ILLINOIS AUDUBON SOCIETY 55 



The earliest migrant in order of its arrival of the season and never recorded 

 here before was the Western Tanager (Piranga ludoviciana). But the brightly 

 colored bunch of feathers near the point of observation a day later clearly indicated 

 the tragic end met by this beautiful visitant. 



The Western Meadowlark arrived March 25th in partial song and continued to 

 perform continuously until October 21st. The season previous their last notes were 

 heard November 7, and am quite sure that even a later date should have held last 

 year if other observers had assisted in making observation. The Western Meadowlarks 

 as noted before are spreading through this region quite rapidly and are becoming 

 less of a curiosity. 



The first flock of Redpolls (Acanthis linaria linaria L) were seen by the author 

 November 4th, and since that time have become very abundant. Flocks of from 100 

 to 500 birds were seen personally on several occasions. 



On November 22nd for the first time according to local records there came to 

 notice here a Pine Grosbeak (Pinicola enucleator leucura — Mull). This bird had found 

 a snug retreat in a quiet residential district, feeding freely on the red berries of the 

 matrimony vine, alternating the fare with buds of the bush honeysuckle. There it 

 remained for a week unafraid of its inquisitive callers. 



The first flock of Evening Grosbeaks (Hesperiphona vespertina vespertina W. 

 Coop) came to notice January 22nd composed of four birds, and a few days later 

 eleven were seen in the same place. Other flocks of from seven to nineteen birds were 

 seen about various parts of the city and to date, March 1st, are still here. 



A flock of purple finches (Carpodacus purpureus purpureus — Gmel), composed 

 of twenty-five birds, were observed repeatedly during the latter part of February. 



One male Kingfisher also was noted, which in spite of the severity of the season 

 remained here, (and is here today) making use of his burrow for a retreat from the 

 cold. The river froze over entirely and his range lay along a small creek, which 

 opened up but little here and there, during the severest part of the winter. 



Red-headed Woodpeckers in fair numbers remained with us all winter, among 

 them an inmature bird. 



The American Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra minor — Brehm) arrived here Novem- 

 ber 1st and other flocks were reported from time to time, however they soon passed 

 on. 



Tree sparrows (Spizella monticola monticola — Gmel) were especially numerous, 

 large flocks being present in many of the shrub-grown pastures. In other seasons these 

 birds were almost entirely absent until late winter or early spring. 



Several Song Sparrows and one male Red-winged Blackbird also wintered here. 



The Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis cardinalis — Linn) was again reported here, 

 two females at one time and a single female at others. The one bird especially became 

 a regular guest at a local feeding table 



Cedar Waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum) with the vague record of transient 

 visitants, last summer nested in the outskirts of this city in two widely different places 

 and in one instance within the city limits. The author was fortunate enough to 

 have under observation one nest near his home. Scotch Pines (Pinus sylvestris L) 

 and Norway Spruce (Picea abies L) served for their nesting sites, the nests being 

 placed eight and twenty-five feet above the ground respectively. The decoy nest, 

 which is usually built by this specie, in advent of the real one, also was noted. Two 

 fledglings resulted from one and four from the other nest. 



The W 7 inter Wrens, of which several were generally found around here, left for 

 points unknown late in December. 



The Red-breasted Nuthatches (Sitta canadensis — Linn) were unusually abundant 

 early in the winter but since have settled down to their normal number. 



The fall migration of Chickadees was not as marked as the year before. However, 

 I have been able to establish quite definitely the permanent residence of members of 

 this species by banding six nestlings, each one around the left leg. Banding is prac- 

 ticed here by two operators only, and by agreement on opposite legs, therefore we 

 found Chickadees banded on the left leg feeding on suet but twenty-five feet from the 

 box where six Chickadees had been banded around the left leg. 



The Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina — Gmel) also showed that they had ex- 

 tended their range through the thickly populated part of the city, eight pair nesting 

 here against two of the year previous. One pair especially noted for years has built 

 within six blocks of the busiest corner in the city. Paul B. Riis. 



Winter Birds on a Rock Island County Farm. 

 Following are two lists of birds seen by the writer during the last two winters 

 on a farm of 103 acres, 3 miles southeast of Port Byron, in the upper end of Rock 



