occasionally hear the song of a catbird, the call of 

 a cuckoo, the note of a pewee, and the mellow twitter of a 

 goldfinch as he darts back and forth, singing at every dip of 

 his undulating flight. 



This is a good month to examine and collect birds' nests. 

 They have not long been exposed to the weather, because the 

 foliage is still on the trees. Many nests are kept in their 

 proper shape only by removing the twig, stem, or limb to 



