26 Bird - Lore 



BIRDS OF THE SEASON 



Permanent residents and winter visitants (see Bird-Lore, Dec, 1900, p. 186.) 

 March Migrants. — March i-io, Killdeer, Red-winged Blacicbird, Rusty Blacic- 

 bird, Meadowlark, Bronzed Grackle, Robin, Bluebird; 10-20, Canada Goose, Mourn- 

 ing Dove, Kingfisher, Cowbird, Fox Sparrow, Towhee, Loggerhead Shrike; 20-30. 

 Great Blue Heron, Phoebe, Vesper Sparrow, Hermit Thrush. 



FEBRUARY AND MARCH BIRD-LIFE AT GLEN ELLYN (NEAR CHICAGO), ILLINOIS 



By Benjamin T. Gault 



February is, as a rule, our coldest month, while March easily holds 

 the distinction of being the most disagreeable period of all the year. 



February, therefore, brings us but few slight changes among the birds, 

 neither detracting from or adding much to our winter list. If anything, 

 they are less numerous then ; the Ja^'S scarcely seem as plentiful about 

 our homes, while with the Crows a marked falling off has actually taken 

 place. But, however changeable the weather of March may be, we are 

 more than equally reminded, before the month is half through, that 

 spring is joyfully on its way. 



Our first early arrivals, if not for February, have been the Robins and 

 Bluebirds, which, with us, make their appearance almost simultaneously, 

 or, at the best, but a few days apart, though, in the case of the former, 

 they are usually dark -colored males whose voices for the time being are 

 silent. In our fields the Meadowlarks appear to have become a per- 

 manent fixture. Tree Sparrows now are more given to song as the sea- 

 son for their departure northward advances. 



The middle of March brings us the Song Sparrow and his bright lit- 

 tle lay, without which our still barren fields and leafless woods would 

 seem decidedly dreary. The Geese, too, are now flying northward in 

 V-shaped flocks, though others still, more battalion-like, continue to pass 

 back and forth from the cornfields to their nightly roosts on the bosom 

 of Lake Michigan. Red-winged Blackbirds are at their old stands, some 

 old males at least, while, from the 20th to the 25th of the month. Ducks 

 are flying regularly. 



The remainder of the month witnesses new arrivals daily, good ex- 

 amples being the Rusty and Bronzed Crackles, Juncos, Fox Sparrows, 

 Golden -crowned Kinglets, Phoebe, Cowbird and Kildeer, each voicing its 

 sentiments in their own peculiar way. Some of the Crows have com- 

 pleted their nests by this time in the red oaks, and here and there an 

 impatient Blue Jay has also commenced building operations. 



The month goes out very spring-like. Near sheltered woodland 

 ponds we now listen to the croaking of frogs, and should we arise early 

 enough it is possible for us, perhaps, to enjoy the rather novel experience 

 of listening to the first spring "booming" notes of the male Prairie 



