THE CONDOR 



Vol.. X 



edge of a clearing in the dense fir woodvS, and fully exposed to the sun. Since 

 then I have found a number of nests in similar locations, the vast majority, unfor- 

 tunately, being either old ones or decoys. These last are quite plentiful, tho I am 

 by no means certain that they are not nests which for some reason had proved un- 

 satisfactory before completion and on that account were deserted. 



Nest-building- commences about the third week in April, either an oak or a fir 

 being selected for the purpose. The only exception I have ever known to this was 

 one bird that I had watched until it disappeared under a strip of bark fully sixty 

 feet up in a giant cedar. Since the bird did not come out while I was watching, 

 it is fair to presume that the nest was there. 



The nest is placed, as a 

 rule, from two to twenty feet 

 above the ground, tho the 

 majority that I have seen were 

 under ten feet. As is cus- 

 tomary with the other creepers 

 it is built under a strip of bark 

 that has scaled away from the 

 trunk of the tree. The bird 

 student cannot be too careful 

 in examining every tree, as it 

 is surprising how small a 

 piece of bark is sufficient to 

 hold the nest. I passed by 

 one nest that w^as in plain 

 sight and must have had eggs 

 at the time, simply because 

 the fir that held it was only 

 three inches in diameter and 

 seemed too small to be worthy 

 of a close examination. Usu- 

 ally the twigs in the nest 

 project beyond the sides of 

 the protecting strip of bark 

 and thus betra}^ its where- 

 abouts, but in some instances 

 the strip of bark is so broad 

 as to completely hide all signs 

 of nesting material. 



Another matter that must 

 be guarded against I learned by a most annojang experience. Scarce as the 

 birds are, if the surrounding conditions are suitable at least two pairs may be 

 found nesting in the same vicinity. On May 5th of the present year I took 

 a nest containing five slightly incubated eggs, and, as the birds are so rare, it did 

 not occur to me to search for any more just there. Visiting the place again two 

 weeks later in search of a possible second nesting, I found another nest containing 

 five young only a little more than a hundred feet from the first one. This seemed 

 a little remarkable from the fact that hundreds of bark scales may be found in 

 apparently suitable locations without any indications of creepers being in 

 the neighborhood. 



In its composition the nest has a groundwork of twigs, the size of which de- 



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NEST AND EGGS OF THE TAWNY CREEPER EXPOSED 



