^otts from J^feltj mh ^tubp 



Relative Number of Birds in 1912 



When the birds return in the spring 

 after an exceptionally cold winter, such 

 as the last one, our first concern is to see 

 if their numbers have been greatly deci- 

 mated by the severity of the winter. No 

 attempt will be made here to consider 

 others than the thirty-seven species that 

 nest within sight and sound of my door- 

 step, and to a study of whose home life 

 the summer months are devoted. 



The species that returned with full 

 ranks, as nearly as could be estimated, 

 were the Killdeer, Mourning Dove, Screech 

 Owl, Red-headed Woodpecker, Northern 

 Flicker, Chimney Swift, Kingbird, Phoebe, 

 Cowbird, Red-winged Blackbird, Meadow- 

 lark, Western Meadowlark, Baltimore 

 Oriole, Vesper, Song, and Chipping Spar- 

 rows, Warbling Vireo, White-rumped 

 Shrike, Maryland Yellowthroat and Cat- 

 bird. The Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, 

 which are summer boarders, but not 

 breeders in the door-yard, were as numer- 

 ous as usual. The Chimney Swifts, with- 

 out being more plentiful than in the previ- 

 ous spring, have more than held their own 

 of late years, due evidently to the absence 

 in nesting-time for three seasons of those 

 heavy, beating rains that dislodge the 

 nests. 



Sparrow Hawks for the first time 

 nested on our place, and the species is 

 now increased by four young ones, at the 

 cost of the lives of numberless small 

 birds. Bronzed Crackles, the Ishmaelites 

 among birds, have increased alarmingly 

 of late. Not a nest of theirs was to be 

 found in the neighborhood ten years ago, 

 whereas this year ever}' evergreen tree 

 seemed to harbor a pair of them. Brown 

 Thrashers have appeared more numerous 

 than usual. From two nests on this place 

 four and five young ones respectively 

 went forth in June; and the second nests 

 of these pairs now (July 12) hold three 

 eggs each. House Wrens have gained in 



numbers in recent years, until they sug- 

 gest the possibility of too many of them 

 soon. Beyond doubt, they often are 

 villainous little rascals in their relations 

 with other birds. A pair of Chickadees 

 that fed here all winter seemed anxious 

 to nest here. Two more boxes were added 

 to the six already in place, but the Chick- 

 adees were not able to find lodgment in 

 any of them. Four singing Wrens at 

 present monopolize the nesting-places. 

 The nests now in progress, taken with two 

 others in the nearest yards, bid fair to 

 maintain the supply of House Wrens. 



Apparently two-thirds of our bird 

 species are as plentiful as usual, or are 

 increasing in numbers. Of the others, 

 the dryness of the sloughs this year 

 excludes the Sora and the Short-billed 

 Marsh Wren. The Bob-whites, nearly 

 exterminated by the drifting snowstorms 

 of two and three years ago, are on the 

 increase once more, and in two or three 

 places near-by the cheerful whistle of the 

 cocks may be heard. The numbers of 

 the Prairie Horned Larks have steadily 

 decreased in recent years; no cause can 

 be assigned for this loss except the usual 

 accidents to which the species is subject. 

 Quite otherwise seems to be the case of 

 the Blue Jay, which has decreased so 

 greatly that its scarcity at present has 

 been remarked by people but slightly 

 interested in birds. From circumstances 

 known to me, I venture the opinion that 

 some contagious disease carried them off. 

 The only pair nesting in this neighborhood 

 this year did not winter here. That the 

 Bobolinks are no more than one-fourth so 

 numerous as they were last year is the 

 estimate. The absence of their voices 

 from the bird chorus is a distinctly appre- 

 ciable and grievous loss. Almost equally 

 great has been the difference in the num- 

 bers of the Dickcissels last year and this. 

 Although not a very common species in 

 most years, their abundance in 191 1 may 

 be judged by the fact that after they 



(347) 



