BIRDS OF NEW YORK 385 



Hudson valley, arriving from the south from the ist to the 12th of May, 

 average date May 5; and departing for the south from the ist to the 8th 

 of September. It is uncommon or local on southern and eastern Long 

 Island and in the central Hudson valley and the valley of the Delaware. 

 Davison's record for Niagara county evidently establishes a western New 

 York breeding date; but although the species has been observed and 

 specimens taken at Penn Yan, Buffalo, Ballston Spa, Canandaigua and 

 Rochester, it is certainly rare as a migrant and extremely rare as a breeding 

 species in central and western New York, like the Worm-eating warbler 

 being practically confined to the typical Carolinian fauna (see map, page 

 25, volume i). 



Haunts and habits. The Blue-winged warbler frequents swampy 

 thickets and wooded valleys but is sometimes found among the scrubby 

 second growth of the hillsides and the undergrowth of the dense woods. 

 It is deliberate in its movements as compared to the other warblers, acting 

 more like a vireo than a member of this family. 



The song is insignificant, a wheezy performance of notes resembling 

 the syllables " swee-e-e-e-e, chee-chee-chee-chee,'" the first inhaled and the 

 second exhaled. Another song described by Jones is more varied, rendered 

 by Mr Chapman as " wee, chi-cM-cht-cht-, chilr, chee-chury Another song 

 mentioned by Burns suggests the Chickadee's " che-de-de-e, che-de-de-e.'" 



The nesting site of this warbler is on the ground in a bunch of herbs 



or at the foot of a small bush. The nest is surrounded by the grass, weeds, 



ferns or vines which screen it effectively from view. The eggs are 4 to 



6 in number, usually 5, white or creamy white in ground color with specks 



and spots of dark umber, brown, lavender and purple, the amount of 



spotting varying considerably, but usually forming a wreath near the larger 



end of the egg. Size averages .64 by .51 inches. The earliest nesting date 



in my records is May 15, from Long Island, the usual dates for New York 



ranging from May 2^, to June 16. 

 25 



