Notes from Field and Study 



273 



Burroughs says in "Under the Maples" that 

 a visit from this northern bird indicates a 

 severe winter. However, we had a northern 

 visitor in the Dunes all last winter — the 

 Three-toed Arctic Woodpecker — beginning 

 as early as October 30, when I first saw him, 

 and our winter was unusually mild. 



All summer I had a Prairie Warbler and a 

 Black and White Warbler singing in my 

 perching-trees. They evidently nested near, 

 judging from the activities of both the males 

 and females in gathering food. 



I mention them because they are not 

 common summer residents in this section. 

 There were plenty of the more common birds, 

 from the House Wren, nesting in a bird- 

 house, to the Great Horned Owl, perching in 

 the very top of the tallest tree. 



A Bewick's Wren made us a call in passing, 

 and sang beautifully near our door. — 

 Lillian Cramp, Chicago, Ills. 



Evening Grosbeaks in Illinois 



My neighbor's garden runs down toward 

 a small creek. Along this creek are low 

 willows, small box elders, and other small 

 bushes. I visited this place every day, if 

 possible, to watch the migration of birds. 



On October 15, 192 1, I went down about 

 7 o'clock and discovered the place to be full 

 of birds. I saw the Purple Finches, that I 

 had discovered there the week before, and 

 Myrtle Warblers, both Ruby- and Golden- 

 crowned Kinglets, a Brown Creeper, a White- 

 breasted Nuthatch, a young Rose-breasted 

 Grosbeak, a Song Sparrow, a flock of White- 

 throated Sparrows, some Juncos, a pair of 

 Chickadees, and a few Fox Sparrows. 



I was just about to leave the place when 

 I saw in the tops of the trees across the creek, 

 some birds with black and yellow and white 

 markings. Their call was similar to that of 

 the Robin. At first, they were too far away 

 to get distinct markings, but after a little 

 while, they flew directly in front of me and 

 began feeding on weed seeds and in the box 

 elders. They proved to be Evening Gros- 

 beaks. There were about a dozen in the 

 flock, some of them females or young. I 

 watched them feeding until a shower drove 

 me away, but about noon the sun came out 



again, and I found the Grosbeaks up in the 

 garden, feeding in the raspberry bushes and 

 on some elder berries along the fence. They 

 did not seem to take any notice of me and 

 I watched them until they flew away across 

 the creek. 



I looked for them every day after that, but 

 did not see them again until October 24. 

 They were here then for just one day, and 

 there were about the same number in the 

 flock. 



I have kept a record of spring and fall 

 migration of birds for several years and never 

 before have I seen the Evening Grosbeaks, 

 nor did I expect to see them in this locality. — 

 Ada Lilly, Diirand, Ills. 



A Cooperative Chickadee Nest 



In the winter of 1918, a Downy Wood- 

 pecker started to drill a hole in a post in our 

 back yard. It was just started when he left. 

 In the spring, I noticed a pair of Chickadees 

 pecking at the same hole. They worked for 

 days but made little progress. Finally my 

 mother suggested that I try to help them. 

 I took a chisel and hammer and chipped away 

 the hard central part of the post. Around 

 this the wood was soft and crumbly. My 

 work had made the opening rather large. I 

 was afraid the English Sparrows would take 

 possession so I took a square of heavy dark 

 paper, cut a small hole in it and tacked it 

 over the hole in the post. I watched from 

 the window. The Chickadees tried but 

 could not get in, so I enlarged the hole. They 

 immediately entered and commenced their 

 excavating again. They raised a brood of 

 eight, and this summer they raised a brood 

 of the same number. We feed the birds 

 every winter but it seemed an even greater 

 privilege to help them make their nest. — 

 F. BoYLES, Kent, Ohio. 



A Prank of the Downy 



Of all the birds that visit my feeding- 

 station, I believe the Downy Woodpecker is 

 one of the most interesting. He seems to be 

 one of the first to become acquainted and 

 when once acquainted does not forget you 

 from season to season. 



