ILLINOIS AUDUBON SOCIETY 17 



On the 13th, everything happened just the same as on the 

 12th. 



On the 14th the same thing was repeated, but on examining 

 the young Flickers we found about half of some small bird which 

 apparently the old owl had attempted to feed the young Flickers, 

 and after putting the voung back in the nest thev were so far 

 advanced that two objected to such treatment, and left the nest. 



On the 15th the old Flickers were feeding same as ever, and 

 investigation showed the old owl still brooding the young Flick- 

 ers, but the remaining two also objected to the irregularities, 

 and left. 



For the next ten days we looked into all the holes, but 

 the owl and the Flickers had all left. We have examined the 

 holes occasionally since then, but have not found a trace of the 

 owl. 



In our experience with animals we have known cats and 

 dogs taking other young when their own had been taken away 

 from them, and have known chickens to hover most anything 

 they could find, but this was the first experience with wild birds. 



Grackles of Bad Repute 



On Nov. 22, there were about two hundred Bronze Grackles 

 that stopped for rest in their migration, in our yard while we 

 were doing our morning trapping. A Junco had been trapped 

 in one of the flat traps, and w 7 as hopping about trying to find 

 an opening, when suddenly a Grackle made a dive from a near- 

 by tree and tried his best to catch the Junco, then more followed 

 until there were about twenty-five on the trap, all trying hard 

 to catch the one poor little Junco, and one of the Grackles was 

 successful in pulling out some of its feathers just as reinforce- 

 ments arrived in the shape of a club thrown at the flock. 



We believe if they had not been noticed they would have 

 killed the Junco, as it was becoming tired from the constant 

 dodging and surely the Grackles tried hard enough. 



During the nesting season this year the Grackles spoiled 

 nearly all the eggs of the Robins in our yard. 



White Throats and Robins 



In the spring 1922 issue of this Bulletin you were told about 

 the Whitethroat Sparrows of 1921. This fall has brought some 

 additional facts that are worth mentioning. 



Number 17042 has show r n an unusual disposition for tame- 

 ness, and simply squats down and lets you pick it up to read its 

 number, and is very quiet all the time it is held in the hand. 

 Recently, when released from the trap she flew to a bush within 

 six feet of the trap and stayed there quietly and w r atched while 

 four new birds were taken out of the trap and banded, then, with 

 a few twittering notes, flew to the ground in search of more 

 food. 



