164 



Bird - Lore 



Pine Grosbeak, Red Crossbill, White- 

 winged Crossbill, Redpoll, or Brown- 

 capped Chickadee. — Charles H. Rogers, 

 American Museum of Natural History, 

 New York City. 



Philadelphia Region. — This vicinity 

 came in for its full share of the abnormal 

 cold of December and January. All re- 

 cords of the local weather bureau for long- 

 continued cold were broken. The depar- 

 ture from normal averaged, for the two 

 months, almost -8°. The Delaware River, 

 above Philadelphia, was frozen from shore 

 to shore, and ice was said to be 18 inches 

 thick a short distance up the river (Tor- 

 resdale. Pa.), the thickest in the memory 

 of the local rivermen. 



As for the birds, there appeared to be 

 about the same number of species present 

 as in late November, but a decided f alling- 

 off in the number of individuals was ap- 

 parent. This was no doubt due to some 

 extent to the deep snows, which forced the 

 birds into restricted areas where food was 

 obtainable. For instance, a small flock of 

 Meadowlarks which had taken winter 

 quarters on a nearby river-meadow could 

 not be found. After repeated attempts 

 to locate them had failed, they were 

 finally discovered some distance away 

 feeding on the top of a heap of compost. 

 They were very loath to leave and came 

 back as soon as the opportunity offered. 

 With them were numbers of Horned Larks 

 and Song Sparrows. 



The Northern Shrike was the only 

 species from the North that appeared in 

 sufficient numbers to break the monotony 

 of the ordinary list of the common winter 

 birds. 



A brief but characteristic report for 

 the two months might be summed up in 

 the words: bitter cold, birds scarce. — 

 Julian K. Potter, Camden, N. J. 



Washington Region. — Notwithstand- 

 ing one of the severest winters in local 

 annals, there were few of the more northern 

 winter residents about Washington during 

 December and January. The common and 

 regular winter birds have been about as 



numerous as usual, although more un- 

 equally distributed, owing perhaps to the 

 cold weather and almost continuous cover- 

 ing of snow in the country districts. Very 

 noticeable, however, has been the almost 

 entire absence of the Red-breasted Nut- 

 hatch, which is normally a more or less 

 common winter resident. 



Hawks have been present in more than 

 ordinary numbers, many of them resorting 

 to places in the immediate suburbs of the 

 city, particularly the lower part of the 

 Potomac Park. Here the Red-tailed Hawk, 

 which is considered a rather rare bird about 

 Washington, has been seen regularly. 

 Other species observed during December 

 and January were the Red-shouldered 

 Hawk, Broad-winged Hawk, Bald Eagle, 

 Marsh Hawk, Cooper Hawk, Sharp- 

 shinned Hawk, and Sparrow Hawk, and 

 most of these have been reported as more 

 or less common. 



In the District of Columbia, that is, 

 the environs of the city of Washington, 

 the Bob-white has been, it is a pleasure 

 to say, unusually numerous. In view of 

 the severe weather, interested persons took 

 measures to save the birds from starva- 

 tion by systematically feeding them, and 

 with gratifying results. 



A flock of Prairie Horned Larks, rather 

 large for this vicinity, consisting of several 

 hundred individuals, with a slight sprink- 

 ling of Horned Larks, were by several 

 observers noted in the vicinity of Arling- 

 ton, Va., on January 24 and on several 

 subsequent dates. The Prairie Horned 

 Lark has also been reported from other 

 places in the Washington region. 



The European Starling has been much 

 in evidence, moving in flocks all winter, 

 and has appeared in a number of places in 

 various directions from Washington. It 

 is perhaps also worthy of note that the 

 Horned Grebe was observed by Mr. B. H. 

 Swales, on December 6, 12, 13, and 14, 

 191 7, in the Potomac River, opposite the 

 lower end of Potomac Park, and a Cat- 

 bird in the same place on December 6, 

 1917. 



Of the more uncommon winter visitors 

 there are few to record. A single Snow- 



