64 



THi OOLOGl^t 



ANNOTATED LIST OF THE BIRDS 

 OF BROOKE COUNTY, W. VA. 



Part II 



NOTE — The opening sentence of 

 the first installment of this article 

 appearing in the May number should 

 have read, "With the exception of 

 Hancock County, Brooks county is 

 the Northermost county of West Vir- 

 ginia panhandle. An unfortunate er- 

 ror made it read that Brooks County 

 was the southermost county of this 

 panhandle.- — Editor. 



49. Red Headed Woodpecker 



This species is notably rare, but it 

 nests where found. I had the luck 

 to find three nests. The species oc- 

 curs much more commonly further 

 west in Ohio and to the north in Han- 

 cock county. 



50. Red Bellied Woodpecker 



This is on© of the common char- 

 acteristic birds of the region. It 

 selects the highest oak trees for its 

 nest, and contrary to my previous ex- 

 perience, seems to be able to hide the 

 nest opening pretty well. The nests 

 of this bird which I discovered in 

 Texas were often as low as fifteen 

 feet from the ground, and were usual- 

 ly not hard to find. But here the bird 

 has assumed a more shy nature. 



51. Flicker 



Common. Frequents the old apple 

 orchards. One bird had the strange 

 habit of pecking at the inside of its 

 nest even when the young were half 

 grown. Whether this is to actually 

 widen the cavity or merely to lead the 

 passer-by to think the nest is just be- 

 ing constructed, I cannot say. 



52. Whip-poor-will 



These frequent the wilder wooded 

 sections, and are quite common in 

 suitable environs. 



53. Nighthawk 



Though this species must nest here- 

 abouts I have not discovered the eggs 

 or even a pair which seemed to be 

 breeding. I have two specimens se- 

 cured in mid-summer (July) which 

 may have nested near Juerdon Run. 

 They are common as early fall mi- 

 grants, however. 



54. Chimney Swift 



An abundant summer resident. I 

 watched this species very carefully 

 in its spring appearance in 1919. A 

 huge flock suddenly appeared on April 

 1st in the midst of a very dreary spell 

 of weather. The birds were unusually 

 noticeable and noisy and seemed a bit 

 sluggish. They appropriated a large 

 open chimney in the church as a roost- 

 ing place. I watched the birds for 

 several days before deciding to climb 

 to the chimney. They would brighten 

 up considerably and fly much higher 

 when the sun came out, and the greater 

 part of the flock went back into the 

 chimney when it became dark again. 

 Several died of starvation, since there 

 was a scarcity of food. All these 

 starved specimens I saved. On May 

 1st I climbed to the chimney about 

 twilight. The fearless birds circled 

 near me, and even when I was sitting 

 on the edge of the chimney dashed by 

 me into the refuge below. The drive 

 was performed with much ease and 

 speed. The wings were set above the 

 back entirely outspread, and the birds 

 really dropped into the entrance. Fre- 

 quently the bird twirled from side to 

 side while accomplishing the feat. It 

 was very difficult for them to enter 

 the chimney in a high wind, and more 

 than once I saw the birds attempt to 

 enter during a snow gale, only to be 

 dashed against the rim of the chimney, 

 to catch themselves for another trial. 

 This early flock was composed largely 

 of males I believe, since I captured 

 only two females out of fifteen birds 



