A BI-MONTHLY MAGAZINE 



DEVOTED TO THE STUDY AND PROTECTION OF BIRDS 



Official Organ of the Audubon Societies 



Vol. XIII March— April, 1911 No. 2 



Birds and Seasons in My Garden 



II. APRIL AND MAY 

 By MABEL OSGOOD WRIGHT 



"On every bough the birdes heard I sing 

 With voice of Angel in hir armonie." — Spenser, 



WHEN spring has actually taken form and separated herself from 

 the mists of melting snow, bringing Pandora's own box of mysteries 

 for luggage, even the garden owner who has ceased to expect the 

 miraculous to happen suddenly becomes alert, and is continually in the 

 attitude known as "nose to the wind," in the lore of the wild. 



Which of the earth tribe that live by root, bulb and seed has survived the 

 winter? Who of the winged company have safely passed the perils of flight 

 through storms and unfriendly lands? Will the warbler migration be great or 

 small? Will the Blackburnians pass the garden by, or stop for a day or week 

 in the spruces? What of the summer residents? Nesting-sites there are 

 galore in tree, bush, briar-patch, and well - contrived houses that any 

 sensible bird possessing a shred of imagination can easily mistake for post or 

 tree holes. 



Shed-beams are here for the Phoebes, snuggeries for House Wrens, a heap 

 of cedar brush down in the farm land if the Carolina Wren is home-hunting, 

 piazza roof nooks for the unfortunate Robins who have had bad luck in choos- 

 ing a long branch site with too great leverage, so that the heavy nest with 

 the added weight of young frequently topples to the ground. 



A group of spruces on a knoll above the pool for two years harbored a 

 nest of Green Herons. They joyfully ate the gold-fish that we kept in the 

 pool as an antidote to mosquitos; yet we shall be glad to see them back, for 

 they bring a welcome tropic touch to the formality of things. Everything is 

 ready; who will come? 



From April until the last Blackpoll has moved on, I feel not unlike the 

 owner of some modest hillside resort, who, after painting his front stoop, swing- 

 ing hammocks in the orchard, and staking out a new set of croquet, puts a 



