24 THE AUDUBON BULLETIN 



Bloomington 



From Mr. Harold B. Wood, Health Director, of Bloomington, 

 Illinois, come these notes under date of March 14th : 



Your call for a list of wintering birds noted in today's paper. 



The following have been common at Bloomington during the 

 past winter: Blue Jay, Downy and Hairy Woodpecker, Cardinal, 

 Chickadee, Tree Sparrow and Yellow-shafted Flicker. In De- 

 cember a Tufted Titmouse was occasionally in our yard. To the 

 feeding box made by my son, Merrill Wood, and to the suet in 

 the trees have come numerous Jays, as many as five Cardinals 

 at a time, Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers and a Brown Creeper. 



We have seen an occasional Marsh Hawk, and on Christmas 

 three Evening Grosbeaks (undoubted). 



I have heard three distinct and different calls of Owls but 

 cannot identify the species. 



Robins first appeared here the morning of March 2nd; we 

 heard the first Meadowlark March 8th (we live near the edge of 

 the city); Blackbirds first arrived March 9th; and on March 

 14th a Song Sparrow was heard. 



Elgin 



Mrs. N. I. Childs sends under date of March 5th the following : 



I have been fortunate in having Downy and Hairy Wood- 

 peckers, Creepers, Nuthatches and Chickadees come to my suet 

 basket all winter. 



Last summer the Downy had her nest in my yard and hatched 

 two young ones. I think one of them was not normal for the 

 mother took it when it was about a week old and flying high 

 above the drinking fountain dropped it . I went to it immediately 

 and found it still alive, but it died soon after. 



For years I have had Wrens in my boxes, but last summer 

 the Downy would not let them even stay in the yard. I love the 

 Wrens very much and hope the Downy will not be quite so selfish 

 this year. 



Miss Gertrude Higinbotham writes : 



We are enjoying your "Check List of the Birds of Illinois." 

 Everyone interested in the study of our bird friends should cer- 

 tainly have a copy. 



We first began the study of the birds in 1914, and have cer- 

 tainly considered our time well spent. By always keeping water 

 and food (suet and seeds) where the birds can obtain them, we 

 always see between sixty and seventy different kinds of birds 

 in our yard, which is an ordinary city lot. 



On October 26, 1922, we had the treat of seeing our first 

 Red-bellied Woodpecker. (Notice the "Check List" says they 

 are rare in this section) December 29, 1922, we saw him again 

 and the Red-headed Woodpecker at the same time. Both were 

 on our bathing pan. On a visit to Trout Park on January 19, 



