282 



Bird - Lore 



Sonic species, like liic smaller Fl}'catclicis, 

 were, however, less frequenUy seen than in 

 recent years; others, like) the Whip-poor-will, 

 appeared to be more common. 



In view of the fact that all the transient 

 visitors and all winter residents had passed 

 northward by June i of this year, there is 

 little of interest concerning such movements 

 to chronicle in the present report. 



The Pied-billed Grebe, which is common 

 in fall, sometimes also in spring, but which, 

 so far as we know, has not previously, except 

 once (June lo, 1919), remained later than 

 the middle of May, continued here this j^ear 

 until June 21. A flock of eight was observed 

 by F. P. Callaghan along the Potomac River, 

 near Washington, regularly from early June 

 to the above date. From this we may in- 

 dulge the hope that the species may at some 

 future time breed in the Washington region. 



Two individuals of the Double-crested 

 Cormorant, which is a rare straggler in the 

 vicinilN' of Washington, were seen b}'^ Miss 

 M. J. Pellew along the Potomac River, near 

 Marshall Hall, some fourteen miles below 

 Washington, on May 31 of the present year. 

 It is interesting to note that this Cormorant 

 has been certainly reported from this region 

 in only five previous years — 1859, 1884, 

 1896, 1917, and 1921 — although there some- 

 times has been more than one record in a year. 



The European Starling, which has been 

 rapidly increasing in numbers since its 

 appearance here a number of years ago, has 

 now become a common bird in most of the 

 region about Washington, both in winter 

 and summer. Young birds this year have 

 been conspicuous in many places during July. 



The Nighthawk, which commonly belies 

 its name of 'iV/'^/?/hawk' by being abroad 

 mostly in the daytime, occasionally flies also 

 by night, but this is not so regular an occur- 

 rence that it entirely ceases to be a matter 

 worthy of comment. During the early part 

 of June, Nighthawks were frequently heard 

 calling on the wing after dark in the out- 

 skirts of the northern part of Washington. 

 On June 6 they were heard at 8.30 p.m., 

 on June 7 at 9.40 p.m., on June 9 at 10.45 

 P.M., and on June 11 at 1.45 a.m. They 

 were thus abroad at practically all hours of 

 the night, though it will be noted that on all 



llu'sc niglils (here was bright moonlight, 

 as the moon was full on the 9th of the 

 month. — Hakry C. Oberholseu, Biological 

 Survey, yVashiiigloii, D. C. 



Oberlin (Ohio) Region. — The weather 

 during the summer has been very different 

 from that of the two preceding years. There 

 have been frequent showers and wet and 

 cool weather with but a few really hot days 

 as compared with 1920 and 1921. However, 

 August up to date (15th) has been dryer 

 and warmer. The birds have been fairly 

 niunerous and seemed to have been more in 

 prominence. The weather seemed to in- 

 vigorate them to greater activity. 



The Red-headed Woodpeckers have been 

 more common than usual this summer as they 

 likewise were last spring. Bob-whites could 

 be heard whistling on all sides of you. They 

 are by no means abundant, but their num- 

 bers have steadily increased the last few 

 years. However, in winter, when they are 

 gathered in flocks and are silent, they seem, 

 of course, less numerous, and as one has 

 almost to step on them to flush them, thej' 

 even at times seem almost uncommon. 



The Turkey Vulture is a prominent bird 

 in this region during the summer months. 

 At places along the Vermillion River where 

 farmers leave their dead animals lying in 

 the fields, the)' are especialty numerous. In 

 such localities at least a few birds can be 

 seen every day, whfle flocks of 15 to 30 are 

 a common sight and once in a while the 

 flock numbers xjver 40. Such a gathering 

 circling around in the air at one time certainly 

 makes a startling scene. 



The Bobolinks had all ceased singing and 

 left the fields and meadows to gather in 

 flocks the second week in July. The Balti- 

 more Orioles, after a silence of about three 

 weeks, were heard singing again the last 

 week of the month. The song however, was 

 unequal to their rich full melodies of May. 



The nesting of all the birds, so far as 

 known, has been satisfactory. One record 

 especially is interesting, that of a pair of 

 Pied-billed Grebes which was seen with a 

 young one on June 30 in the marshes near 

 Vermillion. The}' were seen a number of 

 times later during the summer in the same 



