12 



THE AUDUBON BU L L E T I N 



Photo by J. Evelyn Ridgway 



birds, those seen being Cooper's, 

 Sharp-shinned, Sparrow Hawk and 

 Red-shouldered Hawk. The last, 

 however, did not molest the birds, 

 though all the others did. 



The daily menu consisted of 

 chick feed, sunflower seed, and a 

 mixture of cracked corn, hemp 

 seed and oats, together with suet, 

 nuts and raisins ; the latter being 

 the corinth raisin, or so-called dried 

 currants, six pounds costing fifty 

 cents. I still have a few left. The 

 mixed grains were scattered broad- 

 cast, sunflower seeds in special feed- 

 ing boxes for the Cardinals who preferred those to the mixed grains ; 

 the chick feed was eaten by Juneos, White-throats and other sparrows. 

 The nuts were relished by Tufted Titmice and Chickadees. Raisins were 

 (and still are) enjoyed by the Mocking Bird exclusively. Suet at- 

 tracted the Woodpecker family. 



All the birds were very fond of nuts ; as I have only the two nut 

 boxes, my "Tufties" and Chickadees, for whom the nuts were specially 

 intended, were often crowded out by the little Juneos who were very 

 persistent in appropriating the boxes. It was amusing to see one Tufted 

 Titmouse bar the way to his particular nut box, and I was glad to see 

 him assert himself. 



The nut boxes are close to the dining room windows, one, in fact is 

 secured on the side of one window, the other is on a post, two feet 

 from the windows ; we often stand very near the windows, the birds 

 not objecting to our presence in the least; the whole "bird dining 

 room" is within a radius of twelve or fifteen feet of our dining room 

 windows. It was wonderful to hear the Cardinals, Mocking Bird and 

 Carolina Wren singing their very best after a hearty breakfast, when 

 the thermometer registered near zero, with deep snow covering the 

 landscape. 



Mr. Ridgway has just quoted to me from his diary the exact date 

 and time of one the "grand operas" : January 21, at 7:45 A. M. ; ther- 

 mometer registering 1 degree above zero. 



We felt well repaid for all the work of keeping "open house." 

 During the coldest weather I have counted as many as seventeen 

 Cardinals feeding at one time, including a nearly equal number of 

 males and females ; it was a most lovely sight. I was much surprised 

 to see my "Tufties" and Chickadees bathing the latter part of February 

 when it was 33 degrees above zero ; they seemed to enjoy it as much 

 as they do in mid-summer. Several birds which are ordinarily with us 

 all winter this year disappeared during the coldest part of the season. 

 They are the Robin, Grackle, Meacjowlark, Dove, Killdeer, Blue Bird 

 and Chewink. Two doves came for two consecutive days during the 

 coldest weather, but then dissappeared. 



When the weather moderated early in February, all these species 

 returned. Robins came February 9, Killdeers February 13. 



