40 THE AUDUBON BULLETIN 



Commercial photographer by profession, he possessed an artistic sense 

 and patience so essential in the successful photography of wild things. 

 Most of his life was spent in Rockford, 111. and he had a fine collection 

 of original photographs of birds and of nest life in the Rockford area which 

 he had hoped ultimately to publish. He retouched the colored plates in his 

 bird guide to conform to reality. This comprehensive bird log was at once 

 original, simple and complete. Work of this sort carried on in his con- 

 sistent, unfaltering way should in time have proven a valuable record for 

 the Rockford region. His life's journey brief, as years go, was well rounded 

 out by pleasurable throbbing response to Nature's alluring beauties. Prob- 

 ably few people have derived more pleasure from the beautiful things out 

 in the open, or brought more joy of living into the lives most closely 

 associated with his. A formal memorial of his life work has been recorded 

 in the minute book of the Nature Study Society of Rockford, and from this 

 the data in the foregoing sentences have been obtained. 



Mid- Winter Field Notes 



Judging from reports that came in as late as January 15 the present 

 winter season has been a lean one to most observers and to a favored few 

 one of rich experiences. There has been an unusual "flight" of barn owls 

 in northern Illinois, it seems, and now and then a snowy owl has been 

 reported. In favored places flocks of evening grosbeaks have appeared. 

 Pine Grosbeaks, Redpolls, Crossbills and Pine Siskins have been variously 

 reported in northeastern Illinois. 



Most of the observers comment on the very mild weather up to Christ- 

 mas time. Mr. Benjamin T. Gault, writing from Glen Ellyn, reports 

 dandelions in blossom, Dec. 19, and angle worms strolling on the village 

 sidewalks, Dec. 21, a truly remarkable record for northern Illinois. Brown 

 Creepers, Jays, Crows, White-breasted Nuthatches were usual visitors at 

 that time. For Dec. 27, Mr. Gault writes: "Temp. 23 degrees at 

 2 p. m. Wind N. W. Wallace Grange of Wheaton who was out 

 taking a bird census, called and reported seeing a Mourning Dove today 

 on his uncle's farm south of Wheaton. Was feeding near a barn where 

 some corn had been spilled. Identity positive. This is interesting as it 

 makes the first winter record of the bird for these parts so far as I'm aware. 



"Dec. 29 — A single Brown Creeper put in an appearance about 3 p. m. 

 on one of the large poplars making but a hasty inspection of the trunk and 

 was off. It passed rapidly from the base upwards and then took wing 

 alighting again 10 to 15 feet higher up. This struck me as being an 

 unusual performance, as ordinarily in flying from the tree they drop down 

 and start over again and if not on the one they left, the tree adjoining. 

 No mention is made here of the Blue Jay and Downy Woodpecker, both of 

 which visit our grounds regularly. 



"Jan. 10 — I visited woods and lakes again in afternoon, but saw only 

 one Tree Sparrow and three Crows. Marks in the snow showed much 

 recent activity on the part of rabbits, squirrels, ground mice and shrews, 

 also where a Screech Owl had lately secured its prey. The dav was clear. 

 Wind S. W. Tern. 31, 2 p. m. 



